The stadium remained eerily quiet, all eyes fixed on the aftermath of the battle. The tension was palpable, but Sam, unfazed, casually slid his bracelets back onto his wrists. “That was fun,” he said with a faint smirk, though his eyes betrayed a tinge of exhaustion.

Adwin, meanwhile, stood in silence, his gaze fixed downward. His bruised and battered form told the story of the fight, but the deeper wound was evident in the way he glanced at the stands, where his brother, Argon, looked back at him with a cold, unimpressed expression before walking away without a word. The sight stung worse than any blow.

Adwin clenched his fists, his head sinking further in shame, until he heard a voice call out to him.

“Adwin!”

Before he could react, a girl rushed in and wrapped him in a tight hug. “Vera…” he whispered, startled.

“I’m so sorry! We didn’t win it all—I let you down!” she cried, her face buried in his chest.

Two others ran in behind her, their faces equally full of guilt.

“Adwin, we’re so sorry,” Leo said, his voice low.

“We wanted to help you… so your family could finally see you as one of their own,” Ariel added, her eyes glistening with tears.

“It’s… okay,” Adwin said quietly, his voice trembling as he tried to hold back his own emotions. “I was selfish. I wanted to be the one to grab the flag on my own. I wanted to prove something, but I forgot about you guys, my team. It’s my fault that we tied with void… i mean Sam.” He hesitated before saying Sam’s name, remembering the lesson he had learned during their fight.

As he admitted this, the weight of the moment overwhelmed them all, and his teammates began crying harder, their feelings of regret and camaraderie pouring out.

A sudden voice broke the emotional moment.

“Weeeeeeeee diiiiiiiiiid iiiiiiiiiiit!” Tushar cheered as he sprinted onto the field, pumping his fists into the air.

“Ohhhhh yeah!” Eislyn echoed, sliding in behind him with an equally exuberant grin.

Sam sighed, shaking his head. “They’re idiots…” he muttered under his breath, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Before he could say anything else, Lexine stormed in, her face full of fury. Without warning, she threw a punch that connected squarely with Sam’s jaw. It didn’t faze him much, but it was enough to catch him off guard.

“What the hell was that for?” Sam asked, rubbing his jaw.

Lexine glared at him, her hands balled into fists. “Next time, don’t hang up on me when I’m giving you advice!” she shouted, her voice dripping with anger.

Sam looked at her, his face blank for a moment, before a sly smirk formed. “Noted,” he said casually, though it was clear her punch and her frustration had gotten through to him.

As the dust settled from the battle and the students began dispersing, a lady strode toward Adwin and Sam. Her presence was captivating, accompanied by an assortment of animals trailing behind her—an elegant wolf, a hawk perched on her shoulder, and a small fox curled at her feet. Her long, flowing coat matched her commanding yet nurturing aura.

“Nice to meet you both,” she began, her voice gentle yet firm. “My name is Alma, Division Leader of Beasts.”

Adwin and Sam exchanged confused glances. Her sudden appearance was unexpected, especially after such a tense competition.

“I came here to deliver a message on behalf of myself and the other division leaders. We’ve decided to keep a close eye on all of you over the next four years. We’ll be watching how each of you grows—not just as students but as individuals and as part of this academy.” Her eyes swept over them, sharp yet kind.

Everyone around was stunned, including the students and guardians who overheard her. Then a murmur of excitement rippled through the group as smiles began forming. Alma gave them all a warm nod before turning to leave. “I look forward to seeing what you’re all capable of,” she said as she walked away, her animals trailing behind her in perfect sync.

Adwin watched her leave, then glanced back at Sam. “Sam, I think I’ll head back for now. But later... I want to talk to you guys about something.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah, sure. We’ll be around.”

Back at the academy, Lexine, Sam, Tushar, and Eislyn made their way to their dorm room.

“I’m so tired,” Eislyn groaned, throwing herself onto the couch dramatically.

“Me too,” Tushar added, flopping into a nearby chair.

Lexine had already grabbed a controller and was playing a game, completely immersed. “I call dibs on the shower after this round,” she muttered.

Sam, meanwhile, was back at his wardrobe, putting on his academy uniform.

“Where are you going?” Eislyn asked lazily, her head tilted to look at him.

“I need to talk to someone,” Sam replied, buttoning his jacket.

“Cool,” Lexine said, not even glancing up from her game.

The academy’s grand entrance was quieter than usual, the late hour keeping most students away. Sam walked through the dimly lit halls, eventually spotting two familiar figures standing near the towering glass doors—Sasha and Raiden. They appeared deep in conversation, their postures contrasting. Sasha stood relaxed but alert, her hands casually resting on her hips. Raiden, on the other hand, exuded her usual cold and composed energy, arms crossed and her piercing gaze fixed on Sasha.

Sam slowed his pace as he approached, not wanting to interrupt. But Raiden’s sharp instincts picked up on his presence almost immediately. She turned her head, her sharp eyes locking onto him.

“You’re here,” Raiden said, her tone even and calm. Yet there was something in her voice—a subtle undertone of approval, curiosity, or perhaps something else entirely.

“What are you doing here, Master?” Sam asked, tilting his head slightly, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I came to talk to you,” Raiden replied, her sharp gaze unwavering.

“What is it?” Sam asked, crossing his arms, sensing the weight in her words.

Raiden paused for a moment before speaking. “I’ll be leaving for at least three to four cycles,” she said, her voice quieter now, almost hesitant. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a long time, and I’ll be leaving you alone during that.”

Sam’s eyes softened as he shook his head. “You don’t have to apologize. You’ve been there for me when no one else wanted me—because of my color. I’ve never forgotten that. I’m already more grateful than I can ever express.”

Raiden’s cold demeanor cracked for just a moment. A faint smile appeared, and she looked away, almost as if she were embarrassed. “...Thank you,” she said softly, her words carrying a rare warmth.

Before the moment could settle, Sam suddenly turned toward Sasha. “Oh yeah, Sasha—you said you’d tell me about Abella after the Royale,” he said, his voice carrying curiosity but also an edge of impatience.

Sasha froze. Her body tensed, and her eyes darted toward Raiden.

“What?” Raiden repeated sharply, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. Her cold, calculating eyes locked onto Sasha with the precision of a predator, her piercing gaze demanding answers without room for hesitation.

Sasha’s face went pale, and she took a step back, visibly shaken. She averted her eyes, her usual composure crumbling under Raiden’s intensity. “I—uh—” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Sasha,” Raiden said, her tone dropping to a dangerously low register, her words laced with icy resolve. “What were you going to tell him?”

Sasha’s lips tightened, her gaze dropping to the ground as though hoping to find an escape from the relentless scrutiny. “I didn’t mean—” she began, her voice faltering as Raiden’s presence bore down on her like a storm.

Sam’s eyes darted between the two women, his confusion growing by the second. “What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence, though it lacked the authority to shift the tension.

Raiden ignored him entirely, her focus unyielding as she stared Sasha down. Her expression was unreadable but carried a weight that felt like the calm before an eruption. “Answer the question, Sasha,” Raiden demanded, her tone icy yet controlled, as if she already knew what she was asking for.

Sasha swallowed hard, her hands clenched at her sides. She still refused to meet Raiden’s eyes, her voice barely audible as she spoke. “I... was going to tell him about... stuff,” she muttered weakly.

Raiden’s expression didn’t change, but her gaze sharpened. Her aura seemed to darken, the tension around her growing palpable. Sam could feel the unspoken conflict between them, like a storm brewing just out of sight.

“We’ll see about that,” Raiden said coldly, her words slicing through the silence like a knife.

Sasha remained silent, her eyes fixed firmly on the ground. The tension hung thick in the air as the three of them stood frozen at the academy’s entrance, locked in an unspoken battle.

Raiden’s voice broke the silence once more, this time addressing Sam. “You can leave, Sam,” she said, her tone dismissive but calm.

Sam straightened and gave a quick nod. “Understood,” he said quickly, sensing the weight of the situation. Without hesitation, he turned and ran off, his steps echoing in the quiet as he disappeared into the academy.

Once Sam was gone, Raiden turned her full attention back to Sasha. The atmosphere grew even heavier as the two women faced each other, their auras clashing in silent confrontation.

“Tell him anything about her,” Raiden said, her voice colder than ever, “and you might not live to regret it.”

Sasha finally lifted her head, her expression hardening as she met Raiden’s icy gaze. “We’re friends, Raiden,” she said, her voice steady but laced with defiance. “But if you think I’m scared of you, I’d like to see you try.”

The air around them crackled with tension as their auras collided, a storm of opposing energies swirling between them. Neither of them moved, but the clash of their willpower was almost tangible.

For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see who would make the first move.

Raiden’s footsteps echoed as she began to walk away, her back to Sasha, her voice steady and unwavering. “I will tell him once he graduates,” she said, her words leaving no room for negotiation.

Sasha watched her retreating figure, her smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Her eyes softened as the weight of the moment settled in, knowing there was more left unsaid. “Good,” she murmured, her voice tinged with a quiet satisfaction.

Raiden’s back remained straight as she disappeared from Sasha’s sight, her figure fading into the shadows of the academy grounds.

Sasha stood there for a moment, absorbing the silence that followed. The tension in the air slowly dissipated, leaving behind a strange peace, though the undercurrent of unspoken truths lingered.

With a deep breath, Sasha turned on her heel and headed in the opposite direction, a subtle glint of resolve in her eyes.

As Sam walked back to his room, he spotted Adwin, Vera, Leo, and Ariel standing outside his door. He raised an eyebrow. “I thought Adwin was coming alone?”

Adwin sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah… that was the plan. But they insisted on coming too.”

Sam glanced at the three of them before shrugging. “Alright, let’s head in.”

He opened the door to find Eislyn and Lexine sitting on the floor, controllers in hand, locked in a fierce gaming battle.

“Come on, come on—no way!” Eislyn shouted, gripping her controller tightly.

Lexine smirked. “Watch this,” she said confidently. With a few swift button presses, she landed a finishing move, wiping out Eislyn’s character effortlessly.

Eislyn groaned. “Damn it!”

Lexine burst out laughing, pointing at her. “You’re so predictable!” she teased.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sam, Adwin, and the others standing in the doorway. Her playful demeanor immediately shifted, her eyes narrowing. “What are they doing here?”

“They came to talk,” Sam said simply.

Lexine scoffed, setting her controller down. “Talk? After that whole battle where they were trying to crush us?”

“Just hear them out,” Sam said as he moved to sit down.

Lexine crossed her arms but didn’t argue. “Fine. Say whatever you came here to say.”

Adwin took a deep breath, preparing to speak, but before he could, Vera suddenly blurted out, “We want to join your team!”

Silence.

Eislyn blinked in surprise. “Wait… what?”

Tushar, who had just walked in eating a snack, stopped mid-bite. “Did I hear that right?” he asked, staring at them.

Adwin exhaled, looking a little frustrated. “Vera, maybe ease into it?”

Vera ignored him, leaning forward. “Look, we know we screwed up. We let our pride get in the way to help Adwin, thinking we had to prove ourselves . But that fight—it change Adwin, he became different he wnated to join your team so we dont want to leave him alone.”

Leo nodded. “You guys don’t just fight for yourselves. You fight for each other. That’s the difference between us.”

Ariel spoke softly. “And we realized that’s what we were missing all along.”

Lexine raised an eyebrow. “So now, after all that talk about beating sam and the rest of us, you suddenly want to be a team? What’s stopping you from turning on us when things don’t go your way?”

Adwin met her gaze, his expression serious. “Because we’re done trying to do this alone. If we really want to get stronger—if we want to prove ourselves—it’s not about just winning. It’s about standing together.”

Vera clenched her fists. “We’re not asking you to trust us right away. We just want a chance.”

Sam looked at his own team. Eislyn and Tushar seemed open to the idea, but Lexine still looked skeptical.

Tushar shrugged. “More people means more firepower, right?”

Eislyn smiled. “Can we pleasee lexine.”

Lexine sighed, rubbing her temple. “Ugh. Fine. But if you guys screw up, I’m blaming Adwin.”

Adwin chuckled lightly. “Fair enough.”

Sam grinned, holding out his hand. “Then welcome to the team.”

Adwin shook his hand firmly as Vera, Leo, and Ariel smiled.

A new alliance had been formed.

“Since we’ve formed an alliance, that means we actually have enough people to create a club,” Lexine said, leaning back with a smirk.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “A club? What does that mean exactly?”

Lexine stretched her arms before explaining, “Basically, with eight members, we meet the requirements to officially register as a club. That means we can take on small missions and jobs under the academy’s system.”

Sam nodded in understanding. “I see… so it’s like having our own squad?”

“Exactly,” Lexine confirmed. “And since we’re forming a club, we need leaders. I already have an idea of who should be in charge—me, Sam, Tushar, and Adwin.”

Eislyn’s expression immediately soured. “Hold on, why not me? I was on the team before Adwin.”

Lexine paused for a moment, then continued as if Eislyn hadn’t spoken. “So, that’s the team.”

Eislyn twitched. “Did you just—”

“Yep,” Lexine interrupted, grinning.

The rest of the group exchanged glances, then shrugged.

“Fine by me,” Tushar said, popping a chip into his mouth.

Adwin nodded. “I’ll take the responsibility seriously.”

Vera, Leo, and Ariel also nodded in agreement.

Eislyn groaned, crossing her arms. “This is bullshit.” she said with tears slowly coming out

Lexine smirked. “Welcome to democracy.”