End to an Endless Path

This is a question I find passing me by as I’m refused yet another challenge from yet another elite.
    “Go bark up some other tree.”
They left their distasteful remark as they headed along their way.
Others looked and referred to me the same way. It seems that despite my achievements, my status amongst these people is that I’m the servant of either George or Alice.
However, they still accept the fact that I am better than them. I told myself that this is my goal, and yet despite all of the eyes on me, no one is paying me any attention where it matters most.
It’s truly bizarre. Why would they even look at me if they had no interest in entertaining my challenges?
It’s almost like they don't want me there. As if they’re scared to take me on. As if they’re disgusted that such a low-life could even come up to them and challenge them on fair ground.

It’s… amazing. It’s great. It's wonderful.

This feeling of total domination, that even the higher ups of society cannot bring themselves to challenge me.
This is what I wanted.
…

…

So then.

    “What now?”
Amelia stands before me in the empty after-hours business wing faculty room, leaning with one hand on the desk beside her. Her tone is confrontational.
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “I’m asking you, John, what are your plans for the future?”
Oh. It’s this talk again. Why are we having it again so soon?
I’m just going to tune it out again-

    “John.”
She put her hands on my shoulders with a look of desperation in her eyes.
    “You’ve done enough.”
I still feel like I haven't done enough. Not yet.
    “I don’t think so, Amelia.”
    “As your former Guardian, I think so.”
She’s pulling that card out now? That means she’s really desperate. But why?
    “Amelia, why are you telling me to stop now?”
    “It’s clear that you have done enough. Everyone already has their eyes on you now, no? You’re a frequent topic of conversation, but not for the reasons you think.”
    “It’s about who owns me, correct?”
    “That’s right.”

She let go of my shoulders and faced the windows in the distance. The afternoon sun began to peek through, giving the room a nostalgic feeling, like I’ve been here before.
That’s because I have been here before.
It's because of Amelia that I even got the idea of enrolling here.
    “It’s about time you began thinking of your future, John.”
She continued to speak to me, still facing the windows.
    “What future?”
I replied institutionally. No thought was given to this reply.
    “That future that you choose to avert your eyes from. You know you can-”
    “That’s irrelevant right now. I haven’t finished yet.”
…

A sigh could be heard coming from her direction.
    “John, I’m going to give you a very important heads up. Please, listen to what I have to say.”
This is irrelevant.
This conversation is irrelevant.
As such, I tune it out.

…

It’s now 20:00.
This is about the usual time that I wrap up my studies for the day. It’s also the time where the library is most empty, since the doors close at 21:00.
Today’s progress was minimal due to all of the nonsense everyone has been pushing onto me lately. The ownership, my future, everything. It’s all a pain.
I’m here for one purpose only. That purpose, admittedly, is mostly achieved. The elites do see me as superior. The only problem is the lack of challengers. There needs to be competition for my top spot to mean anything. If no one challenges it, then what’s even the point of being at the top? This is a problem I’ll have to try and resolve.
But how? I need others for this plan to work.
This is the sad irony. Despite me trying to work through this alone, I need others to accomplish my goals. It is painful to admit and acknowledge, but this is a reality I cannot avoid.

In this environment where no one wants to challenge me, but I need challengers to exist, what is my next move?

The library secretary nods me goodbye once more as I exit the building into a cloudless evening view. Buildings have started to turn on their artificial lights, as do the street lamps littering this walking area between buildings.
These lamps illuminate a group of people standing at the end of the library stairs.
These men stand in a circle, dressed in non-reflective dark suits. Once one spots me, the rest turn their heads towards my direction. The person in the front, blond hair with sunglasses, shouted in my direction.
    “John Smyth!”
Since this is the only path leading to an exit, I’m faced with no choice but to walk towards the group.
Maybe I can propose a challenge to them. The library is right behind me, so I could quickly print off-
    “I am a representative for the Bedwyn family. You have rejected two offers from our peers. Is that correct?”
The blonde man acting as the group's leader cut off my line of thinking, out-right denying any chance of accepting a challenge proposal.

Something perks at my mind. Bedwyn family representative? Alice’s family?
    “That is indeed correct. I do not seek employment from the ones I try to beat.”
I feign ignorance for now. This does lead me to the question of how is Alice and her family involved in trying to own me? Although, she never confirmed she didn’t want to. This could be her way of trying to own me without her direct involvement.
Despite the growing questions, I continued walking towards the group, and their leader towards me.
    “Despite your background, you walk the same path as us.”
    “Care to elaborate further?”
The leader smiled slightly at the opportunity to expand on his ideas.
    “Total domination. This war we engage in. We hate to admit it, but you are one of its leaders. You dominate the academics of this university. This has been proven twice by your taming of two incredibly influential challengers.”
Aww, what compliments. He’s making me blush inside.
    “However. This is a war. Alliances can be made, and leaders can be changed.”
We continued to walk towards each other, almost within reach.
    “I propose an offer that you can’t refuse. You get a blank cheque for the rest of your life. You get near total freedom in what you do. All that we ask of you is that you assist our group in our legal battles.”
We reached each other at the middle of the stairs. He put out his hand, offering a handshake on the deal.
    “You primarily study law, so this should be an easy job for you. You should not even have to consider such an offer.”
    “I'm not.”
    “Great. What is your answer?”
    “I refuse.”
I continued to walk past him, only for the group of suits to form a line at the end of the stairs, preventing me from leaving. This caused me to temporarily stop walking.
    “I said that this decision did not require any consideration, but now I have to turn back on that statement. You should consider heavily what you are about to do, John Smyth.”
    “I am considering continuing as I am.”
That was my goal from the start.

…
A brief silence filled the air around us. No one moved. Only the passing breeze could be heard. Until-
    “Mark my words, John Smyth. There will be no other offers in this war. We will make sure to ruin you.”
The leader spoke once more.
    “You will not.”
    “Feeling confident, are we?”
    “I’ve already won.”
    “So you think the war is over?”
    “It is not.”
    “Then when is it over?”
…
That is the one question I cannot answer.

    “John Smyth. I ask you one last time. Do you accept our offer?”
    “I refuse.”
No matter what, I cannot work alongside these elites.
    “So that is the path you choose to walk.”
    “It is.”
If I chose to work with them, that’s admitting that I cannot be above them. I’d have to engage on their level, or possibly underneath it. That will not happen.
As I continued down the stairs, the leader behind me began to shout.
    “John Smyth! Heed my call!”
His sudden change in volume caused me to turn around.
    “As the representative of the Bedwyn family, I challenge you!”
The man shot his hand up into the air and pointed at me.
    “He who walks the path of achievement alone, I challenge you!”

…
I can’t refuse a challenge.
    “Go on.”
    “Whoever signs this document first, wins the blank check for the rest of their lives!”
He took out a folded piece of paper from within his suit along with a pen. It's clear that he’s holding an employment contract.
    “John Smyth! This is the final rope I am willing to throw at you. I am playing by your rules! You have humbled this member of the elite, causing him to bow down before your might! Will you humbly accept my challenge!?”

…
I cannot refuse a challenge.
I cannot refuse a challenge.
But I cannot work for these elites.
But I cannot refuse a challenge.
This is a challenge.
If I refuse, then it’s an automatic loss.
If I reschedule-
    “I will have to think-”
    “NO! John Smyth! Here and now, do you accept my challenge?!”

I cannot reschedule.

I cannot refuse.
I cannot work for them.
I cannot refuse.
I cannot work for them.
I cannot refuse.
I cannot work for them.

I-

    “I refuse.”

The wind helps carry my quiet words over to his ears.

    “I see. So that is your final choice.”

I cannot say any more.
The hand of the man drops down from gravity.

    “John Smyth. You had ample warning. And yet, you still chose to go against us.”

I remain silent.

    “You have chosen to wage a war with no allies.”

I cannot speak a word.

    “As we warned, we will do everything in our power to deny you what you seek. We can guarantee you that.”

…

    “We won’t be seeing you again. Nice knowing you, John Smyth.”

The line of suits from behind me disappeared, and their leader continued to walk up the stairs, in the direction of the business wing. On his way, he took out a mobile phone before entering the library.

Everyone is gone from the scene.

This is fine.
I’ve already been up against these elites all my life. Another challenge is nothing for me.

But I just lost.
So what? This is a new challenge.
But I lost.
And? I was going to lose-

…
I almost said something.
Something that has been haunting me forever. That fear of losing.
It came true, didn’t it?
I look around.
There is no one to challenge.
This has always been a path for me to walk alone.
So, despite losing for the first time, I continued walking.

I continued to walk this path, past the people who ignored my requests.
I continued to drag my feet, across groups that refused to listen to my pleas.
I continued to move, despite everyone denying my existence.
At the end of this path, I ended up in my place of residence.
Awards no one acknowledges continue to surround me.

This is the fate I have chosen for myself.
I chose for this to happen.
I chose a silent death.