The corridors of the political science department of Volataire institute felt lifeless for Merva. She heard the distant hum of the flying rides, and the chatter of students.
But she was alone. Zeus her only real friend was in the dome, probably fighting for his life.
She walked through the less used staircases, and corridors like she always did, but changed her mind, turning back. Today would be different.
She walked through the popular routes, and took the escalator, heading for the breakfast hall. She ignored the stares, and glares she got from other students who made it a point to avoid her as much as they could.
She was amused by their actions, a part of her wanting to laugh out loud, but she did not.
She walked towards the hall, and stopped once she was past the door. She had already had breakfast with her family at the mansion, and she was not hungry. She came by to see Serine, and she did.
Serine was seated at a table all alone, a picture of her beloved solitude. 'Its just so her to do this.' She thought, her lips curling into a wily smile. She and Serine were not yet friends, though they greeted each other when they met, or when they decided to check on the other. She continued on her way, not willing to ponder on whether they could be considered friends, or acquaintances.
She walked around the school grounds for a while, enjoying the fresh air, as she checked out the beautiful red and white decorations that were being put up gradually.Cupid's coming was close.
She wanted to look away, but she kept staring. There would be nothing different this year, she knew that. And yet she felt sad.
She changed directions, tired of feeling sad for herself. The archery field was her next destination. When she reached there, she kept her satchel in the shade, and got herself a bow and arrows from the storage room beside the field.
The warm sunlight casted a gentle glow over the field, the sound of breeze pushing against everything bringing calm to her heart. She lightly pulled at the bow string, the twang sound a balm for her frayed nerves.
Coexisting in the same vicinity as her grandfather was frustrating, his constant hurtful words dampening her mood.
She pulled an arrow, aiming at the center of a wooden board, and released. It hit the target and she smiled.
Time lost it's meaning, as she lost herself in the routine. The wooden boards, and dummies bearing the brunt of her perfect aim, as she fired again and again.
Her muscles ached, but she did not stop. She picked up another arrow, readying it to fire, when she heard a chirpy voice.
She sighed inwardly, deadpanning.
"Look who we have. You're not hiding out in the archery field are you?" It was Daisy's voice.
Lily sneered. "It's probably great if she is hiding out here, after all she is a walking disaster."
'A walking disaster you keep following about.' Merva thought.
Ava gave her a once-over, taking in her robes, and all. "Must be frightful not having Zeus to protect you now. Right?" She finally said, a vicious smile on her face.
Merva tightened her fingers around the arrow in her hand. She was stronger now, she could even be stronger than all of them. Since the seal on her core cracked, she had been growing stronger each day. If the rules of Volataire did not have a strict law against violence and fighting, she might have beaten them up.
She knew that Ava saw the defiance on her face, but she couldn't care less, she had a different kind of confidence now, and she loved it.
She smiled at them creepily, her fingers moving with precision as she quickly drew three other arrows, and shooting them quickly in successive order.
She loved the look of shock, and fear she saw as the arrows either flew over their head, or slightly miss grazing their ear.
"My hair, oh my god." Daisy screamed dramatically, her other halves, Lily and Tulip screaming along with her.
"How dare you?" Tulip shouted in indignation.
She looked at them innocently. "You should be more careful, if not you could get hurt." She wanted to smile so bad, but kept her face straight.
"You could be fined for this, or even expelled. You are aware of that right?" Ava stated calmly, but Merva did not flinch.
"But I was trying to shoot at my targets, and you then approached me, offering to be the targets. I didn't beg you now, did I?" Merva said, tilting her head dramatically.
She had already made a list of things she wanted to do before her application might be selected, but this had just become one she would add and mark off the list.
Their faces were turning red with rage, when a large group of students came out. Ava and the rest got distracted from their rage, and Merva took the opportunity to grab her satchel and slip away.
The commotion became bigger, word like "dome, shadows, and show" being the most frequent words she heard.
She went along with the others, looking at a globe board, but she kept being pushed aside, and she could barely see. She walked away from there, finding one of her quiet spots at the top of a building where she could get a clear view of everything.
The dome was now clear of the darkness that covered it.
The main view was Zeus, floating in the air. He was surrounded by shadowy wisps the color of lightning, his eyes blazing with the energy of lightning.
The casters voice came through the speakers, "it seems the primordial bout was delayed, while the dome was being fixed."
Everyone knew that was a lie.
"But fear not dear viewers, as your long awaited show is about to begin." The caster finished.
The camera angle showed from different angles all the contestants in different parts of the dome, surrounded by their power.
Merva smiled. She knew that whatever had happened in there while the dome was dark, Zeus had found a different, and stronger version of himself. Her smile grew, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. 'The real competition was going to begin now.'
As the caster's words faded, the billboard flickered, a message appearing in bold letters.
THE PRIMORDIAL BOUTS WILL NOW COMMENCE. PREPARE TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A NEW ERA.
She felt her heart skip a beat, the real nature of the competition was about to be revealed. No one knew what to expect, such had not been done in their continent in thousands of years.
*** ***
High lord Zoran stood before his floor to ceiling window, watching the buzz outside his office house gates. He smirked, folding his hands behind him. He had won.
He was proud of his son. He knew he was hard on him, but he felt it would make him stronger, more fierce than even he was.
Zeus was no son of a lowly servant, he had the blood of Dena -royal blood of The Dark continent- flowing in his veins. His son's heritage was a secret only Metis, Dogan, and himself knew of.
He vanished from his office, back to palace Aetheria where Metis was, her eyes fixed on the TV screen. He wanted to gloat, telling her that his prediction always came true. But one glare from her told him she was in no mood.
"What if he had chosen her?" She said, her face a picture if relief and anger. "What then would have happened? Zeus would be the one paying for your past sin, and everyone would come to know. You are not the one who would have gotten hurt, it would have been him." She scolded him. Zeus was her son to her.
He nodded in acceptance, but his plan had worked. All those who dared to question his son's qualification for his throne would pay.
Meanwhile in a dimly lit, smoke filled chambers of an elite, some ministers, high council assistants, and political figures were gathered. Whispers of concern spread amongst them, debating on how Zeus became stronger, and what their supreme leader Zoran's plans were.
"He's doing it again. A grey haired high council assistant muttered, his eyes darting across the room. "I have seen this happen before, two thousand eight hundred and seventy six years ago." He warned them.
The others nodded, exchanging worried glances.
"He is definitely using the dome to crush his opposition." Another added, all of them concurring with him.
"Do you know who the opposition are?" None of them said they knew.
"Only the supremes, and Dogan know what he is about to do." One exclaimed.
"Then the Supremes help us all." The owner of the mansion muttered as a prayer.
The commoners and lower gods buzzed with excitement, flocking around TV screens, and billboards, eager to witness the spectacle.
"The primordial bout is finally happening." A young girl exclaimed, her eyes shinning with excitement.
"Yes. And Raven is going to crush them all." Her friend replied, grinning. "I mean, have you seen her powers?" She explained. "She would make a great supreme leader of the continent."
Her friends nodded in agreement, their faces alight with anticipation.
However, many did not agree. A group of elderly men sipping on beers at a bar disagreed. "Those fools shouldn't have challenged the boy, they are basically up against the supreme leader. When have you ever seen anyone of the house of Zeus, or Hera, take such things lightly?" One asked, as he chugged beer.
"Even if another wins and his son dies, the supreme leader will probably wipe them out later." Another said shaking his head, as he sipped his beer.
The others nodded in agreement.