Arcane Academia

Chapter 10

Deep breath...

Drums echoe the ground.
We're all escorted to a steel room to get equipped.
Exiting the castle, the sun glares at me in a sharp, blinding sheen.
We follow a trainer to the steel room solemnly.
Inside my eyebrows perk slightly. There's an array of all kinds of weapons, including guns.
I head to the locker that says my name and slide it open, my outfits inside, it's a navy blue jumpsuit, with the Aria's kingdom crest emblazoned on it's left. I lift it, its light and feels the same ethereal material the armour felt. There's tiny pockets on either side.
I place it on the bench and proceed to remove my jacket. I look at the time, there's 23 minutes left before we head outside.
Balling my jacket I toss it in the locker, along with my sword which I gently lay over my jacket. I'm prohibited from using my baby in the Labyrinth.
Then slamming the locker I pick up my jumpsuit and walk to the mirror. I slide it over my shorts and tank, I don't usually like shorts but, I had to for the jumpsuit.
It fits like a glove but in a second the sensation of it makes my skin squirm and then it stops. I zip the belt on. Theres complex loops for holding weapons. And finally a jacket the stops right at my chest.
I stare at my reflection. Damn I look exhausted, black circles my eyes and even beneath the circles there tiredness growing in my eyes.
I've been training my ass of these weeks trying to tear my mind from my towering problems.
Ok FOCUS. I meet my eyes. I got this. Conquer that maze. Look hot doing it. I stare me up and down and manage a smirk. I was prepared for this three years ago.
I head to the wall of weapons, we were instructed two staff, one of them attached with a blade at the end, and a gun. I slide my staffs into an X behind me and place the gun in my belt. This gun has five bullets in it, unfortunately, it's not an Arcane gun. That's only for high ranking military.
Next to me Lyra and Fiore take their weapons, the anger of last week's fight, although mostly faded still lingers. I ignore them.

" Guys grow the hell up, this has gone too far," Lyra says sats exasperated to both of us, " God knows what's in that hellhole, you two really want to be beefing like this?"
" Good luck Ly," I says and head to the door.
I couldn't afford to lose my focus because of this petty crap.
We all gather around the door just as Zandar enters.

" Good luck to all of you, I really hope to see you all on the other side on time. I want all of you graduating, you've all worked hard and my I trained you well, just how well, we shall see, but I have hope for you lot, you'll are up against Candors' student, on a regular day I'd say beat their ass, today after inspecting the maze," she pauses "be safe." Everyone looks at each other uneasily.
" But nothing each of you can't handle, now go out there, give your 101 percent ...and make me proud. " She raises her glass.
" Z tower guys!" Caleb yells. We all yell excitement in the air as Zandar smiles for once and raises her glass to that.
We all rush out adrenaline racing.
Its then we see it. The maze.
It's HUGE.
From floor till as far as the eyes can see. I can't see the sky beyond the maze.
The drums beat as we walk towards the maze, the Costaz tower students joining us from the opposite steel room. Neither of us say a word. The teachers and principals observe us as we walk in silence to the maze, drums pounding.
There's 500 students entering the maze. Only a hundred can be recruited for elite missions. The rest fall under as war soldiers, if they make it out at least within 6 hours. The rest, disqualified from Arcane military and shun from their homes. I've read tales of people dying in there.
There's 500 entryways, one for each student.
Principal Zelda walks on the stage joint by, everyone gasps, the prince and princess, also military advisors of Aria. Prince Kian and his sister Princess Kiana.
"Students! The day finally dawned, a most esteemed day that decrees the true impact of useful your years here in the Academy were. Don't fail me.
As you can see, we are joint by the Prince and Princess, "
Everyone applauds, they both bow and incline to stop,
"Yes truly an honor, they're here to observe and rank your performances and I must add, any form of cheating and the student will be disqualified on the spot, so do refrain, if you truly feel distress there shall be pit stops along the way with flare guns, use them and we shall find you, do this however and you are out of the tournament. Your majesty?"
With that principal Zelda walks back and Prince Kian walks forward," the match will start at the first sight of sunrise and end at drop of sunset. Those who finish on the spot are instantly placed in the elite squad. Those after you shall be given till midnight to exit and then judged and ranked. The rest well...end of the road." With that he rolls up his script.
The princess rolls her eyes and steps in, " what my brother means is, do hurry but on that note be vigilant, the prince and I had also done a tournament similar to this and it's not for the faint of heart , stay focused and use your brain, I'll see you all on the other side."
I feel my fists getting clammy.
" Well said your majesties, now if you look to your left there appears to be specks of sunlight, a gong shall be sounded for every hour, good luck," Zelda says as I turn to see the sun barely rising.
" Take your positions students," Candor says as we all turn to face our doors.
" There will be no fighting the other students,"
The doors locks start unbolting ," no cheating,"
The doors start creaking open, " and most importantly, "
The doors slide wide open and we all look into the void of darkness ," no use Arcane."
I stare into the dark entrance grass hedges covering either side, my heart starts racing and wind rushes out of the maze and through my skin.
" You may enter."
I wipe my sweaty palms on my jumpsuit. Deep breathe, I got this.
I enter the maze.
" Let the 2065th tournament begin, good luck students, do try to come out in one piece," Candor says and the door slams shut.
I'm left in the icy, daunting darkness.

Breathe, Rei...
I squint across the pitch darkness and my claustrophobia kicks in. I shiver and lean against the metal door my breathing uneven. The walls...
It's not just the walls, it's the darkness... what it holds, I was never this claustrophobic, until I came to the academy. What the hell happened to m-
ENOUGH.
I rub my hands across my eyes. Remember why your here. Avenge your parents, avenge yourself...
" Get up, " a voice screams in my head...
I realize I'm sitting on the floor, leaning against the metal door.
Shit shit...I launch myself to my feet my breathing, not entirely but somewhat easing. I have got no time for this.
I'm have this shit to win.
Adrenaline now pole dancing through my veins I run into the darkness.
Digging my hands into my pocket I reach and find my mini torch in my jacket pocket. This torch runs on Quartz beads. I look inside, there's just one.

It won't last long but it'll get brighter throughout the day as the sun rises so Lord have mercy...
I catch myself at a crossroad. Left or frickin right??
There's a map in the centre. I remember reading that convenient piece of info in one of the study's of last mazes four and a half years ago.

I look at the ground. The teachers beforehand had come to inspect and hence they'd leave footprints. I take the path that looks the most tread on.
The next three turns I take all fall under intuition. I've always trusted my gut. Because why not.
On my forth turn a gong sounds and unfocused, I trip on something and catch myself instantly. An hour down.
I turn behind to inspect. It's gone. Wth.
Even with my meagre lighting it's still dark as shit. A branch cracks.

I whip around in a flash and look right in the face of the most hideous creature I'd ever sighted. Made Darwin look human.
A chupacabra but with the tail of a snake, instead of fur it has thorn crawling off it's back and red pupils eyes.

A grichle. A chemical enhanced dog created by Kirches during the first war. Its HUGE AF.
Is it real? How the hell did the academy even get this shit??
The uglyass thing starts racing towards me and for once I can't move.
I stare at it my feet glued do the ground.
In the last two seconds I whip my staff as it throws me off my feet.

I fall on my back hard and use my staff to protect my face from being devoured. It leans on my staff trying so hard to gnaw my face right off. I nearly black out at the stench of its breath.
I feel my stick shake at the weight. I'm not going out like this...it raises its paw to rip my face off and I duck from underneath using all my force to throw it off of me.
I scramble to my feet my hair ripping off its ponytail and running wild across my face. The Darwin lookalike pounces and I whack its face with my staff. The second time it pounces, I use the dagger in my staff to stab its side. It howls a piercing shriek. The stuff of nightmares.
Before I can pull my dagger out it rips it off my staff. My stab had done minimal damage. Dramatic bitch.
Before I have time to process, it launches , claws extended and scrapes my arm as I whack it. I cry out in pain.
It hurts like the effing devil.
I fall to my knees leaning against what's left of my staff , my hair covering my face as I dig my nails into my palm.
Biting my lips, I shove into my pocket and tear my gun out. I raise it and aim at the ugly thing only to find my bullet bounce right off.
I fall hard on my ass and try pushing myself with my palms away from it as it advances slowly almost taunting me.

Fml, I'm way too hot for death...