Chapter 3:

Another Job Rejected

My Time At Yggdrasil Academy: That Time I Became The Headmaster and Slew the Legendary Nidhogg


The Academy rose into the horizon like a mighty paragon of pedagogy. Then there was me running like my life depended on it. A look of rugged determination had come upon my face in the form of a grin. Within an hour I had arrived at the school grounds. Darkness concealed the world like a black veil. From the inky black of the horizon came a small golden beam. its brilliance shot into the sky parting the darkness and painting a tiny portion of the sky blush. I turned back towards the academy and pushed on towards the main hall.

“This is it!”

I threw open the doors and made my way through the aisle of students. Belthazar eyed me as I made my approach. He gasped and snickered to himself elbowing the tall man beside him.

“Wow Flaemis out of the house at a reasonable time, well are pigs flying? Is hell frozen over?”

“Yeah yeah, I get it Hardee har har boss” Belthazar reached out and pinched my cheeks as a bright smile beamed on his lips.

“Oh I am so pleased you made it just in time to meet your replacement” Belthazar lifted a hand and gently placed it on my head. He began ruffling and touseling my hair like a parent would to their child. “He should be arriving soon….I gave very succinct directions”

“Boss I hate to sound like an asshole but your directions suck!”

“It’s a giant school in an even bigger tree I have no clue how anyone could ever miss it”

“I dunno boss but this isn’t the only kingdom blessed by Lucifer”

“Yes yes that is true but we are the only kingdom on this side of the Barthals Canal”

“Do you not know geography!” I stamped my foot on the ground in protest angrily shaking my fist before having Belthazar’s finger abruptly shoved in my face.

“Shhhhhhut up! He’s here!” Belthazar’s face lit up he stepped forward racking his cane on his forearm and clasping his hands together.

The man entered.

Jean-Paul Debiroux III panting he braced himself on the doorframe. Before muttering out a small string of words that nobody could hear. Belthazar rubbed his cheek sheepishly.

“Jean my friend would you mind repeating that?”
“My apologies Bel I got lozt oui!”

“Oh, I wonder how that happened Mr. Bossman!” I shot

“Oh that’s mighty unfortunate….you did follow my directions didn’t you?”

“Oui Oui! But I got lost when I heard ze sounds of lightning boom in ze bazaar”

Belthazar gazed at the tall purple-haired man beside him and then back to the large man at the door.

“Lightning in the Bazaar? I assure you that must’ve been a cheap trick or something of the sort”

“Non non non!! I ‘eard it clear as day!” Jean sputtered.

“Enough of this drudgery c’mon on up to the front Jean!”
Jean pushed his way to the front of the hall. The sounds of stretching and ripping fabric filled the air of the silent hall.

“Anyway Students! I’m looking at you Mr. Numeron!” Belthazar raised his cane and pointed at a student in the back of the room. All the while keeping his gaze focused ahead on the collective gathering of students. “Pay attention! It is with great pleasure I introduce to you; your new Homeroom teacher Mr. Debiroux”

“Oh please he was my father...call me Jean”

“Uh….J-Jean Debiroux III”

The student body broke into an uproarious flurry of applause and cheering.

“Really? This guy gets applause?” I slouched and grumbled under my breath.

“Flaemis!” Belthazar roughly grabbed my collar and pulled me aside. “I must speak with you this instant”

“For what!”

“Stop complaining and come with me!” He dragged me away, through a door on the far side of the corridor and up a long flight of stairs. Roughly he threw open a large set of doors. Shoving me inside he entered menacingly. With a halfhearted push, he slammed the door behind himself.

“Listen to me Flaemis, this isn’t a reward! This isn’t some gig to spread your name around. As far as the world is concerned Hanagaki is still the headmaster. Do I make myself clear!”

I opened my mouth but the words caught in my throat as the tears welled in my eyes. I turned away and nervously rubbed my arm.

“Lou...Loud and clear boss!”

“Good! Good! However, you are still the Headmaster in name only and as such as much as it pains me to say this….may have this office”

“Oh, so it's a reward now!”

“No no no no!” Belthazar snapped, he grabbed my collar and shook me. “You are the acting Headmaster...not the Headmaster!” a hint of poison floated nauseatingly on the annunciation of Headmaster as it left his lips. “You perform duties and report directly to me...I expect a weekly report in my hands every third Sun Seed of the month”

“And failure to do so?”

“Well...you saw that man I was with?”

“What is he your husband or something?”

“No, but he knows where your’s lives so I would watch your mouth”

“Excuse me! No, you don’t just threaten Kin and get away with it!”

“Threat?....oh you misunderstand I’m a businessman I don’t do threats….I make promises and one’s I intend to keep” he shoved my chest with a folded palm. I staggered back and caught myself on the desk behind me. “So you listen to me! And you listen well!”

“Alright, I'm listening for Ozyraith’s sake boss!”

“I have very important people with their eyes on this school….so you better behave and you better get control of that Magic of yours!”

“Or else what?”

“Do you want a demonstration of what would happen?”

“Maybe I do! Maybe I Don’t!!”

“Oh...oh!...you definitely are Kuma’s boy” He chuckled a low raspy chuckle any hint of fun eccentricity was gone. He tilted his head and gazed at the ceiling as he continued to moan a low chuckle. Raising his hand uncannily in a rather slow methodical manner like the calculated gesticulations of a marionette. He pressed his index finger to his thumb. Following his snap, a long rapier-like sword appeared in his hand. The blade had an ornately designed and heavily detailed crossguard, a beautiful yet all the while chaotic mess of interconnecting steel welded and manipulated to resemble a metal patchwork forest. Pommel an exquisitely detailed skull of a screaming mad mammalian creature. With a swirl of his hand, the blade was raised. With two vacant eyes, he aimed the blade at my throat.“Death Awaits those that cross this saber!” my mind spoke with a ghastly voice; as if the reaper himself was inside my mind feeding me thoughts.

I slowly skirted around the desk trying my damndest to put distance between me and my unhinged boss.

“You heard of my grandfather right?” Balthazar suddenly lifted his head and his eyes followed me.

“....”

“Alduin Scutum….Demon of the Dancing Blade” Belthazar’s eyes focused on me like the trained eyes of a predator on the prowl. “Master of Sword Magic!” He swung the blade in the air. A loud Snap! Broke into the air a gust of wind filled the room and shook around furniture. Books were knocked from their shelves and paintings were thrown to the ground. “His blade was said to be able to shave the life from men’s bones and restore his own youth….so tell me Flaemis! If a blade condensed the lifespan of every person I ever slew….into a slicing-edge” He suddenly stopped and raised his blade. “How much damage would that deal?”

“Uh, quite a bit I bet!”

“Correct Flaemis!....But you underestimated by at least ten metrics” The blade seemed to buzz and vibrate as if it was a beast starving for a feast. Swaying here and there ever so slightly beyond Belthazar’s control. With a simple jerk of his arm, the blade would be knocked into submission only for the routine to repeat.

Belthazar stood, blade outright, eyes vacant and glazed over. A black shadow appeared behind Belthazar, vaguely humanoid with long gangly fingers that appeared more like claws. Standing over Belthazar like a twisted guardian angel. It was as if the God of Death had come to watch the proceedings.

“How many people have you killed in your life Belthazar?” For a moment there was no reply, just a dreadful few seconds of silence. Suddenly Belthazar spoke, a voice I didn’t know came out of his mouth.

“How many stars are in the sky? Because I can sooner count them than I can list those felled by Rochinate” with a devilish grin and a low feral cackle Belthazar slowly made his approach towards me. Right then left foot after foot. Step by agonizing slow step.

A bead of sweat dripped down my brow. It hung on my chin before slipping down and falling to its non-existence. In a flash, a blur swiped where my sweat was. A cut burst open on my chin. Blood spilled onto the ground and pooled. I held my chin and gasped, looking down at my hand fear filled every crevice of my mind.

Balthazar swiped his sword halfheartedly, with ease the blood that collected on the edge of the blade was soon cast down to the floor. He snapped his fingers and his sword disappeared. He tossed me a towel and turned his back. Snickering under his breath and clenching his fists.

“Do. Not. Disappoint Me. Flaemis!” He spat, throwing open the door and storming out.
“I’ll show him!” In a flash, my wand flew from my pocket and rolled onto the ground. As I bent down to reach it, a large leather boot impressed itself upon it.

“Howdy boyo….I hope you weren’t thinking of hurting my contractor with that!”

“Why should you care!?”

“Well….I wouldn’t very much care for that personally but a man’s gotta eat”

“Money?”

“Isn’t that why you took this job? Money?” The man tapped his chin and chuckled to himself. “Ya know it's kinda funny…Bel goes on and on about how strong you are and yet you couldn’t sense me” The man mocked, he knelt down and gently tapped my face with his palm. All the while his sickening wheezy chortle filled the air. “You just stick to being a mascot….leave being strong to people like me”

“Oh you think you’re hot all because I couldn’t sense you”

“Yeah let’s just leave it at that” He snickered, removing his foot from my wand and seemingly disappearing without a second word. Here one moment. gone the next. I would have definitely seen him exit, you don’t just lose track of a tall purple-haired guy. Somehow I did….”Just who the hell did Bel hire?”

***

click, clack click clack the sound of a million abaci synchronized as a million more mages worked tirelessly.  maps on all four sides, a battle map displayed proudly on a podium in the middle of the room. Like an altar to a defamed God of war. Weapons of every kind were placed meticulously in stands stationed all over the room. a large overhead window filled the room with a ray of none too helpful amber light. 

A man not too young but also none too old. Wrinkles, five o clock shadow, and yet with a handsome boyish face. His white robe-like shirt clung tightly to his muscular frame. Even with the shirt on every detail of his chest was visible such as scars and the all-important muscular definition.

A pair of black horn-rimmed glasses snugly sat on his nose. He brushed his hair with his gloves pushing it back with a calm push. His hair seemed uncharacteristically teal while bathed under the faulty lights of the command center. He gripped a railing in front of him and squinted watching over the proceedings like God watching over his creations.
“Permission to speak Captain Commander?!” A man in a white robe stood up and took a bow.

“Granted!”

“Sir! Our scans have shown a massive ancient wyvern in the Jungles of the Wisteria Capital”

“And? What’s the point Lt. Bridges? If we do anything they come back at us”

“Sir….that’s not the most distressing part” the lieutenant bowed yet again tears running down his face. “My deepest apologies sir”

“Oh Dear Ozyraith what’s with the theatrics Lt?”

“Sir...

“I don’t want to hear it” The commander exclaimed, rolling his eyes and making to leave.

“Commander Shinomiya please!”

“Five seconds”

“It...It's that”

“Four!”

“This Wyvern is from the same line as”

“Three!”

“It's from the same family as King”

“I’ve heard enough! Notify the dragoons, send an extermination letter to Wisteria Capital and have the Headmaster of Yggdrasill Academy in my office!”

“But Captain Commander?”

“Shut your filthy Mouth and GET BACK TO WORK!!!!” The commander spoke of a large ax appearing in his hand from nowhere. A large heavy ax refined with glittering gold and decorated with spikes and other peculiar things. The head tapered off and split into two separate hemispheres. One larger with a more pronounced edge. The other side is smaller, duller, and not nearly as shiny as its larger counterpart. He slung the ax over his shoulder and grumbled.

“I’m in no mood...for your antics” passing his hand through his fiery hair he sighed and nodded to himself. “I’m the captain commander….what I say goes and I say I want a meeting with Hanagaki Aurabous….” The many mages all gathered and looked up from their calculations and eyed Shinomiya.

“So get on it!” He sighed. With a collective “Oh” the whole room filled with vociferous clicks, clacks, and smacks as the command center all returned to work. 

CHAPTER 3 END!!