Bab 45: The Carnival

Kagura laid awake in the middle of the night.

She was back in her room with Margaux and Sofia who were missing from their beds.

"Hello?" Kagura called out but was met with silence. She got out of the room and into the dark halls. It was awfully quiet.

She stepped down the first floor of their hotel suite and struggled to find the switch. When she did, she flicked it open and was greeted by several party poppers.

"Congratulations!"

Devin went over first, showing Kagura the news.

[ Summit First Half Top 3 ]

(In no particular order)

- Team Oceania

- Team Europe

- Team Asia

"What is this?" Kagura scrunched her forehead. "Why did they reveal the rankings?"

"That's in no particular order and it's not actually the rankings," Margaux said and fired another party popper. "But who cares? Let's celebrate!"

"Rodney," Devin called. "Did you bring it?"

"All in the fridge," Rodney grinned. They all rushed to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"Heavenly iced chocolate drink," Yuri cheered and grabbed a gallon.

They spent their night talking and partying like normal teens, drinking the iced chocolate drink, and listening to chill lo-fi music. One thing that they've learned about each other was that they all liked lo-fi music. Rodney noted that their tastes were matching.

It was perhaps their only night that they could spend partying and having fun. The next day was the Time Out Day, meaning there's no event.

"Tomorrow, let's explore this city," Margaux suggested. "Maybe I'll shop in one of their stores. Or maybe three."

"Just say that you'll shop all of them," Sofia teased which made everyone laugh.

–

"Carnival!" Margaux and Sofia cheered while running around the loud area.

"You too seem excited," Rodney smirked.

People were staring and avoiding their group. As Exorcist students, they weren't allowed to leave outside without their uniforms. It must be worn at all times in public.

"Do you think they're afraid of us?" Devin nudged Rodney's shirt.

"Why are you shaking?" Kagura asked and gasped. "Is it your first time at a carnival?"

Devin nodded, "I didn't really have the time to go out since I had to work."

"That's so sad," Margaux held Devin's hand. "You have to try the rollercoaster. Come on."

"Are you sure about this?" Devin gulped as he watched the long ride. "I think I'll settle on–"

"Nonsense!" Margaux said, strapping Devin in the seat on the front. "The front seat is the best seat. But you'll have to settle on a strange though. I'll ride with Sofia."

The ride wasn't allowed to leave until all the seats were taken. And since there were 9 of them, Devin had to be the odd one out.

"Mind if I sit with you?" a voice asked. Devin looked up and saw a smiling Franco.

"M-Mr. Franco," Devin greeted. "Please, sit."

"The others are here too," Franco said and motioned at the back. Devin looked and saw that he was right. The twins were now the ones behind them, and on the farther back was Stephanie with Schneider and on the last row was Maltoise with Maxime.

"Although I couldn't help Dr. Xia to come. She'd always been the one who doesn't want these kinds of things," Franco said and motioned to a bench where Xia was waving over.

"Is there anything I can help you with Mr. Franco?" Devin asked. The safety belts were lowered and the engine of the rollercoaster started to grumble.

"Later," was what Mr. Franco said before they were pulled by the force of the ride. Devin was screaming in fear along with Rodney, Adonis, and Rain. The girls and the adults were cheering while Yuri was laughing at his screaming best friend.

After the ride was over, Devin ran to the nearest bathroom to throw up. He flushed the toilet and stayed still for a few seconds. He was still recollecting himself after the horrors of the ride.

The door opened and a person's footsteps echoed throughout the tiled bathroom.

"Yes. She will be fine," the voice said. "Her previous lover is here and we could've made his condition worse only if Oceania didn't get in the way. Might've finished off that remaining arm of him."

Devin's eyes widened. He was silent the whole time. He knew who the person was talking about.

'Morris.' Devin thought in horror.

"Yeah," the voice said. "The Princess will never suffer such pain again. He's even linked to another girl right now. Yeah. The girl with the hijab. She's pretty but our princess wouldn't take it lightly. She still likes that boy. Yeah. Okay."

Devin stepped back and knocked down a vase. His eyes fell in horror when the voice stopped.

"I think someone's in here," he said and walked over. "Hold on."

Devin trembled in fear. If he gets caught, who knows what this person was going to do? They were willing to amputate Morris, maybe killing someone isn't a big deal for them.

The footsteps got closer and closer. Until he was outside the cubicle Devin was on.

"Is anyone there?" the voice asked. Devin was sweating, he covered his mouth with his hands to conceal his terrified panting.

When the boy was about to push the door open, a crack in the air appeared behind him and pulled him inside. He closed his eyes when he felt his body got pulled in a lot of places.

Opening his eyes, Devin saw the familiar place. The dimmed lands, the moonless skies, and the fog that covers most of your sight.

"Surprise!" the twins cheered. "We told Martin to bring you here. Let's go."

Andrei and Andrew pulled Devin into another crack. The next thing he knew, he was at the carnival. At the back of a shop where nobody was around.

"You two seemed to know that I need help," Devin said."I think I was in trouble."

The smile on the twins' faces fell. A grim serious expression replaced it. One Devin never saw from the twins before.

"You were in trouble," Andrei said.

"That man was Prince Pierre Mountbatten, first cousin of Princess Felicia," Andrew said. "He is one of the three Triple-A ranked students along with Liam of Oceania and Dante of South America."

"T-Triple ranked?" Devin stuttered.

"It means they are on par with Maltoise, Stephanie, and Schneider in terms of power," Andrei said that made Devin even more nervous.

"And you'll be facing them in the Final Round."