Troy: The Demon Knight - Season One - Nick Venom (good books for 8th graders .txt) 📗

gelled up hair masked more scars than he could count. He was somebody that looked like he went through a war, but the blood on his hands was wiped away, erased physically but not mentally. 

“They will be supervising today’s lesson.” Mr. Inuzuka turned to a whiteboard and began writing on it. “Knights were created to compete with the old threats of demons and Ashers. Centuries ago, when the kingdom was still young, demons plagued the world. The demons brought mankind to the brink of extinction until…” He paused for dramatic effect. “... the first knight emerged. The knight---who we remember as Slayer---wielded an iron sword that he used to massacre the demons. Many began following in Slayer’s footsteps, forming the six classes we have today.”

“Five,” Mayor Curie remarked.

“You’re right, five classes. The first class was named after Slayer becoming the Slayer knight class, followed by Guardian Knights, Magic Knights, Healer Knights, and Aerial Knights. These five classes make up today’s society.” He then turned around to face the supervisors. “These knights continue to exist due to Asher Kingdom’s constant interference. The bombing of Edurdale’s Four Towers of Hell was done by Asher citizens, also known as Ashers. The entire kingdom has been shrouded in mystery since the early days of the world. The only thing we know is that they are to never be trusted.”

“Should we trust citizens from the Isles of Southaven?” Addison, another of Troy’s classmates, asked, raising her hand. 

Ms. Dawes took a step forward, garnering the attention of the class. “I can speak for that. The Isles of Southaven have indeed implemented many racist rules, but the citizens aren’t all bad. Many citizens, including myself, have spoken out against the racist ideals of the government. However, the government won’t change no matter what we’ve done. 

“It’s as Ms. Dawes has said. Efforts to reform Southaven and it's islands’ thinking are undergoing, but everything takes time.” Mr. Inuzuka said, directing the attention away from Ms. Dawes and onto himself. 

Mayor Curie had been glaring at Mr. Inzukua since he said “six classes”. His eyes never left him. His mind was focused on the sixth class---a taboo to talk about.

“Anyways, as I was saying, knights run society. They are the foundation of Edurdale. As for now, these knights are almost everywhere from Southaven to Great Wolfstein, except for Asher. Asher relies on a different method to protect themselves.”

“I have a question!” Addison said, interrupting Mr. Inuzuka for the second time.

“What is it?” He asked with a cheerful attitude, his smile being drained out of him.

“As knights in training, will we be dispatched to the frontlines?”

“Knights are sent to the frontlines to kill and die.” Mayor Curie’s voice boomed. The class froze, attempting to understand his response.

“Knights are sent to the frontlines, but they can also serve as royal guards or roam freely. As a knight, you will be forced into combat. Knights cannot be farmers or miners. They serve a greater purpose.” He then turned back around and wrote a name on the board. “Angel Riders are a knight team of three members. They are stationed in the empty space between the kingdoms, a neutral zone with the remnants of demons everywhere.”

“What if there’s a large number of demons emerging from the neutral zones? Can we fend them off?” Michael asked.

Mr. Inuzuka nodded. “Only the strong will. To determine who’s strong, a tournament will be hosted tomorrow. The weakest three will be expelled from the knight program. The remaining thirteen will be given ranks. Tournaments will see those ranks fluctuating.” he turned to the supervisors. “I want to give you enough time to train, so that’s it for today.”

 

TBC…

Episode Five "Kill Two Birds With One Stone"

Marie Scornbell watched the conversation unfold as Mr. Inuzuka informed the class about the history of knights in front of the supervisors---Ms. Dixon, Ms. Dawes, and Mr. Curie. The class was intrigued by the information, two of them asking questions, with one of them being slightly controversial and directly attacking a nation’s citizens. Even throughout the conversation and strange questions, Marie’s sights were focused on three people---Troy, Victoria, and Casper. She already knew the information Mr. Inzukua had, instead, focused on the siblings. Casper was busy brooding in his chair, his eyes shifting back and forth from one sibling to the other. Victoria, on the other hand, was ignoring Casper’s stares, calming herself to meet her friends’ expectation of the calm goody two shoes that they thought of her as.

Meanwhile, Troy rested his head on the desk, shielding himself from reality using his arms. He ignored the outside world and masked his presence. None of the supervisors even mentioned him. 

Marie, however, watched Troy with hungry eyes. She enjoyed secrets but knew the consequences that they would bear if revealed.

She then turned her attention to Mr. Inuzuka, absorbing the fake persona he had on. She hated people like that; people who deceive others by masking their real intentions.

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the day had ended. They were let out, running off in different directions. Marie lingered behind and watched as Victoria left with her friend group, shooting glances at Troy. On the other side of Marie was Casper and his friends, laughing loudly and making inappropriate jokes. Throughout the circle of men, Casper stood in the middle with sorrowful eyebrows and a large frown. He didn’t seem all there.

Troy departed alone, but two girls from the class went along with him. Marie recognized them as the popular cheerful Amanda and her contrasted friend, gloomy and goth-like Kelly. She recognized them as friends that hung out everywhere; Amanda attempting to annex Troy into their small circle.

Marie shook her head and followed the yellow brick path to her house, a three-story mansion. The front gate shunned many away from the beauty inside. Freshly cut grass and perfectly-cut hedges attracted many’s eyes, but not Marie’s. She despised the house. To her, the house symbolized a cage and she was the bird; forever locking herself in the cage every day, only being let out to use the bathroom. It felt like that.

She went to the keypad next to the gate and tapped the code in, opening the steel gate. She walked in, the gate closing after her. She then entered her house, finding its vibrant pink, yellow, and light blue color scheme repulsive. The colors were suffocating.

A butler approached her. She noticed his arrival before throwing her small thin black bag at the butler. He caught it effortlessly. He then walked off with the bag as a maid approached Marie. 

“Is there anything I can do for you, young miss?” She asked.

“Where are they?” She responded.

“Your parents are at work and won’t be arriving until very late. Your brother is attending his knight training and will be arriving late as well. Your older sister is the same.” The maid responded.

“What about Lainey?” 

The maid shook her head. “Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to locate her. She has been spotted multiple times in Blueway, but nobody can grab her.”

Marie scoffed. “The baby of the family has run away, but my parents couldn’t care two knights about her. What reliable parents.” The maid tried explaining to Marie, but she stomped off, climbing a flight of stairs to reach her room. She had chosen the room farthest down the hallway to be closest to the large windows. She, at first, saw the windows as her only escape to the outside, however, the large windows couldn’t be opened; stuffing Marie with recycled caged air. 

On Marie’s tableside table was a note written by her parents. She went up to it, picking the note up and reading it aloud. “We have learned about your upcoming tournament through Mayor Curie. If you are expelled from the knight class, a compatible suitor will be arranged for you. If you pass the tournament, you will be exempt from the marriage.” 

She threw the note on the ground and trampled it with her shoes. She took a step backward and spat on it. Her eyes then lit up as she bawled her fingers into a fist. 

“They really want me to get married. They never even cared about me or Lainey!” She shouted, jumping and landing on the note with intense force. She despised her parents, but the note raised her anger to a different degree. The disappearance of their third daughter was nothing to them, they treated it as if nothing happened. They only cared about results. 

Marie knew that her parents wanted to marry her off to some rich family to raise the family’s rank. Marrying somebody wealthier would raise the family’s reputation positively. She understood the advantages her family would receive, but she didn’t want to be treated as some type of pawn under her parents’ control. To prevent being married off, Marie made a deal with her parents to exempt her from marriage if she could earn glory from becoming a knight. However, her parents weren’t the supporting type, often ridiculing and breaking her down. Nonetheless, Marie stood up against them, earning a spot in Blueway university’s only knight class. Her spot had to be saved until graduation where she would blossom into a knight, earning glory and freedom. 

She wanted to earn her freedom and future. Taking part in BU’s knight class was the only choice. Kill two birds with one stone.

 

TBC…

Episode Six "Elimination Round: Part One"

The next day, Mr. Inuzuka began the tournament. He led them to an open outdoor facility, housing a large circle in the middle. The circle was cut in half, reaching fifty feet in length and thirty in width. He showed the circle off, declaring it as the” fighting circle” in a monotone voice.

He glanced around, explaining the organization of the tournament, splitting it into four rounds; the elimination round, secondary round, the pre-finals, and finals He explained that the elimination round will eliminate eight people, sending them to the separate ‘loser’ tournament, consisting of three round, where they will fight to reach the first place. The first five places would get to stay while places six, seven, and eight would be expelled from the class for being too weak. 

The secondary round will see the eight people battling it out, leaving four people standing. The four would then go through the pre-finals, leaving the two strongest left. The two strongest will then fight for first place in the final round. 

After the explanation, Mr. Inuzuka began paring people for the elimination round. Many hoped to a god that they wouldn’t be paired with the strongest