The courtyard was eerily still. The usual morning bustle had been replaced by a tension so thick it felt like the very air had changed.
Students sat cross-legged on the ground, their eyes glued to the center where Altine and the first-rate souls stood, facing off. A few whispers could be heard among the audience, but mostly, it was silent.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the scene, adding to the sense of unease that had settled over everyone.
First-rate students...Adunni, Taiwo, and Lekan...stood a few meters away from Altine, their postures tense but determined. In contrast, Altine remained perfectly calm, her faceless mask still wrapped tightly around her face. The ground beneath her feet seemed to pulse with energy, as if the very earth recognized her power.
Then, slowly, Altine began to release her spirit energy.
It came like a slow wave, an invisible force that rolled through the courtyard. The students sitting nearby shuddered, some clutching at their chests as they struggled to resist the oppressive energy. The air grew heavier with each passing second, making it hard to breathe.
Adunni, the strongest of the first-rate souls, held her ground. She could feel the immense pressure from Altine's spirit energy, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.
"She's holding back her spirit energy, this amount is easy enough for any student to resist,"
She thought, narrowing her eyes. If this is really a soul reading lesson like she said, we need to initiate contact with Altine. There's no point standing here and waiting.
Her mind made up, Adunni's muscles tensed as she suddenly dashed forward, her feet barely making a sound as she raced toward Altine. Taiwo and Lekan, who had been hesitating moments before, followed close behind her but kept their distance from altine.
As Adunni closed the distance, she braced herself for impact, expecting Altine to stand firm. If I'm right, she thought, Altine won't evade any of our attacks. A condition to initiate soul reading is contact.
Adunni's fist lashed out toward Altine's chest, but just as it was about to land, Altine's arm moved like lightning, effortlessly blocking the strike. Their bodies connected, and in that instant, Adunni's mind lit up.
Adunni could sense it...Altine's soul guard was down, allowing them to freely predict her combat style, It was deliberate.
She's going easy on us, Adunni thought as she pressed on with a flurry of strikes. If Altine had her soul guard up, there wouldn't have been a chance to read anything. But now, with every blocked punch, every parry, Adunni was learning Altine's movements. She could feel the rhythm of Altine's body, picking up on the subtle patterns in her defense.
But Altine wasn't done teaching.
Mid-fight, as Adunni's strikes became more desperate, Altine spoke calmly.
"Soul reading technique gives you an advantage, yes. It lets you understand your opponent's movements, even predict their next move. But if your opponent is also a soul reader,"
Altine said, stepping smoothly out of the way of a punch and knocking Adunni off balance with a quick strike to her midsection,
"it all comes down to results."
Adunni gasped, falling to the ground as the impact of Altine's words...and her fist...landed hard.
"Everybody reads the same book,"
Altine continued as she stood over Adunni,
"but not everyone gets the same score on the exam. Isn't that right?"
Taiwo and Lekan stood frozen for a moment, watching Adunni struggle to rise. They exchanged nervous glances, both of them suddenly aware of just how much was at stake.
"Why aren't you attacking?"
Altine's voice snapped them out of their daze. Her head turned in their direction, her mask still in place, yet it felt like she could see them perfectly. Taiwo and Lekan tensed up, their hands trembling slightly.
They both knew why they hesitated. If Altine touched them, if she initiated soul reading, she might discover what they had done.
But then, in the blink of an eye, Altine disappeared from their sight.
A split second later, she was in front of them, moving faster than either of them could react. Lekan barely managed to sidestep a strike, while Taiwo stumbled backward in panic. She's too fast! he thought, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Altine tilted her head slightly, a curious expression on her face.
"This is a soul reading lesson, so why are you evading me? Or..."
Her tone grew gentle, yet laced with suspicion.
"is there something you're trying to hide?"
Taiwo's heart pounded in his chest as Altine suddenly blurred again. In less than a second, she was upon him, her hand grazing his arm with just the barest touch.
Taiwo's eyes widened in horror as Altine's spirit energy flared for a moment. Her expression changed...darkened. She whispered something low and cold.
"You… beat him. And wrapped him in a trash bag?"
The words hit Taiwo like a hammer. Purist Altine had read Taiwo's soul and discovered what they did.
Altine's spirit energy intensified, becoming almost suffocating. Taiwo and Lekan could barely stand under the pressure. Their legs wobbled, their arms too weak to defend themselves anymore.
The crowd of students fell under the pressure as they watched in silent dread as the fight continued, but it was obvious that Lekan and Taiwo were bearing the weight of Altine's wrath.
They stumbled under her strikes, their bodies bruised and battered, while Adunni, though tired, had suffered far less.
When it was finally over, Lekan and Taiwo lay on the ground, bruised and bloodied, barely able to move. Adunni, though exhausted, managed to stand, looking down at her comrades with a mixture of pity and relief.
Purist Altine, still composed, stood over them.
"I think it's safe to say you shouldn't come asking for more lessons anytime soon," she said, her voice cold.
The expressions on the first-rates faces showed they weren't eager for any more training sessions with her.
Adunni stepped forward cautiously, bowing her head slightly.
"Purist Altine… may I take them to the infirmary?"
Altine nodded without a word, her attention already shifting away from the injured students.
As Adunni helped Taiwo and Lekan to their feet, guiding them toward the infirmary, the courtyard fell silent again. The audience of students sat in awe, processing everything they had just witnessed. The first-rates had been utterly defeated.
Altine then turned, her mask still in place, toward Segun, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange.
"How long are you going to stand there, Segun?"
She asked, her voice steady and challenging.
Segun uncrossed his arms, a small smirk forming on his face.
"I was just waiting for my turn,"
He replied, stepping forward, ready for whatever came next.
To be continued...