The Climb: Chapter 52

Ora

"I'm sorry sir for my failure." Vieno apologised. "As I said, I was more suited for the role of the Gambler."

Riskel waved it away. "It is fine Vieno. I was wrong in my judgement as well. Forgive me."

"Though now we have more pressing matters to attend to." Riskel trained his blue-green eyes to Ora. "What were you thinking, defending Grey Yan? What affiliation do you have with him?" Riskel stormed to her but Ora held her ground. Evorsa knew what buttons to press to make Ora afraid but this man who controlled moths- nada.

She was about to open her mouth to spit at him when Auk stepped in.

Riskel frowned. "What are you doing Auk?"

"I was tasked with following and protecting this young girl." Auk replied. "I am simply doing my duty."

"Step aside Auk Rhee." Riskel ordered.

"I am afraid you don't have the authority to command me to do that." Auk countered, turning to Evorsa. "So you're only choice is to use force- which I do not mind at all. So please Riskel Cael, use force." Auk partly unsheathed his sword. "But only if you want to make your daughter an orphan."

"Father please. Enough." Evorsa urged, standing between the two men. "Father I promise you that Ora is harmless-" Ora snorted at this, making Auk frown at her. "She will not bring any harm to our mission."

Riskel looked between Auk, Ora and then finally Evorsa. He contemplated for a while before finally sighing. "Alright. But if she does anymore shenanigans, I will end her myself."

Evorsa nodded. "Thank you Father."

"Oh Father. Can you get me a pony too?" Ora mocked quietly. "The one with the sparkles."

Evorsa heard this however and frowned at her while Auk chuckled silently.

"In any case." Riskel voiced. "I will retreat to bed to rest for today. Evorsa you need to appear in the party however. Mingle and the like, you should know what you need to do."

"Yes Father." Evorsa nodded.

"Deniz and Dikla you are on guard duty, make sure that Evorsa is unharmed during the party."

"Sure boss." Deniz replied.

"You got it." Dikla added.

"Edita. You rest. You are still injured and need to gather your energy for the quarter-finals tomorrow."

Edita scowled. "Fine then."

"Vieno since you are unable to participate in tomorrow's battle, make sure that our future 'guests' are taken care of."

"Yes Sir." Vieno bowed.

"And you." Riskel turned to Ora and Auk. "You are not to leave the lodging. Do you understand me?"

Ora feigned a bow. "Of course your despicableness."

Riskel frowned at this but didn't do anything. "That's all for tonight. Now disperse!" He ordered.

Ora turned and headed for her room with Auk on her trail. Evorsa caught up to Ora, the younger girl trying her best to ignore the Spirit of Vengeance.

"Ora." Evorsa cleared her throat. "Do you want to help me get ready for the party?"

"Sure!" Ora feigned a smile. "You should go dressed in our own blood!"

Evorsa frowned at her. "What is this defiance Ora?"

"You trap me in a Lighthouse, threaten me the life of my friends and then call me harmless- and then you expect me to do your hair?" Ora snorted. "You're definitely are approaching this completely wrong."

Evorsa had stopped at Ora's retort but Ora hadn't stopped walking. So Ora stopped to turn back to her. "Oh and this defiance? Get used to it. You're going to get a lot more of it when- I'm sorry, if you manage to dethrone Zahard by some miracle."

"People will always have a problem with the world, regardless of who is running it." Ora turned around. "Sooner or Later another 'Spirit of Vengeance' will come to pull you off that throne too."

Ora left her older friend and saviour behind, walking to her room with Auk by her side.

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Emlyn

"Okay Sami." Nanette sighed as she tried to comb the mess that was Sami's hair. "What do you shampoo with, Glue?" The older girl complained as another comb broke.

Nanette rolled her eyes. "I didn’t know that Ha family durability and toughness included your hair."

"Hey I was the one who was against this. Don't complain about your own decisions." Sami countered.

"Nanette I got this." Ashleigh urged. "Just handle Emlyn."

"Fine. I lost enough combs already." Nanette complained.

"The funding of combs is not included in the team funds by the way." Memphis informed as tried on clothes. "If you want to buy combs, use your own money."

"Yes Queenie." Sami saluted as Ashleigh sprayed some kind of solution on her hair.

The girls were in Ashleigh’s room right now because Ashleigh had the cleanest room out of all of them as well as the one that all the beautifying materials for the gals.

Sami and Emlyn were unfortunately the worthless ones when it came to this area- Sami just not caring and Emlyn living in poverty all her life so Ashleigh and Nanette tried to help them out.

Nanette walked over to Emlyn and used the remnants of a comb on Emlyn's hair, which worked out better than Sami's.

"You have really nice hair." Nanette informed half way through.

"Thanks?" Emlyn replied. She didn't know the etiquette when it came to people talking about your hair.

"I'm serious. I would kill for any colour other than black." Nanette frowned at her own hair colour.

"You can dye it." Emlyn offered.

"Yeah but it's not authentic you know?" Nanette replied. "Plus you would have to dye it again every month- it's seems like too much of a hassle."

Emlyn shrugged. "I mean it's only brown, it's not like blonde like Ashleigh's or anything."

"Pfft. Blonde is overrated." Nanette scoffed. "Plus, with a face like that, darker hair suits you better."

"What's wrong with my face?" Emlyn frowned.

"Nothing. You're just more darker in terms of tone so dark hair complements you better. Ashleigh's brighter and cheerier so a lighter shade is better."

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Sami complained. "What are you trying to do to me?"

"Suck it up WoMan." Ashleigh shot back.

"I don't think she that much of a saint as you think she is." Emlyn replied and Nanette giggled.

Nanette pushed aside some of Emlyn's hair and revealed the scar she had on the left side of her throat. "Oh? Where is this from?"

Emlyn winced, she didn't like that particular scar very much. "It was before I came into the Tower. Some people were trying to mug me, put a knife to my throat."

"And you fought them off?"

"Kicked their leader in the balls and ran away." Emlyn explained.

Nanette nodded in respect. "Impressive."

"Really? I don't think so." Emlyn sighed. "Just another flaw on an already flawed creation."

Emlyn turned to Ashleigh, who was wrestling with Sami. "I'll never be as beautiful as Ashleigh, as powerful as Sami or as smart as Memphis. I'm just...me."

She didn't realise how much jealously she had for her teammates until now. Emlyn used to be more confident in herself on the second floor but after watching her teammates getting better at the things they do while she remained the bowgirl- it made her realise how much she hadn't change. How much she couldn't change.

"Listen here Emlyn." Nanette turned Emlyn's face so that she was looking at herself in the mirror. "You are a pretty and wonderful girl. You are able to create the most amount of Baangs out of this team and you are more accurate that Grey is."

"You are a valuable asset to the team. Never think that you are lesser than that, you understand?"

Emlyn sighed. "I understand."

"Good now let's make you from pretty to beautiful so that Grey drool over you."

"That's not so hard." Emlyn smiled. "He already drools over me." Nanette giggled at this.

"I give up!" Ashleigh announced, throwing her hands up in the air. "Do you what you want."

"Yes!" Sami cheered.

"But you're still getting into a dress." Ashleigh replied.

"No!" Sami got up. "You can't make me!"

"Sami!" Ashleigh chased after her and the girls just laughed together.

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Sector

Earlier that day, the Workshop staff transferred Candel from the infirmary to their lodging.

Candel could walk but he still had a bad shoulder from the fight with Auk. So far, he was holding up well physically.

Emotionally and mentally however-

The whole room was tense; the tension was as thick as the Shinsoo around them. Only Dax, Sector and Kyla knew what had happened and refused to cough out the information so Candel was just left out of the loop- and annoyed.

They were waiting for the guard of honour to return- and explain what heck was going on.

If there was one thing that Sector hated more than people trying to kill his team, it was ghosts.

Ghosts always haunted him in his vision-dreams. They wailed and moaned, warning him of another impeding disaster.

But somehow, his gift hadn't warned him the disaster that was the collapse of the monument of Brix.

Sector had always wondered why his visions never warned him about that-

They all looked up as they saw the familiar faces of their teammates- all four of them. Two faces thought to be lost forever.

They looked the same as Sector remembered them. The boy had spiky black hair and red eyes that he usually hid with coloured lenses. He had a rugged look to his face, the kind of face you take one good look at and you know that you shouldn't mess with him. However Sector knew that that face could manage a friendlier expression when he was around people he cared for.

The girl had short brown hair that reached her ears and her face was much gentler than the boys. Her inhuman violet coloured eyes fit her inhuman beauty- though that was usually ruined by the constant scowl she wore. This time however, she didn't have that scowl.

There they were the two ghosts. So real and tangible but the whole didn't move in fear that their movements would dissolve this happy image that seemed too good to be true.

Finally, it was Kiri who waved her hand and smiled nervously. "Hey guys. We're back."

And that was what broke the damn. Kyla was up to her feet first and she ran to Kiri, covering in her and embraced with tears in her eyes. "You are back."

The boys got up too and joined the reunion too, even Aarav, who was really awkward about it. Sector even got a kiss on the cheek from Kiri, something he would’ve never thought he would get, though Kiri placed a kiss for each of the boys too.

“We’re back guys.” Kiri nodded, sobbing. “We’re home.”

Sector wondered how long she had been waiting to say that.

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Aarav

After the team had calmed down, they gathered around the living room. There was a moment of silence among them before Dax broke the silence.

“So, you mind telling us why you’re alive?” Dax asked.

Aarav shook his head. “We can’t tell you- not just yet. But I can tell you this, Ora’s still alive too but she’s being held prisoner by those Calix crazies.”

“Why is she with the Calix?” Kyla demanded.

“Well- Let’s just say that our deaths were set up so that we could infiltrate the Calix. But our deaths were also meant to drive Team Memphis to try everything to destroy the Calix.” Aarav explained. “Our infiltration eventually failed as we were caught, Kiri and I managed to escape but Ora was still trapped.”

“Who planned all this then?” Hwan demanded. “You?”

“No- not us. We can’t tell you just yet because he probably doesn’t want us to.” Aarav bit his lip.

“Okay fine.” Hwan raised his hand up in defeat. “Going by the idea that we’re not supposed to know any of this- why don’t you just tell Team Memphis. They are more capable that we are to fight against Team Calix.”

“Yeah but if my guess is correct then those Calix guys would probably have threatened Ora in some way- probably threatened the lives of the members of Team Memphis. One of those Calix guys can control these small insects that can eat you alive.” Aarav explained. “It wouldn’t be hard to get one of those insects to fly into the lodging of Team Memphis and kill them in their sleep.”

Kyla cringed at the idea while Dax nodded. “And Team Calix don’t know about us. So it would be easier for us to act than Team Memphis. So what do want us to do?”

“Well- right now. I don’t know.” Aarav admitted.

“What?” Hwan demanded. “You don’t know? What the heck does that mean?”

“It means, I don’t know Hwan!” Aarav let out a cry of frustration. “If I did know what to do, I would’ve done it already!”

“Alright. Alright!” Dax exclaimed. “Shouting at each other is not going to solve anything. Right now, we need a plan. Aarav, Kiri, do you have any Intel about the Calix team? You were with them for a while weren’t you?”

“Well right now, their crazed witch Edita is injured thanks to Moi!” Kiri informed. “So one of their major powerhouses are not at a 100%”

“Okay.” Dax nodded. “That’s good. Anything else?”

“Their strongest guy is Riskel.” Aarav informed. “He’s the guy I was talking about, the Anima that controls the moths. He has a fatal flaw that his life force is tied to his moths, so we take out the moths and we kill him.”

“Along with that. He’s easily contained and trapped.” Aarav turned to Sector. “Svalinn can do a very good job of containing him and/or his moths.”

“Got it.” Sector nodded.

“Besides that.” Aarav shrugged. “We don’t have much else.”

“Okay.” Dax sighed. “Okay. Alright. We need a plan now.” He paused for a moment, looking around the room. “Uhmm…anyone have any ideas?”

The team didn’t have any ideas.

“I have one.”

The unfamiliar to Guides popping up randomly, stood up and were ready to pounce.

“Who are you?” Caleb demanded.

Kiri waved them away. “He does that. He’s as harmless as Kyla.”

“Hey!” Kyla frowned.

Mattie stepped forward and faced the team. “Hello. I’m Mattie.”

“Guys.” Aarav held out his arm as is to display Mattie. “He’s the mastermind of the collapse of the Monument of Brix.”

“Okay but how did you get in here?” Sector demanded.

“I’m a Guide. I can go anywhere.” Mattie replied.

“That includes girl’s restrooms.” Kiri muttered.

“Okay.” Hwan sat back down. “You said you have a plan. What is it?”

“Well, if you mean what you need to do.” Mattie replied. “You only need to play the tournament. I have my own plans in motion and though you’ll be needed later on, not now.”

The team looked at Aarav and Kiri and the two of them just nodded.

“Alright then.” Dax replied. “We’ll play your game.”

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Jin

“Apple Slice.” Jin threw the Apple Slice at Grey, who was sitting down. It missed Grey’s head completely.

“Celery Stick!” Grey threw it at Jin and nailed him in the forehead. “Whoo! That’s point for me!”

“You were lucky.” Jin muttered.

“Jin I have 12 points and you have 2.” Grey informed. “I don’t think luck has anything to do about it.”

Jin pouted. “Apple Slice.” The slice of fruit landed in Grey’s lap, the Spear Bearer took the apple slice and ate it.

“That counts!” Jin exclaimed.

“No it doesn’t!” Grey exclaimed, turning to Lukas.

“No it doesn’t Jin.” Lukas agreed with Grey.

“Goddamnit.” Jin complained.

“What are you guys doing?” Ashleigh came down from the staircase, fully dress with make-up and all- Oh God. Jin felt his heart skip a beat just looking at her.

She was wearing a purple dress with frills at the collar, her blond hair tied up in a braid that hung down from her left shoulder. Her lipstick was bright red, giving her a weird contrast with her hair and eyes.

“We’re playing Food War.” Grey explained.

“Aren’t you a little old to be throwing food at each other?” Ashleigh folded her arms.

“Food war is much more complex than just throwing food at each other.” Grey rolled his eyes like Ashleigh was the weird one.

“Oh really?” Ashleigh challenged.

“Yes. See we take turns calling out the food we want to throw and then throw them. Celery Stick.” Grey threw it and eyed Jin in the nose.

“Hey. I wasn’t ready!” Jin complained.

“And if you hit the guy in the face. You get a point.” Grey continued.

“Unless the opponent catches it with their mouth, in which you don’t. Apple Slice.” Jin threw the apple slice and Grey reached up and caught the slice with his mouth.

Jin scowled. “In that case, it goes into double-overtime.”

“What happens during double-overtime?” Ashleigh asked.

“Then you get shoot back at your opponent.” Grey said with his mouth full and he spit the apple slice back out at Jin, which didn’t Jin in the face, Jin cringed away at the food that was spit out.

“And if you manage to hit your opponent in the face with that- you get double points.” Jin wiped the apple bits off him.

“You guys are….spitting food at each other.” Ashleigh sighed. “Seriously?”

“Pretty much.” Grey agreed.

“Yeah.” Jin added.

“You guys are disgusting.” Ashleigh rolled her eyes.

Just then Sami came down the staircase. “What?” She frowned at the boys. “You guys are playing Food War without me?!”

Ashleigh raised her hands in defeat. “I give up.”

“Lukas was playing with us earlier but he swallowed my pistachio nut.” Grey informed. “So he was disqualified.”

“Okay! Okay! I don’t care.” Ashleigh looked around the room. “Where’s Rhady?”

“He went to his room, muttering about how stupid we were.” Jin answered.

“Okay.” Ashleigh face palmed. “You three go change. Now.”

“Fine.” Jin rolled his eyes at her and three boys went into their separate rooms.

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Ashleigh

“Boys.” Ashleigh muttered.

“You’re just as weird Ashleigh.” Sami countered.

“Shut up and let me clean up.” Ashleigh replied.

“Fine.” Emlyn rolled her eyes.

“What happened here?” Nanette came down the staircase. “The boys played Food War again?”

“How do you know about this?” Ashleigh frowned. “Don’t tell me you play it too.”

Nanette shrugged. “I may have judged a few matches.”

“I don’t believe this.” Ashleigh shook her head.

“I’ll get the dustpan.” Nanette announced.

“Nah we’ll do it.” Jin and Grey appeared back into the living room.

“What-” Ashleigh looked at them, full dressed in their suits. “How?”

“What? We’re boys. We take like 5 seconds to change.” And the boys went around cleaning.

“At least the guys are good for something.” Ashleigh muttered to herself.

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Grey

Grey set the dustpan down and turned to the girls, who were sitting down and relaxing.

“I’m glad you guys are hard at work.” Grey muttered.

“Hey you caused the mess!” Ashleigh countered.

“Can we please talk about the fact that Sami is in a dress right now?” Jin voiced out.  

Grey chuckled at the idea too. It seemed that they compromised by allowing her to wear jeans and a plain t-shirt underneath the green dress she was wearing. Nanette was wearing a pink dress with black tights.

Rhady had come out of their rooms with his suit on too. Jin and Grey wore their blazers that they had taken off when they were cleaning.

“Why is there a party this time anyway?” Jin complained. “There wasn’t one last Workshop Battle.”

“Probably because there are a lot more ‘stars’ participating this time.” Nanette answered. “Better to waste money on people that actually matter than a bunch of nobodies.”

“Probably.” Jin agreed.

“By the way, where are the rest of the gals?” Grey asked.

“Well Memphis said that she’ll join us later.” Ashleigh explained. “Though you’re obviously not asking for Memphis.”

“Well-” Grey cleared his throat. “I mean-”

“Alright Lover-boy.” Ashleigh got up and headed for the stairs. “You ready to see girlfriend?”

I- Uhh-”

“He’s ready.” Jin said for him.

“Okay.” Ashleigh cleared her throat. “Emlyn! Come on down here! Your boyfriend is waiting.”

Grey swallowed hard and he watched her climb down. At first just her feet and then her body and her head till she was finally in front of him.

Her short hair was curled at the ends and she wore a dark red dress that only made her dark hair seem even darker and her eyes more golden. Her dress hugged the curves of her body and was cut short at her thighs- making Grey realise that was the most of the skin on Emlyn’s legs that he had never see.

The dress was sleeveless, leaving her arms bare. He could tell that she felt a bit naked, she was trying not to hug herself with her arms while smiling nervously at him.

Jin helped Grey pick up his jaw that had fallen to the floor and Grey took a deep breath to compose himself.

Emlyn stepped forward towards him, a bit unstable in those heels. She stopped in front of him and smiled. “Uhmm…hi.”

Grey was still too busy staring at her with his eyes open to reply.

“Grey.” Jin whispered to him. “This is the part where you say something.”

Grey frowned at Jin. “Shut up Jin.”

“You’re starting to sound like Sami.” Jin replied.

“Shut up Jin.” Sami added.

“See?”

Grey ignored his friend and turned to Emlyn. “Hi- uhh…you look- uhmm.”

“Great? Pretty? Hot?” Jin offered. “Need any more adjectives?”

Grey hit him in balls and Jin doubled over in pain, shutting up.

“You look-” Grey took in a deep breath. “You look beautiful.”

Emlyn giggled, looking down because she didn’t want to see her blush. “Thanks.” She tucked some of her hair behind her ear as a nervous habit.

“Anyway. Let’s go.” Ashleigh announced. “We’re gonna be late for the party.”

“Yeah I- uhh.” Grey offered his elbow to Emlyn. “You wanna go?”

“I would be delighted.” Emlyn smiled back.

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Ashleigh

“Totally ship those two.” Ashleigh sighed.

“Same here. They’re too adorable.” Nanette agreed.

Jin appeared in the middle of them, clearing his throat. “Ladies, if I may.” He offered both of them his arm.

“Oh why thank you Mr Koon.” Nanette took his arm.

Ashleigh giggled. “Womanizing huh?”

“Well like father like son.” Jin smirked.

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Rhadamantis

Rhady watched his friends walk out the door as Sami came up to him.

“Come on Rhady. You’re with me.” Sami urged.

“What?!” Rhady jerked up at what she said.

“What? Do you really want to go to the party alone?”

“Yes?”

Sami rolled his eyes. “Just until the party itself. Then you can do Rhady things that Rhady does.”

“Wait! But-” Rhady looked back, hoping that Memphis would’ve been there, climbing down the staircase.

But as Rhady has come to realise- she wasn’t.

He realised that Lukas wasn’t there with them either.

Rhady sighed. “Okay. Let’s go.”

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Memphis

The team leader waited in her room until someone knocked on her door. She walked towards it and behind it was Lukas- not dressed up like the other boys.

“They’ve left.” Lukas announced and Memphis sighed.

“Okay. Let’s go then.” Memphis walked out of the room- in her normal clothes, and closed the door.

“Why all this secrecy? Why didn’t you tell them about all gamblers needing to meet up for briefing of tomorrow’s game?” Lukas asked.

“And spoil their fun?” Memphis sighed. “You know how they are Lukas. If I couldn’t go- then none of them would have. They’re just like that.”

Lukas nodded. “They are loyal to a fault. I understand.”

“Now let’s go.” Memphis pulled the hoodie over her head. “We’re going to be late.”