Relief washed over me. Ramon hadn't faltered; he hadn't let Brooke's manipulative tactics cloud his judgment. I knew he was vulnerable to Brooke, given his feelings for her. He could have easily been swayed by her charm, but he wasn't. Why did I ever doubt him?

I whispered to myself, my voice filled with astonishment and admiration, "He did it. Ramon did it"

The scene unfolded like a macabre ballet of despair. Renee stood, her trembling form framed by the harsh light, casting haunting shadows on the walls. The guards, their faces stoic masks of duty, circled around her, their eyes devoid of emotion, betraying no hint of remorse for the pain they were about to inflict. With practiced precision, the guards approached Renee, their hands firm yet gentle as they secured her to the towering stake. Her dress, once a symbol of her royal status, hung in tatters, exposing her back to the room.

The guards faces, hardened with resolve, raised the whip with deliberate and calculated motion. Their hands, calloused and steady, gripped the leather-bound handle tightly. As they lifted the whip, it arched gracefully through the air. The whip itself was a fearsome instrument of punishment. Its long, braided leather strands tapered to a cruelly pointed end, designed to maximize the impact of each strike. The leather was weathered and stained, evidence of its frequent use in meting out discipline. The whip crackled with an air of menace as it sliced through the stillness, a sound that sent shudders down my spine and that of those present.

As the first strike landed, Renee's body convulsed, her cry of pain a raw, heart-wrenching sound that cut through the silence like a dagger. With every motion, the guards brought the whip down upon Renee's back, the leather strands unfurling like vengeful serpents seeking their prey. The impact was sharp and unforgiving, the sound of the whip meeting flesh reverberating through the hall. Each strike left a raw, red welt in its wake, the skin breaking under the force of the blows. Her cries became more desperate, more primal, as if pleading for mercy from a world that had abandoned her.

"I wouldn't want to be her," Celeste joked

A sinister grin spread across my lips, hidden behind the façade of concern. Inwardly, I was ecstatic, my heart pounding with adrenaline-fueled delight. With every pang of Renee's suffering, my spirits soared higher, intoxicated by the taste of vengeance. Perse's memory urged me on, a silent cheerleader in the depths of my consciousness. How I longed to share this triumph with her, to see her proud smile as I exacted justice upon The Radiance.

"Stop! Stop it, please!" Morrison's desperate screams cut through the air, his voice hoarse with a mixture of anger and despair. He fought against the guards, his futile attempts to reach Renee mirroring the futility of their situation. Renee's voice, was now a mere whisper, choked with sorrow. "Morrison," she gasped, her eyes locking onto his with a profound sadness. "I love you. I'm so sorry." Her words hung in the air, heavy with regret

His fists clenched and unclenched, his nails digging into his palms as he watched the woman he loved endure unbearable torment "It's not your fault, Angel," he whispered, tears streaming down his face like a relentless rain. His voice cracked echoing the depths of his despair. "It's not your fault," he repeated, his words a desperate plea to absolve her of the unbearable burden she carried.

I looked up at Ramon, tracing the path of his gaze to where Jamal stood. Ramon's eyes were clouded with guilt, his head bowed low, his tears threatening to fall, his locs concealing his face. "I hurt him," he whispered, his voice heavy with remorse.

I gently cupped his face, guiding it to meet my eyes. "Look at me," I urged, my touch tender. "This isn't your fault. You did what had to be done. Jamal's sorrow shall pass, and in the long run, you saved him from a monster like Renee ."

Ramon sighed, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his emotions. "I just wish he didn't have to be this hurt. He really loved her."

I nodded understandingly, my heart aching for Jamal and Morrison's pain. Despite the necessity of our actions, the collateral damage weighed heavily on us all

"This is madness! We can't just stand here and watch," Jamal hissed, his voice echoing with frustration and despair.

Paris, her tear-streaked face a portrait of anguish, chimed in, her words laden with desperation. "We need to do something about it. We can't let this continue"

"We need to do something," Celeste mocked, her voice laced with bitter sarcasm. "Maybe go kick a bucket and die."

I shot Celeste a sharp look, my laughter catching in my throat "Stop making jokes,"

Celeste raised her hands in surrender. "Sorry for finding humor in the face of tragedy," she said a smile forming on her lips.

"You're not wrong," I replied, joining in a hushed laughter with her.

"What can we do?" Brooke's voice quivered with a mix of fear and confusion, her eyes darting around the room as if seeking an escape from the harsh reality.

"What can we do?" Jamal's question hung heavy in the air, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "You did this," he accused, his voice a raw expression of betrayal and grief. He lunged at Brooke, his pain transforming into fury, and Ramon instinctively rushed forward, grasping Jamal's arms to restrain him.

"I didn't do it," Brooke's words emerged as a feeble whisper, drowned out by Jamal's accusations.

"Oh? Just like you didn't kiss Damien?," Jamal's voice cracked with emotion

"Jamal, people are watching," Paris interjected, her plea for restraint tinged with helplessness. "Please, calm down."

"Oh, look who is talking, Brooke's loyal dog? " Jamal sneered, his words dripping with disdain. "You're a fool if you think Brooke cares about you"

"Watch your mouth," Brooke retorted, her eyes flashing with defiance.

The audacity she has.

Jamal, overcome by a surge of anger, pushed himself free from Ramon's hold, his emotions fueling the flames that flickered around his fingers. "You fucking heartless traitor," tears streamed down his face, his voice breaking with each accusation. "You did this to your own friend. Why?" He roared in anger as he shot flames at Brooke "what did she ever do to you"

Damien stepped forward, positioning himself as a shield in front of Brooke. His hands glowed with a soft aura, creating droplets of water that formed a shield around him in anticipation of Jamal's attacks.

Maylee's eyes flickered with a mix of concern and frustration, intervened with a gust of winds, forcibly separating the warring parties. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, her voice carrying the weight of authority, yet tinged with a hint of desperation.

"Maylee, stay out of this," Jamal warned, his voice sharp with anger, yet tinged with a note of despair, as if he had reached a breaking point.

"The downfall of the Radiance" Celeste said elated

"Like music to my ears " I said with a smile

"Jamal..." Renee's voice called out, a fragile whisper, cracked with the weight of her suffering. It hung in the air like a plea, a desperate cry for mercy, for someone to see her not as a fallen princess, but as a vulnerable young woman, battered and broken. The timbre of her voice carried a myriad of emotions - pain, fear, and a profound sense of betrayal by a world that had once worshipped her.

In response, Jamal's face contorted with a mixture of sorrow and helplessness. He met Renee's gaze, his eyes mirroring her pain.

With a heavy heart, Renee bowed her head in shame, her spirit broken, her dignity stripped away. The weight of the onlookers' judgment bore down on her, intensifying her humiliation. "Please, make it stop!" she pleaded, her voice cracking with every word. With a heartbreaking whimper, she called out to Jamal, her voice carrying the weight of their shattered friendship. "Jamal, help me," she begged, her gaze filled with both desperation and shame.

The room seemed to close in around them, the air heavy with the acrid scent of fear and suffering. Renee's body, was now a canvas of agony, each welt and bruise telling a story of cruelty.

Renee's body sagged against the stake, bloodied and broken. Blood dripped from her back, forming ghastly patterns on the ground beneath her. Her once-glamorous hair now hung in disheveled tangles, framing her face like a tragic halo.

Professor Elara's voice cut through the stillness, her command firm and unrelenting. "Next stage: mandatory student shorning."

Bowls of raw eggs were distributed among the students, the viscous liquid gleaming under the harsh lights. The air crackled with tension as the students hesitated, their faces contorted with a mix of horror and disgust. They knew what was expected of them, yet the cruelty of the task weighed heavily on their conscience.

With reluctant hands, they grasped the slimy contents of their bowls, their fingers trembling as they took aim. The first egg soared through the air, hitting Renee square in the chest. A gasp rippled through the room, followed by a sickening splat as egg met flesh. Renee winced, her body flinching involuntarily at the impact.

The room erupted into a frenzy as more eggs followed, pelting Renee from all directions. Each impact elicited a stifled cry from her, her stoic facade cracking under the onslaught. Eggshells shattered, releasing their contents in a grotesque spectacle of violence and humiliation.

The students, their faces contorted with a mix of disgust and guilt, continued to throw the eggs, unable to meet Renee's eyes. Their hands trembled, their aim faltering as they struggled with the weight of their actions. Yet, they dared not defy Professor Elara's decree, their fear of reprisal outweighing their moral qualms.

"Your turn," Celeste whispered, her eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. I nodded, my heart pounding with a mix of exhilaration and vindictiveness. Moving closer to Renee, I clenched my fists, trying to channel the anger that fueled my actions. "For Perse," I murmured, my voice laced with resentment as I hurled the eggs at her.

I looked up to Ramon, who stared at her with pity in his eyes, his expression torn between empathy and helplessness. "Sorry," he mouthed

"Sorry?" I seethed, my fury bubbling over. How dare they pretend to sympathize now? Where was their remorse when Perse suffered at their hands? My fingers tightened around another egg, the sensation grounding me amidst the chaos. With a renewed surge of anger, I launched it at Renee, each throw punctuating my silent vow to make them pay for the pain they'd caused.

The room reeked of raw eggs and despair, a nauseating blend of odors that hung in the air long after the torment had ended. The students, their hearts heavy with guilt, slowly lowered their empty bowls, their faces pale and eyes haunted by the memory of what they had just participated in.

"From now on," Professor Elara declared, her voice carrying the weight of authority, "Renee Sterling is no longer a Royal. She is demoted to Gerists, and she will relocate from the Grade 1 princess dorm to the Gerist floor. She will no longer possess a shimmer, and all royal privileges, along with the rules that govern them, will be stripped away. We will find a suitable replacement for her by the end of the year."

"In the name of the deities who we serve ," she concluded, her tone unwavering.

"The gods and goddesses we entrust our lives to, be with us now and forever more. Buhers," we responded in unison, our voices echoing through the hall, a solemn oath binding us to the deities we revered.

Professor Elara, flanked by the Grade Five royals standing behind her, left the room, her presence fading like a retreating storm.

Next stop, Paris

Authors note
Guys I think my writing is getting better as compared to the first 10 chapters or so . I don't know which writing style to stick to. Sometimes I write so childish like wattpad-y then other times I write maturely. Are you guys okay with the switch or I should stick to one? I'm dying over here. HELP😭

Q/A
Which series are you binge watching rn ?