Principal Arie took a sip from the cup of coffee on his desk and sighed, "Amazing as always, Ophelia"
Behind him, Ophelia pushed her glasses higher on her nose with a small smile. Her cheeks were dusted a pink, "Of course," she said, "I wouldn't have it any other way"
Principal Arie smiled and put the cup down. He then opened up a file on the table. "How goes the preparations for their departure?" he asked.
Ophelia straightened, "The airship is ready and prepped. But I think we need to change the drivers. The current one fell under the weather"
Principal Arie nodded and then wrote something down in his book. He hummed and then put his pen to his chin, "And the escort?"
"He's ready as well… although…"
"What is it?"
Ophelia sighed, "I don't know if we should allow him to lead the students. I don't think things will end well."
Principal Arie nodded, "I understand your concerns, but it's important he does. There's nobody better for the job"
-----
The next Wednesday - the day before the three students were meant to go on their first fieldwork, they found themselves in their gym clothes once more, facing a glass wall with circular holes cut into it in a straight line.
"Okay, listen up," Deacon said from the side as he closed his book and brought something out from behind him. Damian stepped back in shock as he saw it was a black handgun with two golden lines on each side, "This is a gun"
Damian blinked. Could it have been anything else?
"It's the custom issue weapon that every hunter is required to carry with them," Deacon continued, "It has no clips and also no bullets."
Then how in the world were they supposed to use it? Damian thought. He rose his hand to ask the question, but Deacon suddenly turned around and pointed the gun through one of the holes in the wall. The golden lines running across the gun hummed and transitioned quickly from gold to light green and then in eh next moment a light green ball formed at the tip of the gun and Deacon pressed down on the trigger.
Click!
Phwoom!
The ball flew through the air and smashed into a target on the other side of the room.
Boom!
Damian jumped as an explosion tore the target into smithereens, throwing wood and soot everywhere.
"The gun uses the Karma of the user as fuel," Deacon explained as he brought the gun back, "The size and destructive power depends on how much Karma you put into the gun. Of course, it also depends on your skill."
Deacon then pointed them towards a table at the side and told them to pick out one gun each. They picked the guns and then Deacon told them to aim and fire.
Damian looked at him in surprise, "Wait you aren't even going to show us -"
Click!
Click!
BOOOM!
BOOM!!!
"Ah!" Damian rose his hand up to his head as two explosions suddenly went off. He brought his hand down slowly and looked back to see both Persephones and Adrian's targets already destroyed, "How in the hell did you do that!?"
Adrain shrugged, "I learned how to do this when I was ten. Every hunter has it so I asked my uncle to teach me"
Persephone also nodded, "I-I also learned it a long time ago"
Damian sighed and looked at the gun. He brought it up to the hole in the wall and pointed it at the target.
"It's easy," he heard Deacon saying from the side, "There's a reason why every hunter has them. All you need to do is hold it, the gun will do all the work for you"
Damian turned his voice out slowly and focused on his breathing. There was a prickling feeling in his hand where he was touching the gun like something was picking at his skin, before he suddenly felt a cold sensation filling him, like cold water flowing into his body. Then, suddenly, the feeling changed as it began flowing towards his hand. The heat increased tenfold and Damian winced as his hand began to heat up to a point that should have been uncomfortable, but yet wasn't.
The gold lines on the gun transitioned to black and Damian's eyes widened as a black ball began to form at the tip of his gun, the ball grew almost to the size of his fist before it burst into black flames and began to swirl around.
"Release it!" Deacon suddenly shouted from behind him, snapping Damian out of his shock.
Damian quickly pressed the trigger.
Click!
Phwoom!
BOOOOOMMMMMM!!!
The force of the explosion rattled the glass and almost pushed Damian backward. He put his hand to his head and covered his face from the waves. Once it died down, he looked back at the targets and saw that he hadn't only destroyed his target but also the three targets beside them. The entire room was black and charred.
"Okay," Deacon said from behind him, acting like he hadn't just destroyed the entire shooting zone, "That should be all for today. You're allowed to keep the guns, but only on missions and fieldwork. When on school grounds, you have to submit them, understood?"
"Yes sir," Persphone and Damian answered. Deacon looked towards Adrian and found him looking at the charred shooting range in shock.
"Adrain," he called, "I asked you a question"
Adrain quickly snapped back to him and nodded, "Y-Yes sir"
Deacon nodded and then left the room.
-----
The next day, Damian found a new uniform set in his wardrobe. For a second he simply stood there, looking at the combat suit. It was divided into two parts, a thick black trouser that had a holster at one side for the gun to be put in. The top was also thick and black and it also had a hoodie. Damian looked at the clothes and then looked back at his bed. He then tilted his head to one side.
"How do they keep sneaking into my room without me knowing?"
Damian wore the combat uniform and he noticed that it had the same two emblems as his uniform. One of them was the golden mountain and the other one was the three-headed dog representing Hades.
He wore the boots that came with it and then carried his bag from the side of the door and walked out.
-----
Persephone sighed as she fitted her top properly. She looked in the mirror and smiled, "You'll be fine. Youll be fine"
She sighed and closed her eyes, "All you need is confidence"
Her outfit was the same black combat suit, only that it had the trident as the second badge rather than the three-headed dog. She dusted herself off, nodded to her reflection resolutely, and then walked out of the room.
-----
Adrian grunted at the sight of Dennis in the elevator as he made his way to it. He entered and pressed the last button.
"Dennis," he greeted.
"Adrian," Denis responded, "Already forgetting you have classes today?"
"No, actually," Adrian said, "We have a mission"
Dennis' eyes widened, "What?"
"You heard me, Dennis. I won't repeat myself"
Dennis ignored the sass, "But it's been only two weeks" he said, "Is this even allowed?"
Adrain shrugged as the elevator door dinged and opened up. He began walking to the main door while waving backward, "Guess I'll see you in a few days, Dennis"
Dennis watched Adrian leave with a frown on his face. Once he had disappeared from the doors, he finally turned and began to walk away, "Yeah," he said, "I guess I'll see you"
-----
The Helicopter-pad was located two miles north of the school. It was a large white platform with numerous helicopters arranged in lines. Damian breathed heavily with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath before he had to begin looking for where landing pad 4 was. He hadn't been able to ask any students for help and had to run all around looking for the landing pad.
Al the students who he had tried to ask for directions had been extremely unhelpful.
'Bastards,' he thought with a scowl as he finally straightened up and fitted his glasses properly, 'They act like I'm the second coming of the devil or something'
"Damian?" A voice said from behind him and Damian turned around to see Persephone standing there. His breath caught in his throat immediately: he had thought the outfit was cool on him, but he didn't even know how to describe how it looked on Persephone.
'Sexy as fuck!'
Or maybe he did.
"I-Is there something on me?" Persephone asked suddenly when Damian continued staring at her for a while. Damian finally shook his head and cleared his throat.
"N-No. There's nothing. You just look… very good"
"Oh," Persephone blushed slightly, "Thank you"
"This isn't a lover's day out" Adrian suddenly said from behind Persephone. He hoisted his bag higher n his shoulder and began walking forward, "We're going to be late"
Damian scowled at the boy before he turned around and began following after him. At least now he didn't have to find the landing pad on his own.
The three students found a pilot waiting for them at the launch pad, he hoarded them into the helicopter quickly, entered, and then started the machine.
Damian swallowed as he saw the ground growing further from them little by little. This was the first time h was on any sort of aircraft, and he never thought it would be taking him from the sky to the ground, rather than the other way around.
"Hold on," The pilot said and Damian found his leverage on the chair he sat on. The pilot then pulled the stick back and took them up.
-----
It's different down here, Damian couldn't help but feel, as the helicopter began descending on a wide landing pad with a car parked to one side. He looked around him and suddenly found himself feeling slightly underwhelmed by the lack of white everywhere.
'Just how clean was that flying citadel?' Damian thought.
"Your guide will meet you here. In fact, that should be him," the pilot pointed at the car before he went back to clicking numerous buttons, "This is the last stop so come down already, we don't have all day"
The three students came down from the raft and then watched as it took off once again. The pilot sent them a final salute and Damian smiled as Persephone sent a wave back.
They then turned around to face the car. A man came out from the driver's seat and shut the door. He wore a light blue t-shirt and black pants that seemed more equipped for a trip into the mountains than for a simple drive around. He turned around to show a rather handsome face with short blonde hair and black eyes.
Damian heard a gasp beside him. Persephone held her hands up to her mouth in shock and she took a step back.
"B-Brother?"