Raiden Alaric

I woke up to two things.

One, a pounding headache, like I’d been hit by a truck carrying another truck. When Chronos was the one to enter my aether realm at most I felt like I spun around in place so after about 15 seconds I was fine. But now that two people entered it was like I got whiplash.

Two, Selena’s face. Way too close. Like, alarmingly close. My vision was still blurry from waking up, but the first thing I registered was the glint of her glasses reflecting the dim light, then the deep purple of her eyes, wide with curiosity.

She was leaning in. And not in the oh, I’m just checking on your well-being kind of way. More like the I am an unhinged scientist and you are a fascinating specimen kind of way.

Her nose was inches from mine, and I could feel her warm breath against my face.

I blinked. She inched closer. I blinked again. Her gaze didn’t waver. At this point, I wasn’t even sure she was breathing.

If you kiss me I'll scream.

I thought this but seeing her more closely, she's kinda pretty not going to lie. I guess I wouldn't mind…

And then, finally, “…Are you human?” Her voice was soft. Curious. Maybe a little too curious.

I stared at her. Then at Chronos, who was standing behind her with his arms crossed, looking like this was entirely normal.

Then back at Selena. Then back at Chronos. Then, with the seriousness of someone who had completely given up on understanding anything, I asked—

“…Do I need to be worried right now?”

Chronos burst out laughing, a deep, amused chuckle that did nothing to ease my growing concern.

Selena, however, didn’t even flinch.

She just kept staring, unblinking, her deep purple eyes locked onto mine as if she could see through me—like if she looked hard enough, she’d find something that proved I wasn’t human.

I swallowed. “Uh… hello? Earth to Selena?” Nothing.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if deep in thought.

“They say the eyes are the gateway to the soul,” she murmured.

Oh no.

That’s never a good sentence to hear from someone inspecting you like an artifact.

I could almost see the gears turning in her head as she examined me, searching for something. Some revelation. Some secret buried in the depths of my gaze.

I blinked. She blinked. I blinked again. She frowned. Then she sighed. “Damn. That didn’t work.”

Before I could ask what the hell she expected to find, she did something far worse.

She grabbed me. And not just grabbed, she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug, cradling me like some kind of rare treasure.

“My poor Rai-Bear,” she cooed, rubbing her cheek against my head. I froze.

Chronos, still chuckling, muttered, “Oh no. You’ve been claimed.”

“Claimed?!?” I yelped, flailing slightly. “This isn’t how check ups work! Wait, Rai-Bear?”

Selena ignored me.

“You’re so precious,” she sighed, patting my head like I was some exotic creature she had discovered and vowed to protect.

I turned to Chronos for help. He just smirked and shrugged.

“You might as well accept it,” he said, amusement dripping from his voice. “She’s stubborn.”

I gritted my teeth. “Chronos, if you don’t get her off me, I swear to the Celestial—”

Selena squeezed me tighter. “Nope,” she said cheerfully. “Mine now.”

Chronos gave a sigh of defeat, “Since my precious disciple has been claimed by the mad scientist. It's out of my hands now.”

I wanted to cry.

She continued to rub her cheek against my head, humming contentedly.

"My Rai-Bear, don’t worry. I’ll make sure the tests we run don’t hurt."

“That’s… not my biggest concern right now.” I squirmed, trying to create any kind of distance between us. “I’m more concerned about the fact that you’re suddenly calling me Rai-Bear.”

"Hush, Rai-Bear," she whispered, her tone far too affectionate for comfort. "We’ll solve this mystery no matter…"

She paused. Then she sniffed me. I froze.

“…Did you just—?”

She sniffed me again.

I tried desperately to wiggle free, but she was stupidly strong. I mean, her frail, sleep-deprived appearance was extremely misleading. I was genuinely unable to escape.

“Chronos… help,” I whimpered.

He raised his hands in surrender, looking far too entertained by my suffering.

"Sorry, but she has now claimed you as one of her precious artifacts she has to research."

Selena nodded sagely, squeezing me tighter. "Don't worry," she cooed. "I'll feed you, and you can sleep in my bed."

“Oh yeah… I’m sure that phrasing will hold up in court.”

I shook my head, trying to push her away, not that it was working. “Okay, now seriously. What did you guys see? Apparently, it was enough to make me get coddled the pretty mad scientist.”

Selena stilled, then with no hesitation whatsoever, she tilted her head slightly and smiled with a light blush on her cheeks. "You really think I'm pretty?"

I blinked.

Wait. Wait. Oh no.

“Oh, you womanizer," she teased, grinning wildly. "How old are you? Fifteen, right?"

Something deep in my soul told me to shut up and not engage. But I made the mistake of opening my mouth.

“…Yeah?”

Selena clasped her hands together, eyes shining.

"Just three more years, huh?" She nodded to herself, completely serious. "I’ll wait for you. I’ve waited twenty years for test results, so this can work."

I stared at her in horror.

“…That has nothing to do with my question.” Then realization hit me. “Wait—why are you trying to pre-order me?!”

Chronos, who had been chuckling quietly in the background, finally stepped forward and attempted to pry me from her arms.

Selena hissed like a feral animal, tightening her grip. “No, he’s mine.” Chronos pulled harder. “I won’t let anyone else have my precious Rai-Bear.”

This was my life now.

Just when I thought I might actually suffocate from scientific affection, Selena finally loosened her grip.

I exhaled in relief as she released me. Or at least, I thought she did. Until I tried to step away. I barely moved an inch before I felt resistance.

I glanced down. Selena was still holding onto the end of my shirt. Like a kid refusing to let go of their favorite stuffed animal.

I narrowed my eyes. “Really?”

She didn’t answer. Just gave me a very casual side-eye while keeping a firm grip.

Chronos sighed and rubbed his temples, clearly deciding that if she wasn’t going to release me completely, he’d just move on with the conversation.

“Alright,” he started, crossing his arms as he turned serious. “We figured out what’s been holding you back.”

I perked up. Finally, something useful. “Oh? And?”

Chronos opened his mouth to explain. Then stopped. His gaze shifted slightly to the side. I followed his line of sight and— Selena was giving him a look. A very intense, pleading look.

Like a kid about to explode with excitement because they knew the answer to a question and were desperately waiting for the teacher to call on them. Chronos sighed. Selena leaned forward slightly, gripping my shirt just a little tighter, eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.

“…Fine,” Chronos muttered, waving a dismissive hand. “Go ahead.”

Selena beamed like she had just won a Nobel Prize.

She cleared her throat, adjusted her glasses, and then—

“Rai-Bear.”

I flinched. “Please don’t—”

She ignored me.

“What’s been holding you back is not just a block or lack of insight.” She lifted a finger dramatically. “It’s an external force actively preventing your awakening.”

My brow furrowed. “Meaning…?”

She grinned, tightening her hold on my shirt like she was about to unveil a grand conspiracy.

“You, my dear Rai-Bear, have been sealed.”

I gave her a dull stare, “Sealed? Me?”

She gave a triumph nod and began to elaborate.

“You, my dear Rai-Bear, have been sealed.”

I stared at her. Flat. Unimpressed. “Sealed? Me?”

Selena nodded triumphantly, as if she had just discovered fire, and immediately launched into her explanation.

“Now, normally, when someone fails to awaken, it’s because they lack either enough aura control, a proper revelation, or they’re just—” she made a vague hand gesture, “genetically unlucky.”

“Cool, thanks,” I deadpanned.

She ignored me and continued, eyes glowing with excitement.

“But in your case, none of those apply. You have a perfectly healthy aura flow, your control is unnaturally refined for someone unawakened, and you’ve had at least three major moments that should’ve triggered a revelation.”

I crossed my arms, starting to feel a familiar irritation. “And yet, here I am. Still unawakened.”

“Exactly.” She pointed at me. “Because something is actively stopping you.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Chronos finally cut in.

“She’s right,” he said, his usual casual demeanor replaced with something more serious. “Your core isn’t forming because there’s a seal in place preventing it from happening.”

A pause. I blinked.

My arms dropped to my sides. “Wait. You’re serious?”

Selena nodded rapidly. “Oh, I’m beyond serious.”

Her grip on my shirt tightened again, and she leaned in slightly, her voice lowering like she was about to reveal a classified secret.

“We found chains in your Aether Realm, Rai-Bear.”

I frowned. “Chains?”

Chronos crossed his arms, nodding. “Massive ones. Bound to your realm’s sky. Holding something back.”

A weird chill crawled up my spine, but I shook it off. “So what, someone just… put chains in me?”

Selena grinned. “Oh, it’s so much worse than that.” She slowly lifted a hand, resting a single finger at the center of my chest. “These chains were embedded into your very soul.”

I…

I don’t know what to think. There are moments in life when your brain just refuses to process what it’s hearing. This was one of those moments.

I felt like I should be angry, or confused, or maybe even terrified, but my mind just kind of… froze.

Like a computer trying to load an error screen but crashing instead. “…Come again?”

Selena tapped my chest again, twice for emphasis.

“Sealed. Locked up. Shackled. Chained to a cosmic radiator, whatever helps you understand. Someone went way out of their way to make sure you never, ever awakened.”

I swallowed, suddenly very aware of my own heartbeat. “And… you’re sure about this?”

Chronos exhaled sharply. “We saw the chains with our own eyes, Rai. And they weren’t just some passive bindings. They’ve taken damage.”

My eyes snapped to him. “What?”

Selena nodded rapidly, her excitement only growing. “Three cracks. Tiny ones, but they’re there. And guess what else?”

I didn’t answer. I already knew where this was going. Chronos confirmed it anyway.

“They appeared the same moments you nearly awakened.”

My breath hitched. The tournament. The fight with those three students. The moment I tried to challenge Chronos himself.

All those times—when I felt like I was on the verge of something but never quite broke through… It wasn’t just me failing. Something was stopping me. Or at the very least trying to move me away from continuing to try. My fists clenched at my sides.

Selena grinned, her hand still against my chest like she was physically restraining herself from shaking me.

“Do you get it now, Rai-Bear? Someone didn’t just take away your chance at awakening. They made sure that no matter how hard you tried, you’d always be one step away.”

I exhaled sharply and let my elbows rest on my knees, running a hand through my hair.

“So what does this mean for me?” I muttered, staring at the floor. “Does this mean I should just… give up?”

Chronos scoffed. “Excuse me? Rai, did you miss the part about how there are three cracks? It just means we need to work twice as hard and force you to break through.”

I frowned. “That sounds… like a tragedy.”

Selena snorted. “Because you weren’t doing enough already?”

Chronos rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I’ve only given him the bare minimum. I can’t even teach him my martial arts because his body would break before he could gain insight into it.” He crossed his arms. “So I’m probably going to need to take more drastic measures.”

I felt a cold sweat forming. “Umm…” I licked my lips, already not liking where this was going. “I thought we were just going to keep doing competitions? Am I wrong?”

Chronos shrugged. “Not necessarily. I’m just going to have to put you in scenarios that will force you to awaken.”

I stared at him. “…You say that like you haven’t already tried.”

Chronos tilted his head. “I wouldn’t say I tried. More like… I allowed it to happen.”

My eyes widened. “The finals…” I muttered, realization clicking into place. “So you—”

“Allowed it to happen?” Chronos smirked. “Of course I did. My hypothesis was correct about what you need to awaken. You need to be in a high-stakes fight to gain proper insight into what’s driving you to awaken. ‘Getting stronger’ or ‘Fight fight fight’ isn’t enough of a revelation for you, unfortunately.”

Selena suddenly leaned into me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

“Chronos,” she said sweetly. “Are you proposing that you’re going to put my future husband into dangerous scenarios?”

My soul left my body. “Future? HUH?!”

Chronos, completely unfazed, just muttered, “Oh boy.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose before continuing, “Rai, if you couldn’t tell, you technically should have awakened after your first encounter with those three students.”

I frowned, remembering that fight, the adrenaline, the desperation, the sheer feeling of being right on the edge of something.

Chronos nodded, reading my expression. “However, since you have this seal on you, it basically acted like a protester stopping traffic.”

Selena’s eyes lit up as she picked up the thought. “And if we have enough cars to build up the pressure…”

I sighed, already seeing where this was going. “Then I’d force the seal to break.”

Chronos snapped his fingers. “Exactly. That’s going to be our current method.”

Great. So basically, just keep throwing me into life-threatening situations until the cosmic padlock gives up. At this rate, I’d awaken just out of sheer spite.

Selena, still clinging to my shirt, suddenly grinned. “At least until I figure something out first.” She gave me a sweet, but far-too-excited look. “I need my Rai-Bear to awaken so I can take a nice, good look at your developed Aether Core.”

And there it is.

I sighed dramatically, placing a hand over my heart. “Ah, so that’s what you were after this whole time.”

Selena blinked. “Huh?”

I feigned heartbreak, lowering my head like a tragic protagonist. “You didn’t love me. You just wanted me for what I had to give.” I exhaled shakily. “Shame on you, Selena.”

I fake wiped a tear. She blanched. “Whaaat? Nooooo…”

Chronos smirked, leaning against the nearby desk. “You walked into that one.”

Selena puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms with a huff. “Rai-Bear, that was rude. I’ll have you know, I treat all my test subjects with love.”

I deadpanned. “So I’m just a test subject? Not your future husband?”

She blinked.

I sniffled dramatically, turning away as if overcome with sorrow. “You’re quite cruel, Selena. I thought you’d be different.”

Selena groaned. “Oh, don’t give me that. I hear enough of that from my last boyfriend.”

I froze. Then I squinted at her.

“…You… actually have relationship experience?”

Selena stiffened. “HEY!”

Chronos, ever the instigator, chimed in lazily. “I wouldn’t call it experience.” He smirked, arms crossed. “More like most of the potential experience was short-lived due to the fact that every date night she had was right where you’re sitting.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

I slowly turned to her. She looked away immediately.

“Hey, you can learn a lot about a person when you’re inside their Aether Core!” she blurted out.

I kept staring.

Selena’s face turned red as she frantically waved her hands. “Don’t give me that look! You’re looking at me like, ‘Oh, this crazy research-obsessed caffeine addict can’t think of a better date than research!’ Aren’t you?”

I nodded.

She gasped. “You weren’t supposed to agree!”

Chronos just shook his head, muttering under his breath. "Tragic."

Selena pouted, still fuming from my very correct assessment of her tragic dating life. But just as I was about to press my advantage, she clapped her hands together and her entire demeanor shifted.

Oh no.

I recognized that look. That was the "I'm about to suggest something horrible and pretend it's normal" look.

“Alright, Rai-Bear, now that we’ve confirmed you’re dealing with an external seal…” Her tone was way too cheerful. “…I’m going to need some blood samples.”

I blinked, “You’re going to need what now?”

“Blood samples.” She beamed, adjusting her glasses. “Preferably a few vials—oh, and we’ll need to check in after each attempt at awakening, of course.”

Chronos sighed. “Here we go.”

I squinted at both of them, “Okay, hold on. Why?”

Selena grinned, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

“Because, Rai-Bear, we need to monitor how your aura reacts every time you push against the seal! If the cracks on the chains are forming due to pressure, then we should see signs of strain in your body, too. Maybe fluctuations in your energy flow, maybe even signs of micro-tears in your aura network. Oh, this is going to be so exciting.”

Exciting? Exciting for who?!

I leaned back slightly. “So you’re telling me that every time I get thrown into life-or-death combat to force an awakening, you’re going to be there, ready with a needle?”

Selena nodded enthusiastically.

Chronos chuckled. “You say that like she wouldn’t be there even without the needle.”

I shot him a betrayed look.

Selena waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Rai-Bear. It’s just a little bit of blood. You’ll barely feel it.”

“I’ll feel it emotionally.”

“Oh hush.” She reached into her coat and, to my absolute horror, pulled out a syringe she clearly had on standby.

I stared at it.

Then at her.

Then at Chronos, who, to his credit, actually looked amused.

“…How long have you been waiting to ask me this?”

Selena smiled. “Since I first laid eyes on you.”

I felt my soul exit my body. “Chronos, she’s insane.”

Chronos nodded. “And you’re just now realizing this?”

Selena tapped the needle twice, still grinning. “Alright, Rai-Bear. Arm out.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Do I have a choice?”

“Nope.”

“…I hate it here.”

Chronos just laughed.

As we approached the portal, Chronos stretched his arms behind his head, walking like he didn’t just reveal the worst-case scenario of my life.

“Alright, kid, let’s talk about what’s next.”

I dragged a hand down my face. “Please tell me it involves fewer needles.”

He smirked. “That depends on how many times you get hit.”

I groaned. “Chronos.”

“Relax. We’re ramping up your training with competitions.”

I perked up at that. “Competitions?”

“Yup. Fights. Tournaments. A whole lineup. We need to put you in high-stakes situations that’ll push you to the limit—force your seal to crack.”

I nodded slowly. “So basically, throw me into as many intense battles as possible until the chains break?”

Chronos grinned, “Exactly as you say.”

I sighed, but… honestly? That didn’t sound too bad. I mean, I already loved fighting. And if it was the key to my awakening, then… fine. I could work with this.

We reached the portal. Just as I was about to step through, though… a hand caught my arm. I turned, and Selena was there, standing way too close, holding something out toward me. A card.

I raised a brow. “What’s this?”

“My number.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

She smiled sweetly.

“If anything changes, if you notice anything different, or if you just want to hear my beautiful voice, you call me.”

I squinted. “…This isn’t just for science, is it?”

Selena tilted her head innocently. “Why, Rai-Bear, do you want it to be something else?”

I stared at her.

Chronos sighed loudly. “Take the damn card, Rai.”

I snatched it from her and shoved it in my pocket, stepping through the portal immediately before she could say anything else. I heard her laughing just as I vanished.

The moment we stepped back through the portal, Chronos wasted no time. We barely had a second to breathe before he started listing off every competition imaginable.

“Alright, Rai, here’s the plan.” He cracked his neck and started counting on his fingers. “We’re throwing you into as many high-stakes contests as possible. Martial arts, parkour, endurance trials, combat simulations, hell, maybe even chess if I think it'll piss you off enough to push your limits.”

I blinked, “Chess?”

Chronos shrugged. “You’d be surprised how high-stakes a chess game can get when you owe the winner a broken rib.”

“…What kind of chess have you been playing?”

He ignored me and kept going, “Fighting tournaments, movement-based obstacle courses, survival endurance tests, duels with weapons and without— we’re covering everything that forces you to react under pressure. You need to be constantly on the edge of awakening.”

I crossed my arms. “You’re really going all-in on the ‘stress me out until I explode’ plan, huh?”

Chronos smirked. “Worked so far, didn’t it?”

I rolled my eyes. “Barely.”

He raised a brow. “You want me to turn up the heat?”

I immediately lifted my hands in surrender. “Nope, nope, I’m good. Carry on.”

Chronos chuckled before tossing something my way. I caught it instinctively. A folded packet of papers. I unfolded it—and my stomach dropped.

It was page after page of scheduled competitions. The dates, times, locations, entry fees… everything was already set up. This man had been planning this before we even figured out the seal.

“…How long have you had this ready?”

Chronos grinned, his crimson eyes gleaming with pure amusement, “Since the moment you agreed to train under me. To be honest, this was really Plan C of my initial plan.”

I paused, “…Plan C?”

Chronos simply smirked, not elaborating. I narrowed my eyes. That was never a good sign. But instead of pressing him for details, I sighed and pulled out my phone, already bracing myself for the absolute onslaught of scheduling I was about to endure.

With the packet of competition dates balanced on my knee, I started inputting each event into my calendar.

Martial arts tournament.

Endurance trial.

Parkour race?

Wait, what the hell is an "Urban Escape Gauntlet"—?

My phone suddenly buzzed in my hand. I glanced at the screen. Unknown Number. I frowned, staring at the unknown number on my screen.

Chronos and my family were the only ones who ever called me, and I was pretty damn sure Chronos wouldn’t use an unknown number just to mess with me. Selena? No way. She only gave me her number—I never actually gave her mine.

So who the hell—

Without thinking, I swiped to answer and held the phone to my ear, “Hello?”

For a moment, silence. Then— “Took you long enough to pick up.”

I froze. That voice, feminine, smooth, just a little bit smug. I knew exactly who it belonged to. The blonde elf I fought in the competition.

Oh yeah, I never got her name...

My grip on the phone tightened slightly, “…How the hell did you get my number?”

“I recall you saying—” her voice took on a playful lilt, “‘Since you managed to find my name, I’m sure you can find a way to get my number too.’ Yes? So I found your number.”

I sighed. “Right… because that’s just something normal people can do.”

She laughed, and I could hear the amusement through the phone, “And here I thought you might have forgotten.”

A grin tugged at my lips, “So, I’m assuming since you went through all this effort to find me, you’re finally ready to go out on that froyo date?”

She paused, then said, “Maybe.”

"Now before we get into that, I have a very important question."

"I may have a very important answer."

I cleared my throat, preparing for what I was about to say, "What is your name?"

She laughed on the other end of the phone, "Ella, my name is Ella."

I smirked. Now this just got interesting, “Well Ella, since you clearly missed me so much,” I teased, glancing at my phone, “what are you doing…”

I closed my messages and reopened my calendar, scanning the schedule I’d been painstakingly filling out. “…on Tuesday after three o’clock?”

There was a brief pause, followed by the soft tapping of fingers on a screen. She was checking her schedule too.

“Curious…” Ella murmured. “Are you, by any chance, participating in the ‘Urban Escape Gauntlet’ on Monday?”

I raised an eyebrow, “…Yes?”

Her laugh was light, musical, like a wind chime caught in a breeze, “How convenient. I am also participating in that competition.”

I let out a short laugh. “Really? You?”

Her tone shifted instantly, feigning offense, “I am an elf, you know. Our acrobatics are quite notable.”

I grinned. “I thought noble ladies wouldn’t subvert themselves to things that might ruffle their clothes.”

I heard her snicker, barely holding it in, “You’d be surprised what I’m willing to ‘subvert’ myself to, Rai.”

…Oh?

Now that caught my attention. I nodded sagely, leaning back like I had just uncovered some deep, hidden truth.

“Ah, I see it now.”

Ella’s voice hummed with amusement. “Oh, do you?”

I let out a dramatic sigh, my tone laced with faux heartbreak. “Yes… It’s all so clear now. You’re not actually interested in going on a date with me. No, no. You’re merely upholding some ancient, noble tradition of keeping one’s word, perhaps even bound by your family’s sacred honor.”

I could practically feel her raising an eyebrow on the other end. “My family’s… sacred honor?”

I pressed on, not missing a beat. “Of course! Your sect must have a reputation to maintain, when an oath is made, it must be fulfilled. Even if it means lowering yourself to endure my presence for an evening.”

I shook my head, despite knowing she couldn’t see it, my voice growing more somber by the second.

“How noble of you, truly. To burden yourself with such a task, to sacrifice your time and dignity, all to uphold your family’s honor—”

“Raiden.”

I sniffled. “—truly, I am but an obligation in your—”

“Raiden.” Her voice was sharper now, but there was a distinct hint of laughter she was trying to suppress.

I let out a deep sigh, full of faux acceptance, “It’s alright, Ella. I understand now. You don’t have to explain yourself.”

Silence and then she finally spoke, “…You’re so full of shit.”

I grinned, “Am I?”

She exhaled through the receiver, clearly fighting back a laugh, “Absolutely. And I hate that I almost fell for it.”

I let out a chuckle, satisfied. “Almost?”

“Shut up.”

I smirked, mission accomplished. I leaned back, letting the smirk settle on my face. “So did you truly call me because you wanted to go on a date? Or did you have another motive, using the date as an excuse?”

Ella let out a short, amused breath, “Oh, you see right through me.” I raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“Yes to both,” she admitted smoothly. “We had a deal, and I intend on keeping my end of it. At the same time, I do have something I’d like to discuss with you—better in person rather than over the phone.”

My smirk deepened. “Secretive. I like it.”

“Good. You’ll hear all about it after you survive Monday.”

“After I survive?” I chuckled. “Oh, come on, it’s just a little urban gauntlet. How bad could it be?”

Ella laughed softly, “We’ll see, Rai. We’ll see.” And with that, she hung up.

I stared at my phone for a moment, the call screen disappearing as silence filled the room.

That was… interesting.

I wasn’t sure if she was messing with me or if I actually had something to worry about. Either way, Monday just got a lot more interesting.

I cracked my neck as we stepped into the event space, stretching out my arms as I took in the organized chaos around us.

Massive shipping containers, scaffolding, and crumbling rooftops made up the makeshift urban jungle ahead. High-rise platforms, swinging ropes, and narrow beams were haphazardly placed, designed to be as unforgiving as possible.

To my knowledge, this was a parkour event—so, naturally, I came dressed for the part. Athleisure wear. Loose-fitting joggers, a moisture-wicking compression shirt, and lightweight running shoes. Maximum comfort, maximum movement, zero bullshit.

Chronos, standing next to me in his usual too-relaxed posture, glanced me over and hummed. “Comfortable?”

I nodded, “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Chronos just grinned, “No reason.”

I narrowed my eyes, “…That sounded suspicious.”

He said nothing, simply stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking away as if he suddenly had no responsibility for my well-being.

Okay. Nope.

I turned fully toward him, “Chronos.”

He clicked his tongue, looking entirely too entertained, “What?”

“What do you know that I don’t?”

He grinned, “Nothing that’ll kill you. Probably.”

“Probably?!”

Before I could press further, a loud announcer’s voice boomed over the event speakers.

“WELCOME, COMPETITORS, TO THIS YEAR’S URBAN ESCAPE GAUNTLET!”

The crowd roared, and I could already feel the adrenaline pumping. I could grill Chronos later. For now, I had a gauntlet to run.

I rolled my shoulders and stretched my legs, taking in the massive playground of death traps ahead of me. Shipping containers, rooftops, scaffolding, hanging platforms, a twisted maze of urban madness.

Easy enough.

Just get through the course without getting caught, right?

I glanced at Chronos, expecting at least some final words of wisdom before the event started. Instead, he just looked at me with mild amusement.

“Good luck, kid.”

I narrowed my eyes, “You’re way too relaxed about this.”

“Relaxed? Nah.” He smirked. “I’m just excited to watch.”

…Excited to watch?

Before I could question him further, the announcer continued.

“THE RULES ARE SIMPLE! COMPETITORS, YOU WILL HAVE EXACTLY 30 SECONDS TO GET A HEAD START THROUGH THE GAUNTLET.”

Thirty seconds? That wasn’t bad.

“BUT REMEMBER—YOU CAN USE ANY MEANS NECESSARY TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT…”

A murmur went through the crowd. I tilted my head.

Wait.

“—AND THE SAME RULES APPLY TO YOUR PURSUERS.”

I froze, “…Our what now?” Chronos laughed.

The announcer continued. “YOUR ESCAPE WILL BE HINDERED BY OUR SELECTED CHASERS—AND THEY WILL USE ANYTHING THEY DEEM FIT TO CATCH YOU!”

…Excuse me?

I immediately turned to Chronos. “What the hell do they mean ‘chasers’?!”

His smirk widened, “Oh yeah, didn’t I mention?” He shrugged, “This isn’t just parkour—it’s a high-speed survival game. The first four rounds are nothing. The fifth? Now that’s where the good stuff is.”

I stared at him, processing my imminent betrayal, “You have a serious problem with not explaining things to me.”

The air horn hadn’t even finished blaring before the announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers once more.

“AND FIRST UP, STARTING THE GAUNTLET—RAIDEN ALARIC!”

I froze.

Wait. What?

I barely had a second to process before realization smacked me in the face.

Oh.

Right… my last name starts with an ‘A’. That meant I was first… first… As in, the very first person to get thrown into this deathtrap with zero information on what to expect.

I inhaled slowly. Chronos, you bastard. A few of the other competitors glanced at me, some with mild curiosity, some with thinly veiled amusement.

Ignoring them, I rolled my shoulders back and made my way to the center of the course. The space around me was quiet for now, the tangled mess of platforms, beams, and shipping containers looming ahead.

I came to a stop at the starting mark. As soon as they began the count down, the crowd joining in, my blood began rushing. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. I could feel it, building in my chest. That familiar, intoxicating mix of anticipation and adrenaline. The way my body felt lighter, my muscles already tensing in preparation. I licked my lips, eyes scanning the towering obstacles before me. My fingers twitched. My instincts screamed ‘move’. A slow grin crept across my face.

Oh yeah. This was going to be fun.

The countdown hit zero. For a moment, there was silence. Then a gate slammed open. A blur of movement shot out from an entrance on the far side of the course.

I barely had time to register the sound of heavy boots hitting metal before a man burst into view, charging straight for me.

Shit.

I ran.

The moment my foot hit the ground, everything sharpened. The air whipped past my face, the pounding of heavy boots behind me set a brutal rhythm, and the distant roar of the crowd blurred into white noise.

Nothing else mattered. Only the chase. I had thirty seconds. A grace period. He couldn’t capture me yet, but I could use this window to study him.

I glanced back just once, enough to confirm what I already suspected. He’s fast. Not the wild, erratic kind of fast, he was calculated. Disciplined. His movements were precise, cutting down the distance between us with zero hesitation.

A pro.

But he was also big. Broad shoulders. Strong legs. Built for power, not maneuverability. Which meant I had an advantage.

I scanned the obstacle course ahead, tracking possible escape routes. My eyes locked onto a cluster of stacked shipping containers with a narrow gap between them.

Perfect.

I angled my run toward the tightest space I could find, legs pumping harder as I closed the distance.

Let’s see how well Brick Wall over there handles squeezing through. Yes this is his name.

I closed in on the narrow gap between the shipping containers, my body already adjusting for the maneuver. Twelve seconds left on the grace period.

The pounding footsteps behind me didn’t slow. I wasn’t sure if my pursuer planned to barrel through or go around, but either way, I wasn’t about to stick around to find out. At the last second, I twisted my shoulders, angling myself sideways and slipping through the gap with only inches to spare.

The air pressure behind me shifted. He was close. I heard a heavy thud, followed by the sharp scraping of metal against metal. I didn’t stop to look. I was already scanning ahead, eyes locking onto my next route.

A series of stacked beams, leading to a high-rise platform.

Aerial route.

I pushed forward, lungs burning with exhilaration.

Seven seconds.

I vaulted over a crate, using the momentum to kick off a lower beam and propel myself upward.

Five seconds.

I landed light on my feet, rolling with the impact and springing back up into a sprint.

Three seconds.

The crowd’s roar grew louder, they knew what was coming.

One second.

A loud horn blast. The grace period was over.

I felt it before I heard it, the shift in air behind me, the sheer force of movement closing in.

He was done playing around. And now the real game began.

I didn’t bother looking over my shoulder, I could feel him gaining.

Good.

A grin spread across my face as I kicked off the beam, launching myself toward the next platform. My feet barely touched the surface before I pivoted, using the momentum to vault over a railing and land onto a swinging rope bridge.

The second my weight hit it, the bridge lurched, swaying wildly beneath me.

Perfect.

I dropped low, using my hands to stabilize myself as I sprinted forward, the shifting platform adding an extra layer of challenge. Behind me, I heard heavy boots land on metal.

Oh? So he actually followed me onto the bridge? Risky move, Brick Wall.

The vibrations in the bridge grew stronger, he was closing in fast. I decided to make things a little more interesting.

Mid-stride, I suddenly jumped, kicking off the bridge’s railing and throwing my weight to one side. The entire bridge jerked violently, swinging just enough to throw off his rhythm.

I heard a sharp inhale behind me, he had to adjust, losing a fraction of a second. Not much, but enough.

I grinned. “Oh, come on, big guy, you’re not gonna let a little wobbly bridge slow you down, are you?”

No response. I smirked, “Silent type, huh?”

Time to see just how much patience he had. I leapt off the bridge onto a stack of steel crates, rolling with the impact before popping back onto my feet. Without missing a beat, I turned mid-sprint, running backward for a second just to flash him a cocky grin.

“Hey, Brick Wall!” I called out. He didn’t slow down. But I could tell, he heard me, “Just checking—” I said, vaulting over another railing with ease. “—do I get points if I make you trip?”

Still no answer. But I swore I saw the faintest tightening in his jaw.

Oh, this is gonna be fun~

At this point, I wasn’t just running. I was playing. Every time Brick Wall reached for me, I was just out of reach. Every time he tried to corner me, I slipped through some narrow gap or vaulted over an obstacle.

He tried to body-check me into a stack of crates? I ducked under his swing and slid between two barrels. He tried to cut me off by knocking over a scaffold? I vaulted off the falling beams mid-collapse and landed gracefully on the other side.

And then, the rope happened. I had just swung off a ledge when I felt something whip past my head. I turned just in time to see a thick rope flying toward me, one end looping as if it was meant to snag my legs. Oh, he was trying to lasso me?

Adorable.

I twisted in midair, kicking off a steel beam at the last second and flipping out of its reach. The rope missed by an inch, slapping uselessly against a stack of crates.

“Really?” I laughed, landing smoothly before continuing my sprint. “What’s next, Brick Wall? You're gonna throw a net at me?”

I shouldn’t have said that. Because the next thing I heard was the distinct crack of wood hitting metal. I glanced back. And there he was. Still chasing me—but now wielding a fucking 2x4. Swinging it wildly in a full-blown rage.

I bit my lip to hold back a laugh. This dude was really losing it. I dodged around a stack of crates just as the wooden plank slammed into them, sending a burst of splinters into the air.

“Okay, now you’re just mad.” I grinned, sidestepping another swing.

No response. Just a wordless grunt of frustration as he swung again, nearly taking off my head. I ducked under it at the last second, using the momentum to roll forward and pop back up onto my feet.

I turned just in time to see him yank the plank back, his jaw tight with frustration.

I smirked, “What happened, Brick Wall? Getting tired?”

His eye twitched. Oh yeah, I was definitely getting to him now. The way he gripped the 2x4, knuckles white with frustration—he was right at the edge of completely losing it.

Honestly? I was about to have some real fun with this. But just as I was about to throw out another smartass remark—

BWAAAAAAM!

The airhorn blared, booming through the course like a war siren. The match was over. I skidded to a stop, blinking as the realization clicked.

Wait. I won. I actually won.

I slowly turned back to Brick Wall, who had also come to a halt, chest heaving from exertion. His jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might crack. And the 2x4? Still firmly in his grip.

For a second, I wondered if he was about to ignore the match ending and just start swinging anyway.

But then, with an angry huff, he snapped the plank in half over his knee, threw the pieces to the ground, and stormed off.

Oh my god. I grinned. This was the best day ever.