It became so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
Leons face flushed red, his golden eyes narrowing into thin, vertical slits, like a cat's pupils. His lips trembled, his brow furrowed, and his breath came out slow and uneven, as though he was struggling to hold himself back. His grip tightened on his sword, knuckles whitening.
Just as he was about to draw.
"That's enough."
The Saintess's voice alone calmed the situation considerably. She placed a hand on Ria's shoulder, shooting her a scolding glare before turning to Leon.
"Apologies for this rapscallion." Her voice was calm. "I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it."
Yeah right. Diana glanced at Ria, whose cheeks were puffed out, as if she were the one who was wronged. Diana looked back at Leon.
His grip on his sword loosened, and an awkward smile tugged at his lips. His trembling lips steadied, his eyes relaxing slightly, but his other hand remained clenched so tightly that blood dripped onto the green grass below.
A dry chuckle left his lips, the awkward smile transformed into a smirk. He raised his hand that was previously on his sword to his chest and saluted.
"It is an honor to meet the Saintess." While his actions were restrained, he couldn't hide his trembling voice.
Leah's lips curved into a dazzling smile, bright enough to shame the sun.
"I'm sure it is."
Leon's smirk stiffened.
Ouch.
Was this why she was friends with Ria? Diana's eyes widened in horror. Then what did that make her?
Before he could retort, Ria's brother stepped forward, his lips curved into a diplomat's smile. "A pleasure to see you once again. May the light of Lux Reign eternal in the Empire. His voice was like a sycophant's. He bowed his head.
If Diana remembered correctly, the religion in the Dragonhart empire mostly worshiped Bahamut. Her eyebrows scrunched up.
How shameless of him.
Leah tilted her head, she offered a blessing nominally only. "May the Light of Lux bless you." Unlike when she gave her the blessing, her Halo did not shine brightly. Without missing a beat, she continued. "Your eyes, much like that man's, are clouded in darkness."
The prince's lips pressed into a thin line. unbothered, Leah continued to smile brightly.
"No need to be nice to these mongr-" Ria chimed in, flashing a grin similar to Leah's. " I mean princes."
That was her idea of nice? Diana suppressed the urge to groan. Why are they like this? She pinched the bridge of her nose.
The Saintess of light outrightly called two princes evil.
However, Diana understood her. Leon was a horrendous human being, a man so utterly self-obsessed that in his final moments, he tore the bridge between worlds and let hell rain down on his empire.
It marked the start of the official game.
Prince Akeron cleared his throat, but before he could even get a word out.
"Kiddies." Miss Kaede's amused voice rang out. "The gates are about to open. Why not settle your grudges with your scores?"
Diana had never seen her look so alive.
Were the NPCs always this unhinged?
Miss Kaede nudged her fellow instructor, his voice stuttering out, "Y-yes! L-let's settle this with scores!" He almost screamed out. His eyes regained their gleam as he looked everywhere but at Ria.
Kaede leaned in, her whisper anything but quiet. "You never told me you cried fighting a child." She mused. "Is that why you fled the academy?" Her laughter was loud, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Sir Artys cheeks burned crimson, his mouth opening and closing like a fish grasping for air. His hands awkwardly moving before he crossed his arms, his shoulders slouching, as if he could vanish on the spot.
Wow. A triple threat. Diana was glad they outright ignored her, which was rude considering her station was larger than both of theirs. She awkwardly glanced at the mage who hid her eyes beneath her hat.
Miss Kaede glanced at them. "This is your party? Good, you are the last to register," She nodded before turning towards the gate.
Boom!
the red gate pulsed, sending a violent gust of wind rippling through the plain, the gust flattening the wind, and causing the closest ones to grip their clothes.
"Listen up!" Her voice amplified with magic as a torrent of wind rose, making her float upwards. "The joint Academies welcome you all to the mid-term evaluations." Fire burst behind her.
A sparkling array of crimson light highlighted her.
The students cheered enthusiastically.
She waited for the cheering to stop, and with a triumphant nod and a smirk, she continued
"We have managed this exam for forty years without incident. There will be none today." Her voice was serious as she glared below. "Do you hear me, brats?" Without waiting for a response, she continued.
"I'm sure your respective instructor has already gone over the basics." She flicked her wrist, and a massive magic circle flared beneath them.
Wait, what, when? Diana looked around before meeting Ria's gaze, who waved at her and shrugged.
"Thanks to the Church and me, you've all been enchanted with a life-preservation spell." Her eyes gleamed with pride. "You will be graded on a Range of factors. Good luck." And with a wave of her hand, she vanished.
And the world changed, as if we were all being transported at the same time.
Dungeons in New Life weren't normal. Each one was a unique world, and had a different theme, it could range from hunting a group of monsters, to helping a kingdom engulfed in war. Or simply win a battle. Her favorite dungeon in the game was a murder mystery.
This Dungeon, however, was custom-made by the Vulcan Academy's chief Dungeon maker. It was the safest way to simulate a real dungeon without it being a 'real' dungeon. She had no idea how they did it, but they would be watching every student's group from the control room, making sure everyone was graded properly.
The sudden darkness faded, and a new world greeted her eyes. The scent of salt and water entered her nose, and she looked around.
Her feet sank slightly into the sand; she was on a beach.
"Palm trees." She muttered as her eyes caught sight of the trees, then her eyes looked at the coast, where waves smashed against the rocks.
Where are we? Her eyes trailed up.
One sun.
Her phoenix circled above her.
It wasn't a dungeon based on their world. Could the theme be survival?
"Diana." Ria's voice cut through her budding thoughts.
She blinked, her scarlet eyes meeting Ria's piercing blue. She rubbed her temple.
"Sorry, I was lost in thought."
Ria's lips curved slightly while she waved her off.
"It looks like the theme is survival." Ria's words matched her thoughts.
"But we can't be so sure yet." Leah interjected. Diana turned to look at the Saintess, the paladin standing silently beside her.
"Assumptions kill." Diana softly muttered as she bent down and scooped up the coarse sand. It trickled through her fingers as she studied it.
"Does anyone recognize this world?"
She looked up.
Both the Saintess and the Princess shook their heads.
Diana sighed as she got up. Her eyes landed on the woods before her, or was it the jungle? She couldn't be sure.
"Should we explore?" Diana asked, her head tilted slightly.
The Idea wasn't appetizing, but she didn't know if time was a factor to be graded on.
"It could be dangerous." Leah chimed in.
"I like Danger." Ria's lips curved into a smirk.
Their conversation was cut short by screams coming from the forest.
"Ah shit, their almost here!"
"Run! They can't reach us on the beach."
"The sand, they can't touch the sand."
"Hurry!"
The Paladin beside the Saintess tightened her grip on her sword, while Ria prepared to summon her Wyrm. The Saintess whispered a prayer, her halo glowing.
"Ignis," Diana whispered, and her phoenix dove down, ready to engulf the voices in flames.
Diana extended her hand, and from the void came an axe, its edge glistening with frost. It felt snug in her hands, as if it belonged there.
So much for not being a warrior.
Her eyes narrowed as the voices got louder.
A group of people, wrapped in animal skin, burst out from the trees frantically as they dived towards the sand.'
One of the strangers kissed the sand, "Blessed Ahkrys, your divine sand." He continued to repeatedly kiss the sand
They celebrated before noticing us, and what seemed to be the leader looked up.
"Who the hell are you guys?" He looked back at us and then the forest, the thundering footsteps getting louder.
His eyes glimmered before he looked at us.
"No matter." He shook his head with urgency. "Stay on the sand and make sure those things don't touch you."
Diana looked at him in confusion. What things?
His cryptic words made sense when the incoming footsteps got louder. Emerging from the forest were a group of people clad in armor, their skull-like heads alit in blue flames, and their hollowed eyes staring straight at them.