"Kyren, what happened?" Hiro asked urgently, rushing out of the burning hut with Zeeha close behind, both faces filled with alarm.
The flames consumed the hut with terrifying speed, smoke billowing into the night sky. Amid the chaos, Kyren’s thoughts were only on the scroll he’d hidden under the makeshift carpet—the only piece of the puzzle that could lead them to the truth.
“HIRO! Give me a second!” Kyren yelled, his voice taut with urgency. Without waiting for a response, he charged toward the inferno.
“KYREN!” Zeeha cried, reaching out to stop him, her voice a mix of panic and disbelief.
In the chaos, six students suddenly dashed past Zeeha, their intentions unmistakable and threatening.
“Hiro, they’re coming!” Zeeha shouted, gripping her saber with trembling hands.
Hiro immediately positioned himself in front of Zeeha, shielding her as they prepared to fend off the students. He flashed Zeeha a quick, reassuring smile. “Stay close, Zeeha. We’ve got this.” Their movements were swift and coordinated, though both knew they were in for a tough fight.
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Inside the hut, Kyren was hit by a scorching wave of heat and blinding smoke. His lungs screamed for fresh air as he staggered forward, each breath feeling like fire.
“I have to get it,” he muttered hoarsely, his voice nearly drowned out by the roar of the flames. “I can’t lose it now.”
With each step, he felt his strength waning, his body weakening under the relentless heat. The walls groaned and cracked, threatening to collapse around him, and he could feel the floorboards burning through his boots. A memory flashed in his mind—the quiet moment he’d sworn to protect Hiro and Zeeha, to uncover the secrets that might save them all.
“I won’t fail them,” Kyren thought, pushing back the rising panic. “Not now.”
Time seemed to stretch, each second an eternity as he navigated through the thick smoke. Finally, he spotted the scroll, its edges already singed. His hands trembled as he grabbed it, feeling the heat bite into his skin.
But as soon as he turned, his heart sank. The fire had spread, trapping him in a deadly cage of flames. Every escape route was now a wall of searing heat, and the weight of his choice hit him: retrieve the scroll or save his life.
“I can’t die here,” Kyren thought, desperation surging through him. He drew a deep breath, ignoring the pain, and charged at the nearest wall, smashing through it with every ounce of his remaining strength. Splinters tore at his skin, and his arm erupted in pain as he broke through, stumbling outside and collapsing onto the grass.
“Shhhh… I almost got killed,” he gasped, struggling to steady his breath as he clutched his arm, raw and blistered from the flames.
“Kyren!” Hiro’s voice cut through his daze as he rushed to Kyren’s side, his face etched with relief and concern.
“What happened?” Kyren looked around, his gaze darting, expecting the worst.
“They fled,” Zeeha said, her voice thick with both relief and guilt as she examined his injuries.
“Yeah, once they saw Zeeha’s saber, they took off,” Hiro added, kneeling beside Kyren, an unspoken respect in his eyes.
Kyren sighed, feeling the tension leave him as relief washed over. They were safe, at least for now.
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“I’m sorry, guys,” Zeeha said, her guilt evident as she looked away, clutching her saber.
“It’s okay, Zeeha,” Hiro reassured her, patting her shoulder with a warm smile. “We can rebuild. The real problem is where we’re going to stay now. They know our location, and they’ll keep searching for us.”
Kyren, still wincing from the burn, nodded. “Maybe we can stay at the event hall for tonight? The announcement is only a couple of hours away.”
“Good idea,” Hiro agreed, his voice filled with determination.
They made their way to the event hall, where they could finally rest. As Kyren tried to settle, Hiro checked his friend’s injury.
“How’s your arm, Kyren?” Hiro asked, his gaze shifting to the burnt skin.
“It’s… fine, Hiro. I’ll manage,” Kyren replied, gritting his teeth as he touched the wound, hoping to dull the pain.
Curiosity flickered in Zeeha’s eyes as she watched him. “Kyren, why did you rush in there? It looked like you were willing to die for whatever you were after.”
Kyren exchanged a glance with Hiro, both of them silently debating how much to reveal. Kyren shook his head, signaling to keep the truth hidden.
“YEAH, I’m wondering the same thing, Kyren,” Hiro said, feigning ignorance. “What was so important in there?”
“Just… some equipment. I thought we could still use it, but I failed,” Kyren lied, keeping his voice as casual as he could.
Zeeha’s brow furrowed, looking only half convinced, but she nodded. “Okay. Just be careful next time.”
“I will,” Kyren assured, managing a faint smile.
He stood, heading toward the event hall restroom to wash up, but Hiro followed him, waiting until they were alone.
“Did you get it, Kyren?” Hiro asked in a hushed tone, watching Kyren’s reflection in the mirror.
“Yeah,” Kyren replied, his voice barely above a whisper, his gaze hard as he stared at himself in the mirror.
Hiro’s eyes softened. “So what now? You can’t carry it forever. It’s just getting harder and harder to keep it safe.”
Kyren remained silent, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts.
“Anyway,” Hiro continued, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder, “I trust you to make the right call. Just… don’t let it kill you.”
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The hall was dimly lit when they returned, Zeeha fast asleep. They rested as much as they could, exhaustion weighing heavily over them, until the sound of students filing in woke them. The remaining students looked worn and defeated, murmurs of uncertainty filling the air.
The Vice President finally appeared on stage, his presence instantly demanding silence. His gaze swept over the weary crowd, a cold, calculating smile spreading across his face.
“Good evening, future legends,” he began, his voice laced with mockery. “I trust you’ve all enjoyed tonight’s festivities—the trials, the flames, the failures. Consider it just a taste of what lies ahead.”
He raised a hand, and a large screen behind him came to life, displaying a breakdown of the casualties by section:
Section 16: 26 out of 40 eliminated
Section 15: 10 out of 40 eliminated
Section 14: 12 out of 40 eliminated
Section 13: 8 out of 40 eliminated
Sections 12 and 11: 10 out of 40 eliminated each
Section 10: Completely wiped out by Aolomon
Section 9: 35 out of 40 eliminated—another victory for Aolomon, who spared only a handful
Section 8: 20 out of 40 eliminated
Section 7: 16 out of 40 eliminated
Section 6: 10 out of 40 eliminated
Section 5: 10 out of 40 eliminated
Section 4: 6 out of 40 eliminated
Section 3: 14 out of 40 eliminated
Section 2: 23 out of 40 eliminated
Section 1: 12 out of 40 eliminated
On and on the list went, the sheer scale of the casualties sending a ripple of fear through the room. The Vice President’s smirk widened, savoring their reactions.
“Quite the display of destruction, wouldn’t you say?” he drawled, pacing with a predatory grace. “Aolomon has proven to be quite the force of nature. But don’t let that intimidate you; the true challenges are only just beginning.”
He paused, letting the tension build as his gaze sharpened. “Now, for the pièce de résistance of tonight’s announcement: the merging of sections. You will soon be reassigned to new groups, the foundation of your next stage of training.”
The murmurs grew louder, nervousness thickening the air. Then he added with a glint in his eye, “But that’s not all.”
A hush fell over the crowd as he leaned forward, his tone dropping to a whisper. “We will be holding a special competition for the GAs. If any of you have the audacity to challenge the current GAs, this is your opportunity. Only the strongest will emerge. Only the ambitious will claim the glory. Are you ready to stake your place among the academy’s finest?”
He straightened, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of coming battles. Kyren felt his heart pound, glancing at Hiro and Zeeha. A new chapter was about to unfold, and this time, they would be ready.