“Oh, so you finally heard about it, huh?”

  By nature, I was not a violent person. I preferred to solve my conflicts in less physical ways—like by using threats and blackmail.

  “Not thanks to you…”

  But I sure felt like punching the man in front of me.

  Belenus Kairon's tone shared the mockery of his smile. “Ergos’ norms, kid. Each class got notified on the same day, once, two months ago. Now we’ll only start advertising the event the week before.”

  Yeah, I thought it would be something like that.

  “Tsk…”

  It was not as if I expected Belenus, of all people, to open an exception. Still, I couldn’t get rid of the bitter frustration I felt in knowing that, had it not been for Vin, I would’ve had a mere week to prepare myself for one of the biggest events of the year.

  An event that could help me get in contact with sponsors.

  Money.

  “Can you at least tell me more about it? Now that I already know it will happen.”

  “You do realize you’ve no classes today, right? Shouldn’t you be sleeping, resting, or…whatever it is you students do on your day off?”

  As if there’s such a thing as a “day off” in Ergos...

  “If this is a day off, then why are you loitering in the lounge when your next elective is only later this afternoon?”

  Belenus scoffed, amusement crossing his eye.

  “Touché.” Then he contemplated for a few moments, scratching his chin. “Eh, screw it, why not? Follow me.”

  Without giving me a chance to refute or even ask what he was planning, Belenus walked out of the professors’ lounge—prompting me to follow. It took no time to recognize the path he was taking, crossing halls and making turns until we were out in one of the gymnasiums.

  Coincidentally, the one right beside the stable where Styx’s cage currently was.

  Professor Bel did not even glance my way as he spoke, as if there was already a mutual understanding between us of what his intentions were.

  “I will check a mount for me. So get ready in the meantime.”

  I didn’t bother to ask. Actually, I didn’t want to ask—not when I knew Belenus would explain things sooner than later, and I would spare myself from the prolonged stress.

  But knowing him…I should probably worry just a bit, huh?

  When the ebony dragon locked eyes with me, there was a slight surprise in his gaze. Yet it didn’t take long for the surprise to melt into expectation as he saw me gathering our gear, the dragon’s tail moving swiftly side to side at a slow pace.

  A smile grew on my face, despite myself.

  “Aren’t you lucky today? The day barely started, and I’m already saving you from boredom.” I opened the cage, and in a matter of seconds, Styx was already flexing his wings, waiting still for me to put the saddle and protective gear on him.

  It took me a few moments to realize it—the sudden thought almost catching me off guard—how natural the process had become to me. How I instinctively knew how tight the gear had to be tied, the places Styx felt more and less comfortable in having something covering him, how ideal softness for the leather…

  Little by little, all those things not only had become part of a routine, but of a meaningful aspect of my current life.

  As Jackal, I knew the perfect size for each silver orb so I could better watch and analyze the races. I knew by the different static noises of the radios when a communication was being purposely jammed or simply had a weak signal. And that was the life I knew—silver orbs and long-distance communications.

  But now…

  Now I have someone else.

  I had Styx.

  “I can tell. Styx is happy.”

  Vin’s words echoed in my mind, somehow making my heart race and throb at the same time. I had enough self-awareness to know just how much I depended and relied on Styx—not only for my current goals, but also for the path my life was leaning toward. More and more, our lives were intertwining. We were a rider and his mount, after all. That was only natural.

  Yet Styx was old. And I… as a rider, I was far too lacking. How long would it take for me to get on a level to achieve everything I wanted?

  Would Styx be willing to wait for me?

  “Because Styx loves to compete, yet he loves to win the most.”

  This is certainly something we both have in common…

  But even knowing that, I still felt afraid. Afraid of knowing exactly what Vex meant to Styx—of what Vin still meant for him—and if his willingness to help me would remain unchanged until I achieved my objectives.

  Because while Jackal only had himself, Vex had Styx. Vex needed Styx.

  And this feeling…this thing of needing someone to be part of your life, of having someone being part of your life on such a deep level…

  I hate it.

  I shook my head, burying those thoughts deep inside. I had no use for them, especially now. “I have no idea what we are going to do, but I’m sure you’ll have your share of fun.”

  Styx’s eyes sparkled for a second, an eagerness shining through them as we made our way to the gymnasium. I wasn’t sure why, but Styx usually looked forward to Kairon’s lessons.

  Ever since that first activity during the reinforcement classes, with the laps and the time limit, sometimes it felt like both the ebony dragon and the professor were out to get me—or, at the very least, make my life as hard and troublesome as possible.

  And the second I saw what Belenus was holding in his hands, the more certain I became of that fact.

  Hah…

  A laugh got stuck in my throat, its sound too bitter and dry, leaving all the irony to be shared by my smile instead.

  “Aren’t you too old to like this kind of game?”

  He threw me a blue cloth, his mocking smile unchanged. “I’m a youth at heart. And you are the one who can barely keep up with me in these childish games.”

  Heart and Tails.

  A game I hadn’t played since my first practical exam. That time, I barely got a passing mark—reclaiming my “Heart” almost on the last minute. I held the blue cloth tighter in my fist, my heart starting to race.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Pretty sure I can keep up now.”

  Belenus Kairon’s eye sparkled for a brief second, a devilish amusement crossing his lips. “Wanna bet? He took out a red cloth from his pocket, wasting no time in tying the thing on his dragon’s saddle. “We both will play as the Manticore. Whoever takes the other’s Heart more times, wins.”

  “And if I win, you’ll tell me more about the event. Is that it?”

  The professor climbed the dragon with ease, his eye never leaving mine. “Good to see you’re still good using this head of yours.”

  I climbed Styx, making sure to tie the blue cloth as tight as I could—pretending I could not feel and see my fingers shaking. “And if you win?”

  “Aren’t you confident you’ve changed?” It was Professor Bel’s tone and words that made me shiver, a new glow crossing his eye. One that was dark, dangerous—a silent warning for ‘Vex, the student’ never let his guard down. “If you are certain you can keep up, there’s nothing to fear, is there?”

  And though I wished nothing more than to simply ignore that warning—to be someone who was good enough to trust in my own skills and the things I had accomplished—all I could do was hold the reins tighter as my heart beat faster and faster, excitement and fear clashing against each other.

  Because I knew exactly the place I stood, and how far it was from the man in front of me.

  From the woman with long silver hair and her monstrous red dragon.

  “You heard him, right? We are the Manticore this time.” I leaned closer to Styx, my words no more than a whisper, a smile curving my lips. “So let’s show him how well we hunt.”

  Three hours.

  180 minutes of doing my best to dodge Kairon’s charges while also attempting some of my own. Three hours that resulted in eleven matches. Matches that ended with six losses and five wins—

  For me.

  Belenus’ laugher echoed through the gymnasium as I collapsed on top of Styx, my breathing uneven as sweat drenched my clothes and heat fogged my goggles. The last time I felt like that was back during my training with Liber.

  I don’t think I will be able to walk tomorrow.

  It was probably a good idea to get some elixir or some potion for my muscles before going home.

  “What a shame, my dear student! If only you hadn’t been too greedy this last round.”

  Though the memory of my mistake irked me, I was too exhausted to react or feel the anger. I was almost too tired to even think. If I hadn’t tried to play too much on the offensive in this last match, it would’ve been a tie.

  Fuck…

  Sitting in the ground, although he didn’t share my exhaustion, the ebony dragon’s chest kept going up and down, his mouth partially open as his body tried to cool down. Apparently, I was not the only one desperate for water.

  On the other hand, Belenus Kairon only looked slightly flushed as he walked toward us—not bothering to look back as one of Ergos’ staff took the other dragon back to their cage.

  “You will need to improve that stamina of yours if you want to do well in the event. Depending on the roster, you can end up flying on all the races.” The professor threw a water bottle my way, making me wonder when he had the chance to get it, before pouring it down almost in one go. When it was almost half empty, I gave the rest to Styx.

  I took a long breath, letting my body regain some of its strength—my throat yearning for more of that coolness and freshness.

  “So. I lost.” Belenus cocked his head to the side, arms crossed, as if waiting for me to finish. “Our bet. You never said what would happen if you won.”

  He threw a towel over his shoulder before sitting down and spreading his legs on the floor. For a few moments, the man said nothing. All Belenus did was stare at the clear sky, the sun still covered by clouds, a faint breeze passing between us.

  “Once I think about it, I will let you know.”

  ...

  What…?

  Was he messing with me?

  “I don’t need petty sympathy.”

  “Great. I have none to share.” Before I could open my mouth again, Belenus’ gaze fell on me. And it was the intensity of that gaze, the sheer force of its message, that silenced me. “You still stink, but you did well. Both of you.”

  Somehow, that made me look away—an uncomfortable feeling spreading within my chest. A feeling that made cold shivers run through my skin at the same time that made me warm inside.

  I hated it.

  “And, well, what’s fair is fair. You won five matches, so you get five questions.”

  My eyes widened for a second, the words getting stuck in my throat before I blurted them out. “You—are you serious?”

  “Hah…what? Should I keep repeating myself as if you had half a brain or something? Didn’t you want me to tell you about that stupid event?”

  A smile crept in my face, a rekindled excitement making my heart skip a few beats. Five questions. I had to choose well—ask well. A generic question could very much end up with a generic answer, and before I knew it I would’ve wasted this opportunity.

  Especially when the one giving me answers was Belenus Kairon.

  If I wanted good and clear answers, the best I could do was make some assumptions of my own. From what Vin told me, I knew there would be some agencies and coaches watching.

  So, considering it was a closed interclass event, there was one thing I had to know, first and foremost.

  “…will we be facing upperclassmen as well?”

  He gave me a crooked smile, a chuckle escaping through his lips before he spoke. “A real pity, yet your class will be facing against others in your own grade. So there’s no excuse for you lacking behind.”

  I could work with that.

  “How many races are we talking about? Will they be more traditional ones, like the one in the entrance exam?”

  “It’s a three-day event, each one having around seven activities…ah, how many was it again?” The man’s voice was almost lethargic, his tone filled with bore and frustration as if the mere effort of remembering was an arduous chore. “Shit, I don’t know. Let’s say it’s close to ten. You can register for all of them, or none. As for the races, I heard the big one will be a Royale Rush.”

  I lost my breath.

  Ten races in three days…and one of them is a Royale Rush.

  Shit.

  Even as Jackal, I had never experienced a true Rush. Sure, in the underground, what we did was a fun mix since we didn’t have enough space and resources, but it was still closer to Traditional Rosters than Royale Rushes.

  An average Roster, like the one from the entrance exam, lasted no more than ten minutes. Yet a Royale Rush race could pass the half-hour mark with ease, especially if the path between the center was broken by a lot of barriers. And if Ergos planned on having the students racing inside a dome, as per usual…

  There was a chance we would need to be transported somewhere outside the academy.

  “Will the Royale Rush be open for anyone?”

  Belenus raised his eyebrow, something sparkling in his eye as he replied with the same sly smile. “Anyone who does well enough in the event. Our Ergos does favor meritocracy the most, after all.” I gave a short nod, ruminating over his words while thinking about what could be my next questions. Yet before I reached a decision, Belenus added with a mocking smirk. “You are down to your last question, by the way.”

  “What? N-no, but, I only asked—”

  “How many races will there be, and are they traditional ones. Those are two different questions. So now you have one left.”

  Not only was there a gleeful satisfaction on Belenus’ face, I could also hear the smugness in his voice. Clenching my fists, I cursed my own stupidity for such an amateur and foolish mistake.

  C’mon Vex, you are better than this…

  One question. But what could I even ask? The thing I was most curious about was what other activities there would be aside from the races. But it would be good to know how our individual and class performance would be measured.

  While I debated which information could benefit me the most, I locked eyes with Styx. I became all too aware of his body below mine, his breathing, the scars covering him. And then, the bitter and stifling memories of seeing how the ebony dragon interacted with his previous owner.

  The unsettledness I felt for not knowing anything about who Vin was, and what exactly they expected of me.

  So before I could help myself, the words were already leaving my mouth—their taste bitter and unsavory.

  “What do you know about Styx’s previous owner?”

  If there was one thing I could be proud of was catching Professor Kairon off guard.

  “This has nothing to do with the event.”

  “You never said the questions had to be related to the event.” I smiled, shifting my body toward the professor. “I know Styx was quite famous a couple of decades ago. Since you were a well-renowned rider, I’m sure you must have at least heard of them.”

  Belenus scratched the back of his head, muttering a low curse without meeting my eyes. When he finally turned to me, however, I suddenly regretted my question. Because I realized at that precise moment I was not entirely sure I wanted an answer.

  “I know rumors. Poor, half-assed assumptions at best.” Belenus shifted his gaze toward Styx, then, the dragon’s interest fully reflected in his purple eyes. Almost as if daring the man to speak ill of his former owner. “Some said this guy’s rider was from a fallen house, others that they were from a neighboring kingdom, or from a mixed ancestry. Truth is, no one knew shit. And people were only interested enough while this guy and his rider were making it into the rankings. When they stopped being as active, the rumors started dying out.”

  My fingers brushed the black crystal on my wrist, the silence stretching as the words circled in my head without a real direction. Was I disappointed that Belenus didn’t know more? Or was that stillness in my heart just another form of relief?

  “…do you know why they stopped? Racing, I mean.”

  Professor Belenus had no reason to answer me—he had already answered five questions. Still, he did so without hesitation. Without mockery, without sarcasm. And more than his willingness to reply to my silly question…what got me was his words.

  “I could never be bothered to. Why people start racing, why they stop—I never gave a shit for those. What mattered was how much they stunk at it, and how much they got my heart racing when we flew together.”

  The raw candidness pouring from them, showing not just how much Belenus Kairon loved racing, but also how much he missed it.

  “Yeah…I guess you are right.”

  “Of course I am.” The man then stood up, turning away from us as he stretched his body, not bothering to look back as he spoke. “Don’t forget to put all the gear away once you’re done.”

  Just like that, Professor Bel walked away, leaving me and Styx alone.

  Making me question, for the first time, my reason for being there.

  a while now, it was certainly a much slower progress than I initially intended. Some of the main reasons for the delay, I posted on the Notice Board in my Arcana Trials series (since I didn't make a Notice Board for BOTJ yet). But as a brief summary, there were health issues, work stuff, and having a friend over from another province.

  so much for the patience, support, love, and the time you're giving this series. It truly means the world to me (*ˊ?ˋ*)/????? ???*