I Reign Supreme

Inside The Onion-shaped building,

'Greetings Admiral.'

Admiral Gabriel nodded once as he walked past the role of guards on his right and left. At the end of the role was a lady in her mid-thirties, while holding a young girl by her shoulders. This young girl was Sasha.

When Admiral Gabriel got to where they stood, he squatted and c.a.r.e.s.sed the girl's delicate face before saying to her, 'Where you hurt?'

The girl smiled and shook her head gently. Admiral Gabriel the stood up and turn to the guards, asking them, 'What happened?'

'The mansion was infiltrated.' one of the guards spoke.

'Infiltrated?' asked the Admiral. 'How?'

'We believe that he came in through Lady Sasha's opened window.'

Admiral Gabriel murmured, 'Lady Sasha's opened window' before turning to the girl and asked her, 'Was your window open?'

The girl answered nonchalantly, 'It's not like you expect some burglar with a weird mask to come flying into your window every night.'

The Admiral had a disappointment smile on his face before turning back to the guards with furrowed eyebrows to ask them, 'And the barrier?'

'The one million illusion had little or no effect on the invader.' the guard answered.

'And the guards who chased after this invader?' The Admiral asked again.

'They lost consciousness during the time of the pursuit.'

The Admiral used his peripheral vision to ask his daughter, 'Were you affected too?'

'Yes farther.'

When his daughter answered, he kept quiet and pondered a little. This burglar could be anybody and the fact that he was able to overcome the protective illusion casting aggravated the problem. Even for himself, without his trump mantra, he would barely escape.

'And why would someone of sort break into the mansion?' He asked.

'I believe th–'

'For my disk pass.' Sasha interjected during the guard's speech.

Admiral Gabriel turned to his daughter inquisitively and said, 'Your disk pass.' Then he looked back at the guard that initially answered his questions, but the guard remained silent.

'Someone capable of breaking the mansion's defence mechanism went through all those problems just, to steal your disk pass?' after he spoke everyone went silent. 'I can't say this is good news but it is better than bad news.' he added with a faint smile.

Whoever this burglar was, it seemed he just wanted to participate in the Head of Scrolls and probably didn't have enough money to pay for it. Which implied the burglar was not someone to be disturbed at. But what made him wonder again was how the burglar got pass the defence mechanism of the mansion.

'Did you get any facial features of this burglar or any appearance to look after in the feature?' Admiral Gabriel asked.

'No sir,' the guard answered slowly as he gazed at the floor.

'He's probably my age.' Sasha interjected.

Admiral Gabriel asked drawly, 'How do you know this?'

'He intruded upon me. I heard his voice, saw how he thinks and knows, I know how tall he is.' she asserted.

'Well, then it looks like I'd have to get you another disk pass.' said Admiral Gabriel.

'I don't want a disk pass. I am already a warrior of the Seraphim Hand. I don't need to participate!' Sasha sounded angry.

Admiral Gabriel smiled as he said to his daughter, 'The Head of Scrolls isn't just a time when Squires showcase their capabilities in hope to have a liking, in any of their admired Kingdom Forces. It's a time when you prove to the people and your family that you have what it takes to become something great, something extraordinary.'

'If you know you don't need the disk because you are already a Seraphim warrior, I want you to prove to me how ready and prepared you are to take up the mantle of the Hand of God, a warrior of a God. A warrior of divinity.'

Sasha was quiet after listening to her father. It looks like being a Seraphim Hand was much more complex and harder than she'd ever imagined.

'Of course, she would be prepared.' her mother at her back quickly added with certainty.

'Then let us wait and see in today's trial.' Admiral Gabriel ended his speech and calmly walked out of the hall and the whole guard matched after him.

The girl watched as her father left the hall and asked her mother while staring at the back of the guards, 'Does he believe in me, mother?'

Her mother hurriedly answered, 'Of course he does. Your farther is just, a man who believes in justice, and not power.'

..

The Outskirts of the First District,

It was sunrise already. Vester and Maoki travelled together to the District. From their discussion, Vester learnt that Maoki was from the second District and he came to participate in the Head of Scrolls, which was held here in the First District as its headquarters. Vester was baffled at first at Maoki's laziness to attend the Head of Scrolls earlier. He, Vester, thought that if someone wanted to participate in the Head of Scrolls, they should have already been in the District for a few days because of preparations. But as they discussed he was clarified.

Maoki had already left the second District two days ago. But why had he not reach the First District? Because he took a trip on land. He trekked, and that took him two whole days.

When Vester asked of Maoki's family, he was disappointed to hear the boy was an orphan. He wanted to participate in the Head of Scrolls so he would be able to grow in one of the Kingdom Forces and never have the difficulty of living a normal life.

As the two boys conversed, they climbed up a miniature Hill and approached the hilltop. Where they could see almost all of the First District from the view.

'I hope I make it.' Maoki said being mesmerised by the view.

Vester looked at the side of Maoki and said to him, 'Of course you would. You didn't come all the way here not to be chosen.'

Maoki chuckled and replied, 'What about you?'

Vester shrugged as he answered, 'I don't know.'

Vester!!

A loud voice sounded as the boys discussed. Drawing their attention to the source. It was Bobby and Mordecai scuttling to their possible. When they got to Vester, Bobby was surprised to see Vester freed.

'Thank goodness, you're freed!' said Bobby.

'Who's the new guy?' Mordecai asked with one of his eyebrows up.

'This is Maoki. He's gonna participate in the Head of Scrolls.' Vester spoke.

'Hello, fellow Ascenders.'

'Maoki here was the one who saved me.'

*Phew* 'That's a relief.' Bobby whispered.

'What?' Vester asked.

'What?' Bobby replied and gave a sharp look to Mordecai.

Mordecai too asked 'What?'

Maoki looking at them was a bit confused so he joined the 'Whatsapp' group, 'What?'

'You guys couldn't think of a plan to bring me down could you.' Vester asked bringing his face closer to Bobby with every word.

'I-I-I was going to try to uproot the tree.' Bobby answered.

'What?!' Vester blurted with a stupified expression.

'You're out. Thanks to him. I think we should get going now.' Mordecai broke the chatter.

'The green one is right.' Maoki said.

Mordecai lazily stared at Maoki with his chin up, 'It's Mordecai.'

Maoki absurdly smiled at Mordecai. Showing all of his white teeth.

'Okay, so what are we waiting for then, let's hit the road?' Vester yelled and unexpectedly jumped off the crest.

Maoki did nothing but stared at Bobby at his left then Mordecai at his right before jumping off the crest.

'After you.' Mordecai extended his hands towards the hilltop. Bobby shrugged at him and jumped off. Mordecai smiled and exhaled shook his head and followed suit. Jumping off from the hilltop.

WHEN THE FOUR BOYS approached the Honorary Society of Ascension they saw numerous squires at the arena gate. Many of the squires were curious about what the officials would set as a test for the Head of Scrolls: it was like taking an exam. It comes every year but the management never set the same type of questions.

The boys saw few familiar faces scattered around the gate. Amongst these faces was the boy that drove his hands inside his c.h.e.s.t during the very first gathering of this year's squires. The eerie thing was the boy stood alone. Watching the rest of the squires with his glasses hanging off his nose bridge.

While Mordecai's was the first to see the boy that he had a rough time with when Vester died. The boy with the nicely shaped padded armour and the word 'MoomWarrior' written on his cape. The boy saw Mordecai and darted a quick glance at Mordecai and his group, causing his and Mordecai's to momentarily jam.

As for Bobby, he saw Yuzan. Technically speaking, his arch-nemesis. Standing next to a closely related group.

And for Vester, he saw the Seraphim Hand girl. He was shocked and also curious. But his curiosity died when he recalled the girl's father. The Admiral of the First District.

He shrugged away the thought.

While the boys were busy with their diverse thought. Excluding Maoki who just stood there with his hands buried inside his furry jacket. There was a voice that made the door boys propel their head to one particular spot.

'You guys seem like you could use a TeamMaster!'