My seat was at Anastasia’s right, while Delilah was sitting at her left, with Alistair sitting next to her. As for me, I had rose sitting next to me, making the space between us extremely awkward.
Now one would think I hated Rose. But actually, it was far from that. what was between Rose and I was just an extreme form of sibling rivalry, coupled with a really massive grudge.
One I fully intended on settling by bashing her face multiple times against the ground, and rubbing it on her face forever that I was better than her.
It was kind of childish, I know, but I really wanted to do it, just like I showed those extras their place earlier, and just like I would defeat the holier than thou golden haired bastard, as well as this insufferable, during the midterms.
For now though, we had to win this mock exam. Once everyone was ready, Delilah began.
"As the strategist, I’ve started to come up with a plan."
"What plan?" I interrupted.
"It’s only a framework at the moment!" she turned, scowling at me. "But what it entails is to march our army down on the enemy castles and obtain their flags."
"Do you have anything to suggest? Anastasia turned to me. It seemed even to her, that plan didn’t sound very... sound.
"What?" Delilah frowned and spoke in a low, hesitant tone. "Why are you asking him?"
"There a reason I assigned you as my strategist, and him as vice commander, I told you, he has a good head on his shoulders." Anastasia replied.
"I know but..."
"Of course I do." I smirked, interrupting Delilah before she could continue. "I have a few problems with this ’plan’ per say."
"What problems?" Anastasia turned back to me.
"You see fellows, for a plan to be made, data is needed." I paused watching everyone staring at me.
"Get to it already." Fabian growled when I kept the suspense a little too long.
"Like I said, a plan is made from data and information. Our ’smartest mind’, " I said putting the emphasis on smartest mind. "suggested marching down on the enemy camps, now personally, I find that very reckless."
"No it’s not." Delilah argued. "Our class is arguably the strongest by a far margin. With our strength, we can easily take over the enemy camps."
"The problem with your plan, is that you are forgetting that this isn’t just a brute force or assault exam. The theme of this mock war is a capture the flag game. So if we follow your suggestion and march down on the enemy camps, what’s to stop someone from sneaking under the noses of whichever guards we leave here, and..."
"Stealing our flag." Delilah completed, her eyes widening in realization.
But I wasn’t done.
"And for starters, we don’t even know where the enemy camps are yet, so how were you proposing we match down on them?"
"I...I..I" Delilah stuttered, unable to give a response. ’Smartest mind my ass.’ I inwardly scoffed. Sure, Delilah would be a major figure in the final war, gaining more experience, winning against impossible odds with the right strategies, and the likes. But at the moment, she was still green behind the ears, and hence, was no match for my intellect.
"Sound judgement Damon." The redhead commented. "For now, we could have to scout, and find out the locations of the other enemy camps." She said turning to the others.
There was another thing I hadn’t said though. Judging from the theme of the mock exam, one would most likely assume it was fair, and that the three camps would probably be stationed around the same distance away from each other, most likely in an equilateral triangle.
But knowing the institute, our camp was probably fucked over by being nestled in between the other two camps.
"Alright, I’ve decided." Anastasia said causing all gazes to turn towards her. "The vice commander, captain and the elites, would be the ones to go scout out the enemy’s camp. "While the strategist and I will stay here and try to organize the others."
And for the first time, Rose spoke.
"That doesn’t sound very wise."
"Oh, do tell why." Anastasia tilted her head in our direction, raising a brow.
"With all of us gone, what if the enemy camps attack, how are you going to defend the flag?" Rose inquired.
"Oh you don’t have to worry about, I am plenty enough to stop them." she smirked. The faces of the main characters fell. Till date no one has seen Anastasia use her ability, or even her full strength, because she hadn’t been paired with anyone notable during the combat classes. I’m guessing even Delilah didn’t know. Except for me though, I knew part of what she could do. She could ramp up her momentum, basically giving her enhanced speed.
"Now that that’s out of the way, we can proceed." the Lady commander continued. "I wouldn’t want any of you out of the game, so be extra cautious, don’t underestimate anyone you encounter, especially if you don’t know what their ability is."
"If you don’t come back within three hours, I will assume you’ve been killed or captured." she added. Everyone nodded no matter how unbelievable it sounded to them.
They were probably thinking along the lines of; ’Me? getting killed or captured? that’s impossible.’
Especially with the main characters. I also wasn’t one to point that out though, because I was also thinking the same thing.
"Okay, everyone dismissed." She said, and all the main characters stood up, including Sarah, a chocolate skinned girl, and Dion. But excluding Delilah, and yours truly.
"Aren’t you going?" As expected, Delilah was the first to find fault with me. "Don’t even try to slack off."
"Of course I’m going." I said as ten reflections appeared behind my chair. "Just not entirely." All my reflections said in chorus.
Not gonna lie, even I felt goosebumps, when I made all my reflections say that, not to talk of how the others felt.
Their eyes widened, even though they had seen my ability before, it wasn’t to this extent.
Delilah’s eyes twitched. "I thought you said you could only make a few."
Even the others sharpened their ears at that.
"Did I say that?" All my reflections said, frowning.
"Yes you did." It was Rose that replied.
"Well, I lied." they replied shamelessly, leaving everyone speechless.
"Way to go bro." Dion beamed, giving me a thumbs up, to which I winked.
After that, the main casts went out, including my reflections, leaving only Delilah, Anastasia, and I in the castle.
"So," I said, kicking back, and putting my legs on the table. "Aren’t you guys going to go do your own work?" I asked the two women.
"What does that have to do with you?" Delilah turned to me.
"Just saying." I shrugged. "I wasn’t the one who was talking about slacking off."
"Gods, If I continue to stay with this guy, I’m not sure I won’t kill him." Delilah murmured under her breath as she stood up. "Let’s go Sia." she said to Anastasia, who shook her head.
"I’ll stay here a bit longer."
"Fine, just be careful of this guy." She threw me a glare before walking away.
Silence reigned in the castle for a few moments, before I broke it.
"You knew the plan she was suggesting was stupid, so why didn’t you call her out." I turned to Anastasia.
She shrugged.
"It was just amusing to see you two go at it."
I frowned.
"Really?" I thought she was going to say something like; "I wanted her to see the faults in her plan, so she can improve in the future."
"Yeah, what were you expecting?" she tilted her head.
"Nothing." I shook my head, then finally decided to ask her a question that had been boggling my mind.
"If you’re truly from House Necron, why has no one ever heard of you?"
"Hmmm? why the sudden question?" she asked.
"It’s just that it’s been boggling my mind." I replied.
"Well, if you must know, I was with my mother’s side of the family."
"Wait, that’s it?" I asked, when she didn’t say anymore.
She smiled.
"What were you expecting? something like I was a long lost heir, or something like, our empire was attacked, so I had to be taken away, and hidden until it was safe?"
I blinked.
"I just don’t think I would be that mundane."
The hall went back to silence after that, until this time Anastasia spoke.
"Are you really just going to sit there, staring at me all day?"
I shrugged.
"Sitting here? yes. Staring at you? no. When my reflections come back, I’ll just read their memories." I said, but surprisingly, she burst into laughter.
I scowled.
"What’s so funny?"
"Oh, don’t insult my intelligence, dear Damon. You can fool the others, but you can’t fool me."
"What do you mean?" I frowned, even though I had an inkling of what she was getting at.
"I was with you at the Ashen Deadlands, and I’m a hundred percent sure you can see what your so called reflections are seeing in real time. How else do you want to explain being able to steer us away from the horrors in there?"
I stared at her blankly, but inwardly, my mind was running, what could I use to deflect her reasoning, but she continued.
"Or how else would you explain, suddenly freezing when we’re going in a certain direction, then suddenly decide to change directions?"
’Ah, she’s really onto me.’ I inwardly sighed.
"Fine, you got me." I admitted. "But don’t tell anyone else." I warned. "Else I’ll tell everyone you’re some creep who likes to go around, parading herself as ’big sister.’"
"You wouldn’t dare." she scowled.
I smirked.
"Try me."
**************
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