The screen flickered to life, casting a muted glow over the dim room as a news anchor's sombre expression appeared on the television. The image wavered momentarily, then sharpened, capturing the stark devastation that covered a major part of the city.

The date was October 27th.

The news anchor spoke in clipped, quiet tones, the professional detachment barely concealing the grim reality. "The events of last week have left the heart of San Diego devastated. Lives lost, countless families displaced. Reports indicate that nearly one-fifth of the city's infrastructure had been turned to rubble. The number of confirmed casualties continue to rise as emergency teams work tirelessly to recover what remains, and authorities urge citizens to brace themselves for more sombre news."

As the camera panned over the ruined cityscape, the scene cut to candlelit vigils, faces cast in soft shadows, their expressions etched with grief. A woman's silent weeping echoed faintly in the background, a grim reminder that this was real...

Every loss has a name, their own story.

The screen flickered again, showing the Vegas skyline hazed with smoke as the scene cut to another anchor, this one in a sharp suit, greased back hair, and a smug edge to his voice. He didn't have the same kindness in his voice as the one prior.

He went on to explain the attacks last night, Charlie Liber's face had been plastered on the screens described as the mastermind behind attacks in Vegas along with some of his associates.

He then went on to tell that during the last half hour of the fight, he disappeared and in place of him were chimera, the same chimera that were in San Diego, teleported in place of Charlie and all the people he had helped break out of the pacific bat correctional facility.

The anger was barely restrained in his eyes as he stared into the camera.

"In a single hour, the so-called protectors of our society—the paladins—have failed us again. The chimera, initially wreaking havoc in San Diego, suddenly switched positions to Vegas right in the final half hour." He then raised his finger and closed his eyes as if to control himself from lashing out.

"And in that half hour, the city suffered unspeakable losses, all because some of those "Heroes" couldn't act in time."

He leaned forward, his voice dripping in volume, each word deliberate and dripping with contempt.

"Let's talk about Adrian Wolfe. Gold rank paladin, supposedly one of the country's finest, good public image, flashy rescues. And yet, when things started to spiral, when those creatures grew in number, what did Mr. Wolfe do?...He ran. That's right, the one people were lauding up to be this country's next monarch didn't have enough of a backbone to hold the line."

Adrian Wolfe wasn't the only paladin there, but he was certainly the strongest one. His power made it so.

So why...?

"And it's about time we started asking questions, because these paladin are quick to enjoy the worship, the privileges, the money, but when it comes to real consequences? real threats? They leave us regular citizens to pick up the pieces."

He gave a pointed look into the camera, as if daring anyone to disagree, his expression a blend of scorn and superiority. "And with no response from the man himself, where do we go from here? Who really holds these people accountable? No one, because we are supposed to accept this carnage as just *part of the deal*. But remember this, those people are only in power because we gave it to them. If they want our gratitude and respect, tell them to earn it."

The news feed cut to another shot of destroyed buildings in silent streets, lifeless under the haze of smoke.

___

Theon adjusted the collar of his black dress shirt, his fingers pausing momentarily as he stared into the mirror. The fabric felt heavy, almost as if it could absorb the grief lingering in the air.

He took a breath, a shallow inhale, more of a ritual than an effort to find any calm. Today wasn't about feeling fine—it was about facing what remained.

They were back in school now, and they were meant to attend another assembly, dress for the occasion too. Theon wasn't feeling well.

He had seen the news and thought to text Ava after seeing what the media is saying about her father but he decided against it. What would he even say?

Thankfully his own team were fine, no scars or anything thanks to the healing of the medics on standby. After Oscar Dempsey's Mayhem had hit them it went on for a few minutes but they were alright in the end.

There were also no deaths among his classmates. They came close to one though, so close, but thankfully it was just a scare, everyone was alright.

Yet Theon still felt bad, sick and like nothing was right.

There had been so many civilian casualties, so many injured so many dead. So much destruction and so many left with no home. As paladin, they had failed.

And the only face in everyone's mind was Charlie Liber's.

Theon imagined him smirking devilishly somewhere. But why? Charlie had wanted to expose Grid but he hadn't mentioned it to anyone, Carmen and the teacher's only found out last week, Theon thought that now would be one of the best times to expose it while the iron was still hot.

But it had been a week and there was not a peep.

In Theon's opinion, Charlie had gone about it the completely wrong way. He didn't care for the innocent that had been caught in the crosshairs of his madness, and it made Theon feel a kind of way.

He doesn't want to say sad, he didn't know the feelings of his heart well enough. In some aspects Grid took that away from him too.

And like Charlie he was mad about that too, he has a whole past he can't even remember because of what they had put him through, how was that fair? It wasn't, but still, Theon can't imagine planning a widescale attack like that.

He would go to the source, he should go to the source.

Calum Verus, he was a culpable individual but not the main source of Theon's misery. But if Theon were in Charlie's shoes he would eventually turn his full rage to him.

Theon walked slowly out of the dorms to the assembly hall. He took the long way, making sure that it took him as long as possible to get to the building. He didn't feel right and he didn't know what was wrong with him.

He then heard footsteps matching his slow pace. Jon was stepping beside him, hands buried in his pockets, his dark hair was tousled over and his face was unreadable, but Theon could still read the expression. He was in thought while thinking of something to say.

"You'd think there'd be someone outside to try drag us in there by now, with all this waiting around." Jon said,

Theon shrugged, feeling the usual comfort of Jon's humour muted now. After a pause, Jon glanced sideways at him, one eyebrow quirked. "You okay?" he then scrunched his face as if he said something wrong. "Never mind. You look terrible honestly."

Theon averted his gaze and looked skyward, the clouds were low and they were grey. "Fell that way too." He mumbled. "Doesn't help that everybody's dressed the same, even our uniforms have more variation."

"I thought you liked the dark and muted look." Jon asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, when it's only me in it." Did he mean that?

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

Jon let out a yawn, it was still morning and they had time before the assembly was meant to start.

"I think I know how you're feeling..." Jon brought his hand up and curled it and there were mini cracking sounds coming, releasing tension. "The silence. The waiting. Even though I'm used to it, it'll sometimes feel wrong, like everything's upside down and you just want it to go back to normal."

Theon thought on his words. He thought of the angry news reporter from earlier.

"And then you live on and see the aftermath of what you took part in, and sometimes it makes you feel stupid for even trying to care." Theon was caught off guard from the rawness in Jon's voice.

Sometimes he forgets about Jon's past profession. He forgets that in circumstances like these, even with Theon's unique past, Jon is still more experienced than he is.

Jon exhaled and nudged Theon's shoulder softly. "Lets go in. Don't need them thinking we ditched." he said with the faintest smirk creeping back into his expression.

Theon gave one too and nodded, they both entered the building...

___

The assembly hall had a sombre elegance, a vast space filled with rows upon rows of polished wooden seats, each seats dark sheen catching the dim glow of the pendent lights hanging from above.

The walls, lined with tall windows that had been curtained to a low comforting twilight, softening the edges of the room and casting long shadows that stretched like silent witnesses.

An array of banners, deep blue and black, hung proudly.

The students settled into their seats, subdued whispers filling the room like the low rustle of leaves. The quiet tension weighed on them all. Each face carried an expression drawn and distant. Some lost in thought, some staring blankly.

But then, appearing at the front of the room, from seemingly nowhere a presence took hold of the silence, and the atmosphere shifted.

A man built like a fortress, his skin was burnished, as though it had been kissed by the sun. His grey hair that seemed more white in the rooms light, was cropped close, a striking contrast to his weathered face, and there was a kind of brilliance in his expression.

It was an unyielding spark that pulled each gaze to him, anchoring the room's scattered energy.

His oak brown eyes were fierce, they swept over the students in the room, reading tremors of fear, grief and fatigue.

"That... that's Noa Godwin." A second year muttered in the crowd. And it was, they had all noticed that the broad man standing with a silent smile was the country's monarch, the strongest man in the world, The star wished upon by humanity.

The whispers died down, as he stood in silence for a moment, letting the room absorb his presence. His aura was calm yet crackling, like the stillness before a storm, it demanded attention, a respect beyond the weight of any title or rank.

The room stilled, breath held, waiting. Then, with an easy shift, he clasped his hands behind his back, his stance relaxed but full of purpose. He stood tall on the raised platform.

And Noa began to speak, "Hello students. I'm sure you all know me but if you don't, my name is Noa Godwin." His voice was deep, carrying the grit and warmth of stones rubbed smooth by the sea. His words filled the hall, reaching each corner with a resonance that felt like they were spoken to each heart individually.

"I know what you have all faced," His tone was light which matched the lazy look in his eye. "I know because I too have also felt it. The sting of defeat, the doubts that gnaw at your courage, the quiet voice in the dead of night that may whisper, 'Why even try?'"

He let his words sink in, the silence afterward charged, as though he'd tapped into an unspoken ache they all shared. He watched them, waiting, and with the calm, measured gaze of someone who had seen both glory and despair countless times over, he continued.

"There's nothing wrong with that. There is strength in that fear. It's the mark of someone who cares, someone who's alive and still dares to look forward."

Noa took a closer step, his gaze moving from face to face, a moment longer on one that was familiar to him.

"We are forged by our efforts. Not the outcome, not the accolades, but by the strength we put into each moment, every struggle, every choice to get up and face the next day."

A slow knowing smile spread across his face, lines deepening at the corners of his eyes.

"After the troubles you went through I was expecting some of you to have filed to be removed from the course by now, but you haven't." This was more to the first years.

"You all remain, that show's your resolve, your heart, and your spirit."

There was a hush, a fragile moment as his words settled over them like a balm, it was like they were receiving a badge of honour.

"Each one of you has a fire that no amount of darkness can dim. So know this: you are enough, and you always will be."

He paused, letting the finality of his words linger in the stillness. "And to show that, I am here to congratulate you on the main objective of your last mission; Oscar Dempsey."

Hearing him say the name brought back the memories of the night. Some shivered. And someone loudly asked... "Is that kid on campus?"

"Yes. And that is thanks to his saviours from our new first year class." There was a hushed sound that came over everyone. Surprise was in the atmosphere.

Two faces were showed on a hologram behind the monarch. They were both recognizable to the first years, and one had more recognizable features to everyone in the room due to possible relations.

The names were Arte Graham and Ava Wolfe.

But instead of applause their was this weird tension mixing in the air, fear was a part of it. And heads were moving around the room to find the two,

"Should we really be happy that a potential bomb was brought in?" Someone from the back row spoke, they were a senior, second year since the third years were still out of the state.

"Yeah, we all seen what happened that night, shouldn't he be kept someplace else... so everyone can be safe."

"Guys!" A louder voice spoke and this one was the most recognizable of the second years. It was Milo Nadir.

"He's just a kid. And retrieving him from Charlie Liber was the goal. We won, so don't downplay the win."

'Is that really what they were doing though?' Theon thought. They genuinely seemed a little worried.

And they had a right to be, Theon was happy the kid was in safe hands now, but even he was a little worried.

It felt like at any moment he could black out again and rage would consume him, who would he attack? How far would he go?

"Him going out of control is impossible as long as he is within this school's grounds." Noa Godwin interrupted. Through that brief pause Theon looked at some of the other mentors in the room, some were missing but they all stood straight in his presence.

"The reason why this is the best place for him, is because of Juniper Fay and her power."

The room looked a lot more intrigued at that.

Noa looked at all their curious faces and chuckled, a long hard laugh and then went silent.

And then another irritatingly familiar voice shouted out.

"Will You Tell Us Already!!!" Corbin screamed out in frustration causing those sitting beside him to cover their ears and a look of embarrassment to come from his mentor's face.

"NOOO!" Noa shouted back shaking his head at Corbin.

That got some laughs from the room and it brought with it a more light atmosphere.

"Just know that as long as he is with her then everything will be alright."

The tension in the room was now gone, to Theon there was some slight normalcy that had been brought back.

Noa then pointed his finger in the air in a gun symbol, the same way that Juniper Fay had when sending them off.

"I look forward to seeing how you all grow. To seeing that fire you carry forward. There is no end to what you can so, so long as you remember the strength that brought you here today."

And then, out of his finger tip a trail of fire danced into the air only to leave resounding pops and crackles like fireworks be sent above the room.

Everyone clapped and at the drop of a hat Noa Godwin had disappeared again.

Caleb Adams had walked up to where the monarch had just been stood and waited for the crowd to quiet down before delivering his own speech.

"First, I want to apologize to the new students who had to be put in so much danger that night, we were caught off guard and if any of you feel you need professional treatment, there is always an option for the school's counsellor who is BPA approved." He then pointed a hand toward a man with a foxy smirk and closed eyes, Theon was still sceptical of him for reasons he can't fully explain, it made him want to take a visit to the counsellors office.

Corbin scoffed but didn't say anything.

"And now secondly, I want to thank everybody here who took part in the fight. You all put in your best efforts and succeeded in what we had set out to do even at the risk of your own lives. But I want you to know, the fight is not over, only the first phase has been completed,"

His voice got deeper as he said that and he looked more serious when doing so. "Charlie Liber is still out at large and we believe he hadn't used his full forces against us so we have to prepare accordingly."

There wasn't much fear in the air as there was when they spoke on Oscar Dempsey which was weird to Theon.

Charlie is clearly the bigger threat now, he reckless and unmoving in his path. He doesn't seem to be slowing down either, so his next attack would probably be soon.

"We have reason to believe he will attack again on October 31st..."

Halloween, Theon thought that would be too formulaic for Charlie.

Theon thought on what he would do, he wasn't at all like Charlie, he knew this. But for Theon, Halloween would be the best time to mess with the media, like leaking information about Grid.

This would then point the public in a different direction that would divide the force of the paladin and police.

Then he would pick a date for attack. Since Charlie most likely has the people he broke out of prison, then that attack could be even bigger than what had happened the previous week.

He would just have to find the date...

Theon felt someone tap on his shoulder. He looked to see orange locks of hair and a worried brow... "My bad, I was thinking on something. How can I help you Robin?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about something. Can we do it in private?"

Theon looked around to see that the crowd was starting to leave the room now, he didn't even notice the assembly was over, Jon was still beside him and looked over to Robin, he then nodded.

"I'll see you late Theo." he waved goodbye.

'Alright then.'

Theon looked back to Robin and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go."