Akira took his things both with his phone, and followed a path down the stairs. By far, the apartment where he lived was not cheap. Ryoto these days becomes expensive, especially when you don't know how to make money every day and such.
It was a 3-floor building where he lived on the second one, for half of the year before the last dispute happened with his father. He started living on his own when he turned 17. He left his family's house back in Tokyo and moved to Ryoto, to begin his studies at Ryoto International University. Since he was lucky enough to pass the first exams.
Today was September 1, and it was Akira's second physical visit to RIU (aside from "multiple" ones in the Dreamscape). Merlina's voice could not stop yelling in his head. He said his goodbyes to an old woman named Mrs. Mariko, the receptionist on the first floor, left his keys, and hurried to get out of the building.
Mrs. Mariko: "Good luck on your first day, Mr. Yamauchi!"
Her voice stops him right before he steps out of the entrance. Akira looks back at her, politely smiles, waves at her, and almost dies from embarrassment... Some people, even after he moved to Ryoto, knew that Akira was the son of a big and influential man called Todo Yamauchi.
Ryoto, in time, became a major hub for foreigners from other countries who were visiting Japan for the first time. Ryoto was located on the far eastern side of the country.
Merlina's voice continues to ring in Akira's head instead of a phone alarm.
Merlina: "ARE YOU 100% SURE YOU GOT EVERYTHING WHAT YOU NEED?!"
Akira: "I got all of it, stop torturing me already!"
Akira shook his slim document case and started walking.
Merlina's annoying behavior forced Akira to speak to her, using his voice instead of his mind. For that purpose, he had to wear a wireless earphone to not look crazy to other people around. Merlina cannot exist in the material world, but if she got connected to Akira's mind in the Dreamscape, he could hear her voice and see her by closing his eyes.
She declared:
Merlina: "No one will ruin our first day in school!"
Akira: "It is - University, Merlina, not a school, I already told you! You need to calm down!"
Akira looked at the big screen on the other side of the street. A reporter relayed the latest city news and happenings. The road around the street was easily confusing, like a round maze. But since it was not his first time setting foot on the streets of Ryoto... He remembers the route to the metro station, he bypassed the buildings northeast of the square and used the crosswalk on his left. Next to the pedestrian crossing, there was a building with a sign hanging on it. It was a sign of the cafe called "Black Dog". Or also nicknamed as "Barghest".
Merlina: "I hate this place!"
Akira: "You're not even a real, cat. How can you hate things that have nothing to do with the Dreamscape?"
Merlina: "Look, little one, I, unlike you, got a great deal of intuition, and then I said - some bad places are "bad", it's supposed to be so! Do you understand!?"
Akira: "You're exaggerating..."
Merlina: "I tell ya, it's CURSED! You spend too much time there! It's almost like you are being "Charmed" or "Obsessed" by this place. I'm sure this wench, Maria, got her claws on you!"
Akira: "You're surely overacting, am I forbidden to have free time now?"
Merlina: "The thing is... I think a WITCH is hiding among the staff of this cafe of yours. Since I cannot reach you while you disconnect me from your mind, I can't tell which one among the people there is the one! We need to visit it together!.."
Akira: "A witch, huh? I hope you are not smoking anything there, "Sensei", I'm feeling a bit worried about you!"
He adds the last one while smiling like a crocodile and thinks:
Akira's Mind: "Right after the crosswalk, and down the road, to a metro station then"
Occasionally, among people who move in and out, a fancy-looking beggar around the underground station drew Akira's attention. Everybody around this place knows this guy's name, funny how you even call this man a "beggar" because - it was the Ota "The Ossan", an ex-official of Ryoto who had gone mad, or at least that's what people said about him. Once a well-behaved official of the city - now man was dressed in rags with holes, and even Ota's "bamboo hat" has two or three of them - holes.
The truth behind this "beggar man" appearance was that - whatever people said about him, the man was not mad. And definitely was not an ordinary person. He was Ars Goetian as well as Akira. And like the two people who share the same shady trade - they do not want to cross one another, for the time being at least... Ota and Akira never talked to each other before. But a glimpse of each other's eyes was enough to understand what both of them knew - they shared the same talent to go to the Dreamscape.
"Your rights are being taken from you, how can you not see!.." Ota "the Ossan" started his preaching early today:
Ota "the Ossan": "Do you believe that someone will save you from this crisis? Our country and the world are DOOMED!"
Merlina: "That was the most cliché preaching I ever heard in my entire life - do you have nothing better to do, Ranger?"
Ota "the Ossan" looked right at Akira, or to be more accurate - right through him, like he was trying to look at Merlina:
Ota "the Ossan": "Do you?" - his thoughts lightning-fast reach Akira's mind. Ota never talked to him before and their first contact, surprisingly, must be throughout Merlina. After all, it was not Akira who started this conversation...
Ota "the Ossan" changed his face like nothing had happened and talked directly to Akira:
Ota "the Ossan": "Oh.. Mr. Yamauchi's son - are you going to be - our last hope?"
He kneeled and raised his hands toward Akira. Certainly to draw attention.
Random people who moved around started to stare at Akira's face, Todo Yamauchi's name was on the news lately all the time. It's not like the family name - Yamauchi, was super important to the people around, but since the man ran to be prime minister, it has to draw some sort of attention.
People even start to take photos of Akira and Ota standing next to each other.
Akira took a heavy sigh and said:
Akira: "Surely I'm not "THAT" Yamauchi, Mr. Nishioka..."
He takes a 500 Yen from his pocket and places it in Ota's hand.
Ota the Ossan: "A bribe!"
His voice was loud, that he even choked a little, and continued with a different intonation.
Ota the Ossan: "...I mean... thank you, kind sir! You're the pinnacle of our society! Young and kind men are a rare sight today, as you can see!"
The palm of his hand is being directed at the people who are moving around and not paying attention to him.
He winks.
Ota the Ossan: "...And I greatly appreciate your donation"
He winks again, but now with both his eyes.
Ota the Ossan: "I hope we will meet again someday, young man"
He stands, adjusts his bamboo hat, and walks in the opposite direction from Akira, continuing to preach loudly.
Ota the Ossan: "Haven abandon us, I tell you, our only hope is to find the "key" to open one another soul I say! We must be united, not divided, I say!.."
Merlina: "Here he goes... ANYWAY - Are we going to school or not? Make haste, my pupil!"
Akira: "It's not a scho... argh... forget it - let's go"
Merlina starts to sound cartoonishly wise.
Merlina: "Yes! Let's go! My APPRuntice!"
Unexpectedly, not that many people gathered at the station. Unexpectedly enough to breathe the oxygen at least, while people try to crush one another to enter the train.
While moving to his destination, Akira again tried to recall why Mr. Nishioka got fired - was it a corruption case or something else? Nishioka two years ago was trying to oppose his father's party members and ended up being accused of some fabricated deal. He was compelled to invent a story about his "madness". Obviously to protect his family. Akira's father always enjoyed crushing his opponents, and it even made him feel satisfied enough for him to not pressure poor Nishioka further through his allies.
Akira's Mind: "Old man not making anyone's life easy, it seems"
Merlina: "That's the main reason why you have to be stronger than him, for upcoming events both in reality and in Dreamscape, your father's power not going to become any lesser. If you fight him now, you certainly fail. Yet you got time to prepare yourself... and you have me, of course!"
She giggled.
Akira's Mind: "How am I supposed to prepare? I need to sharpen my sword skills in reality as well as do my job at the motorcycle workshop to get money, and now I even need to study A LOT. It is physically impossible!"
Merlina: "Aren't you a bit TOO pessimistic, my pupil? Yeah, everything is not sugar for us now, but I BELIEVE it gets better!"
They continue to talk in Akira's mind till they finally reach the station that leads to the Ryoto International University.
Akira left the train and took the stairs up. The first structures around RIU were not far away.
He found himself on the street with a direct road and tall buildings on the left and right. Yet were was a corner on the left side of the street, with a monument that Akira had seen in the Dreamscape, aside from the fact that the dreamworld was chaotic and unstable here. This monument looked like a gray marble triangle on which you could sit, with the statue of a woman with the sword in hand, right behind it, and in the middle of that triangle - plants and flowers were growing.
Akira had no clue what this statue was supposed to symbolize, but it was beautiful, like in a Dreamscape... And the cute European-looking girl with blond hair was sitting there around the flowers - reading a book with a red cover.
"Cleo"
A name bumped into his mind out of nowhere. He loses his balance by being shaken a little, and the world around him starts to spin. A vision kicks in, and chaotic dark purple mist shows him a young boy who holds a shining large sword. The sword was shining so brightly that Akira started to blink rapidly as if it wasn't a vision in his mind at all. The boy looked like a prince or a king, if you can become a king at this young age, and his sword looked like it was a European one from the Middle Ages. Something majestic surrounded this sword.
The girl wet her finger with her tongue and turned the page.
While Akira was trying to recover from the odd vision - a group of students came forth, and almost pushed him from the place where he was standing. They were walking toward the university, yet stopped right before this girl, who paid no attention to them. She looked up a little, only when the tall guy started standing close to her. Too close, breaking any well-known laws of personal space.
Unknown student: "Hello there, Williams - how do you like visiting Japan? Isn't it great that we gotta go to this prominent place together?"
He pointed his finger at the side where RIU was located.
Unknown student: "This city is slightly shabby to my taste..."
Even if the boy was loud enough, most people could not understand a word. He spoke English and not Japanese as he addressed the girl.
Cleo: "Can I help you somehow, Naughton?"
Akira was again stunned by how similar the young boy from his vision looked compared to this girl. Everything about her - just SCREAMS of nobility and grace. She got the same RIU black uniform as him with a white shirt behind it, yet also had a long skirt with the same colors. She was sitting with her legs crossed from the beginning of the conversation.
The tall guy laughs and turns to his comrades.
Naughton: "You know I still remember how you said that I was - stupid!"
He points at RIU location again, but now he uses his big finger.
Naughton: "It seems I was not THAT stupid after all, "Williams". I'm going to prove to you now how wrong you were back then"
She tried to be polite as hard as it was possible:
Cleo: "Surely you misunderstood me, Sid. I hope we will be good classmates in the future - if fate will be cruel enough to bring us together again..."
Sid Naughton: "Look.. you..!"
He took her book away from her. Clearly the guy was not himself. From the perspective of an Ars Goetian Akira felt it was "wrong" at its core, the whole situation. These students, all 5 of them looking at the girl like a bunch of jackals, and the leader of this jackal pack, do not make this situation any easier.
Merlina: "I cannot create a better situation in my head where we all urgently need A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, my boy!"
Akira: "First of all you don't have a head, secondly I..."
Sid turns to him immediately.
Sid: "You were saying something?"
He continues to speak English.
Sid clearly cannot understand what Akira said, but sometimes people, even if they don't understand each other, can totally say what somebody says something - about them, even if it's an unfamiliar language.
Akira continues to speak Japanese:
Akira: "Look, I don't understand you - and I don't want any trouble with you as well. Can you just return the book back to her"
Merlina was giggling in his head again, as it was a funny show to watch. Akira points his finger first at the tall student, then to the book, and then to the girl. It almost looked like Aborigines were communicating with each other for the first time, that's how funny it was to observe.
Sid: "So dolt.. You want me to return the book to "Mrs. Williams", maybe I just need - to throw it away now? How goes it!.."
As fast as Sid tried to throw the book away, Akira and Cleo moved in perfect synchronization. Cleo stands up. Akira moves toward Sid. But nobody expects what gonna happen next...
Akira from his early childhood always liked swordsmanship, he even joined different kendo schools and became an experienced self-learner as well. He was agile. Not like he is now - an absolute killing machine for this kind of situation, but he'll manage.
Merlina: "...NOT LIKE THIS!"
Merlina's scream was too real to say it was just a voice in his head. Akira wondered how people around them still could not hear her when she was that loud. Akira used his "bravery", and kicked the poor fellow in the nuts so hard that the student named Sid spread out before him with the book in his hand.
Merlina: "Praise Allah, what have you done to poor boy?"
Cleo, who was standing close to the Sid fellow, widely opened her mouth first, then understood how bad-mannered she was and closed it using her hand.
"It is better to keep something simple, rather than complicated" - that was the life creed of Akira Yamauchi.
Merlina: "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAVE HER LIKE A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR - NOT KNOCKING POOR SIMPLETON DOWN LIKE THIS - WHAT A DISASTROUS WAY TO START OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS LADY. ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY!"
Sid tried to make some noises that resembled a squeak, but it was clear as day what poor guy could not do even that. He laid down. His friends tried to take him away, strangely, not even daring to look or try to continue their fight with Akira instead of Sid. The men's instincts and survivability keep telling them that this fight they cannot win today...
Akira swiftly takes Cleo's book from his fallen foe...
Merlina: "A fallen foe" - That's how we call it now, huh?!"
To say Merlina was greatly disappointed is to say that grass is supposed to be green.
Merlina: "A fallen foe! Yes!.. Praise the GODS!"
Long story short, Akira takes Cleo's book and returns it to her.
Cleo stood with her hand over her mouth.
Cleo: "Thank you kindly"
She said it in Japanese. To his surprise, she sounded even more cute than she spoke Japanese.
Cleo: "Have we met before?"
Merlina: "Funny thing to ask - our knight in shining armor running around the streets every day and kicks people in their important places, that's all... A TRUE HERO!"
Cleo obviously cannot hear Merlina, yet the annoying white cat continues to keep her mumbling inside Akira's head.
Akira: "No, we never met each other ever, I think..."
Cleo looked at Sid as if he was a crushed cockroach. And turn back to Akira.
Cleo: "My name is - Cleo Williams, I'm from New Zealand, happy to meet you!"
She sounded polite, like she was a noble queen from some fairy tale, who talked to a peasant who saved her from an ogre. It is not like Sid looked like an ogre, and she was a queen in reality...
Merlina: "BUT Akira SURELY WAS - A BARBARIC PEASANT!.."
But something tells Akira that Cleo had her "noble" stance from birth.
Cleo: "Are you going to RIU as well, friend? Can we go there together?"
She gently takes his hand and with a gesture asks him to walk down the street right to the University with her. It was clear what, even if you would expect - there was nothing romantic about her holding his hand. Strange how the light followed her, leaving a golden trace of the morning sun behind her and Akira.
They almost get to RIU then Cleo suddenly stops while releasing his hand.
Cleo: "I completely forgot that I was late. I opened this book called "Soul Blazer" and got absorbed by reading it! Do you like to read books umm?.."
Akira: "My name is - Akira"
He states his name without including his family name.
Cleo: "Just - Akira? I mean no disrespect, Mr. Akira, but can I ask your full name, I hope it is not rude to ask?"
He almost died from embarrassment already twice or even thrice today.
Merlina: "Serves you right - kick master... He-he!"
Akira shrugged and stated his full name.
Akira: "It is - Akira Yamauchi, happy to meet you, Mrs. Williams, I hope you like it here"
As he was brave back there, he couldn't speak without stumbling now.
Cleo: "Me too... Mr. Yamauchi... Strange, your family name sounds familiar... Where did I hear that?"
Akira's Mind: "She lost in thought... and praise the Kings and Dukes of the Dreamscape, she didn't know who my father is! Saved.."
Cleo: "I am sorry again for what happened, even if the conflict was started not by me, you were involved nonetheless, and I apologize on behalf of Sid as well."
If it were a tournament, how sincerely can you apologize for something you didn't do. Cleo certainly deserves first place in this competition.
Akira: "How's your book?"
Cleo: "I think it will be fine - he tore some piece of it.."
Before putting the book back in her little briefcase, she showed it to him again.
Cleo: "I already read more than half!"
Akira: "We need to hurry - the announcement's gonna start shortly..."
Cleo: "Yeah... you're right, can we go together again, am I not bothering you, Mr. Yamauchi?"
Merlina: "Like she could bother anyone... - SHE'S AN ANGEL!"
Akira: "Sure, after you."
Akira pointed at RIU, and they both got mixed with the crowd at the gates.
The Ryoto International University was a large red building, with three different sections when you look at it from a direct perspective: two wings on the sides and "the tower" in the middle of it. Pretty straightforward structure. Apart from that, the massive middle construction extends long behind the university. If you could see the middle part from above.
Akira and Cleo passed the amber-toned gates with other students, who walked close to them. She continued talking about the book, while he could not accept the fact that the color of her eyes was - golden yellow.
Merlina: "She is not an ordinary girl. I feel a spiritual kinship with her. If so happens, the Dreamscape can consume her, so you better prepare to act, as we are required to defend her, till she can use her powers in the Dreamworld."
Akira's Mind: "Let's hope it's not gonna happen. I got a strange vision then I first time saw her at the monument"
Merlina: "You don't say - I saw it too, Prince Arthur, how long has it been.."
Akira: "Who?.."
Merlina: "Hash now! She listens to you, you know?"
Cleo startles and looks at Akira with an amazed gaze.
Cleo: "Who was who - the Merak?"
He didn't get it. Conversation with Merlina took all of his attention at the moment.
Akira: "...You mean the character from this book? We talked about the book, right?"
Merlina: "Disaster..."
Akira's Mind: "Shut it! Whose fault was that?"
Cleo: "Yes, but you ask who - and I was interested, about which one character you ask?"
Merlina: "This is getting us nowhere! Tell her anything - SHE GOT PRETTY FACE, SOMETHING ABOUT HER EYES, ANYTHING!!!"
Akira: "Today is nice weather, by the way, right?"
He added this with the smile of a fox that had just been shot.
Merlina: "Fiasco.."
Akira closed his eyes for a moment just to give Merlina a death stare.
Cleo: "...Yes, you are right. I completely forgot about the pleasant breeze that was blowing in this morning..."
Akira's Mind: "Saved..."
Merlina was dying from laughter.
Apparently, Cleo was a meditative person. She swiftly switched to another topic of conversation. Not as she was not paying attention to Akira, but more like being at some point here and far away from him. She seemed a unique person.
Right behind them, Naughton's "gang" barely drags him along with them.
Akira again felt the presence he sensed when he met Cleo. A short-looking person with a completely shaved and tattooed head walked not far away from them. One could call Akira insane now, except many witnesses saw a Buddhist monk in a RIU uniform walking among them. Shockingly, he didn't attract any attention. Just like the others, he straightly walked toward the RIU entrance.
This "Monk" was slim and looked like a child, judging by his face, which Akira saw from the side. The stranger monk glared at him for a second but showed no further signs of interest.
Akira's Mind: "What followers of Buddha are doing in this place?"
"Zhenzhen"
He felt a push in the chest, which stopped him from walking.
Cleo: "Mr. Yamauchi, are you all right?"
Akira saw a giant firebird in another vision in his mind. But this was much heavier compared to the one he saw before he met this girl named Cleo.
Akira's Mind: "Merlina... is he... is he was another one? Why are they all here and why?.."
Merlina: "I'd like to know that too. I know something but not everything, my pupil. I can only tell that this child was hostile toward us, and the reason for it - I do not know..."
Akira: "Lovely..."
He barked it like a wolf who was about to jump into the icy lake.
Merlina: "Tsk... Get back to us, freshman, you are making her worry... Look!"
Cleo: "What's lovely? Is it because of what happened recently? I'm sorry I..."
It wasn't her fault anyhow, but another apology of hers somehow made Akira feel even worse.
Akira: "I'm fine, Cleo, I'm still sleepy, that's all..."
Cleo: "You call me by my name?..."
Akira tried to recover.
Akira: "Ah... What... Ah sorry, we are not too close for me to call you by your name I..."
Cleo: "It is fine - you don't need permission, you can call me like that any time..."
Akira: "Mrs. Cleo"
He tried to focus.
Akira: "I'm sorry for what happened before, I hope I'm not scaring you or anything, a ceremony and announcement are about to start, sorry to leave you here, but I also need to get to the teacher's cabinet before that..."
He lied. Their sudden parting left Cleo standing, confused as to why they needed to part ways now...
Akira entered the RIU from the front door and walked away from everyone.
Akira: "Merlina... something is not right here..."
Merlina: "Yes, I know, but what are we going to do about it now, Akira-boy? Till we both go to the Dreamscape again, it is a pure mystery or coincidence that we already met THREE people, who can enter where..."
Akira: "I do not understand - I realized that Nishioka is not our enemy - but what about this "monk" if he slaps me this hard - only by looking at me I..."
Merlina: "Akira-boy - it was not an ordinary "slap", how you call it. First of all, we need to finish our business in the real world, then think about..."
Akira: "It is useless to talk to you anyway, cat."
"Is someone there?"
An old man's voice echoed in the hall. This man was one of the RIU principals.
The good thing was that his eyes narrowed every time he tried to see someone in the distance, so he may have heard Akira speaking, but did not see him.
"Mr. Anastas, you are going to be late."
Akira felt that - another one:
"Misty"
A young woman began to get closer to them. Akira swiftly concealed himself behind the big plant near him.
Mr. Anastas: "Oh, Mia - I'm going to be late again, a ceremony is about to start right now!"
Mia Walker: "And whose fault is that, professor? I come to get you there..."
Mr. Anastas: "But I hear someone screaming right here and now, and I think there is a man behind this giant cactus..."
Mia: "This is not a cactus but a palm tree, professor... We don't have time for this!"
Mr. Anastas: "Yes, but..."
Mia Walker: "You go, professor - I will check what is behind the "cactus" of yours"
Mr. Anastas: "Ok, Ok, I'll go! But be careful Mia - maybe it's one of these pranksters I heard about..."
Mia Walker: "You watch too much TV professor, maybe that's why your eyesight is so bad..."
She takes a deep breath.
Principal "Anastas" slowly began moving away.
Instead of waiting, Akira took an alternate route to the "General Assembly Hall" to escape.
Merlina: "Don't look at me like that! I'm telling you it has to" be a "coincidence..."
Akira's Mind: "I'm tired of these games already. At least this vision did not slap me like a truck this time... I think I know who she is - Mia Walker - a daughter of the Vice-Chancellor of the RIU - I wonder what she was doing here..."
Merlina: "At least we were quick enough to escape, you are the one who was losing your temper this time!"
Akira: "And whose fault is that?.."
Cleo: "Mr. Yamauchi!"
Right before the giant double door, Cleo Williams stopped Akira, to his surprise, even if they only met each other today, he was genuinely happy to see her again. Before crossing paths, he worried she'd find him strange and avoid him afterward. But lucky for him, like Merlina was saying before - she indeed was an angel.
Cleo: "Mr. Yamauchi - are you all right?"
Akira dodged one student after another. He found it difficult to speak there, standing before the daunting double doors, which resembled a hellish gate. With a gesture, he showed her that they both could enter the Assembly Hall and not stand in the crowd's way.
Cleo: "I thought something terrible was happening, are you feeling yourself unwell? Maybe we need to find a doctor and..."
Akira was already tired from dying inside 5 or 6 times today already. He totally could feel how even Merlina stopped making stupid jokes about him and just looked at him like he was an animal from the Red Book that was about to disappear.
Akira: "Sadly we don't have the luxury to go anywhere right now, a ceremony and the vice-chancellor's speech are about to start, they gonna announce this year's educational program..."
Cleo: "You're right, but how's your..."
Akira looked directly into her golden eyes and said.
Akira: "Everything will be ok Mrs. Williams - you need to get to your group first, and I need to get to mine as well. Don't trouble yourself about me, I will try my best to not fall unconscious"
Cleo: "I will make sure it's not gonna happen! I will do as you said, but I hope it will not going to be rude for me to watch over you from afar?..."
Merlina: "Forget I said anything "about" an angel - she is our Archangel now..."
Akira and Cleo again parted ways with one another, Cleo still glared at him from time to time worrying that something could happen. Akira sight at her again with a nervous smile - and looked away, trying to focus on the task at hand.
September 1st marked the beginning of their education - officially, at least. It was the day RIU welcomed all its new students with an announcement and ceremony. General Assembly Hall was not an ordinary view to watch - as it was a square-like 2-floored area, with four columns in every corner. The first floor was the reason - why this place was called the "General" Assembly Hall, or just a "Great Hall". It was a wide-floored pentagon, with each column leading to another room behind. The administration divided students into groups by country of origin. Akira finds his place among Japanese students on the left, who still are not fully gathered.
On the second floor - which had a much simpler structure - there was a balcony-like area. Flags of RIU were hanging on the sides of each side of the balcony, painted with a red symbol of RIU on a black field. Akira saw the vice chancellor with some other people who were preparing to announce the names of the people who passed this year's exams, and officially welcome them to the RIU. He began to look around, expecting another mental strike from an anonymous monk, but he could not expect that was about to happen to him in a moment...
His father showed up on the balcony among other people who were standing there. Todo "the Warlock" Yamauchi, in the flesh. Todo was standing close to the vice-chancellor as they both discussed something important. They smiled and shook each other's hands as if they were long-parting friends.
A lot of people start to gather around Akira, and in the "Great Hall" as well, stealing the last oxygen that Akira tries to use in his current state.
Akira's Mind: "How could this happen, why HE is here?"
Merlina: "I do not know Akira-boy, but I think we're about to find it out..."
The "Warlock" was Todo's title in the Dreamscape, and only Akira knows him by this title. To say Akira was surprised is like stating the obvious about a rainbow's hues.
Akira's Mind: "I fear this won't end well for us, Merlina."
Merlina: "You can say it again, my young trainee."
Many questions were swirling in his head, and none of them had answers. Merlina tried to cheer him up, but without success.
Many students around were loud. The circle of people around him was narrowing. Everybody became closer to each other, it became hard to breathe. Far ahead of him, Cleo's group of New Zealand students positioned themselves parallel to him. Akira had not mentioned it before, but he had totally noticed only now that Cleo was shorter compared to him and many other people here as well. She stands behind somebody taller than her, and comically jumps from time to time to see how Akira is doing right now... And he was pale as a vampire.
Above all else, Mia Walker was standing in the middle of this "Great hall" shouting for the people to calm down and to be silent.
Akira observes Cleo jumping for some time, but in a moment his father starts to check the microphone to begin his announcement.
Akira's Mind: "What is this madman going to do to me now? Is he going to expel me publicly from this place, or is he merely going to mock me before all these people...?"
Todo Yamauchi tapped the microphone a few times, making a creepy sound. He starts to speak:
Todo Yamauchi: "One... Two... One Two... Three... Haha!"
Most of the students stop paying attention to each other and turn their sights to Todo's figure.
His father has a deep and confident voice, one that usually brings attention if he needs to. A "future" Prime Minister, and an absolute role model of the people from the high society. Some young people were pointing at him with their fingers, some taking a photo, some recording it on video using their phone.
Todo Yamauchi: "If I may have a few moments of your time, ladies and gentlemen..."
The girls started giggling after he called them "ladies", same with boys around seemed to feel more confident as he called them "gentlemen" as well.
He continued:
Todo Yamauchi: "For the people who don't know me yet, I have to introduce myself..."
He looked around as he was searching for somebody in the crowd.
Todo Yamauchi: "I am a higher official of this country and the leader of the party founded by me called "True Sight", I am as well, being a closer friend, and ally of your vice-chancellor - Mrs. Kaitlyn Walker..."
Akira felt pressure with every moment his father's speech continued.
Todo Yamauchi: "I was also - one of the sponsors who found this place, what people now call "Ryoto International University". As you can see - our money was well spent..."
He giggled, with the sound of the mountain shaking. Akira saw how many young people surprisingly started to laugh with him, as he was their friend. Was it his father's charisma or power to be an Ars Goetian? It was still a mystery to him, but Akira totally knew that nothing good would come out of this old goat plotting something here and now.
Merlina: "This wizard is really sweet-talking them!"
Todo stopped his speech for a second with an open mouth and instantly started to observe the place where Akira was standing.
Todo Yamauchi: "...Ahem, forgive this old elephant, for swift delay..."
He paused again. The crowd laughs at him.
Todo Yamauchi: "..As I was saying, our money was spent well - for us to grow the future of this country and the world within these walls..."
Some person who stood before Akira coughed.
Todo Yamauchi: "I am here to announce this year's educational program to all of you today, my friends..."
He paused intentionally.
Todo Yamauchi: "It will be called "THE RULES OF NATURE"! Pretty funny name, I must admit..."
The mountain of a man as tall as him giggled as he continued.
Todo Yamauchi: "Don't look at me - I was not the one who named it like that, huh!"
The crowd laughs nervously, but wildly again.
A few people are beginning to seem anxious. Todo's voice at some point sounded not as he announced the program, but as he declared someone else's death sentence.
Todo Yamauchi: "...But fear not everybody... I hope we are not going to throw somebody from the cliff, like in ancient Sparta, Hahaha!.."
He laughed, and his laugh was thundering even louder than his announcement.
Akira finally finds the monk in the crowd. A little man was around a small group of Chinese students, who were holding their compact flag by their leader. Mia Walker also stares right at Todo, proudly watching him and her mother standing there to be the stars of this little show.
Merlina: "I'm wondering if he's using his power right now, or if he's as good a speaker as he is good in sorcery, in the Dreamscape..."
Todo continues to speak.
Todo Yamauchi: "All of you obviously look surprised! We are preparing something truly special for you this first year..."
Todo's sight became more and more focused on the place where Akira was standing still, sometimes he was occupied by some other spots, but now it almost seemed like he was looking directly at Akira's face.
Merlina: "Too late to run away now, I think..."
Akira felt it, another punch right in the chest.
Merlina: "Hold the line, freshman, we still can do this!"
Akira tries not to fall.
Merlina: "Okay, I think we are fine for now."
Akira again felt the presence of his father, far greater compared to what he felt before... Some of the people were not paying attention at all, like some girl in the corner who was arguing with the principal, or a tall guy with bleached white hair and dark skin who stood leaning against a column.
Akira: "So many of them like me... Ars Goetians..."
Merlina: "Phew... Shaitan! Your tricks are not gonna work on me today!"
She sounds happy and proud of herself, holding the last mental wave coming from Todos' eyesight.
She took a deep breath.
Merlina: "Above all else, Akira-boy, are you still with me?"
Akira finds himself standing on his knees. While some people around look at him, stunned, he fakes the impression that he just fixing the laces on his shoes.
His father looks directly at him for a moment but turns a blind eye afterward.
Todo Yamauchi: "...Everybody who going to have top grades, or will succeed in their club activities this year, as well as be successful in sports, will receive a "special" kind of reward. You all will be divided into four different groups at the start, then into two. The group that will achieve better results will stay, the failed one, however, will be removed forever from these walls..."
"Shocking"
People began to boast.
"But I pay for this!"
"This is some sort of sick joke!"
Students, one after another, start to sound angry and annoyed.
"Let go of me, you brute!"
A girl who was arguing with the principal now started to sound louder for Akira to hear her. He turns around. She was with a Ukrainian group of students, who also had a leader with their flag.
The Girl: "Are you DEAF?! Who tells you, you can grab people like that, in the middle of the day?.."
Folks around already summarized that the program of this "university" will be straightforward like a tournament game, aside from the fact that people who going to be removed from this facility forever will gain nothing in return. As Todo's speech continued, Akira got a grip on himself and moved toward the teacher, who was forcefully holding the hand of girl. Akira saw the teacher's aura like it was a flaming figure standing before him - a possessed one, by some "Duke" or the "Marquis" of the Dreamscape.
Despite his age, the principal was unlike Mr. Anastas in many ways. Akira knew this one himself, his name was Yagawa Kikuchi, a 54-year-old man. He was adequate, with his devils in his head maybe, but now he was definitely under the control of some other entity at the moment.
...And the girl he held was - Liza Pavlenko - a waitress from the "Barghest" cafe, which he mentioned earlier. Akira met Liza at the entry exam procedure, as they sat together in the same audience.
Akira moved toward the teacher and Liza. Students around them started to form some sort of "arena" space, to see what this was about and what happened next.
Merlina: "A witch! She is the one, I know that..!"
Akira's Mind: "What?!"
Liza looked for help, and her eyes widened. Then, she saw Akira.
Liza: "Senpai! Oh... Let go of me, you absolute goon!.."
After she looked at Akira, she again turned to the obsessed teacher - and continued trying to free herself from his clutches.
Akira's Mind: "I told her before, to stop calling me -"Senpai!"
Akira grabbed the teacher's hand and removed it from Lisa's hand. He was standing right in front of Liza.
Akira: "Mr. Kikuchi - are you feeling unwell? You're not supposed to treat foreigners like that!"
Mr. Kikuchi looks angry enough to continue his little fight with Liza, but suddenly, after Akira's presence, he starts to look calmer around him.
Merlina: "Look, this one is the "bad case" Akira-boy, we need to handle him in the Dreamscape today, as soon as possible, I think I can cool him down for a few hours, but that's all..."
Mr. Kikuchi stated "A girl unexpectedly bumped into me while I was standing here."
Meanwhile, Todo stops his speech, turns to Mia Walker's mother, and, handing her a stack of papers, asks her to officially announce the names of those who passed the entry exams.
Kaitlyn Walker: "The list of those who passed our previous 'tests" is..."
Her posture was beyond being just an official of this university, there was something beyond that, Akira could sense it, but his head was already full of the problems and random events that had already happened to him today. It was always a heavy burden to have Merlina's voice in his head, she was talking - people around him talked and whispered as well, and his father with Mrs. Walker's voice, made his head spin unusually fast. Half of the audience looks at him and half of it looks at Todo and Kaitlyn standing on the balcony.
As Mrs. Walker pronounces every name, his eyesight suddenly starts to fade away. He was still concerned about Principal Yagawa Kikuchi - going to attack Liza again for no reason, so he continued to stand his ground in front of her.
But Merlina's influence was enough to calm Kikuchi's anxiety, for now.
Similar incidents began to occur across the country, catching people off guard. Aggression, confusion, disappearances, and more. Anomalies like these were spreading, affecting people everywhere. And at the heart of it all was a single place: The Dreamscape. A realm where dreams ceased to be mere illusions, and something from the material world began to transcend into another dimension-triggering paranormal phenomena that couldn't be fully controlled or fully exist in reality.
Mia Walker's Mother continues to state the names of the people who passed the entry exams. But with every name Akira start to lose his wits as it was like gong roaring in his head with each unique name pronounced, and behind this certain names there was a person with a potential to be - an Ars Goetian.
"Mia Walker"
"Zhenzhen Mao"
"Igor Blinov"
"Aberash Taylor"
"Lizaveta Pavlenko"
"Akira Yamauchi"
His name was the last, surprisingly, it was his father again, making all these schemes? Or it was just a coincidence, just like Merlina said, he did not know. What he knew, however, was that he was lying on the cold marble floor, completely drained-physically and mentally. He passed away, and the last thing he saw before his eyes was Liza and Cleo trying to get to him by calling his name.
Merlina: "We are not done yet, freshman!"
Akira's mind: "Very funny, sensei..."