Chapter 94: Arrival (1/2)

CLAIRE BLADEHEART'S POV:

Hue

These were the words instilled in me even before I understood what they meant These were the four qualities that were necessary in order to have a heart as sharp as a sword This was the creed of the Bladeheart fanorant as I was as a child, I had truly believed that I would be able to follow this sacred doctrine my family was built upon… no norant I was

This was the thought that clawed at … si as Theodore was beaten and burned into an unrecognizable state

Si as Elijah fearlessly tried to defy, despite being unaided, a figure so powerful I could only submit and hope… hope that I'd somehow make it out alive

Even withwhat exactly was occurring,it to be real

What all of the student es here could not hope to do, what all of the professors here failed to accole-handedly, had achieved

I had never deeiven , almost ditzy at times, but not at this moment After he had cursed aloud at Lucas, his denizable

As thoughtless and downright mad as he may have been, that ditzy friend displayed what I couldn't

As if Elijah's enraged cry had released his soul, Elijah's body seemed almost lifeless as his shoulders slumped and his head hunched forward I couldn't help but look ahen suddenly a blast of black ht Arthur's friend had already died, but I realized it wasn't Draneeve or any of his henchmen that invoked the mysterious spell; it was Elijah that casted it

The spell he had used then was unusual, almost unnatural, but it hen he placed his palan coiling around his hand,the transparent barrier like it was butter—that a cold chill ran down ic destroy so so easily when not even the professors combined could scratch it, I felt hope Maybe he would be able to end this It was also then, alongside this feeling of hope, I felt an alible contempt for myself

I looked down to realize ripped the hilt of my sword I couldn't help but scoff at myself What use was this sword of mine if fear renderedback up, I fixedlike he wasn't really in control of himself Anyone that tried and opposed him was almost instantly pierced by a black spike The speed at which each spell was casted shouldn't have been possible They couldn't even be called spells, but more of an automatic defenselike this before, ic that was so unnatural… sinister evil

What confused me, and probably everyone else present, was how Draneeve behaved towards Elijah Elijah was killing his ht; he had already killed three of his robed underlings He should've been angry—downright furious at hi his plans, but instead he looked… afraid

I was only able toto Elijah as he frankly ignored thehis way towards Lucas

I heard hi how he didn't know…

I also thought I heard hiht

After his useless atte out orders to his robed lackeys, telling theht as our fellow student was trying to kill his allies but the leader was ordering his allies not to fight back

The other students were baffled at all of this, not quite sure what totheir doubts on whether he was actually on our side, perhaps suspecting that Elijah was actually in league with Draneeve This was until he collapsed on the ground, his final atte Lucas ultimately unsuccessful

While at first, ere too shocked by Elijah's sudden outrage and display of cryptic powers to h to realize that the fracture in the barrier ht back

This thought had already crossed my mind I knew that with all of the mana beasts either dead or badly injured and Draneeve partially occupied with Elijah's body, noas the perfect chance to retaliate

I knew this, yet round beneath me I knew this, yet I was still afraid…

"Students, clear a way!" An arcane professor led a sroup of professors toward the hole in the barrier The students absentmindedly shuffled out of the way While ed to want to join thee of Doradrea's decollated head and Theodore's lifeless body burnt in their e to try and join the towards the professors, his hands already wielding his bow and arrow but the professor in the back stopped hi with them

"Fools," I whispered under my breath It was still hopeless Did the professors think that they could now somehow beat Draneeve? They should know better than us Was it their sense of duty that was driving the theeous akin to dying a fool's death? Was that what the Bladeheart creed wanted from me?

Kathylnat me, as if I had an answer

But I didn't I knew my limits and I knew only a fraction of what h to rob me of any confidence to unsheathe my sword

Like from an overused storyme to bed, the professors marched towards the fracture in the barrier like heroes on an expedition to save the princess froician

I could see the arcane professor, whose class I took last semester, in the lead Behind hiht underclassnize following a few steps behind with a crooked wooden staff Then joined Professor Glory She caughtout a second sword froave me then sent chills down my spine It was a look that I had never actually seen before, but one thather death

The Bladeheart creed clawed its way up into e

da of this caused athe resolve and loyalty a Bladeheart should display for her acadeside the that I had what it took to be a leader of the Disciplinary Committee… to be a Bladeheart

I shookthrough this would give me another chance to redeeeous, loyal, resolute and humble if I was dead

I turned my attention back to Draneeve, who had kneeled next to Elijah It looked like he was checking for signs,sure that Elijah was still alive, carefully, al Our professors, prized nored as he barked out further orders to his robed subordinates to prepare so up as he carried Elijah's li towards the back of the stone platfor hat looked like an oddly shaped anvil

"Lukiyah Change of plans You will take care of the ones ignorantly approaching and dispose of these—" he glanced down at the students captured, his eyes stopping at our Student Council President, "— trash"

"I will be heading back first I expect you to follow us through the gate promptly after," Draneeve continued, the pompous expression he once had nowhere to be seen

"Why are you bringing that along with us?" Lucas started to say, but his voice ended in a gasp as his eyes bulged out The arrogance on Lucas' face left hi down his face

"You are but a mere tool You will do as I say, no questions asked, and if you continue to display this sort of ignorance again, there will be consequences" Draneeve's voice was co and sharp, different from hohen he first revealed hiled to remain firm as he clawed at his heart until Draneeve kicked hirowled

Even frorily, but he convulsed and repeated through gritted teeth, "I… am… but… a… mere… tool"

"It is ready, es near the anvil announced

"H to co up

We all watched as this happened Even the professors, brave enough to e so powerful that he played with a Disciplinary Codoll, were stunned as he cruht

Professor Glory was the one to catch on that so was a towards the anvil that was noing, crying out, "We can't let hih the hole in the barrier when a pillar of fire, as thick as one of the support beams in the academy hall's main entrance, shot up in front of the, his face still lined with pain as he looked at the four professors The desperate expression on his face was now gone, though, as he walked confidently towards the professors, conjuring another pillar of fla his other hand

By this tiroup of his robed lackeys were now gone, taking Elijah with the anvil-shaped object