INSIGNIAS: THE LUX SIGNIFER ACADEMY
CHAPTER XXI: ARIA

The Halloween festival ended without a problem. That is, until after the closing speech of the Premier. He announced the three winners of this year’s festival which showed the greatest reviews from the students. They were rewarded with the opportunity to buy equipment for their club rooms. After the closing speech, several campfires were lit in the ground surrounding the canteen and beside the three students’ main buildings: Laurels, Ave, and Tempus Locus. Some students went to the dormitory for the night but most stayed with their friends to enjoy sitting beside the campfires. It’s a luxury for the students to stay outside at night because the curfew usually starts at 10. There’s no class tomorrow so the students were happy to just sit on the grass with their friends. Aria knew that feeling. Aria had been used to early curfews and restrictions that when she left the house, she felt so free like the wind. She felt someone lit a fire in her cold and dead heart. That heart experienced a lot but it never felt so free.

It had been three hours since the closing program ended. Within those three hours, a lot had happened to make the atmosphere around the group sour and heavy. Aria glanced at each of the people sitting near the campfire. She was the only one who was calm about the whole situation. Hanne, who was sitting on Aria’s left, was furious. She was glaring at Nate then Storm. Nate was nervously biting his lower lip while staring at the grass. Regret was written in his entire face. Storm, on the other, looked unfazed by Hanne’s stare. He calmly stared back with his arms crossed. Clyne, who sat on her right, was nervously picking the grass while glancing between Hunter and Tessa. Tessa, who is usually calm and direct, seemed uncomfortable sitting beside Hunter, who had a straight face but clenching his fists on his laps. He was glaring ahead but not at anyone. Skhy looked calm but he sighed several times. He seemed tired. His eyes lacked sleep. Lei was confused as she glanced at them. When her gaze fell on Skhy, she looked concerned and sad. When she met Aria’s eyes, she seemed to ask her what’s going on. Aria tilted her head. Let the others explain. She wasn’t the kind of person to mind people’s businesses nor read people but she cared enough for the group to be the one to break the ice. Besides, she didn’t like a tense and awkward atmosphere. Better to end this quickly.

“Are we just going to stare at each other?” she asked.

Skhy turned toward the new face in the group. Aria remembered her from the tournament. Light blue eyes like Skhy’s… She had short wavy golden hair. She was coldly staring at Hunter. She didn’t look angry but she didn’t look calm either. What’s her relationship with him?

“As I said, Elizabeth…will join our group,” Skhy said the last statement softly. Hunter scowled but still didn’t look at anyone. The atmosphere felt heavier.

“Uh Hi Elizabeth,” Lei said, “I’m Lei.” She smiled at her. Lei was trying to lighten the mood. It’ll be hard though... Elizabeth finally turned her attention from Hunter to look at Lei.

“I’m Elizabeth Hallowedlight,” she replied, “Call me Ellie.” One by one, the others introduced themselves except for Hunter. Hanne and Storm just said their name without looking away.

“I believe that Ellie is one of the Regalis,” Skhy explained.

“How can we trust her?” Storm asked.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to be here but I am true to my goals,” Ellie seriously said.

“And what are those goals?” Aria asked. Ellie looked at her with a smile.

“I think you already know.” Aria was taken aback but she didn’t show it. Ellie knew. She knew that Aria heard her talking with Skhy earlier.

Three hours ago, after the Premier’s closing speech, Aria went to buy a soda in the vending machine. Clyne was energetically following her like a puppy following his owner. It irritated her but getting angry was tiring.

“The campfires are set! I’m excited!” Clyne exclaimed. Aria chose a coke.

“Why are you so excited? You haven’t seen campfires before?” she asked then took a sip of her drink.

“Yes but I’ve never been in school so I’m excited to be a student,” he excitedly replied. Aria stopped drinking. She remembered her time alone in her grandparents’ house. She, too, never experienced school. But why are we so different? She wanted to ask him but didn’t.

“Ah I see,” she coldly replied instead, “then enjoy this night.” Clyne turned to her. He had a huge smile.

“I hope that you will enjoy this experience too, Aria. You deserve it.” His eyes twinkled under the moonlight. He always acts like a kid. Why are we so different?

“Why are we so different?” Clyne was taken aback by her question.

“What about?” Aria blinked several times before looking away.

“Nothing,” she quickly said.

“No. Tell me.”

“Nothing-” She stopped talking when she saw his expression. He was no longer smiling. He looked mature when he’s serious. He had the same concerned expression when he pinned her on the wall. His eyes scanned her whole face. How can you be a kid and an adult at the same time?

“You said you’ve never been to school. You said you were stuck in one place for a long time. You said you’ve been blaming yourself. You said you felt like you’re inside a box,” she ranted. His eyes widened a bit. She had never spoken so fast in front of the team. She was breathing heavily.

“But…why do you smile like that? Even though we had the same experiences, why…is it that I’m like this?” Ashamed of what she said, she quickly looked down.

“Are you saying that I’m better than you because I’m always smiling and laughing?” Sadness was evident in his voice. She looked up and saw him with a sad smile.

“You told me before that it’s fine to not smile and laugh all the time.” She frowned, confused. When? He still remember something like that? He chuckled without humour. He realized that she didn’t remember it.

“But I was actually having a great time here, with you and the team,” he continued. “This is how I express it.” He touched Aria’s nose with his forefinger. She frowned at him. She didn’t like being touched.

“You just have a different way of showing it.” He smiled. This time, it wasn’t a sad one.

“What way?” she asked because she was always grumpy. She didn’t know how to be with people.

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“Those are insults,” she stopped him from saying anything more. Clyne laughed.

“We know you so just be yourself.” She was about to ask how she can be herself when the surrounding became brighter.

“Campfires!” Clyne exclaimed. She sighed.

“Go,” she instructed, “toilet.”

“Be careful.” When she was sure that Clyne went to the right campfire where they’re going to meet everyone, she turned around. Then she heard it. The vending machines separated her from them.

“Ellie. I wanted to protect this team,” she heard Skhy said. “From anyone.”

“I won’t wield first, Skhy.” The voice wasn’t familiar but it was a girl’s. Someone sighed.

“Just… I hope you… get along with the team.” What? He’s bringing someone in the team?

“Are you saying that I might be the one to cause problems?” She raised her voice.

“I’m only saying-”

“How about him?” Who?

“How about Faz Hunter?” Aria knew of the rumours surrounding Hunter. She’d be lying if she says she wasn’t surprised but it isn’t her business. Besides, as long as he doesn’t hurt anyone in the team and he does his tasks, she doesn’t care. She had been suspicious of him when they met him in Highport with Clyne. The two were the exact opposite of each other so she was baffled how the two journeyed together for weeks.

“Faz is also part of this group. He also wanted to know what happened to Eloise-”

“Stop,” the girl shouted. She sounded furious. Aria looked around if there are people near who might hear it. But the vending machines were far from the campfires site.

“He’s crazy, Skhy. He wants to kill more people. He’s been crazy from the start. I don’t know how Eloise… liked him.” She said the name softly. Aria figured that Hunter left Eloise broken-hearted.

“He’s the reason why she died.” Aria’s eyes widened.

“He said he loves her but he let her die!” the girl shouted again. Aria couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation because memories flashed in her eyes. Fiery fire reaching heaven. A body engulfed in fire.

“Love? You love your dad but you killed him? That’s not love.” Those words echoed in her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. Sweat rolled down her forehead. Her hands gripped the edge of her shirt. She was breathing erratically. She didn’t know how long she stood there but when she overcame the panic attack, she realized that the Skhy and the girl already left. Aria quickly went to the Tempus Locus Building where the toilet is closer. She washed her face then stared at herself in the mirror.

She relived everything again. Her dad’s death. Then she remembered what happened in the woods with the Mortemian who provoked her. She lied about it to everyone. No one helped her. She set the Mortemian on fire. Then Clyne found out her weakness. Using fire extensively made her remember the past. But she was able to overcome it in the tournament. When she found out that she’s one of the Seven Regalis, she figured it’s the best way to overcome her fear of remembering. But someone talked to her.

“Your insignia will show on that paper when you have shown yourself. It didn’t tell us who to show it. I believe it’s more important to show yourself to you.” It was confusing but she still listened.

“There are a lot of things we can keep from others but if you don’t acknowledge them first, it’ll be hard to tell anyone about.” He got a point.

“What did you think about when you’re in the tournament?”

“That it wasn’t my fault. That I treasure him with all my heart.”

She stared at her reflection. Her insignia appeared because she accepted herself and stopped blaming herself. But she still has to stop fearing her memories.

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