GLASS || The Catalysts, #1 [REWRITE]

XII

Gasps travel throughout the student crowd as they disperse, leaving Lena in the open and much too alone.

Thankfully, both Neesha and Roen haven't moved near Lena, though they seem extremely wary as Azalea unsheathes her sword and points it directly at them despite the distance between.

Lena is suddenly remembering about Arcana's last words to her before she left: that there will be some sort of test.

If so, is this it?

Then she's doomed.

Because it looks as if the intimidating girl with her sword is picking a fight, and Lena can't remember if she ever learnt how to. It's safer to bet that she's probably unable to; after all, this is a special academy.

She puts her hands up, and asks innocently, "Duel?"

If anything, Azalea's blue eyes spark even brighter. She appears as if she can't be sure to feel amused and annoyed, and Lena takes it as a good sign that she hasn't yet attacked with that sharp katana of hers. Immediately, Lena files the information she gleans: she can't attack... yet. This may very well be up to her—perhaps to accept or reject the duel?

Around her, students continue to fuss about this new development, but Lena hardly hears the stirring conversations in hushed tones as her heartbeats drown out every sound there is.

"Wow." Reyes' sudden comment pulls her out of the depth of her thoughts, shattering the frozen moment. Lena blinks as the quirky boy studies her intently. "Hardly anyone ever receives a duel invitation from Azalea. She only ever gets challenged; not the other way around. That and the fact you transferred here in Arcane Academy like no other student, you..." He pauses, contemplating, as if he's picturing how to tell a story.

"You talk a lot, Reyes," Neesha interrupts, stepping out to stand beside Lena. Reyes continues to mutter even as Neesha shoves the boy aside. "Azalea, what brings?"

"A duel," Azalea replies blatantly, rolling her eyes. "With her."

She nods over to Lena, unmoving, still pointing the tip of her blade. Her firm stance and stern expression tell all the stories there are to know: that she is not approachable. Even her smile earlier when she voiced out the request for a duel seems more like a confident challenge she's already victorious in instead of a friendly exchange.

On normal circumstances, after meeting a girl like Azalea, Lena will probably mind her own business. Except the duel is currently intended on Lena, and the said 'duel' sounds like a death declaration for her.

This is surreal. Once again, like multiple times since arriving in the City of Leatia and even during this morning's demon attack, Lena has to pinch herself. It isn't a dream; sometimes she wonders if it is all a mirage. After all, with no memories of anything, it's like dream walking in another realm.

But the road beyond isn't paved with pre-laid stones; she'll have to make her own. And it isn't going to be easy.

It appears that Lena isn't the only one feeling oppressed by the recent arrival. The rest of the students, albeit curious about the exchange, stand further back and disperse into groups as if they do not want anything to do with them. This must be bad, because aren't the students of Arcane Academy supposed to be eagerly jumping to any opportunity for a duel?

The reason must be simple: Azalea must be too strong a challenger, and everyone here fears her. The current body language of the crowd is much too simple to decipher, and it isn't good news.

"So," Lena begins, tongue-tied but trying to address the issue at hand with a mask of calm, "why me?"

"Yes, you—because." Azalea smirks with that one word as if it's explanation enough, but when Lena doesn't catch on, still waiting for the proper elaboration, the girl rolls her pretty blue eyes until the pupils disappear in her dark bangs. "I've heard of you from Arcana himself, not to mention all the rumors going around this morning. As if it isn't enough for you to simply... stroll into Arcane Academy, you had to come in with such a headline."