Quest Academy: Silvers, page 63
“You look like a failed mime.” Barry mocked Sal without moving his eyes from the board. “She has a point, though. There’s no reason you couldn’t take the top spot.”
Sal shook his head as though he were being ridiculous. Without looking, Sal knew that Erika was likely still staring at him from the other side of the amphitheater. He had no ambitions to take the top spot and would happily yield it to her.
“There are people with far more capability than me who deserve the top spot,” Sal said as he turned around and gestured at Divinity for reference.
Rather than being dismissive, she gave him a small smile and pointed back at the board, as if telling him that he should be paying attention.
“Jenni hit the top thirty?!” Barry suddenly blurted, causing Sal to look up in shock.
It was a lurching sensation in his stomach, which was a mixture of relief and anxiety. If they were in the top thirty now, it meant that he was still very much in contention for the Saviors class.
Divinity’s hand squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “Stop overthinking. They’re just numbers.”
The top thirty transformed the entire amphitheater. Nine hundred and seventy people already knew their ranking, and they now had something new to cheer for. Their own cohorts. Each person who was listed in the thirty was met with a huge cheer from their own cohort. It was a blend of camaraderie and belonging as each group tried to out-cheer their opponents. Unknown names appeared, and Sal only knew who they belonged to from the section of the crowd roaring their approval.
As each name ticked down, Sal’s heart started to thunder. Despite how many times he told himself that he didn’t care what rank he got, the atmosphere had created a surge of tension and anticipation…and Sal wondered whether he really was going to get a higher rank. Each name ticked down, and they hit the twentieth rank. The cheers were getting louder and louder, and when the nineteenth name was revealed and it wasn’t Salvatore, Sal’s chest tightened and his breathing elevated.
“Welcome to the party.” Barry spoke quietly as he clapped Sal on the shoulder excitedly, now seeing that he was getting a higher rank.
Blathnaid, Anthony, and Jack were all staring at him and twisting their necks to look at the board, not wanting to miss his reaction. Divinity’s hands started to clap on each of his shoulders as the names continued to fly onto the board. When they hit the top ten, Sal felt as though he couldn’t breathe, and Divinity’s hands tightened on his shoulders. Their names were nowhere to be seen as the countdown continued. Cheers and roars erupted around the amphitheater as cohorts started to scream their fan favorites for the top spot. When the names reached the fifth rank, the countdown slowed to what could only be described as a crawl.
Sal wanted to turn and face Divinity, but he was rooted to the spot. He needed to know where he was placed on the board. The fourth name was revealed to deafening applause, and Sal finally realized that the cohort causing the most noise was his own. All around him, the Silvers were screaming and on their feet. They knew that two of their very own captains had yet to be revealed! The next few seconds, time felt like it had slowed down, until the third name was revealed.
Salvatore Argento - Overall Rank #3
The weight of the world lifted from Sal’s shoulders as he was finally able to breathe. A relieved laugh escaped his lips as everyone in the Silver cohort jumped up and down in celebration and started to chant his name. Never in Sal’s wildest dreams did he anticipate a scene like this—a hundred people all singing and cheering his name. He finally found it in himself to turn to Divinity with a wide smile.
He had to shout over the noise, but he knew that she’d hear him. “Worst-case scenario! You’ve kept your spot!”
Just as she opened her mouth to respond, her eyes widened as she stared dumbly at the screen. The only roars in the crowd were from Silver, which made Sal think that Divinity had kept her rank…but he was in for a shock.
Erika Clifton - Overall Rank #2
None of the Gold cohort made any noise for her drop into second place, but even if they did, there was no way they were going to outdo the thunderous cheers from the Silvers. Everyone knew what was coming, and Barry already had his runes activated.
Sal turned back to Divinity and knew, in that moment, that she definitely hadn’t looked into the future. It was the first time he had ever seen her truly shocked.
“Well done, Divinity!” he shouted, but it didn’t hit home until she saw the proof on the board.
Divinity Khan - Overall Rank #1
Chapter 85:
Respite
It took a few minutes of Quest calling for everyone’s attention before the cheers died down. Barry’s fireworks were cut off the moment Quest’s eyes locked onto him, and the Illusionist thrust his hands into his pockets to look as innocent as possible. The electric energy coursing through the audience finally dispersed, but there were a lot of smiles and excited chatters of which cohort was currently the strongest with the new rankings. Some were even remarking about how the Gold cohort seemed to treat Erika as some kind of pariah, as nobody interacted with her, not even the team she competed with. Quest’s hands continued to rise and lower as he gestured for people to take their seats and quiet down.
Well, that certainly got very heated toward the end!
I’d like to offer congratulations to all of you who increased your ranking today.
As I’ve said before we revealed the results, our decisions were based on your continued performance across all classes in the last month. If you’ve found yourself dropping down the list, don’t fret.
You’ll have more chances to move up the roster, by working hard and embodying what it means to be a Hero. That is what we’re striving toward, to make the world a better place and to finally end the war against the demonic threat that’s plagued us for decades.
One year from now, many of you will be returning from your first offsite expedition. Our second-year students have been off campus for the last three weeks, integrated with specialist groups and learning firsthand how the real world operates on the other side of the barriers.
Don’t forget why you’re all here.
We’re training you to be ready for the outside world. This tournament was designed to highlight your weaknesses and strengths. It was to show you how teams work, and how much stronger we can be when we work together. We wanted to show you how strong teams can crumble with weak leadership, and how capable individuals can carry the weak with them.
Many of the Silver cohort will have seen the power of great equipment. The Gold cohort saw the terrifying power of a perfect strategy. Purple saw the overwhelming destructive power that can be held by a single person. Orange witnessed how a single Healer on the battlefield can turn the odds drastically.
All of these are valuable lessons for you to learn from, and I would encourage all of you here to attend the inter-cohort competition that will take place in the coming months. We’ll also be having a showcase from the third-years when they return from their guild work placement program.
All of you have worked incredibly hard in the lead-up to this event, and we’d like to reward your efforts.
Classes will be postponed tomorrow to ensure that you’re all sufficiently recovered…from whatever you get up to tonight. We’ll be having a mixer later in the afternoon for all of you to mingle with the guild scouts and some of our visiting professors. It’s a good opportunity for you to learn from them and start planning your academic trajectory. Find the classes that blend with your ambitions and introduce yourself to people who can help you on your journey.
For our top-ranked people who are in the running for the Savior class, we’ll be inviting you to a private gathering in the Sky Lounge.
On behalf of myself and the rest of the Quest Academy faculty, congratulations on a great tournament and enjoy yourselves!
The students gave another round of applause as they started to shuffle away from their teams to find their friends. It was pandemonium as everyone started moving all at once, and Sal could only sit there in disbelief. He turned around to see that Divinity’s eyes were white. Sal couldn’t help but think it was a bit late for her to be looking into the future, as they already had their rankings, but he didn’t make any effort to get her attention. Both teams were talking to each other excitedly, comparing how shocked they were at the results but how well deserved everything was.
Blathnaid turned over to look at Sal with a smile. “How are you feeling? Is it sinking in yet? You’re top three!”
Barry nodded in agreement as he leaned back in his seat so Sal could see Blathnaid better. “They better give you some Q-Cred for the new rank, though,” was his only contribution to the conversation.
“Incoming.” Divinity’s voice held a sliver of amusement, but the tone was warning.
Sal glanced at her for a moment and saw that she was looking at the staircase to their right. When he looked around, he saw Erika a few steps away from them, her arms once again folded in front of her. She was tall for a girl, but that was where the similarity to Neuro ended. Piercing blue eyes and brown hair tied back in a ponytail were the only definable features other than the default gray uniform that nearly everyone wore.
When Sal was about to speak, she raised a hand to halt him. Her eyes were locked onto Divinity. “How did you do it?”
Rather than answering, Divinity just sighed, which didn’t dissipate any of the growing tension. More than a few students in the area had stopped to watch the interaction, but there wasn’t going to be a show.
Erika took another step forward and tilted her head ever so slightly to the right as she considered Divinity. “You placed fourth in the tournament, which should have resulted in you losing rank. Disregarding any composition bonuses for having the last pick, there was nothing in your performance that warranted an increase in rank. So I repeat, how did you do it?”
Barry nudged Sal in the ribs. “And I thought you had shit social skills.” He laughed at his own joke.
Sal wanted to smile, but he couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of unease.
Divinity gave Erika a calm look as she gestured to the stage. “You heard the headmaster. People who embodied the values of Heroes were rewarded. Me, Sal, and Barry here…all of us worked on preventing a calamity, which saved lives. We’ve been working with the Doom Society and your father. We also set up a training group for our teams, preparing them for the tournament. But, Erika, what did you do?”
Sal’s eyes widened at the accusing tone in Divinity’s voice. He had no idea what she saw in the future, but it wasn’t like her to be this blunt with a person they had just met. Even Barry, who was always the one to take serious situations down the lighthearted route, kept his mouth shut.
Erika’s arms unfolded as she glared at Divinity. “I was the perfect student. Top of my classes. Top of the cohort. Top of the tournament…unless we go by average score, where he only edged past me because of equipment.” Erika gestured at Sal without so much as giving him a glance. Her entire focus was on Divinity. “You’re not top of any of your classes, so you don’t deserve the top rank.”
Divinity got to her feet and took a step toward Erika, a smile fixed on her face. “If you have a problem with it, take it up with Quest.”
Erika didn’t back down. “Admit it. You don’t deserve the top rank.”
Divinity scoffed and gave Erika a withering look that bordered on pity. “The only way you’re going to get that validation that you so desperately seek is if you use your ability to make me say it. I imagine that’s how you get most things you want?” Divinity was not holding back in the slightest as she gestured over to the Gold cohort. “Didn’t look like you had a lot of support. Is it because you use them like stepping stones toward your goals? I saw how you won that race on the first day, Erika. You’ve no right in telling anyone what they deserve.”
Sal was sure that Erika was going to explode or attack Divinity, but contrary to everything he was seeing, she tilted her head again and studied Divinity with a calm expression.
“Your attempts to goad me into an argument won’t work. I excelled in every assessment criteria we were given. You capitalized on an opportunity that came from your ability. It doesn’t matter if it prevented a calamity; the question is academic merit. You are not the top rank in my eyes.”
Divinity’s eyes turned white, and she pointed at them. “Well, in my eyes…you don’t become a Savior. How’s that for goading?”
Erika’s eyes narrowed. After a moment of silence, she uncrossed her arms and turned away from Divinity. All of them watched her ascend the steps out of the stands, none of them knowing how to react to that encounter.
Divinity gritted her teeth as she looked over her shoulder at the retreating form of Erika. “She really is a fucking piece of work.”
***
When Sal ascended the stairs to the Sky Lounge, he wondered whether they should have taken the elevator. Divinity had told him that it was busy taking all the other students up to the floor, so they’d be faster using the stairs. It was also an opportune time for him to find out more about the slight altercation with Erika.
Barry and the others made them promise to ditch the Sky Lounge and come back for the party with the other students, and they readily agreed. They’d show their faces for a little bit, listen to whatever Quest and the others had to say, and then they’d rejoin the students.
Sal looked over to Divinity, trying to figure out whether she was tense, but her expression was unreadable.
She caught his glance and shot him a smile. “You want to talk about Erika, don’t you?” Divinity sighed and waved her hand as though it were nothing. “Don’t worry, she’s not a big calamity or anything like that. Just a stubborn girl who’s always gotten her way.”
Sal continued up the steps, and his eyes fell on the vacant area that previously held the Skill Registration machines. It was hard to believe that it was a month ago because so much had happened in those few weeks.
With a wry smile, Sal nodded. “Still, I didn’t think you’d talk back to her like that.”
When Divinity cocked an eyebrow, Sal sensed he had entered dangerous territory and decided to make his stance very clear.
“Oh no, I’m not saying that you were in the wrong. I’m just not sure I’ve seen you push back. Usually, you’d kill them with kindness.” The eyebrow lowered, and Sal knew he was safe again.
Divinity gestured up to the floors above at the top of the staircase. “She’s up there right now, standing with her back to a wall and watching everyone. She doesn’t respect a single person in our year and has a crippling superiority complex. The only way she’s going to break out of that shell is when she finally acknowledges her peers and the value they bring. Like, if she controlled your mind and made you create a piece of equipment…would it be as good as the piece you poured your heart and soul into?”
The question was rhetorical, but he shook his head anyway as Divinity continued.
“No! She doesn’t understand people at all! And the rest of this semester is going to be absolute hell with her and every other asshole up here gunning for us.”
Sal exhaled loudly as he followed Divinity’s gaze to the top floor. “But at least she doesn’t become a Savior! You said it yourself.”
Divinity snorted and shook her head. “I was just trying to get under her skin. She’s pretty much guaranteed a spot on the Saviors, but I’m not going to tell her that or make it easy on her.”
Sal laughed, which eventually cracked a smile on Divinity’s lips.
As if to explain her reasoning, she added, “I wanted to see a sliver of uncertainty on her face, so I’ll settle for the minor glare it got me.”
With another glance upward, Sal wondered whether they could streamline the process. “Any chance you could give me the highlights of what’s to come?”
Divinity shrugged as she raised a hand. “Yeah, mostly boring stuff, to be honest. We get a few glares from the top-ranked students, a few jabs at you relying on equipment and me relying on the visions.” She started counting through the different events on her hand.
“There’s a long talk from Quest about responsibility, and how we need to lead our teams and cohorts to success in the future. Oh, and Neuro apologizes to me about Erika, and jokes that she takes after her mother. We stand around chatting to students for a while, and Alastair saves you and Scry saves me. Overall, it’s pretty lackluster.”
Sal slowed his pace as he looked up again. “Should we just bail on it and head back to the others?”
With a laugh, Divinity shook her head as she continued walking. “I only told you about the boring parts. You won’t want to miss the good stuff!”
Sal’s grin reappeared as he took the steps two at a time to catch up with Divinity, who laughed and increased her own pace as she called for him to slow down.
“Hey, hey! They’re not going anywhere!”
Sal continued on, enjoying the panicked laughter of Divinity behind him as she tried to match his pace. He could hear people talking and light music being played in the background. With another set of stairs to go, he considered slowing down, but could see that Divinity was actively racing him.
It wasn’t much of a competition, and Divinity was gloating a few seconds later as she stood at the entrance to the Sky Lounge with her arms raised over her head. Sal joined her a moment later and was surprised to see a smattering of applause welcoming them. Alastair, Harlan, Dawn, Liam, Scry…all the members of the Doom Council were talking to indistinguishable gray uniforms, but looked up at Divinity’s arrival and started to clap.
