Paladin's Path

Along with Theon, Corbin and Lugh there were also two more presences at the starting point for the maze. Those being Juno Darby and Ava Wolfe.

Ava was a girl with bright, wild red hair that is tied with a thin black band that is lost within her abundance of hair. Matching the colour of her hair were her sky blue eyes that adorned her infectious cheery face. She was someone who just radiated intense joy.

Meanwhile the opposite of joy or anything positive was radiating from Corbin and even Lugh who was stood next to him.

Theon and the other four students had been waiting for quite some time, there was anticipation among them and they had been given the one rule about it being no power use and strictly just Od.

'How would they even be able to tell if we use Od or not?' Theon thought that because Od can't be seen through things like camera's or any other video feed, all normal people see is the powers that paranormal fighters use.

"Alright team!" Mr. Adams voice boomed through a speaker that was heard by all five people stood by the starting line. "Your goal is simple: Reach the heart of the maze in the quickest time. Await the buzzer and you may start."

Theon nodded and took in a small breath while looking around at who he was competing with.

Ava held a wide smile and cheered on everyone else on the starting line. "Give it your all everyone." she was ignored but her sentiments were appreciated.

Juno held a serious face that seemed to be an act.

'She is probably one who likes to move at their own pace.'

Corbin held a dangerous glint in his eye. Other than his foul mouth and overall bad personality Corbin seemed to truly have the competitive spirit that may be necessary for becoming a paladin.

Lugh on the other hand, his forest green eyes that previously felt like a warm spring were now cold and treacherous.

'He's planning something.' Since Theon was now aware he just wanted to make sure that he didn't stick by him. Luckily his starting position wasn't right beside him.

But that only made Theon notice just what Lugh may be planning.

'What do I care? Its not like Mr. Adams said it wasn't allowed.'

"Start." At the same time as the buzzer Mr. Adams shouted out for the group to start.

Drumming under his skin was Theon's life force, his Od had burst out ready for use. Theon quickly dashed forward only behind Ava who seemed to have had a better start.

Just as they were about to make it through the first door - "HEY!"

Corbin's loud voice had screamed out in a burst of anger. Sneaking a quick glance behind him Theon had witnessed Corbin on the ground after being pushed down by Lugh at the staring line.

Lugh had then hopped past and push himself forward with a great amount of force with a shocked and more than anything pissed off look on Corbin's face.

'This day won't end well.'

Theon did not allow Juno to get ahead of him while taking that quick glance backwards, he continued forward with Od enhancing his legs allowing him to move much quicker than even the top speeds of the worlds best Olympic runners.

Once getting past the doors of the first that opened up to the different paths of the maze Theon had felt the air drop around him enveloping him in its dropping temperatures.

'There's three paths and Ava's already gone who knows where.'

Theon chose to go toward the right corridor. Having the participants only be able to use Od was actually a good thing as those who understand the efficiency to even do simply things like enhancing your legs to increase your speed can be incredibly difficult.

Apply too much to your legs and you can harm yourself and damage your muscles. Apply too little and then you wouldn't be enhancing much.

Including that, it is all unique to the user simply because of their build. Obviously it is just enhancing muscle but if you are not as physically fit and have muscle to enhance then of course there's no rewards for you.

From what Theon could tell Juno didn't have amazing control and him and Ava were at a much higher level. He didn't get a long enough look at Lugh to Judge him though.

'No one's following...'

He made sure no one was following him as he slowed down for a jog instead of a full on sprint, he couldn't smell Ava's scent so he was sure she didn't take the same path as him, he could hear the flow of water and some harsh currents blowing along.

Once he stepped out of the dark corridor his eyes adjusted to the natural light blaring in.

In front of Theon were steps in motion, the steps were made of stone and big enough for only one person. There were five of them laid out and moving at the same altitude and in a slow pace across the room.

'That's really the only way across?' Theon looked around the room and and seen that there really was no other way.

What made the situation much worse though was the fact that if he were to slip and not make it onto one of the floating stones then he would fall into a pit of water.

'Fuck it.'

Theon knew that he was capable, he was bred to be even more than capable and he knew something like this was truly nothing when it comes to an actual challenge.

He was about to step forward and jump. '!'

Theon stepped back as his intuition seemingly told him to, in the next moment harsh winds blew in every direction from the room he was just in.

'Those are the same harsh winds.' Theon was right, the gust of air just blowing in the room was something he had smelled on his way to the room.

Quickly doing some calculations in his head he had realized that the timing from the last gust of wind up until this point where it had come back from some cubed holes in the walls was only two minutes and twenty three seconds.

'That's fine. More than enough time even.'

He paid the time no heed and quickly dashed forward when the winds had stopped and in quick succession hopped from one stone to the next.

They were lighter than he believed they would be which made him think that if he stayed too long he may drop.

But in a short fifteen seconds he had made it past and on to the other side.

Next was to put on another balancing act which frankly Theon believed was easier. It was just a simple light silver pole in the middle of the room which was much higher above the pool of water below him.

'I'm starting to notice a theme.' The theme being the fear of falling into large bodies of water was present in his last obstacle too which Theon now believed would be the same for the next obstacle.

He had concluded that it was probably because he had decided to go through the far right and that there would be challenges far removed from water within the other paths.

As Theon moved fluidly through the little obstacle course a buzzer had sounded off stopping his momentum. After the loud sound came the voice of Mr. Adams.

"And the first finisher is Ava Wolfe."

'Already.' Theon was amazed at the speed in which she had completed the course.

He had already begun moving as he heard Mr. Adams announce her win. Theon noticed that there was no one close behind him still but that didn't stop him from blitzing ahead.

'Maybe she just had an easier course. But that could just be me demeaning her effort.'

Theon didn't care about winning minor things like this as it didn't matter to him, it didn't matter who he was teamed up with because in the end of the day he was still going through the same paladin journey as the rest of them. He didn't care for where he placed in any rankings because he had been tested numerous times before coming to this school and through those tests he already knew one thing.

Theon knew that he was capable, he believed that he was capable for anything and as long as he stayed that way then there was never going to be anything to worry about.

Reaching another obstacle which he believed was the last one, it was a giant rock that he obviously had to climb. And just like the previous tests there was a body of water, only difference being that this body of water was flowing.

First he would have to make a short jump and latch onto the small cliff like structure. What would make it hard for other people was the fact that there were no holes to hold oneself onto, just sharp dents in the stone that led upwards.

'Just using Od.' Theon's initial plan wouldn't work as it would be considered using his power so he just had to tough it out.

He hopped and brutally latched on to the rock at the base of the cliff before throwing his left hand on one of the sharper edges that people were meant to use to move upward.

Theon was not a very tall boy even for his age, he barely reached average height and he understood that someone smaller would have struggled even more so if not completely fall off from not being able to reach the first edge to pull themselves up unless they used Od properly.

From there though the rest was easy. He climbed up the rock wall without much hassle and was able to reach the top in less than a minute. The strain in his arms was felt.

'I guess I really haven't been training as hard as I used to.' A feeling he didn't know how to describe came over him as he continued a short jog to what was the finish.

"Congrats Theo." a upbeat and strong voice broke him out of his stupor.

It was the red haired girl that had been announced the winner earlier. Ava.

'I'm at the finish.' Theon was surprised that he had already finished the course. It was quite short and was really something that anybody could complete without any powers at all even Od. As long as you were in good enough shape then you'd be fine.

Theon didn't know it but he was hoping that whatever was next would be more challenging.

"So did you find it hard?" Theon looked over to the bright eyed girl and tried his best keeping his eyes straight toward hers and not her accentuated figure.

"I was expecting more honestly but I guess its supposed to be be easy on the first day."

Ava giggled at that.

"Well it was probably just to see how good some people were with their control over Od."

Even then, there were probably better ways to do that. Also how would they know that people were showing all they could do. Theon thought of himself as well as Jon when that thought had ran through his mind.

And then he thought of the people that may be so far ahead of everyone else. For that he looked toward Ava. Theon's instincts screamed at him telling him that she was dangerous, she was experienced, it was a similar feeling he felt when he first met Jon.

While Jon was a quiet and cold like the winter, Ava was certainly the opposite in every way, a hot and shining breeze that can light up everyone's mood around her or burn them a cinder.

The next person to reach was Lugh. The bespectacled youth was heavily breathing but kept jogging at a steady pace.

'I wonder the sort of reaction Corbin will have when he shows up.'

Judging Corbin's personality the past few days Theon was certain he would try to hit Lugh or at least intimidate him after the humiliation that he put him through.

'Would I stop it?' Theon thought on it very briefly... 'Probably not...' That's what the mentors are here for, plus it'll just be a little scuffle that won't go far if it even were to happen.

Surprisingly Corbin wasn't even the first one to make it to the finish, it was Juno. She seemed a little flustered but still not breathing as heavily as Lugh was. Theon sniffed the air around Lugh in a very subtle way and noticed that Corbin's scent was also on him.

Meaning that they could have already had their little scuffle or that Corbin had followed Lugh into the same path trying to slow him down the same way he had been.

"Damnit!" he was heard before seen which elicited another cute giggle from Ava to the side.

The angry feeling radiating through the air was also felt just as Corbin had reached the final stretch. His Od was radiating the petty malice of a regular school bully.

Theon wondered why Lugh had done what he done.

Even now Lugh was quiet and didn't even respond to anyone who had congratulated his victory other than a slight head tilt of embarrassment when Ava welcomed him.

Once Corbin was announced the last one to appear by the finish he instantly lunged at Lugh and grabbed on his collars.

Both boys were only a couple inches taller than Theon but head to head of each other.

Corbin instantly headbutted his opposition and screamed in his face surely leaving some particles of spit to land on Lugh.

"What the hell is your problem you fuckin cheat?"

Juno gave an unbothered and exaggerated sigh while Ava had a look of... worry.

Mr. Adams voice from the speaker had spoke out next.

"[No fighting your classmates Corbin.]" With the sternness that was coming from his voice Caleb had quieted down and unwilfully let go of the silent Lugh.

Theon noticed something though, there was a slight tremor in Lugh's body. 'Was he scared?'

The notion that Lugh could have been scared after being confronted was somewhat funny to Theon. 'If you can't handle the consequences then don't follow through with certain actions.'

Lugh was a broken coward at heart. That's what Theon could gather. Lugh was just wearing the mask of someone he wants to be. Someone strong, someone brave and someone that can exude a powerful front no matter the situation they were in.

'He must have had a bad past.' But then again everyone in the program, even the people mentoring us, has had a bad past. If not through tragic experiences there was no other way to become an awakened one and use Od and whatever gift you gain.

The doors had opened and the five students were made to walk back to where their other classmates were watching from.

As soon as they got in they felt a class full stares, most looked to be stares inviting a challenge. A challenge that was mainly directed at Ava, while others thought it fun to poke at Corbin which got them a look of murder from the boy.

Theon slipped past a few and may have even ignored a congratulations from someone but he didn't really care about that.

"I thought you'd be better than that." the demeaning tone came from Jon. Theon wasn't offended, he knew that Jon wasn't being serious, well not completely so.

Jon had taken a few slight jabs like that over the last few days after hearing Theon's power was to do with dragons. Since Theon never summoned one to show him Jon even started to believe that he lacked to control over them and promised to help him with it if necessary.

"Ava was just too good I guess." There was a shrug in his shoulders, he wasn't taking it seriously and he didn't expect Jon to either. "Do you know who you'll be up against?"

"Yeah, but if I try even a bit I doubt any of them would be at my level, even if I didn't use Od."

'A little too arrogant there.' Theon wanted to say but didn't know how his newly formed "friend" would take it.

"Although that one guy kind of gives me the creeps."

Theon didn't know who he was talking about but after looking at the screen and noticing that Jon was one of two males in his group it was obvious who he was talking about.

Eli Sazaki.

A boy with almost seaweed like black hair and dark eyes too. Theon remembers that the boy sits at the very back of the class closer to his side of the room. He usually kept his head down and moved silently.

Theon did notice the intense stares that Eli would sometimes give members of their class. And even though he seemed to have a more timid and frail personality Theon would also notice the sudden flair of Od and creepy smile on his face whenever he seemed to be caught in his own delusions.

Eli was clearly someone who lacked the control over his Od that many other of their classmates had down.

There's even been some comments of him just being creepy even when trying to get along with his peers with only a few giving him their time of day.

"Doesn't he give everyone the creeps?" Theon asked in faux sincerity.

Jon smiled at that and started to stretch his arms to get prepared since he was going next. He only looked at the screen again once more and seemed to gain a bored look on his face as he kissed his teeth.

"This'll be more boring than I thought."

Who he was up against were, Eli Sazaki, Elena Howard who like Eli was frail and timid but she also never took the initiative, she seemed to scared to make the wrong impression.

Bell Wyatt was also in that group. The silver haired girl that seemed to just block everyone out and only focus on the program. A loner by choice some may say. The complete opposite of Chloe Parker, a natural beauty who was an alluring personality.

She was a genuine person who worked more on uplifting those around her before helping herself.

'I doubt that Jon would get along with someone like that.'

Jon had similarities to Theon that Theon noticed. Jon was more of a lone wolf and looked at receiving aid from others as a form of regressing, of weakness. But instead of hiding that fact he responded in ways that could be detrimental to him in the future.

"Well don't be too surprised at whatever may happen out there then." Theon didn't know why he said that, but he didn't know why he said or done a lot of things but he knew that whatever was said when he felt that instant grogginess that it would be something important in the future.