Cyrus Solaris
It was the weekend after our last group test, and we had yet to receive information about our results. Normally, we would get our result right on the spot, but Stravos's antics got in the way of that. I wondered if that's why we all got yanked out of the exam. Towards the end of the test, I felt helpless, as the drain of cosmic energy affected me more than everyone else. I just hoped I did enough.
As I was leaving the planetarium, my watch dinged twice. The first message was the test results.
I was eager to open the message, but my finger was frozen above the icon. A lot depended on this result. If we fail here, I don't know if I'll be able to earn my provisional license, which I need to enter more rifts to train and obtain powerful relics to defeat Theron.
But I also needed to pass to secure our family relic, which is the academy's vault. I can't fail them again.
Just do it, Cy.
My finger hovered over the icon, but I couldn't get myself to press the message with the test results.
A deep sigh left my body, and I settled for the second message instead.
Since we are finished with the Midterms, I would like to celebrate with a school dance now, if you are wondering why an accelerated program like Xhatal Academy would allow this. Well… It's because I will it. And I think understanding the social scene is important to learn how to navigate. Guilds host a lot of balls, you know. After the dance, we will begin prep for your first rift. Now I task you with finding a date and dressing your best. Cheers. The best-dressed will receive an undisclosed amount of extra credit.
Up until now, I had never thought of dates or dances, period. Now I had to figure out who to ask, or better yet, who would accept my request.
Hungry, I headed to the cafeteria. On the way, the isle was filled with students running around asking each other to the dance. Some created posters, while others settled for a subtle approach. Seeing my classmates scurry across the campus like ants turned me off the idea of approaching anyone. Instead, I made a beeline for the buffet.
When I walked in, I saw a crowd of girls huddled around a single person. I didn't see the student, but the jewelry around their neck confirmed my suspicions.
With my gaze still locked on the crowd, someone bumped into me.
It was the loudest person I knew at the academy.
"He really is greedy, isn't he?" Voen asked, stroking his chin, looking deep in thought.
"What are you talking about?"
"he's hoarding all the girls; he could at least save some for the rest of us."
I palmed my face, "Voen really."
"Don't tell me you don't think about it."
"I don't. I'm only focused on training," I said, reaching for a plate at the buffet.
"So you don't have an eye on anyone?"
"No… do you?"
"Well, naturally, I got a whole list of girls to ask. But really? People have been talking about how you and Mira are always training together."
"Oh, that's just how our schedules align," I said, putting vegetables on my plate.
"If you focused on training, we wouldn't be low in the rankings."
Voen patted my shoulder. "I'm not a fighter; I'm an artist," he said, running off after whatever caught his eye.
Once I sat down, I watched Voen strike out with every girl he talked to. I got a chuckle out of it, and I hurried to clean my plate so I could leave the cafeteria.
Today, I wanted to make my way to the school's temple in the northern pavilion of the main isle.
Gramps would have my head if I didn't go pray. It's the least we can do for all that was provided to us. He always said to me when I forgot to do so.
The temple might have been one of the most extraordinary buildings the school had to offer. It had a pyramidal roof, held up by rows of columns, that lay upon a marble slab.
As I stepped into the temple, murals lined every wall, while the ceiling was coated in gold and divided into twelve sections. Each representing the twelve major pantheons our world worships. In the temple, each high pantheon has its own section within the building, allowing its branch deities to receive worship as well.
Every time I came here, I dodged the Solaris and Pyrralis section out of fear of being found out. But it was also because I didn't know how to worship the pantheon tied to my constellation, or if one even existed.
So I sat in the main pews in the central hall of the temple and prayed to the only pantheon I knew.
The high pantheon Solaris.
While I was deep in my prayer, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I tensed before I opened my eyes. It was someone I had never met before.
But she bore a striking resemblance to one of my housemates. Giovanni.
"So are you ever gonna go inside our section?" a girl with bright orange eyes, light bronze skin, and curly brown hair asked me.
"Who are you?"
A cheeky smile crept across her face. "Oh, Sora was right about you."
"Excuse me?'
"I'm Cendra Pyrralis, heir to the ash mother. But I was just curious why the only Bennu clan member here at Xhatal Academy refuses to enter the Pyrralis section of the temple."
"I like praying alone," I said, my heel nervously tapping the floor.
Her eyes narrowed, then immediately shifted back to that cheeky smile.
"I guess that's understandable. But I find you interesting. Do you have a date for the dance?"
My mouth hung open. "Me?!"
Her gaze was so intense, it felt like I was under a magnifying glass.
"No, the other Cyrus sitting in the pews," she said, her hand resting on her hip.
"Well… I don't have one." I said, clearing my throat.
"Perfect, then you are my date."
"You sure you want me as a date? People don't like me around here."
'I do what I please. Now hand me your communicator so I can put my information in it. We need to plan our outfits." She said.
I thought having a dance was dumb, but maybe I was wrong.
But I never thought someone like her would even think of approaching me. It made me wonder how my parents' first interaction went.
I handed her my communicator, and she put her info in my contacts. When she handed it back to me, she had this sincere smile. "How did you guys do on your last midterm?"
I let out a shallow breath. "I haven't checked."
"How come?"
"It's complicated."
"Then how about we go pray about it," she said, her warm eyes sparkling, as she tapped my shoulder.