Chapter 3 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jester stared at the large pit outside that held their test....filled with crystals that jutted out miles above the ground. He turned his attention to the teacher, whom was a light-weighted female succubus, on what to do. The near human looking creature looked at her class, her four wings keeping her off of the ground and at a hover. She, though appeared more humanoid than her class or others with the exception of other succubi, she had demonic traits, such as beautiful crystal horns, claws, fangs and a snake-like tail. She dusted off her crimson and black robes before she spoke. "I am Miss Today, class, is your Mid-term test. Now, we have usually not done these tests with everyone, but most of you are slacking off and we need to make sure if you're learning something or not. So, we will be pairing each of you up and you will race across this course, and whoever wins, passes."

Someone behind Jester rose their hand. "Ms. Nyx?" "Yes, Mrizzard?" The succubus asked the boy, a draconic figure that was just a bit taller than the purple and green demon. His yellow eyes looked up at the female, his three small horns glimmering. "What are we supposed to do in this test?"

"You are to get from one side of the pit to the other, using any means except flying, teleportation or gliding. Most routes will be dead ends and you will have to back up and find a different way across. The only uses of getting from side to side permitted are claws, fangs, tenctacles or similar, feet and tails. If your opponent falls, then do not go after them. Of course, they will die...but only the strongest demons can go on. Understand?" Ms. Nyx glanced at the class, who all nodded hesitantly. "Good, now, pairs are.." she started reading them off from her clipboard and watching as that pair did the test, and the last pair was. "Jester and Harlequin." Both of the demons looked at each other...that was not good....one would pass and one would fail. "Now, try your hardest you two." The humanoid told the two as they were placed at the very edge of the starting side. "Ready...Begin!" They immediately shot off into the crystals, Jester resorting to climbing and bolting quickly between the crystals, while Harlequin managed to gracefully jump upon the tips of the large pointed gems. She called down to Jester, who was slipping slightly while he tried to find a crevice or imperfection upon the crystal he was on to latch onto. "Be careful! Falling is a long way down-" she was cut off as the ground began to shake and caused several of the large pointed objects in the course to completely shatter....hers was one of them. Her scream was what made the Amethyst and Emerald colored creature look over quickly at her, before eyes went wide.

He looked at the finish line, then down at her. Winning was not worth it to lose a friend. He breathed in deeply before his claws detached from the crystal and he twisted back so he fell upside-down, and at the last possible second, kicked off from the gem and shot after the girl that was falling. He reached out as he neared her. 'Come on...come on..!' He thought as he managed to slip under her, wings spread out and flapping to keep him afloat. "Got ya!" he sighed in relief as he caught her unconcious form. Black and green appendages on his back moved furiously to send him bolting up into the air, and after dodging some pieces of the glass-like crystal while small pieces ripped, scratched and lodged themselves into the green and purple demon, he landed on the ground. He wobbled slightly, and looked at Ms. Nyx. "Nurse, please." he said, before proceeding to put Harlequin down and fall onto the ground himself, exhausted and slipping into unconciousness.

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Green-yellow eyes opened dizzily and scanned the area around him. "I told you he'd be alright." A older female's voice said. As everything came into focus, the first thing Jester noted was he had a dull ache everywhere, and was covered in several bandages that concealed wounds. The next thing he noticed was he was in the Nurses' office, and Harlequin was sitting beside him while a  blue and black colored Fey zipped around the room. "You were really stupid." he heard his friend say, showing a frustration, before smiling. "But if you weren't, I guess I wouldn't be alive. Thank you for saving me!" she happily giggled before hugging Jester. "Ow..ow,ow...ow ow.." "Sorry.." she rubbed her head after she released him. "You took quite alot of cuts there, young man." he heard the older female told him, her wings fluttering as she stood in front of him. "Well, I wasn't expecting a crystal just to shatter like a glass when a Opera singer hits a high note, Miss Nerina." Out of all the people in Spookyville, Miss Nerina was probably the least scariest. She was a fairy, one of the sea and darkness, and one that was just a few inches shorter than he was. Her skin was the color of Earth's oceans, her hair short and like a raven's feathers, and her body adorned with black and light blue robes, like the rest of the teachers or workers here.

"You make a good point." Miss Nerina told him, before looking at the door. "The Head of the Academy wishes to speak with you about the incident in today's test...Do not keep him waiting, please."she told him, her curled antennae and ears twitching. "Yes ma'am..." He said, hopping off the bed. "Good luck..." he heard Harlequin whisper. He nodded and then slipped out into the hallway, making his way to a certain stairway.

Soon, he stared at the curved path of stairs ascending into the clock-tower. With a sigh, he started making his way up, step after step....

He eventually made it, crawling and gasping for air. "Nice to see you made it.." Came a montone and elderly male voice. Jester rose to full upright stance quickly. "Hello, sir....I heard you wished to speak to me about something?" He questioned. "Indeed. Sit down." The purple and green figure did as told and sat in the chair in front of the desk. The Head of the Academy, Salem, was an ancient demon that survived thousands and thousands of years. He grey with dull pupiless white eyes, his head adorned in a crown of spikes, his body mostly lizard-like except for his cloven feet and spaded tail. Long, taloned fingers came onto his desk as he rose to stand. "I have heard of the incident today...and we found something very...interesting upon inspecting the area." "What it is, sir?" Jester asked.

"A thin piece of wire, sharp enough to cut through crystal easily within a matter of moments." As soon as the younger demon saw it, he gasped. "I've seen that before!" "Where?" "In my dreams...there's this creature that uses these...he's tall, wears a black cloak that covers his body, two ram horns and glowing red eyes..." A look of seriousness came to the elder's face. "Then it's true...The Puppeteer has returned."

"The Puppeteer? Who's that?"

"He is an ancient creature, as old or older than I, that roamed the land. He was seen as you described him...damn near wiped out our race and the human's as well. He used mystical wires and an unknown form of magic to control and take over either species, be it mortal or demon, and change them into a form of Puppet zombies. Only an exceptionally strong demon can release the bounds of the zombies or stop him. But, he is...was dead. Stabbed, shot, burned and buried...he shouldn't have come back."

The older figure stopped and looked at Jester. "And it seems, due to the dreams, he has come for you."

(End Chapter 3)

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