Secret Society: Raising Calamity Class Disciples

Chapter 2 Not-So-Black-Mail

Derbury station.

The train screeched to a halt. Tens of people walked out from the coaches, including a silver eyed youth.

Xavier flicked his watch open.

6:45

He gazed at the western horizon before craning his neck up. Something sparkled in the clear orange sky.

"14 Minutes."

******

A couple of kilometres west. Derbury Forest.

Orange light seeped in through the dense forest leaves and shone on a small straw hut. The hut was windowless, with the open door being the only source of light. It had enough room for four furnitures- a single bed meshed with the wall, a small rectangular table right beside it, a chair next to it that faced the bed, and a book filled shelf beside the bed's hardboard.

On the bed and the chair sat two hooded entities, garbed in black, facing each other.

"You know what day it is," the one on the chair asked. The voice was that of a middle aged woman- stern.

"Yes." The one sitting at the edge of the bed nodded. It was that of a female too, but it sounded much softer and younger.

"This nation- the one that you have been living in for the last two years- what is it called?" The older lady asked.

"Avarynth." The girl answered.

"Again, Eulene?"

"The people's republic of Avarynth." The one called Eulene corrected herself.

"Good. Its capital?"

"Aramon."

"Now, what type of government does it have?" The middle aged woman asked.

"One-party parliamentary republic."

"Explain."

The younger lady took in a deep breath. "People elect an Electoral Lord from their respective towns and cities to sit in the Council of Electorals. The Council decides upon the laws of the nation."

"Good." The lady on the chair nodded. "Who runs the nation?"

"The prime minister. The Electoral Lords elects one amongst themselves. Then the prime minister selects 12 ministers to head the ministries. Jacob Riveries, the 37th prime minister of Avarynth, drives the nation through these 12 ministries."

"Good. You did well. Besides," the matron took off her hood, "why do we need to wear these to take a social science quiz?"

The lady's face matched that of her voice- middle aged and serious. She had a beauty mark beside her right eye.

Eulene took off her hood as well.

She was a ravishing beauty in her early twenties, with black smooth hair that cascaded down her back, and a pair of dark eyes- so dark that it would make anyone with common knowledge wonder 'how could she see?'. But this would not be the first question that would come to ones mind after catching a glimpse of her; the question would be 'where is she from?' as her facial traits did not match with an Avarese or inhabitants of any other neighbouring nations.

She picked up the book that was right beside her on the bed and placed it on the table. It was titled- 'The Darkheart Chronicles.' "It's from that scene in this book, where Adrian met the Auctioneer." The smile on her face widened. "It was so… Khool."

"I gifted you this book to better your Avion," the woman dragged the book towards her with a frown, "not to role-play or to use God-knows-what terms like 'Khool'. It's been two years and you still can't pronounce the more complex words."

"Tsk, auntie, you are too old to use these modern terms anyway."

The matron rolled her eyes, clearly used to her responses. "Enough chattering. Today, we are going to study physi-"

"Besides," Eulene interrupted with fervour, "you could have refused to play along, but you did it anyway." She gave her auntie a judging look, along with an even more suggestive smile.

The woman moved her gaze away from Eulene's eyes and coughed. "Well, Sir Agnomen Caesar is a brilliant wordsmith. I relish every single one of his works, especially The Darkheart Chronicles."

The smile on Eulene's face became naughtier, her gaze- even more piercing.

The woman gulped, moving her gaze even further away- to the open door, failing to find any windows.

"You are a fan of the author alright." Eulene leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table. The suggestive smile beamed on her face. "But even more so, you are a fan of the main char- character- Adrian."

A sweat trickled down the woman's forehead. The seriousness on her face was long gone. "We- well, Adrian Darkheart was the best character Sir Caesar ever created. He's-"

"It's more than just that, isn't it?" Eulene arched even more forward. "That day, I spotted you locking the door from within, the book was on the bed."

The matron widened her eyes in panic, her face all red. "I- I-"

The smile on Eulene's face turned evil. "I wonder what will happen if Sarah knows that her mother is in lo-"

The woman rushed forth and gagged Eulene's mouth. Her eyes darted through the room, even though they were the only ones in it. Her whole body was drenched in sweat. "Wha… what do you want?" She gulped, giving Eulene a pleading look.

Eulene mumbled something, prompting the woman to take her hand back. "No more physics lessons."

"Can't agree." The woman closed her eyes and shook her head.

WHAT?! Eulene screamed in her mind. She was sure that her plan would work. She was just inches away from getting rid of that godforsaken subject, or so she thought.

She barely opened her mouth, curbing her speechlessness. "But-"

"I can halve the lessons. That's the most I can do." The matron took in a deep breath, barely composing herself. "If you still insist, go on and tell ev- everything to Sarah." She clenched her fists. "She's 15. She will understand why her widow mother did this."

What was wrong with this woman?! She was ready to suffer this much humiliation- a woman being in love with a fictional character- but she would still not stop teaching physics?!

Eulene internally sighed in defeat. She did not plan on ratting auntie out anyway. Even though she called the woman auntie, she was not anything less than a mother to Eulene. The woman was teaching her everything despite not getting anything in return.

Just as she was about to say something, rumbling sound echoed throughout. The hut, along with the few furniture, began to oscillate.

Both of the ladies shared a surprised glance and went out before looking up.

A scorching piece of boulder descended at them with breakneck speed, the fiery blob getting bigger and bigger every moment. Sonic booms pierced through their eardrums.

The matron's eyes and mouth opened agape, freezing in place.

The rock thundered through the sky. It flew half a kilometre above their heads and crashed two hundred or so meters to the west.

The world shook while a powerful gust scattered from the point of impact, uprooting trees and blowing away animals.

The blast was approaching them with lightning speed, along with a huge wave of dust, woods and other debris. Eulene stepped before her auntie, who was still on her way to fall to the ground from the impact.

The frown on Eulene's eyes relaxed. The incoming force was nothing compared to the real dangers she had faced before.

She casually waved her arm, generating a whirlwind that was not any weaker than the one approaching. It charged forth, recruiting its own army of earth, trees and dust on the way.

The two forces collided, instigating an even bigger shockwave. The wave could only sway the smooth hair and blow the long skirt of Eulene, who stood nonchalant like an unassailable wall.

Both of the forces died, and so did the dance of her hair and dress. She twirled back and pulled the lady to safety, before she could fall all the way down.

"Are you okay?" Eulene asked.

The woman crazed her hands through Eulene's body before landing them on her cheeks. She finally exhaled after confirming the girl was safe.

"I am fine." Eulene smiled. "You should go back. I will go and inv… inves… check."

The lady, whose mind regained clarity, remembered the girl was far from ordinary. "Take care." She ran east where she came from, giving Eulene one last glance.

Eulene, confirming that there was no danger eastwards, turned to the west. The dust in the air settled, revealing a huge crater a hundred or so meters away. The surroundings had already become a wasteland- filled with fallen trees, dug-up earth and dead animals.

An eerie aura originated from the point of impact. It was all too familiar. Pure Yin Energy? She frowned.

And what was this foreboding? It was as if the strings of fate themselves pulled her forth. Was it a call of fortune? Or was it calamity? But whatever the case… her lips curved to a smile.

It could not be more dangerous than a physics lesson, could it?