The Redo of a Novel's Villain: Moira - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

A student rushed up the stairs running his breath ragged. Practically falling onto the floor in his haste, the person bolted down the hallways and slammed open a thin door arched in a spear shape.
"Albert! Did you hear?" he heaved, the sweater stuck on his chest weighing like lead.
Albert Wolint snapped his head to the door, shocked. Recognizing who was by the door, he quickly composed his face with a condescending frown.
"Next time, knock." he berated and moved from the window to one of the chairs of the small room, crossing his legs. The room was quaint and unlit, illuminated only by its small windows. Old dusty book shelves lined the walls holding not books but odd little trinkets. There were two coffee tables with detailed rugs worn out from time underneath. At the back of the room were stacks of boxes on a tattered couch, the arrangement left to collect dust.
This space was the old club room of the gardening club, but ever since they've relocated to a larger area this room's been mainly used for storage. It was on the quieter side of the academy, so Albert would often pass time in this more or less forgotten area.
The student lowered his head slightly. "Sorry, but did you hear the news?"
Albert narrowed his eyes, muddled. "What news?"
"Sorin Ceylon beat Kayson Nevoid!"
Albert's face went through a bunch of changes, from indifference, to digesting the words, to realization, and to confusion. In the end, his voice barely came out as a whisper.
"...What?"
"Mhm!"
"When??"
"Yesterday by the C&W gym!"
"And you only bothered telling me this now?!"
"Uhm.. yes?"
Albert's space blue eyes deadpanned at his inefficient reporter who fidgeted with embarrassment. Dropping his head, he stood up and brushed his light blue hair back with a sigh.
The student pursed his lips and meekly questioned with a curious smile tugging at his lips. "What are you planning to do?"
Albert stuck out a thumb and pointed at himself, a vigorous motivation lighting up.
"Obviously I'm going to get our honour back!"
✧ ✦
"No." Refused Sorin. Packing up and slinging his bag off the chair, the male walked off. Leaving a bewildered Albert behind.
"Why??" Albert quickly chased after him, walking at a moderate pace behind Sorin.
"I'm not fighting you." He reaffirmed.
"But why?"
Stopping dead in his tracks, Sorin turned around and faced Albert, unimpressed.
"Do you seriously not know why?" He raised a brow.
Albert faltered, his brain trying to fetch an answer to that question. "...You're.. scared?" He cringed.
Sorin shook his head. "No, your family's too troublesome."
Albert gaped, offended. "Hey! I will not stand for insult to the Wolint Household."
Sorin sighed exasperatedly. "This is exactly what I mean! Your family's too prideful, and if I were to beat you they would never leave me be."
"If it's a fair right, why would we resort to such shameless tactics? Don't spout propaganda, Ceylon." Albert sneered, navy eyes glaring into silver.
"I'm not—nevermind, I am not fighting you." He pinched his glabella and sped down the hallways. Unwelcomed footsteps coming from behind him.
"At least hear me out!" He cried, clinging onto him.
Sorin whipped around trying to shake Albert off. He yelled, "What is there to hear out—eh?" He stared puzzled at the pair of hands separating him and Albert. Hands pushed together by the palm, slicing the air between him and the other.
The owner of the hands spoke, "What's going on here?"
Kayson pushed Albert and Sorin apart. Standing behind him arm-crossed was Huey who's scarlet eyes gazed impassively at them. Sorin, (feeling a sense of deja-vu) felt a bit self conscious and stepped two steps away from Albert, regaining his usual calm self.
Albert spoke first, eyes wide. "Kayson! Is it true you lost to him?"
The youth shrugged languidly. "Yeah."
Albert looked like he was gonna say something irrelevant, but was abruptly interrupted by Huey.
"Answer the question." The youth demanded.
He swallowed the words back in his throat, eyes switching between the three of them. He cleared his throat. "I was merely asking Sorin for a spar, but he refused claiming my family would be dishonourable and not upkeep the most basics of etiquette."
Sorin snorted, muttering something inaudible.
Restraining Albert, Kayson turned towards Sorin. "Okay, so you refused him under the premise of his family being a sore loser. Valid, but knowing him he's never gonna stop pestering you. It'd be better to just give him what you want."
"I'm right here you know." Albert grumbled, the others ignored him.
"Kayson's right," Huey nodded, placing a hand over Albert's shoulder (having moved behind him somewhere during the exchange). He smiled softly. "And I'm sure that Albert wouldn't allow his family to commit such a shameful act would you?" A smile laced with threats.
Albert felt goosebumps rise up his arms. "Y-yeah, of course I won't.
"Well?" Huey peered up at Sorin's difficult expression. The taller male bit the inside of his cheek, a habit Huey noticed whenever Sorin felt a bit of pique.
"...Alright. I'll spar with him," Ignoring the way Albert perked up, he added, "But only after my test tomorrow, and there will be no audience. I don't want people thinking there's dispute in the four households."
Albert raised his head with a grin. "Well, I suppose it's good that you're not slacking off on your image lest you bring shame on the rest of us. Very well."
"Then it's settled." Kayson clasped his hands together, bringing the discussion to a close with a big smile... then his expression crumpled. "Anyways guys, we have exactly two minutes to get to assembly. We need to go."
...
Huey clicked his tongue, "Way to douse the mood with cold water." He grabbed Kayson's hand and ran down the halls and called out without looking back, "Remember, you need your blazers!" And they both vanished behind the corner.
The other two left in the dust looked dazed in their direction, looked at each other, looked back, and bolted in the direction of their lockers.
—*:･ﾟ*✧ —
Huey exhaled in relief, letting his pen fall down onto the desk. The pen rolling on top of the paper he wrote. Packing up, he simply enjoyed the last couple moments of test day, relishing in the fact he was test-free for the next couple of days. He waited for the clock to signal the end of class before turning the paper in, leaving the classroom with light shoulders.
He walked down the hall to Kayson's classroom, peeking his head through the now open door. The students paid no mind, used to his recurrent presence.
However Kayson wasn't at his desk nor any part of the classroom. Huey idled by the door before approaching someone inside.
"Where's Kayson?" He tapped someone with a face dotted in freckles, like cocoa powder sprinkled on top of a tiramisu.
Tiramisu looked around, "I'm not sure." They turned towards a group of students still lingering by their desks. "Hey guys! Do you know where Kayson is?!"
A percentage of people shrugged, some mumbled a no, and others straight up ignored him. Fortunately someone did bother giving the solution to the question.
"He's in the restroom!" They answered, although Huey couldn't catch who it was.
"Thanks!" Tiramisu turned back to Huey. "Well there you have it."
"Mm, thanks." He walked down the direction to the restrooms closest to Kayson's classroom. On each floor there were two student restrooms with one more being staff, he hoped Kayson was at this one because the other one was on the complete other side.
Huey pushed open the door, calling out Kayson's name. Unfortunately his voice was drowned out by chattering ruckus.
Eelia the line was cramped. Exiting the restrooms, Huey sighed. He may as well try his luck on the other restroom since it's near the stairs.
Thus, gone he went.
—*:･ﾟ*✧ —
Sorin shut the door behind him and crossed his arms.
"Why did you book a private training room for a spar?"
"But of course, as much as I would like for people to see your utter defeat, didn't you say you want no audience?" Albert looked at him as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"I meant no public audience, a supervisor doesn't count."
Albert rolled his eyes. "Stop blabbering and pick up a sword, Ceylon."
"At least let me warm up first." He half mumbled-half reprimanded.
Sorin stretched his limbs and from his periphery he could see Albert getting used to the practice weapon. A spear, equally as simple and bleak as the sword in terms of design.
"Don't knock anything over." He remarked which earned a glare sent in his direction.
Completing his stretch, Sorin grabbed a sword off the rack, unsheathing it. The silver sheen reflects a poor quality image of him and the background. Although not nearly as good as the sword his father gave him, it was good enough. Sorin posted himself within the empty slot of the room. Pointing the blade at Albert, he beckoned.
"You first."
Knock knock
The two opponents snapped towards the door, swiftly retracting their weapons in case it was a club or staff member.
"Excuse us~"
Instead it was a semi-soul-eviscerated Kayson and a semi-tired Huey. The two boys settled their bags by the door and plopped down as though the floor was a couch and their spar was but a random street show to enjoy.
"Oh good we're not late." Kayson patted his chest and leaned against the wall. Huey remained silent.
Wolint pinched his eyebrows together. Baffled, he cried out, "What are you two doing here?"
Rather than Kayson speaking, it was Huey this time. "Why not? If not for the two of us convincing Sorin would you even be sparring with him now?" He retorted all the while pushing Kayson's head (which had slipped from the wall) away from him.
Albert's words died in his throat, he looked towards Sorin as if asking for his opinion. Sorin looked down at the hilt in contemplation.
After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "I'm fine with it as long as you don't reveal the results to anyone outside this room."
Huey crossed his arms. "Naturally."
Sorin looked away at the two audiences and adjusted his hold on the hilt, squeezing tightly. Loosen, tighten, loosen, and tighten. Feeling the weight of the sword, the sensation of the hilt, the lacking difference between familiarity and unfamiliarity.
"On the count of three." He spoke.
Just like the earlier spar with Kayson, except this time there's no holographic countdowns.
"1."
"2."
Silver eyes made contact with space blue, the cool material of the spear point between them.
"3."
Albert struck with a short thrust at Sorin's head. He avoided it by dropping to the side. The tip of the spear nearly grazing him. Sorin twisted his body and slashed upwards, missing. He clicked his tongue, quickly getting back into a stance.
He knew that Albert, who had evaded the attack, was now a good distance away to put him in an advantage. Sorin sighed.
He wanted to use the spear's weakness to close combat, but now that Albert knows of this plan defences will become much more fortified. There goes the plan of ending it quickly.
Sorin raised his sword.
CLANG
The heavy spear slash collided with his parry. The momentum of it made his arm droop and shake.
"Keep your focus on the match." Albert reprimanded before adjusting the spear position. While still keeping the parry against Sorin, he slid the spear to the side and thrusted forwards. Straight towards Sorin's chest.
Sorin sidestepped the fast attack and kept turning. He switched arms and forcibly pulled out his weapon. Delivering a downward slash. Albert yelped and twisted his body to put the spear in front of him. His body landed onto the floor with the attacker above him. His arm shook and he watched in morbidity how the blade of the sword inches closer and closer. He watched, waited, and waited until the blade was at the tip of his nose before striking.
Albert drew a front kick into Sorin's abdomen. The youth flew back, flipped in the air, and landed. Regaining his footing.
They glared at each other, sparks flying between them.
Kayson watched in fascination, he elbow nudged Huey.
"Who do you think is gonna win?" Already knowing the answer.
Huey contemplated it, watching the ongoing fight. He said to Kayson, not bothering to lower his volume convinced the two were too engrossed in the spar to notice them.
"They look equally matched, but Albert's unsure about his attacks. Most likely because he has less combat experience, and because of that, he'll lose."
"Ohh," Kayson then grinned. "I bet the match's gonna go on for another three minutes."
Huey blinked at him, what would they even bet on? Still, he was competitive.
"I bet it'll end..." he looked at the match. "..Now."
"Huh?" Kayson snapped his head around to look at the spar. Witnessing just in time for a riled up Sorin knocking the spear out of Albert's grasp, pointing his sword against Albert's neck. The two came to a stand still, both of their chests heaving, sweat dripping down their temple.
Sorin sucked in a breath. "You lose."
He pulled back his weapon and dumped it in the [used] bin by the rack for it to get sanitized later. He pulled out a small towel from his bag and began wiping the sweat off his face. From the side he could hear clapping, surmising it to be the two Huey and Kayson.
He felt a low rumble.
An earthquake?
Odd.
He then heard an exclamation. Sorin whipped his head around and saw Albert surrounded by a thick outline of mana.
He widened his eyes. If Albert used his magic here he'd destroy so many things in the training room!
"You idiot!" He cried, rushing over but stopped midway. A feeling of static filling the air, raising goosebumps and strands of hair. The sensation needled his skin subtly.
He looked towards Albert who's entire body was being suppressed by a ring of electricity. Crackling like blinding snakes. Their snappy motion, taunting them with its treacherous nature.
"What was it you said again? That your family will never do such a shameless thing such as being a sore loser. Then what's this?" Huey mumbled, his voice low.
He grasped Albert's shirt and pulled him up, their noses almost touching as blood red eyes, as red as the once a millennium eclipse, gazed deep into navy ones. His pupils shook, the memories of the atrocities this boy before him committed coming back in full force. Everyone's been too lax since he changed, but that side of him didn't disappear. Merely hidden away, waiting for an opportunity to peek its head out. Albert floundered to put words in his mouth but they all came out inconceivable.
Huey backed away and straightened his back, letting Albert fall to the ground.
He looked iffy. "I think he needs to get his mind cleared, Kayson!"
"Got it." The pink haired youth got up and dusted his clothes. Walking over Kayson aimed a finger gun at Albert. "Pew~"
Splash
A blob of water condensed and dropped right on top of Albert's head. The cold, sudden impact knocking Albert back.
"What the hell?!" He yelled, his previously light blue hair now a deeper shade and sticking uncomfortably against skin.
From the side Sorin watched incredulously at the state of his self-proclaimed rival and how the other two high-fived each other in victory. What victory? Albert looked like a deflated puppy!
Kayson then bent down and covered his mouth with his hand. "It looks like we bullied you."
Huey bent down as well, scrutinizing Albert who became increasingly concerned. "Oh, you're right."
Sorin made eye contact with Albert who's eyes screamed for help, he sighed, and walked over. Having Albert owe him something will be good in the long run. He went behind him and hauled Albert up.
"If the spar's over, let's clean up." He let Albert stand there while he went to fumble through the youth's bag in search of a towel.
"What are you doing?" The blue haired boy asked.
"Looking for a towel." He responded.
Kayson interrupted between them. "Don't worry I got it." He stretched his hand with the palm facing the ceiling and closed his fingers one by one. Sucking the water out of Albert's hair and clothes.
Albert felt his hair and dropped his head. "Thank you." He then looked at Sorin with a complicated but resolved expression. "And, I sincerely apologize for my misconduct."
Sorin stares at him passively, and sighed. He smiled, "Water under the bridge."
The pleasant atmosphere wafted around the room, only to get ripped apart by Kayson's blunt words.
"That's great and all but we're running out of our allotted time in this room, look at the timer. Also I saw the vice captain when coming over and you know how strict she is."
Huey's eye twitched and he glared at his friend.
"Why do you always do this?"
"Do what?"
"Never mind. Well we'll go first, you guys should hurry." Grabbing Kayson's hand the two picked up their bags and left. The door shut with a clunk.
The remaining two looked at the door, then at each other, then quickly packed up and left.
—*:･ﾟ*✧ —
Huey breathed in the refreshing air at the top of the clock tower. He was there once again, appreciating the tranquil moment high above the rest. No wonder in the novel the protagonist liked it so much oh...
Huey's eyes snapped open.
Eelia why is he so stupid?! He got back onto the belfry, and towards the trap door in the corner. A nervous suspense wringing his mind. He really wanted to limit any one on one conversation with Sorin. All it did was revoke bad memories.
'Please no cliche, please no cliche.'
He held onto the handle.
'Please no cliche, no cliche!'
And pulled open.
"Ah."
Huey made a sound as he looked at the Sorin-less stairwell. Relief seeping into him.
'Thank Eelia.' He exhaled softly and went down the stairs, careful not to trip.
"Ah."
He froze. His head creaked towards the other side of the spiral staircase stiffly. Right across from him, was a youth with silver hair and eyes, Sorin Ceylon in the flesh, of course.
'Haaa..' He couldn't help but sigh loudly in his mind.
The other blinked before waving a little, Huey waved back before he could even think. And to his horror Sorin continued moving towards him. A small smile on his lips.
"Hello."
He swallowed a frustrated scream. "Hello."
Sorin moved closer. "I forgot to thank you earlier, thanks for restraining Albert."
Huey felt a twitch of irritation seeing there was only a one step distance between them. He forced out a robotic response, "No thanks needed, I only did what was necessary."
"..."
"..."
"Sorry, please go ahead." He moved to the side of the stairwell.
"En." Huey walked down, stepping past Sorin who's eyes lingered on him for but a moment turned away.
Huey stopped, this time it was his eyes lingering on Sorin's. He felt the need to get out, but something glued him in place. The aching need to know, his body moving before his rationality.
"I have a question."
"Yes? What is it?" Sorin looked back with that same expression he always wore. Clear droopy eyes, kind but aloof.
Huey revived the dying words on his tongue.
"...What do you think should happen to a person who's committed numerous heinous deeds? Stuff you can't possibly imagine inflicting pain onto others?"
He must know, he must know why Sorin held mercy to the very end. He didn't deserve it, he could bet many members of the audience, his victims, the families and friends of his victims, and much more were all enraged at the clean and quick execution. He could bet even without his knowledge of the novel that Sorin would've been under constant criticism. Deemed as weak hearted, a coward, a wrongful sympathiser, and so much more ugly titles.
Sorin pondered the question, and answered briefly after.
"Of course they should receive a punishment fit for their crimes."
"What about those on death sentences?"
Sorin began to look a bit taken aback. Not understanding the premise of this weird question. What is this, debate?
"...Well, killing people justified or not is always bad in my opinion. But some sins can only be atoned with death no matter how long they live... and what I'd do in that situation... I would try to end their life quickly and painlessly."
"Wouldn't that draw the ire of their victims?"
"It would, but I believe no human being is born evil. It is the world that made them evil, so while the world did not shed a single tear of kindness I would like to give that at least that much in their final moments. I know, foolishly ideal." He scratched the back of his head.
Huey gazed deeply at Sorin, or rather, at the space of his memories. Slowly, he turned his head back and he stared into the gaping darkness of the stairwell. A beautiful darkness capable of invoking dire fear, however this time it was like someone would hold his hand, guide him down, and wash away the unease of the unknown. A weirdly pleasant yet unpleasant feeling rose up within him.
"...Thank you." He whispered, and walked down the stairs. The low echoe of steps on stairs ringing out.
"..You're welcome?" Sorin was still confused about the question though. Diverting his gaze from the retreating figure of Huey, Sorin moved up the stairs and opened the trap door. The high altitude breeze making his shirt and hair flap around.
Come to think of it, Huey was coming down from this spot. Sorin looked back down at the stairwell dimly illuminated by small windows. Maybe he'll bump into the youth outside of class more often than he thought.
Sorin breathed in the refreshing air.
He thinks he'll like that.
—*:･ﾟ*✧ —
Huey exited the clock tower and reached the bottom. Looking up he could see a faint silhouette on the belfry and he wondered whether or not he should limit his visit there. Shaking his head, he proceeded down the path to the dormitory only to stop.
A heavy dreadful weight sinking his stomach down as toxic sediments fell in his lungs. His chest hurt, and guilt needled the skin.
Looking at the person in the distance walking the same direction he was going to sparked a cruel resurface of something awful. He could recognize that shade of blonde anywhere and that non confident yet not insecure gait.
His voice came out shaky, more of a breath than a verbal response.
"Nicholas?"