Chapter 54 - Battle of Wits or Fists? (2/2)

His eyes wide, a sense of crazed madness overshadowing them. His face looked paler, sunken deeper almost. Hair hanged over his eyes slightly.

”…eyes...eyes…eyes...eyes…”

Mumbling to himself Bianca couldn't even react when Javier landed a punch to the left side of her face. Releasing Bianca's hair, Javier pushed her onto her side and began to violently kick at her stomach. Each time her body jerked with his kicks. Each time she let out a gurgled gasp. Her face scrunched up in pain.

After about six kicks they suddenly stopped. Fearing the unknown, Bianca opened her eye and saw Javier sitting on the floor a couple meters away, leaning on one hand, the other covering his cheek. Next to her, panting heavily, Owen was standing there, his white knuckled fist stopped in motion.

”O… wen?” Although Bianca was hurt and glad that Javier stopped she didn't want to bring anyone else into her problem. Holding back her voice from the sharp pains every time she moved, Bianca got herself onto one arm and tried to smile softly. ”Don't mind me. I w-was just res..ting…” She breathed deeply after that. Her elbow was digging into a fresh bruise.

Although she tried to hide it in her voice her face betrayed her. Owen could see how tightly knitted her eyebrows were and every time she did try to speak there would be a pause out of pain.

Owen stood in front of Bianca and stared coldly at the still Javier.

”I'm just returning the favor from a few minutes ago.”

Bianca breathed in deeply but the pain and pent up laughter became too much.

*pfft* ”Ha ha! Aren't favors s-supposed, ow, to be used… later?”

To Owen, Bianca's laugh was like honey. It was sweet and sounded really cute. Although he was embarrassed he was glad that he was turned away, otherwise Bianca would've be able to see how red his face was, especially his ears.

”It's never too early to help someone in need.”

Bianca laughed a bit more before she saw Javier leap at Owen from behind. As Owen's reaction was a bit too late Javier's foot connected with Owen's neck, the impact causing Owen to fall over. Javier coldly stared down at Owen and Bianca.

”Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting… your eyes, why do you look at me like that?”

Having lost his sense of self everyone in the room could tell that Javier was different. The slight sway of his body, his hair covering his face and the insane look in his eyes. If one were to look at Javier without knowing him they would definitely assume that he was not ten-years-old.

Just as Javier was about to attack Owen again a voice rang out in the room.

”Attention!”

All of the kids turned to look at a screen that had appeared in the middle of the room. In it was a stiff officer, probably no older than their mid-twenties. His brown hair smoothed and covered by his cap. Glancing over the kids in the room something in the way he stared at them gave them the feeling that he was a bit disappointed. Clearing his throat the officer grabbed their attention.

”The rooms have been filled and the conditions have been met! We will now begin the selection process! Each student is to touch the small pad below and will receive their marks accordingly! That is all!”

With that short message the screen disappeared and from the floor a small pedestal rose up. It had a small thumb size indent on it and a layer of scanning screens on top. One by one the kids gathered around the scanner and waited for someone to make a move. The first to go after a minuet was Javier. His confidence overshadowed the others and as soon as he placed his thumb on the scanner a small needle pierced his skin and took a little bit of his blood.

Surprised, Javier quickly retracted his hand but, not before the scanner had already gotten the required amount. In a robotic voice that sounded feminine the machine answered.

”Javier, age of ten, Celestial mark, Leo.”

From the prick on his thumb small black trails traveled upwards to appear on the area a bit below his shoulder which formed the side face of a lion, the Leo's sign implemented into the lion's mane.

Having calmed down a little Javier smirked and walked past Bianca and Owen.

”Don't think that this is over mutt.”

Just as Javier passed Owen he whispered with so much killing intent it would make people question whether he really was a ten-year-old at all.

They brushed shoulders and the selection process continued.