Chapter 4: Chapter 01 | Ivy Pearls

"Never mistake law for justice;
Justice is an ideal, and law is a tool."

PRESENT
06TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

The smell that day was a nostalgic blend of a sickeningly dry, sweet metallic scent and vomit.

The shadows of the beating were on her skin, and not to mention on her heart. The knowledge that someone she considered a friend could do such a thing just broke something inside of her — something that would remain even after her skin and bones were healed.

Today was a good day not to have feelings — or ears, for that matter. The unsettling noise of malicious laughter sounding from every mouth in the room was beginning to get on her nerves.

There was sadness in her eyes, a heaviness, an unyielding sorrow that robbed her of her once easy smile.

The young girl's body was once again picked up from the floor covered in the crimson red liquid she was used to seeing and thrown into a group of chairs. As a pained hiss automatically fled her bleeding lips for the third time, the sound of the chairs scattering after the collision rang audibly in her ears. She detested the fact all walls inside the academy building were soundproofed. Then again, even if someone else from outside of the classroom had heard this commotion, would they be willing to help a Powerless like her?

The girl doubted it.

"P-please. . . S-stop."

Yet, what was the point of pleading?

"The kingdom has treated you and your people like mere ants. . ."

A choked grunt arose from her throat and escaped her mouth, along with several spits of blood and more vomiting. Listening to her classmates cry out gave her precise visualization of their faces scrunched up in revulsion.

"I don't understand how she could still be allowed here," an all-too-familiar voice of a girl — her betrayer — screamed out, her tone thick with wrath and mock. As the beaten girl's breathing grew more unsteady, she frantically lifted her head to face the student standing before her. "Ivy shouldn't be allowed to attend this academy!"

And for once in her life, Ivy Pearls agreed with the words of her tormentor.

"They have forced your people into slavery and executed them mercilessly!"

"Doesn't it make you wonder why her parents would choose to adopt such a disappointment like her?" another classmate carried on.

"Obviously, they must not love her at all," snickered a third. "Otherwise, why would they allow her to attend an academy filled with people opposite of her kind?"

"Either her parents are idiots," the girl in front of her began again, reaching forward and grabbing ahold of Ivy's jaw, "or, they had no idea of her status until after they adopted her. Most likely the latter. Then again, they could have brought a rat like her into their home to be a servant."

"It's about time someone set them straight and bring upon them the karma they've so terribly deserved for centuries — you."

"Come on, now! Get up, Pearls!" another voice barked from the back of the room. "Get up!"

Ivy would have mistaken them for words of encouragement if she was still that naïve little girl who'd chosen to believe some of the Holders had a little good in them. These heinous monsters clearly did not. They were colder than ice and idolized the feeling of being inhospitable toward those they saw as mere weaklings — the feeling of staring down at a helpless target and being unsympathetic enough to carry on with the beatings. This had been going on for centuries.

"It's time these ferocious beings learn how it feels to be tormented. Remember, Ivy, that all who possess an Amulet are your enemies.

They pointed, they stared, they ridiculed, and they fought. Yet, none of them were willing to put a stop to the narcissism. There was a probability she was going to die right here. Ivy chuckled bitterly to herself at the sudden realization.

That little innocent child she'd grown out of had been too hopeful for this kingdom. The Holders were never going to change.

"Mask your weakness and don't make the same mistakes as the last time you were there."

Don't make the same mistakes?

Ivy Pearls knew better than to repeat her misfortunes.

With her tamed, mid-back length black hair tied into a straight ponytail and a long sword attached to either side of her thin waist, the young girl sauntered through the busy streets of Findara with an objective seated in her mind.

The tremendous crowd seemed to have a life of its own, each person moving just as though unseen hands were dragging them this way and that, pulling their eyes to one thing and then another. The high-spirited clothes shone in the afternoon light and people moved about like enchanting shoals of fish. They responded in foreseeable ways, each of them with a goal to achieve for the day. There was chatter between sellers and buyers, young children running about as some played amongst themselves, old friends catching up and new friends made.

Regardless of the cheery mood, Ivy knew better than to trust the elated grins on their faces. How could they laugh and dance when there were people suffering right in front of them?

Even in the bitter September cold, Ivy could feel the warmth of bodies pressing against hers. Worst of all, she could smell them too — a mighty accumulation of over-applied cologne, perfumes, and body odour. Each careful step the young girl took was steered toward one of the registration tables that'd been set up while her snow-white horse strolled alongside her.

Although it was difficult to apprehend what anyone was saying as they were all speaking at once, it didn't take Ivy long to notice the attention she'd brought upon herself. Half of her face was covered with a handkerchief, but, was there a possibility someone recognized her?

No, it couldn't be. It'd been three years since she was last inside of the kingdom, after all.

Perhaps, it wasn't really her their eyes were focused on. This was what being habituated to noxious attention did to her. Even during those three years spent far away from this death-dealing kingdom, memories of past maltreatment would never leave her mind.

Eventually choosing to disregard the whispers echoing from all directions, Ivy neared the registration table. She pounded an arm against it to retrieve the attention of the man in charge, not interesting herself in how ill-mannered the behaviour had come off.

"Are you here for the academy?"

The girl cocked her head sideways, her eyebrows sculpting into a glare appalling enough to make the man grasp onto the fact he'd asked such a foolish question. "Of course, you are," he mumbled. She could practically discern the beads of sweat gliding down his portly cheeks as he anxiously glanced down at the paper placed on the table in front of him.

"Just write your full name down here," the man instructed after shifting the paper and an antique red-feathered quill pen her way. "I assume you're a Holder? Well, you are obliged to be. Every student ought to be in possession of a real Amulet if they wish to apply for the academy. Were you not told of this?"

Ignoring his rant, Ivy reached forward and picked up the pen. At first, she scanned the paper, quietly reading the names of many others who'd already registered as she stroked the red feather. Even as she began to scribble her name down, Ivy could feel the man's puzzled eyes examining her bare neck.

"Y-you know. . ." he began again, his eyes never peeling away. "Holders wear their Amulets so they don't get mistaken for Powerless beings. You would do the same if you were intelligent."

The young girl's lips curved into a minor smirk, pushing the writing materials toward the man. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you."

The man pressed his lips together, his offended eyes giving the impression of someone struggling to hold back his anger. "You youngsters really don't know how to respect your elders," he uttered with a low scoff.

"At least, I'm not an elder who doesn't know when to stick to his own knitting." Shrugging with a sneer, Ivy stepped away from the table.

When walking through the crowd grew too much for her, Ivy hopped back on her steed, and, as the animal calmly ambled forward, the young girl's eyes studied each direction of the immeasurable kingdom. Nothing appeared to have changed since the last time she was here — the Holders were more ignorant than ever and the Powerless beings had gotten to a point where defending themselves was impossible.

At least, she hadn't come back for nothing.

The forthcoming academy was a slightly new inclusion, however. To Ivy, it was just another academy, yet, every other Holder behaved as though this academy was going to bring the kingdom more greatness. Ivy rolled her eyes at the thought as she stopped her horse a few feet away from two women seated around a smooth rounded wooden folding table.

More greatness? She scoffed. The Holders did not need any more power.

"Ah yes, a new school opening for the youngsters," one of the women began to speak, watching the other gradually peel the orange in her hands. "It's a good thing they're being taught to use their abilities more efficiently, especially since the Outsiders are becoming more of a menace to this kingdom, wouldn't you say? We weren't this fortunate back in the day. It's nice to have some protection."

The Outsiders? Ivy frowned. How much had she really missed during the past three years?

"I suppose this means the Powerless beings won't be allowed to attend, huh?" the second woman chipped in with a cackle before quickly shifting the orange peels away from her side.

"What kind of a silly question is that?!" the first barked, crossing her scraggly arms over her chest. "Of course, they won't. What have they got to show, anyway? The Powerless are all just useless wastes of space we're forced to share this world with. Do you know how excruciating it is just looking at their worthless faces?"

"Hey, if the Outsiders ever come to attack this kingdom again, we throw the Powerless beings to them. Good riddance to them all." The second woman flung a piece of the fruit into her mouth after the words, chewing annoyingly loud.

"But then, who would clean our houses or run errands for us?" The first shook her head immediately. "As irritating as they are, we can't give them away. Then again, we've tolerated their ungrateful butts for years. Hopefully, this year, things can get a little easier for us."

Yes, I, too, hope for that. Ivy shut her eyes for a brief second. The women's conversation could only cram her mind. I'll make sure the unfairness ends this year, except, it won't be the Powerless on their knees, begging for mercy.

Not this time.

She turned her horse around, determination pulsing through her veins. It spread like wildfire as soon as her eyes suddenly docked on a familiar building, which contained her number-one foes — the Royals. Once again, Ivy's lips extended into an ill-disposed grin as she proceeded to stare at the massive palace, her heart pumping with great ecstasy from visualizing all the things she would do to bring the entire structure down.

"Don't you dare give up now, Pearls! Is this how you want to look in the eyes of your enemies? An easy target?"

"Of course not!"

"Listen to me, Ivy. In order to bring the whole kingdom to their knees, you must first bring the Royals to their knees. But, you can't do that in this weak state. You must understand that."

Shoving the abrupt memory to the very back of her head, the young girl glanced away from the palace. She would have ridden away back to the old, torn-apart and abandoned house she'd found and settled in if not for an unanticipated argument that arbitrarily came into earshot.

Or perhaps, it was anticipated, after all, she was able to effortlessly identify one of the voices. It'd been a voice she couldn't quite get out of her mind over the past three years — a voice belonging to the same betrayer that furthered her misery. When Ivy began to near the loud quarrel, it wasn't surprising in the slightest to see she'd guessed it correctly.

Well, well, well. We meet again.

You are reading story No Mercy (Amulet #1) at novel35.com

In front of her, about ten feet away, stood Athena Zelda, screaming at a guard with both hands clenched. Telling from the dark brown splotches spread all over her once pristine gown, Ivy could immediately tell that the guard had mistakenly spilled something on her, which must have caused the fight, to begin with.

She's for sure not changed, at all.

Ivy carefully got off the steed and advanced toward the two bickering in the middle of what appeared to be a small tea party. Of course, it was. Athena loved having those a lot. It was more of gossiping than tea-drinking for her, however. Ivy would know.

Several other girls were crowded around Athena and the guard, cheering their friend on as the screeching hot-headed spoilt child continued to throw insult after insult at the man. The guard just stood there, rolling his eyes and scoffing to himself. It was easily understood by anyone there that a tremendous part of him was too terrified of maligning the daughter of the King's best friend.

Coward! Ivy couldn't help but think.

Swiftly after she neared the party, Ivy grabbed the man's arm and yanked him away from the girls, a small death stare sent his way as a warning to walk away while he still could. The guard seemed offended for a second at the idea of someone else pushing him around, yet, when he believed he'd pieced two and two together and speculated she could have just been another one of Athena's close friends, the man whirled around and speedily strode away.

Nothing about what had just occurred bettered Athena's angry state, her fury shifting from the guard to Ivy. "Who do you think you are?" Her shrieking only grew louder as she took a step forward. "Why in the world would you go and do that? I was still speaking to that man and you just rudely interrupted. Do you have the slightest idea who I am?"

"Do you have the slightest idea who I am?"

Athena's glare deformed in a twinkling of an eye at the sound of her voice, a bewildered expression now melted to her face. The girl pointed an unsteady finger at Ivy in an attempt to hold her undaunted posture, regardless, Ivy could already see through her discomposure.

"You better walk away this instant if you know what's good for you," the headstrong girl hissed through gritted teeth. "You don't want to mess with someone who's got the Royals on her side. I assure you that would be a huge mistake."

"Still using your status as an excuse for every little thing?" Ivy shook her head slowly, although, not at all disbelieved. "I'm not certain whether I should be disappointed or glad at the fact your character hasn't changed even now. But, what I am certain of is that you're going to make this incredibly easy for me, Athena."

"W-who are you?"

Yet, even with the question, Ivy knew she'd already figured it out. Why else would her voice sound so unstable? "I asked for your name. Answer me this instant, you fool!"

Ivy stepped closer whilst her fingers reached for her mask. Once close enough to whisper in the stunned girl's ear, Ivy — with pleasure — gradually dragged the piece of black cloth down, showcasing her entire face.

"I'm the person who's going to bring this entire kingdom to its knees."

---

07TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

"Welcome to Day Zero of Amulet Academy."

Ivy drew her attention away from the announcer. Despite the fact the academy hadn't officially begun, she couldn't miss the chance to make an unforgettable appearance. There was no such thing as commencing her plot too early — the quicker, the better, in fact.

"Are you ready to see what your new academy looks like?" the announcer called out again, standing before the entrance. There was a feeling of jubilation in the crowd of students, as though they were both firmly on solid ground and levitating all at once.

Day Zero was unique — even Ivy had to admit so. It was a day in which students were given an hour opportunity to attentively look around the aspects of inside the academy. They were to become adjusted to their main classes, teachers, and the set of students they'd been paired with as classmates before the schooldays began.

As the announcer went on and on about how magnificent the academy was, how hard the Royals had worked to prepare it, and how much every student was going to enjoy their time, Ivy glanced around, her eyes landing on face after face. In search of a familiar feature led her to wishing her attention had skipped over the very first one she came across.

Alvin!

What in the world was he doing here?

Ah, of course. How could she ask such a mindless question? Alvin was bound to be at a place like this if it meant getting the attention he believed he deserved. Watching the boy shake hands and receive several waves from other students left Ivy pondering over her adoptive family. Just how better had their lives gotten after she abandoned the kingdom?

The first stop once inside the building was the office, a spacious room for the selected headmaster positioned near the entrance doors. In there, students collected piece of papers that consisted of information regarding where their classrooms — and who their teachers — were.

Regardless of her hatred for the Holders, Ivy had to confess how tremendously organized everything was, so far. So perhaps, the Royals really had put a lot of thought into this.

"Hey! You over there!"

The young girl paused in her tracks and turned back, her eyes coming across a middle-aged guard who calmly strolled over to where she was standing. The man scanned her head to toe before eventually nodding as if in confirmation.

"Yes, you seem to match the description."

"Match the description for what?" Ivy frowned. "What is going on?" She had not been anticipating this much attention so soon, after all, she'd only just stepped inside her classroom. A very disappointing classroom, she had to be honest. There was nobody in here she knew.

"There's been a slight change," the guard informed, leading her out of the room. "For whatever reason, Athena Zelda wants you in the same classroom as hers."

"Athena?"

"Yes. What other Athena Zelda do you know?" the man rolled his eyes mockingly.

Ivy's mood lightened at the news, new hope blooming inside of her. She felt a sudden flare of relief, barely able to conceal her delight. So, the encounter with Athena yesterday hadn't been for nothing. Being in the same class as someone she knew well — someone she was formally good friends with — greatly motivated Ivy to carry on with her devious plan and not fail.

Athena was perfect for that role.

Ivy's heart hammered in her chest as she took a good scan of the new room, suppressing a shiver at the thought of Alvin being her classmate. Knowing her formal best friend and adoptive brother had dated previously, Ivy knew it was quite possible. Fortunately, the spoilt brat and one other well-known boy were the only ones in the room she recognized.

Contentment filled the young girl's heart, and though she knew it was quite pathetic of her to still fear someone like Alvin, Ivy did not care, at the moment. All her mind concentrated on was how she was going to commence her ploy.

With unnoticed eagerness, Ivy selected the empty seat at the very back, farthest to the right. As she sauntered over to it, her hidden smirk expanded at the sight of Athena unable to look away from her. Questions of many kinds must have been roaming about in that girl's head. On the other hand, the only question in Ivy's own head was why Athena would choose to have them together in the same class. Perhaps, the girl wanted to keep an eye on her? Athena always had a thing for keeping an eye out for those she considered enemies.

After minutes of the class patiently and excitedly waiting, the door eventually opened and a man, possibly in his early thirties, whom Ivy speculated was their educator, walked inside. Without uttering a single word, he picked up one of the writing materials at the front and neatly wrote a name on the board.

"Call me Mr. Burton," he declared. "For the first thirty minutes, you'll be in here with me. For the last thirty minutes, you'll be given the opportunity to look around the academy.

"We do this so you can take a look at your future classrooms and memorize where they are, therefore, feel free to ask any questions.

"I want to learn about each of you," the man proceeded, pacing back and forth as he spoke. "But, who in the world cares about names, your favourite foods and such? Most certainly not me." His words earned a few cackles here and there. "No, I'm more intrigued in learning about the powers you possess. That is the reason this academy exists, in the first place, is it not? Therefore, without further delay, please take out your Amulets, and then, we can begin."

Exhilarated chatters filled the room as students shuffled about, either reaching into their pockets or bags to bring out the requested item. Most of them, however, appeared to already have their Amulets hanging around their necks.

In the end, only one student sat with a bare neck.

The man took his time, conscientiously glancing from one student to another until his eyes docked on the disobedient student seated at the back with legs and arms folded.

"Hey, you!" he pointed a finger at the indifferent girl, seething inwardly at the failure of everyone following his simple orders. "Are we going to have problems, young lady?" He glowered, a minor scoff leaving his mouth. "I've dealt with unruly people like you, so don't think for a second that I am intimidated by this rebellious act."

All fifteen pairs of eyes goggled at Ivy in complete disbelief. She was now the center of attention as the educator made his way to her seat. The young girl's invisible grin — which would have been considered nefarious in the eyes of many Holders if they could see it — broadened to see everything was transpiring as envisioned. It was all going according to plan.

Having everyone — especially Athena Zelda since she was such a distinguished being now — believe she was, even now, the same vulnerable little girl as she had been three years ago was essential to her plot. Only then could she strike when least anticipated. And if she played her cards right, even Queen Matilda was sure to get thrown into the equation somehow.

"I'm going to ask you this once and I expect an honest answer," the man proceeded, standing right in front of the silent girl. "Where is your Amulet? Everyone else has got theirs."

Ivy looked up, her surly eyes staring into his interrogating ones. "But, what if I haven't got an Amulet, Mr. Burton?" she challenged.

Several gasps crammed the room, in an instant, her classmates and even the man himself taken back by her response. Regardless, Athena's reaction remained different, almost as though she had been yearning for this exact moment to transpire and was elated with the results.

Athena could have possibly been reminiscing the days of her loneliness after everyone ultimately found out she was not born with a necklace. Ivy wouldn't have been surprised if she was. Her foe tended to better her feelings by recollecting memories of other people's misery, particularly people she didn't have much of a liking to.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Mr. Burton sighed, quivering with frustration. "This isn't the first time I've seen something like this occur. At the previous academy I taught at, a desperate Powerless snuck in and pretended to be one of us. How utterly humiliating to do such a thing."

"What Mr. Burton is implying. . . is it true?" the well-known boy Ivy was familiar with questioned. Ivy could see him attempting not to burst into laughter at the idea of a Powerless being having snuck inside.

"Of course, it's true!" Mr. Burton cried out. "The Powerless beings will do anything to run away from their fate. Such cowards they are."

"And such pig-ignorant people they are, as well," Athena added with a sneer.

Mr. Burton lowered himself to Ivy's height, raising the volume of his voice as if he wasn't already loud enough. "You need to be in possession of an Amulet to be a student in this academy. It's mandatory. I'm quite certain that was obvious from the very start."

It was. I suppose I just like to stir up drama.

"What's your name, young lady?"

Upon hearing the question, Ivy straightened up while her uninterested face altered into a dour expression. "The name's Ivy. Ivy Pearls!"

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