Jabari was not happy.
For one thing, the war games were supposed to be where he could prove his metal and show the academy what a prince of House Ausar was all about. It was a chance to bring himself and his family honor — an event that he could let loose and show his hard-earned skills in a combat environment.
And, for the most part, he did. He fought some students in the war games and found himself holding his own better than just well. It was just unfortunate that the Infernal guild attacked…
He held his own during the very real battle. Transforming into a giant jackal and thrashing against traitorious students. He even summoned forth jackals from the realm of the dead, where his father oversaw. He proved to be a thorn in the side of the enemy, slaying many traitors in his massive jackal form, and helping allies hold the line.
He did his best to maintain the fight; he kept himself as the main target to keep his fellow students safe. And, though a few high ranking Mystic Faction students went rogue, what Jabari could say with his whole chest was that he was proud that none of the Shadow Faction students went rogue.
The realization that his faction kept its same numbers with no traitors merely served to keep him motivated to stay in the fight. He bit and clawed and thrashed against the enemy. His mystical jackal familiars fought valiantly alongside him against the turncloak students.
In the end, he survived the siege with minimal losses on his side, and, though some of the students he was protecting did indeed die, many of them survived, and, for that, he was grateful.
That said, his friends were knocked unconscious during the fight — Corven and Celeste. They said he fought valiantly against the enemy leader, and that his injuries were a result of that. Same went for Celeste. But all Jabari could feel when he saw how beaten Corven had been was worry and despair.
He was supposed to protect his future king, and he was held up by his own peers, unable to help Corven. The thought made Jabari feel an unimaginable amount of anger and worry. So much so, that he had to clench his fists to hide his anger.
Thankfully, Corven awoke just three to four hours after the battle. Despite the severity of his injuries, his battered body had already healed for the most part, a testament to his absurdly powerful healing factor. According to what he'd later piece together, the combination of battling an opponent far beyond his level, excessive mana expenditure, and the countless injuries he'd sustained had pushed his body past its limits. The resulting strain had forced him into a deep, restorative unconsciousness, leaving him utterly drained even after waking.
Celeste was in a similar state after he found her unconscious and half naked upon his arrival to her position on the battlefield. She was heavily wounded and exhausted and likely very drained. Jabari had quickly used his jacket to cover her up so that no random stranger would be able to ogle his friend' girl.
Spectators who saw her fight called her a monster —Something about a "winged-wolf" taking on the enemy by herself though Jabari was unsure how much of the story was being exaggerated.
Jabari himself had minor injuries, since he hadn't battled ultra strong opponents(much to his own dismay), and, thus, did not go overkill on his energy reserves.
That said, the Mystic Faction students that did turn did not leave a pretty experience for those who didn't —- Across all factions, but most especially Shadow Faction. Quite a few Shadow Faction students died by their hands and a greater number of them were heavily injured by the turncloaks.
Jabari himself had slain nearly a hundred of them with the aid of his 2 jackal familiars and his own giant jackal transformation, but the whole experience taught him a tough lesson… Or, rather, it reinforced one he's always known: In this world where power is everything, to be weak is unacceptable. And he realized, with growing concern, that he needed to become stronger. For, if Celeste and Corven were facing near Cosmic ranked enemies while at Demigod rank, then Jabari needed to at least be able to hold his own against Chaotic rankers at Low demigod rank.
As the son of an elder god, Jabari had better, further reaching potential than most other demigods. He was no Primordial Spawn, but he should still be able to help his friends when they needed him.
The Faction Heads themselves told everyone who wasn't injured to return to their dorm rooms after the enemy left, as if to regain control over the situation. Many students and instructors had to contact families, some noble and highborn, others, not so much. Classes were even postponed for the rest of the week with an especially scheduled assembly near the end of it.
During this time, a new face did appear on-campus — Well, new for the freshmen first years, anyway. The Vice-Principal of the Academy had arrived.
She was shorer than even Jabari and easily the shortest of the entire staff at Mythorus Academy, with curly dark hair, a child-like face in all its chubbiness and a chubby, petite build, as if she really were a child. Her eyes were an intense emerald, focused and perceptive, and her presence of being was so formidable it could never have belonged to a child — It was mature and refined, so much so that one could feel it in the way she moved, saw it in her stride and heard it in her voice. And, though she released no aura nor gave even the slightest hint of aggression, when she walked the halls, even the faction heads gave her berth and the space to walk.
Though Jabari was almost as adept at sensing energy as someone like Celeste Luminaris, he could sense that the natural biological aura coming off this lady was superior than what he had sensed from the masked dude that Corven had challenged — Now, sure, Jabari never saw the guy, but, even half a kilometer away, he could still have sensed what Corven had been facing.
In the end, he knew what this meant. It meant that this lady was at least Legendary rank, possibly High level Legendary rank. There's even the possibility of her being Cosmic rank, though he wasn't certain of this. He was pretty decent at sensing energy but Cosmic rankers operated with higher forms of energies that Jabari hadn't learned to detect, so he wouldn't even have been able to tell for sure.
"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Vice Principal Victoria Moore," the lady said unto the crowd of students at the Assembly in the Dining Hall. Though short at the podium, requiring a wooden stepping block just to reach the mic with her short frame, her voice and presence was as commanding as it was far reaching; everyone within the Hall heard her, and all who did, were compelled to hear her. "You have all suffered tragedy this week and you have not been broken by it. You were unprepared and you suffered loss, yet you survived.
"It was unprompted and meaningless violence against the sanctity of this school — this Academy — And you managed to fight and hold your own against unfavorable odds with the table turned against you. You have all done this Academy — and those who represent it — a great and fierce service of defending your brethren when even we — the Instructors and Faction Heads — could not reach you.
"And for all of this, on behalf of the Academy, the Faction Head Committee, Myself and the Principal of the Academy himselfI apologize for not being there to both prep you and protect you."
A great murmur passed over the rows of students in the Hall.
"The Vice Principal is apologizing..?" one murmured.
"On behalf of the faction heads and president himself…?" another murmured.
"We've lost so much!" another cried out in despair.
More murmurs.
Victoria allowed the murmurs a few more moments before she lifted a hand, commanding silence instantly.
"Fear not, though, for the Principal has not forgotten you — Nor has any of us, will any of us, ever forget our fallen," Vice Principal Victoria continued. "They shall be remembered even as we send tir remains to their families. They will have the honors of being fallen as heroes on this tragic day. They — and you, all those who fought back against the dark that is the Infernal Guild — shall all be remembered to all as the heroes who stood up when their superiors could not in time.
"Though it may not lift the grief, I have added 80 House Points to all houses for their student heroism during the most grievous attack on our school. I will also add Student Points individually to a select few who did phenomenally above average in the conflict against the vile Infernal Guild."
A murmur of excitement rushed through the students as they digested this. House Points and individually given Student points gave students rare opportunities — Access to resources, jump in cultivation supplies, mentorship, etc. Both could be the deciding factor between just success and overwhelming success and failure. Neither was ever given freely in the Academy, which was why this was such a big event.
A moment later, after the murmuring died down, Victoria continued.
"When I call you name,' she began again. "please stan up where you are and receive your points…
"First up, Josh Sky."
Josh Sky of the Heavenly Faction stood up, his back straight, his chest puffed out in his pride. He became an imposing figure just as grand as his battlefield performance.
'For your diligence and iron will in the face of the enemy," Vice Principal Victoria announced. "I award you 20 Student Points!"
The applause in the Hall was great, however the remnants of the Heavenly Faction had the greatest round of applause among the factions. They were clapping Josh on the back and whistling loudly. His older brother , Oscar, even showed him approval from across the table, much to Josh's shock.
"Oscar Sky," Victoria began when Josh sat back down and the silence died off. "For your bravery and leadership skills in the face of the enemy, I award you 40 Student Points!"
The older brother of Josh Sky was cheered at an even louder ratio than Josh himself. When the sound of congratulations died off, Victoria continued.
"Marxes Ilmari, of the R&D Faction… Please stand," Victoria announced, causing murmurs to sound throughout the hall as students tried placing a face to the name.
And the technopathic mechanic boy did just that, much to Achlyss and Cimon's approval. A murmur spread between the students as many of them tried to get a better look at who could be this Marxes.
"For your tenacious bravery against a foe you could've ran away from but didn't and your above and beyond loyalty to your your friends in the face of unbeatable odds, I award you 45 Student Points," Victoria's words caused a stir of murmurs to run through the student body as everyone digested that astronomical amount of Student Points given in one setting. Many of the R&D Faction students cheered loud and bold, clearly proud their own has found such room of success. But this time, it wasn't just the R&D Faction clapping so loud, but the Shadow Faction as well, chief among them were Jabari, Achlys, Cimon and Corven. "It takes a dutiful man to face an enemy one knows is stronger than one's self by themselves, but, to do it to protect a friend, that is most admirable. Good job, Mister Ilmari."
"GOOD JOB, ILMARI!!" Cimon's shouts received many laughs and giggles and smiles from all students in the Hall; even some Instructors smiled at the support, rendering Marxes a blushing, speechless, bobbling mess.
He took his seat.
The Vice President went over a few more names, including Matilda Lorens, Celeste Luminaris, Dwayne Lobane(who never turned up to the Assembly because Corven still has him in his Shadow Space, currently being converted into a Shadowborn — He agreed to the process. Of course, Jabari himself didn't know anything about any of that, though. He just assumed the poor boy was grieving his lost twin.), Alexander Callum, J.C Kladion, Durian Hades and, of course, Corven Umbrovante himself.
When she got to Jabari, she gifted him 15 Student Points for holding the line together against the enemy, but it didn't make the grief of losing so many classmates any lighter.
"This next 3 to 4 weeks will be an off week, for you to grieve the fallen, mourn your classmates and properly process the ones we have lost," the vice principal announced. "Please also note that the field trip for Years 1 through 2 will be delayed until after the break comes to a close.
"Thank you. You are all dismissed."
As the students of Mythorus Academy got up to leave, Jabari clenched his fists. He promised himself that he would never be put in a situation like he had been before — At least, not unprepared, anyway. He made a promise to himself that the Infernal Guild would fall — And he'd help personally architect it.
He would never be caught this weak again. He promised himself he'd get stronger somehow. What happened this week would never happen a second time.
'Jabari,' Corven's soul whisper came to him like a beacon in the darkness, offering him guidance and direction. 'I have a way for you to get stronger, if you're down.'
And Jabari jumped at the bait.