SYSTEM ASCENSION

The next morning wasn’t going great. This was because eighty percent of the students were currently in critical condition due to Richard’s outburst earlier and their lack of awareness.

Elias strolled into the fortress for the first time since they came here.

His objective was simple.

”Kael.”

The latter turned.

”Elias? Woah, you’re rare to see these days.”

”Let’s go somewhere.”

”Somewhere?”

Claude walked out of the room. ”Can I tag along? I’m trying to escape the responsibilities of the injured children.”

”You know you shouldn’t say that to our faces, right?” Davon asked.

”Suit yourself.” Elias was already walking away.

The duo followed him.

Elias casually led them out of the fortress, giving no explanation about where they were going.

They pass by a field where they saw Coco fighting with Quil, and Mona just sat still, watching them.

”When did they get so close?” Kael muttered.

”Not everyone is you.” Claude scoffed.

”Hey! What is that supposed to mean!”

”The one girl that showed interest in you, isn’t even interested in you.” Claude laughed.

”I’m not interested in Rolarza!”

”I didn’t call a name.”

Kael’s face flushed. ”Damn you!”

He lunged at Claude, but the latter just stepped sideways, making him trip.

”Hahaha. Loser.”

He stood up, pouting fulltime.

”Elias,”

Elias finally glanced at them. ”What?”

”Why don’t you ask Mona to give you a ride instead of walking?” Kael asked. ”I mean look at him.”

They all glanced at Mona. He was chewing a crystal, while watching the fight.

”He’s not doing anything.”

”Is that a crystal?” Claude tilted his head.

”It’s weird.” Elias frowned.

”Weird? Why is it weird?”

”Dude,” Claude said. ”Riding Mona is like riding himself. I just realised how twisted that sounds after I said it.”

”Oh...”

Kael’s eyes wandered to Elias’s attire.

”Don’t you have a problem with walking?”

”No.”

”They pierced your ear too.”

”Yes.”

”Why did they draw the tattoo all the way to your finger tip? Jordan’s own is different.”

Claude sighed. ”Do you ever shut up?”

”The character is just longer.” Elias mumbled.

”And Jordan’s character is shorter?” Kael continued to ask away.

”Yes.”

”What does it mean?”

”It’s just my name.”

”But your name is Elias? I don’t see an ’E’.”

”It’s an ancient black empire language. Full meaning of Irue.”

Claude narrowed his eyes.

”What does it read?”

”...”

”...”

He stopped. The wind ruffled slowly as he spoke.

”Life and death matters not, for life is just a hassle and death is another life. He who knows all without knowing all. Godlike but just an existence among over existence.”

”...”

Kael didn’t get it. It made zero sense to him. He glanced at Claude but the latter was looking away.

”...”

They continued to walk.

At some point, it was just silence, but as the walk grew longer, conversation started again.

Kael asked several times where they were going, but Elias only continued walking, while Claude occasionally gave him a vague guess that explained absolutely nothing.

They passed through the outskirts of the settlement, crossed several rocky paths, and eventually reached the foot of a mountain.

The climb began without warning. They walked for hours, following a narrow trail that became steeper as they went, until the fortress and everything around it had disappeared from sight. Kael was exhausted by the time they finally reached the top.

”We’re here.”

”Aargghh! Kill me now. I have never walked this far.” Kael bent forward, breathing heavily while Elias and Claude stood a few steps ahead, seemingly unaffected by the journey.

Kael straightened himself and looked around. The view stretched for miles, but there was no one else around them. He frowned, finally realizing how far they had gone.

”Why did you bring me all the way out here?” he asked.

Elias turned toward him, his expression unusually calm. For a moment, he said nothing.

Then—

”Remember that time when I missed a major upgrade because of you? And we didn’t kill the Null too.”

Kael flinched. ”I...”

”And he was yelling in the penalty zone too.” Claude added.

”That was a tactical distraction Claude!” Kael snapped at him, before turning to Elias.

”Did you bring me here to rub it on my face?!”

”No. You talk too much,” Elias said. ”So I brought you here to get rid of you.”

Kael stared at him. His smile disappeared.

”What?”

He glanced at Claude, but the president remained silent.

”Silly joke right?” He laughed nervously.

”...”

Kael looked between them, waiting for someone to laugh or tell him that it was a joke, but neither of them moved.

He felt a shiver.

”I...apologize for that day. I’ll make it up to you. Ask me anything.”

”...”

”Damnit! Answer me!” He looked between two of them, then around the isolated place.

”What is this?! Claude?!”

”I’m not sure,” Claude shrugged. ”But I do agree that you need to be gotten rid of, or all of us will be in danger.”

”I’ll fix my tone. Please.”

”...”

The realization slowly settled over him, and his face drained of color. ”You’re serious?” he asked, his voice becoming unsteady.

Elias simply looked at him. Panic replaced the confusion in Kael’s eyes. He took a step backward, then another, shaking his head as he desperately tried to convince himself that this couldn’t be happening.

”Wait. No. You can’t be serious. I won’t talk anymore. I’ll be quiet, I swear. Just take me back.”

He kept begging, his words becoming more desperate as Elias continued to stand there without reacting.

Kael promised he would change, promised he would listen, promised he would do anything if they would simply return to the fortress.

When Elias took a step toward him, he staggered back.

”I...have always admired you Elias. I...want to be like you. Give me a chance.”

”You’ll get a chance at rebirth.”

That was the reply Elias gave him.

His face fell.

He immediately turned around and ran, but barely made it a few steps before Elias caught him by the hair and yanked him back.

”Aaarrrggghhh!” He tripped and fell, bruising his feet.

”Please stop!” Kael struggled, trying to pull himself free, but Elias held on firmly.

Claude just watched, hands in pockets.

Elias pulled him by the hair, on the ground to the edge of the mountain.

”Wait! No!” Kael was already in tears, clasping his hand together. ”I’ll cut off my tongue! Works right? I would never say anything again. I...don’t want to die.”

He only met the cold look.

With a sudden movement, Elias raised him over the edge.

”Aah?”

And dropped him.

”Aaarrrggghhh!” He dropped several feets and slammed into the nearest stone to the edge. Blood smeared the rock, as he fell deeper.

Claude watched in silence.

Elias stood at the top, looking down after him.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Claude sighed.

”You really went through with it.”

Elias turned away from the slope.

”He talked too much.”