NOVEL SIMPLE You want me? Come for me.
"Just what in the world's happening?" Eclair's voice drowned under the growling thunder. Chaos took the academy by storm. In less than a minute, fires broke out, buildings collapsed and from Eric's room window, brutality witnessed.
No one knew what went on. Even the system stayed silent. Was this part of the story or did Eric's appearance change something?
But... Eric didn't do anything apart from staining in the academy! No, this had to be a part of the story. Could this be the first act turning point? The point where the protagonist's forced to explore a new world aka something else than his normal life? Forced to go on his journey?
Éclair, Tani and Dan all stood next to Eric and watched out of the window. Tani covered her mouth and desperately said, "We have to help them! I have to heal! Elas, open the door! We need to-"
"Stop it! Calm down!" Dan grabbed Tani preventing her from doing something rash, "We can't blindly charge in there!"
Dan was right. Currently, on the campus, the cloaked people were taking students and teachers hostage. For some reason, none of them retaliated or-
"Vision," Eric mumbled and imagined to have superhuman vision. In an instant, he could properly see the campus. He expected something like this but it was still surprising. A thin silver rope was tied on each of the hostages' necks, just a bit pressure and blood dripped.
These must be there to stop their magic. Eric figured they couldn't use magic or else there would've long be a battle.
"What's their goal?" Eric absent-mindlessly asked before just at that moment, his answer came.
A high-frequency sound pierced through the air. It was so loud and forceful that the four of them were forced on their knees.
Holding their ears, the excruciating sound didn't lessen. Eric quickly used magic to block the noise but then the next second, a deep voice growled through the place, the air vibrating under its pressure, shaking the earth and everything around it.
"Come out, Elas Maulan. Come out and comply with us and everyone will be spared. Give up on your right for the treasure."
"Hah..." Eric grinned, so it was like this. Hee was their target after all. Whose doing was it? The villain's?
The damned villain he had to defeat with his touchy-touchy system? There was no way, Eric would show that bastard such mercy! He actually dared to harm everyone and create chaos! Did human lives not matter to him?
Yet here was one good thing and that was that Eric was too 100% sure, Leon wasn't the villain. Although Eric didn't know Leon that well, Leon would never resort to something like this.
"Elas?" all his friends looked at him conflicted about what to do, Eric helplessly shrugged his shoulders.
With this magic, he should be able to fight against them but the villain was definitely hiding and his numbers of enemies were large.
There was another point, Eric was clear on. This event was part of the story development, it served as a catapult to make Eric's thirst for the treasure strong and have him leave this school life and it was a fairly convenient plot use.
With an attack targeting him, Eric had an excuse to leave school to go on this treasure hunt adventure. Heaven, this was an overused trope but it worked. With a serious face, Eric turned to everyone, "Guys, they want me not to join the hunt for the treasure. I don't know how they found out but rest assured, I'll take care of them and disappear. As long as I'm not here, they won't attack again."
"Bullshit," Éclair instantly shouted, "If you go, we go with you."
Bingo. Eric was actually testing these allies to see if they were trustworthy and had what it took to support him throughout this journey. He wasn't sure if they would sell him out to save everyone or stick with them.
Eric was glad it was the latter but well, this was a story, so it was obvious his allies would be with him.
"I agree, what can you do without us?" Dan gave Eric a cheeky smile and Tani also determined nodded, "We support you all the way!"
"Guys," Eric forced himself to tear up.
If his authors wrote such a shitty scene like this and he read it, he would spit on everything around him.
For fuck's sake, what's with this overly cheesy and cringy moment with these 2D characters? Alright, alright, friendship trope? Check! Emotional moment? Check! Wannabe plot convenience to make readers feel for protagonist and friends and enemies? Check! Although everything was done poorly. Execution? F!
"Here's what we'll do," Eric looked into the round and started to explain, "I show myself at the campus, meanwhile you lure all the enemies that aren't on the plaza to the plaza. Once all of them are there, we make a run for it. They are bound to follow us and leave the school alone. When we're far enough, we'll take care of them and then-''
Eric paused and anticipation swung in the air, "Look for the treasure. It'll be dangerous and until we find it, we can't go back to school. Do you all understand? If you stick with me, there's no guarantee you can ever get back to your old life."
Eric made it sound so dramatic but well, the meaning was still the same and of course, his allies immediately agreed without batting an eye.
"We'll follow you anywhere. We promised to go together and do what we'll do. Something like this can't shake our bonds!"
"Alright," Eric cringed silently, "You guys get going in a minute, I'll show myself on the plaza."
Eric removed the boulder from the door and in a heartbeat, his friends stormed out with iron resolve and determination. Eric sighed, it was good thing the plot was progressing fast but did it have to be something like this? This stupid self-sacrificing trope? Well, at least he didn't have to join the school competition.
Waiting for a minute, Eric took a deep breath and PA-
Used his magic to destroy the window. Then with much elegance, like a beautiful angel banned from heaven, in this darkness, he fell from the window towards the ground.
BAM-
His landing swirled up dust and his dark, electrifying eyes stared down on all the cloaked people and swept across the victims. Then with a deep and low voice, Eric threateningly said, "You called for me?"
***
"This is it, huh?" Dan gasped for air as he took care of the last cloaked man, then he fell on the wet earth and stared at the dark sky.
"Let's take a break," Eric sat down and leaned against a tree.
At night the forest was spooky and creepy but they had to spend it here. They couldn't go back to school. Even though they successfully lured the intruders here and finished them off, it was safer not to return. Who knew how many men waited to go after Eric?
"Damn, I don't want to admit but Elas you were damn cool back there," Éclair slumped next to Tani and caught her breath. Tani used her magic to regenerate everyone's energy. This was part of her healing magic.
"Yes, the electrical sparks just surged out of your body."
Tani hummed before her voice took on a sad tone, "I'm jealous. Elas can use so many abilities. His magic is unfair... I'm only a mere support type..."
"What are you saying? Without you, how could we continue fighting?" Eric encouraged her but Tani only sighed, "But you can do the same as me. In fact, you can use all of your abilities."
"One man army haha," Dan laughed.
"Guys, I can't do everything myself that why I have you and obviously a journey without friends' boring," Eric grinned and instantly everyone was touched by this cheesy comment.