Lord of Annihilation

Chapter 42: Eyes - The Windows of One's Soul

Upon hearing that loud authoritative voice, laced with long years of experience and solemness, all the students turned around to look at the doorway leading into the classroom. Standing there was a man of large stature, with broad shoulders and head full of black hair.His eyes looked serious and his face was solemn. While he did not speak after his earlier outburst and just stood there quietly, all the students present in the room could sense that stifling atmosphere.

This man was their professor and currently he was greatly angered. The students immediately quietened up and dared not to breathe too loudly. This man was one of the leading figures in humanity's progress in science. He was one of the most important scientists in the Alliance, wielding great power and influence. Even the families of most of the students here could not take this man lightly.

The professor looked around the room, taking a deep breath he spoke in a deep voice, "Can anyone tell me what's going on in here?", his voice paused for a second as he turned around to face the naked boy, "And Student Bill, please dress yourself."

"Ye-yes!", Bill's voice shuddered. He knew that, this usually easy going professor of his was greatly angered today. Not daring to waste anymore time, he pushed down the anger he was feeling and hurriedly dressed himself.

"Lucius, please stand up and tell me what happened." the professor instructed,.

Lucius unhurriedly stood up. Wearing a calm expression, he explained the events in an even tone. He objectively presented the events, only hiding the fact that he influenced BIll's mind.

None of the other students dared to interrupt including BIll. They all understood that they were in the wrong!

One Lucius was done speaking, he remained standing, but had also quietened. THe professor who had heard the entire thing nodded his eyes and slowly looked across the faces of each and every student. His gaze paused upon thiers for a few seconds, only for them to evade his piercing gaze. He could clearly feel the guilt that was emanating from each and every one of them.

Looking through everyone, his gaze finally rested on Lucius. Lucius who had been quietly observing the professor noticed his gaze. He then moved his eyes to stare directly into the professors eyes. Lucius' gaze was immeasurably deep and calm. It was like an unmoving dark lake. At the very depths of the lake, was a tiny hint of indifference.

'So this is the boy, that my little niece Reyna has taken an interest in.' The professor thought to himself. His brows suddenly tightened as he felt Lucius gaze meet his. Upon meeting that calm gaze, a sudden feeling of unease and terror sprouted in his heart. 'Wha..?' before he could make complete sense of the situation Lucius broke away from his line of sight and started to stare at the ground.

'What was that feeling? I felt afraid?', the professor could not make sense of the emotions he felt a short second ago. Being well into his 40's, his experience was vast. Due his innate genius and world shaking contributions, the professor had met all kind of people. People with intentions both good and bad.

Yet, he had never felt such an intention ever before in his life. It was a feeling of being insignificant! The feeling that a prey would have upon meeting it's natural predator. Still, he could not quite grasp that feeling and pushed it to the back of his mind.

'I have to inform elder brother, to protect Reyna from this boy. This kid is not so simple!', taking a deep breath he slowly spoke.

"So Student Bill, tell me why did you approach Student Lucius?"

Bill being questioned, stammered, "I-I just wanted to ask him, why he was absent for weeks!" he quickly made an excuse.

The professor then continued, "Then why were you dancing naked when I came in. Was that also a part of your inquiry?"

Bills face reddened to the extreme when he heard the question. Both his hands were clenched so tightly that veins could be seen on the surface of his skin. The feeling of shame that he was currently feeling was to the extreme. His anger having returned he furiously grit his teeth and spoke, :"It was this Lucius fault! He did something to me and my body obeyed his commands without me knowing."

The professor truly being curious asked, "Your body obeyed his commands without you knowing? Student Bill can you hear what nonsense you are currently speaking? Are you implying that, Student Lucius used magic to control you?", his tone was amusing towards the end.

Bill, huffed loudly. Gritting his teeth even harder, he spoke, "....No."

"Good, because if that was what you were thinking, then something seriously is wrong with your head. Meet me after class to receive your punishment. Go back to your seat." giving out his commands, the professor walked into the elevated teaching platform in order to start the lesson.

Bill's face which had turned pale with that instruction, flushed red with his blood. Turning around he stared at Lucius with flames of intense hatred shining in his eyes.

'Lucius! I will never forgive you for today's humiliation!' he venomously spat within his mind.

Lucius who obviously noticed this reaction from Bill, did not react to it in any form. Yet inwardly he smiled, 'Useless ants can also become surprisingly useful. With this, I have started my preparations for my later plans. '

Being done with Bill, Lucius threw this matter to the back of his head and started to listen to the class. Or atleast put on the impression of doing so.

'Now, I only have to deal with that teacher.'

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The day slowly passed with no other major incident happening. Lucius also passed the uneventful day in solitude not bothering to interact with anyone else. Plus nobody dared to approach him after the events this morning.

Still, Lucius quite liked it when he was unbothered. Not having the always talkaive Ka'lor'ah on him, was also refreshing.

'I must do this from time to time.' Lucius thought to himself.

Lucius and Ka'lor'ah had their sould conjoined to each other. This allowed them to know what each other was thinking and feeling to a certain extent. Of course, the thoughts that they don't want the other to be heard could also be hidden.

While this connection was convenient to a certain extent, there also existed some restrictions. The chief one being that, they could not remain too far away from each other. Of course with the improvement in Lucius' soul cultivation, this restriction would slowly loosen.

The sky was currently darkening with the onset on evening. Classes had mostly concluded and most of the students were either retreating back to their rooms. or heading towards their nightly activities.

Being done with his tasks and extra classes for today, Lucius walked out of the lecture hall in which he had been sitting in.

A wind blew across him, leaving behind a pleasant cool feeling. Bright lights were present in various locations illuminating this dark scene. He could hear distant voices, with the atmosphere being joyous and enjoyable. Youths could be seen moving about, each enjoying their life in the academy, to their best extents. Who knows whether they would be able to meet these friends of theirs in the future, once each of them moved on about their lives.

Academy life was one of the most exciting and enjoyable experience in a person's life. Each person undergoes a large plethora of events, which leave behind various experiences on their minds. These experiences gradually shape their minds and eventually build their characters for the rest of their lives.

Lucius who stood within the darkness of the building, stood there with an unmoved face. He felt neither jealousy, envy nor sadness at his predicament. Only the everlasting emptiness was present in his heart.

Lucius was all alone. He knew this fact very well.

Over the 300 years, he was constantly faced with situations of losing someone he loved or someone close to him. No matter how hard he tried to save them, he simply couldn't. Friends? Family? Lovers? Lucius could never remain with anyone of them for too long.

It was like, people who meant something to him, or had a place in his heart were destined to die.

These experiences gradually shaped him and led to his current personality. One that was of an empty was of an unfeeling mind and an empty husk containing a icy heart, one so frigid that it would never move once more.

Staring at this scene with an indifferent gaze, Lucius closed his eyes just to open them a few seconds later. His previously black irises had a ring of red present in them. The scene before Lucius eyes was completely different.

There was no longer any bright lights, no longer any of the darkness of the night. no silhouettes of the young students. Only a crimson world was present in his eyes.

The ground, the sky, the trees all of them were colored in a deep blood like color. Even the grass on the ground and the leaves on the trees were shaded in crimson color. Lucius could see everything in this world!

Spots of lights were present here and there representing the souls of the various life forms present in his view. All life forms had souls in them and Lucius could see it's truest essence. Of course this was because his soul cultivation was vastly greater than them. If there was another lifeform in a higher stage than Lucius, he cannot see them.

The only other color in this blood-stained world was a line of bright gold. This golden line was present, quite a distance away and was heading in a certain direction.

William Shakespeare once said: The eyes are the windows of the soul.

This was the world that Lucius saw. The world that he was allowed to see. The sight that was gifted to him by the [Killer] soul.

And in this world, Lucius was all alone. Well, him and one more person currently.

'I can see his traces. Time to move.' Lucius thought as he immediately started to follow that golden line. It was about time to find out what that teacher knew about him!