Aegon pointed at her, "You're the same girl from orientation."
"Could you not point at me?" She rolled her eyes, "And it's just Quinn... Of course, I get the room with two boys."
She moved forward with just a single duffle bag slung over her shoulders, she dropped it on the bed as they stared at her.
Eli arched a brow in her direction, glaring at her as if whatever he wanted to say hung at the top of his tongue.
Aegon glanced at him, playfully hit him on the arm, "I know you're a creep but it's rude to stare."
"I'm not a creep!" Eli screamed, "It was all Trixy's idea—"
"So, you can't control your summons, that's not better Eli."
Aegon cut off his tongue.
"You know what, I think I'll give you both a minute. Have something to do anyway."
~BAM.~
He slammed the door behind him leaving just Aegon and Quinn in the room, alone.
Quinn sprawled onto the bed, face down and quiet.
Aegon walked up to her bed, arms folded, kicked the frame lightly to draw her attention, "We have to talk."
She groaned face down, raised her hand— to flip him off.
He rolled his eyes, "I'm serious."
Quinn shifted her head to meet his eyes, still with her middle finger out, "Do you not understand what this means?"
He ignored her, "What the hell was that with Nightwalker?"
She sighed.
"Look dude, he didn't seem to take any specific attention to you so count yourself lucky, very few people know the truth about him and I'm not up for drawing attention right now."
"That wasn't what I asked, I asked what was up with Nightwalker?"
"Man, I'm not doing this, so goodnight—"
"It's the middle of the day."
He didn't let her finish, gesturing out the window, particularly the sun.
"..."
She ignored him, face back down into her pillow while pretending to snore.
He didn't bother her anymore, he already had enough problems on his plate, didn't have he strength to take on another.
~BAM.~
Eli shoved the door in.
Sweaty again, heaving and pointing at the phone in his hands, placing his hands on his knees to balance while he caught his breath.
Aegon and Quinn turned to him, waiting for him to get his antics over with.
"The rankings are out!"
He coughed out, barely.
Aegon, confused, "What rankings?"
"You-" Eli still struggled to get out full words, "The Novus rankings on Aethera."
Aegon and Quinn turned to each other, still oblivious, then back to him.
"Oh my God," Eli ran a hand across his face, "I'm living with squares. Aethera is the official social media of Aetherion Academy, basically a connect between all the awakened.
Where they pass information about classes, news, hot girls and parties."
Immediately after hearing 'parties' Quinn's head sank back into her sheets.
Aegon ignored her, shifting to Eli, "Don't worry about her, what are the rankings?"
"Basically," he straightened up, "Every year, an unknown someone, probably from the Mechania Faculty, hacks into the school network and releases the list of students and their approximated power level...
But, this year's difference? This year also came with the percentage chance that they'd survive the next trial."
Aegon moved closer to his phone, curious to see where he stood.
The list was minimalistic, divided into Columns— rank number, name, Faculty, affinity, Aether Control and finally, percentage.
Both their mouths hung open after seeing the list, and in unison they turned to Quinn.
The number one wasn't surprising at all, after all what else would be expected from the main character of the novel, the son of Nightwalker and the first ever person to awaken a dual Affinity.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Micheal Anderson.
Micheal was in the lead under the Faculty of Elementals, wielding the affinity of fire and metal, and Aether Control of 'Extraordinary' and a percentage chance to survive the next trial of 100%.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
But it wasn't surprising to anyone, the author of the novel intentionally made Micheal a cocky OP bastard.
The surprising part was number two.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Number two, Quinn Ovrin.
Under the Faculty of Soul craft, wielding the affinity of distortion, and Aether Control of 'Excellent' and a percentage chance of survival at 96%.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Aegon blinked twice.
"Uhmm, Quinn, you're number two."
She didn't react, shifting into a more comfortable position within the bed.
"That's where you looked familiar from," Eli remembered, "Ovrin, your mother was Spectra— the former Paragon, wasn't she?"
"Ding. Ding. Ding," Quinn mocked, "Now leave me alone."
"What do you mean former? What happened to her?"
Aegon had no idea when he blurted out.
Eli's eyes widened, he went completely stiff and his face twisted violently.
Quinn stood to her feet, marched to him, and closed the distance between them leaving only space for tension.
"Well, Aegon, since you're so curious, the story online says my mother went for the next trial and when she turned into an anomaly Nightwalker came ended her."
She gave a mocking smile but under it was anger and turmoil.
"He saved us all and destroyed the anomaly that is my mother, so that's what happened."
She wasted not a second more in the room, sidestepping Aegon and slamming the door behind her.
Aegon downcasted his face, then punched Eli on the arm.
"Why didn't you tell me that?"
Eli gestured wildly, "How was I supposed to know you'd say some inappropriate shit like that? It's common knowledge what happened. What rock have you been hiding under?"
Aegon dragged his hair back, "I'll deal with that later. What's your rank?"
Eli began scrolling through the list in his phone, down and down until—
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Elijah Payes.
The Faculty of Beasts, with the affinity summons, and Aether Control of 'Decent' and a percentage survival of 68.5%.
Number 864.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Aegon's face scrunched up but when he glanced at Eli, he was visibly ecstatic.
"Really?"
Aegon asked.
Eli couldn't contain his joy, practically giddy.
"Yes really, there are 2,245 Novuses this year, and I'm 864. So, screw you, I'm happy."
"Wow," Aegon muttered, "That's a lot of awakened, wait find mine."
It took almost a minute for Aegon to hold Eli in place long enough for him to search for his name.
"What's your full name?"
"Aegon Dhalar."
He typed in Aegon's details.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Aegon Dhalar.
Faculty of Aether Studies, with the affinity of replication, and Aether Control of 'Pathetically Poor' and a survival percentage of 10.2%.
Number 2,235.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
'Oh fuck this novel.'