With the stripping of humanity's flight, but not their wings, they were left as a mark of shame on humans for venturing to stand with Angels. The muscles grown on a human's form when the wings manifest were meant to function completely originally, but now, the wings are just protrusion of bone and flesh. Rumors, before this complete evidence before them all, stated that some could use their Blessed power to force the wings to budge, allowing for maybe a gusting attack or a slice of the blade-like wings, but not for complete flight.
Gentus looks off at his enemy, Mr. Verim, as he collects his Halo again. The bright ring slices through the air and back to his hand. Catching it with ease and gripping onto it fiercely, eyeing down Gentus across from him. The two men sneer and start again.
Mason and the other students don't know what to think or do, afraid to stop them.
"What is this?"
"How is that possible?"
"Who's up there with him?"
"Idiots, that's our teacher…"
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
Slashes of orange, yellow, gold, and all the shades in-between course through the air above them, raining heat and light down onto them. The student's bodies all collectively shake, moved by the heavy dose of Blessed power filling the space around them.
Mason feels different though, within him, a heat unlike the one they're creating is taking form. Activated by theirs, but coursing with his own Cursed energy, he can feel the sheath of the sword strapped to him start to form in a flaming blade. Still completely sheathed, the blade shouldn't be able to burn through the special katana sheath, yet here it is burning a scorch into his shoulder. In an instant, Mason throws the katana off of his shoulder and out into his hand, holding it at length to keep it from hurting Sam or Melody.
Sam and Melody back away from him, noticing his own strain to keep it held away.
"It's hotter than he can handle?"
Both of them notice, seeing Mason physically groan at the weight of his power increasing. Sam looks around and notices the rest of the students aren't experiencing this, searching inside himself to see that his own power still lies dormant.
"Before, when Mr. Gentus activated the high-class magic, the class started to experience their manifestations at random… Why is it only him?"
Sam worries, holding his hands out to protect him from the burning blade in front of him.
Above them all, Gentus feels the familiar infernal energy.
"Hrngg. The boy…"
He grunts, throwing Verim off of him with a parrying strike from his pom-pom-pen blade. Getting some distance, Gentus looks down and sees the intensely bright sword held at a distance from Mason, quickly darting around to see where the rest of the students are now, pulling away from this apparent grudge match between him and the Blessed-class's Second-Year teacher.
"Oh, Verim…"
Tauntingly, Gentus calls out to his opponent in a low and rumbling voice, but he can tell that he can hear him. Verim, stopping himself with his own power, turns to face Gentus and responds in a violent shout, surprising the students beneath them; his demeanor is all but shattered from who he was before.
"What do you want, Gentus!?"
Mr. Verim sounds like Mason in this, spitting the name through his lips like soured food. He floats idly across from him, watching his movements carefully for a ruse.
"Let's speak here… less prying eyes and ears."
Gentus reaches into Verim's mind, prying open his vault-like will and letting his voice sink into his thoughts. Verim can feel his devilish smile bristle against the inner workings of his mind, wincing.
"Why are you here?"
Mr. Verim tries to keep his tone as peaceful as can be against the man he clearly detests with everything.
"Oh, now, is that any way to talk to me…"
Gentus chides, letting his voice tickle and annoy. Gentus stops now, booking down to the curious students of both classes, nodding his head to the plume of flames that is Mason currently.
"I'm working here... "
Gentus' meaning doesn't get lost on Verim, throwing his attention down to Mason now too, seeing his student beside him. Melody looks up through parted fingers to see Verim and Gentus staring back at them.
Melody looks over at Mason and Sam, curious about this whole situation.
Mr. Gentus and Verim continue their talks, high above the world now.
"I came to Masquerade to avoid this…"
Mr. Verim gives reason to his arrival, insinuating a lot, but saying and thinking very little. Mr. Gentus lowers his wings now, letting them fall to his back and curl inward until they disappear in a bright glow.
"Then let's avoid it… for now."
Mr. Gentus tilts his head, sickly sweet as he looks to meet Verim's relenting eyes.
"You're a sick bastard… and I won't let you hurt these kids, Gentus…"
Mr. Verim says aloud, but quiet enough to keep the children unaware.
"Hurt them? Who came upon who and suddenly threw them into the sky?"
Mr. Gentus laughs, also aloud now. Defending against Mr. Verim's apparent sudden attack, Gentus had no choice but to show such a dangerous force against him, he reasons.
"Speaking of- How are you flying?"
Mr. Gentus' tone softens, genuinely curious at how a Halo-user is maintaining a powerful flight. Eyeing the man up and down, he can feel his Blessed power draining fast and harshly into his legs.
"Yeah, you're not the only one who figured that out."
Mr. Verim kicks his leg out a bit, showing off his immense power and capability in filling his Halos, separate from the one in his hand, with Blessed power and fixing them to his legs, controlling them with a strengthened will, enough to keep him aloft. Mr. Gentus can't help but wonder how deep his power-well must be to maintain such a feat.
Continued in PART FORTY-THREE…