Chapter Six: Five Hours for Five Percent: Part Two
As the portal sealed shut behind them with a low hum, a biting gust of wind hit the boys, sending an icy chill straight through their skin. The freezing air stung their faces, and T.LAC shivered, instinctively rubbing his arms for warmth. Yozora, despite the cold creeping into his bones, looked around in awe, his breath visible in the frozen air.
"Mom, what is this place?" Yozora asked, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and unease.
His mother stood tall, seemingly unaffected by the frigid environment, her expression stern and unyielding. "Son," she began, her tone cold and authoritative, "this is S.T.A.R.S Development Base Alpha, also known as the Forest of Ice. Here, you and T.LAC will be forced to harness the Toro. If you fail..." She let her words linger in the frozen air like a threat. "You’ll freeze to death in under two hours."
Yozora’s eyes widened slightly, but before he could react, she continued, her voice hardening even further. "As of now, I am not your mother, and your father is not your father."
The weight of her words hit Yozora like a punch to the gut. He swallowed, his mind racing, trying to process the cold detachment in her voice. The familiar warmth of family had been stripped away in an instant, replaced by something harsh, something foreign. His chest tightened as a flicker of pain crossed his face, though he quickly masked it.
He glanced over at T.LAC, who seemed equally unsettled but said nothing. Under his breath, Yozora muttered to himself, "They’re probably not even my real parents. My only family is Mara... and T."
His lips curled into a cold, defiant smirk as he looked back at his mother—or rather, the woman who had just stripped herself of that title.
"Then what should I call you?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Unfazed by his tone, his mother’s response came swiftly, devoid of any warmth or emotion. "Instructor Selene," she said sharply. She gestured toward Yozora's father, who stood silent but stern beside her. "And Instructor Zephyr."
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Turning away from Yozora and T.LAC, Instructor Selene's voice was sharp and commanding as she strode toward a large boulder. "Blair, initiate protocol—function name Control."
Her voice echoed through the icy, cold forest, carrying an air of authority. From the distance, a playful voice called out, seemingly amused. "Selene, is that you? Oh, and Zephyr too! Wow, oh wow, what a surprise!"
The voice grew louder, closer, until Yozora felt a sudden poke, making him flinch. "And who are these two handsome boys?" the voice teased.
Selene's eyes narrowed in frustration as she glanced at the woman—Blair. Despite the irritation, a faint smirk tugged at Selene’s lips. "Now isn’t the time for your antics, Blair," she said firmly. "We can catch up later. You’ll remember who these boys are in about five minutes, trust me. But right now, I need you to activate Protocol—function name Control. That’s an order."
Blair, caught off guard by Selene’s uncharacteristically stern tone, rolled her eyes dramatically. She pulled down her lower eyelid with her right hand, sticking out her tongue in mock defiance. "Blah blah, yeah, order me around! What’s got Granny’s panties in such a bunch today?"
Selene’s face darkened, her voice dropping to a quiet but menacing tone. "Blair." A palpable, dark aura began to radiate from her, chilling the air even further. "I won’t repeat myself."
Blair's teasing demeanor vanished instantly. Her expression turned sheepish, almost like a scolded puppy, waving her hands defensively. "Okay, okay, I’m going!" she muttered, quickly turning to comply.
Blair stepped ahead of the group, her eyes closing as the icy wind picked up, growing harsher with every passing second. With a calm, confident voice, she called out, “Acceleration Art: Perfect Cube.”
Yozora and T.LAC’s eyes widened in awe as a brilliant, shimmering cube materialized in front of them. Its surface sparkled with an otherworldly glow. Yozora, blinking in amazement, asked, “Blair, right? What does that cube do? What’s it made of?”
Blair smirked, clearly enjoying the attention. “You really want to know, huh?” she teased, walking over and placing a finger on Yozora’s lips, her hips swaying playfully as she leaned slightly toward T.LAC, her rear in his line of sight.
“For a price,” she purred.
Yozora, flustered and red-faced, threw his hands up in embarrassment. “Uh, never mind!”
T.LAC, however, was far less shy, openly admiring the view with a grin on his face. Blair caught his gaze and winked at him over her shoulder. “Well, if you insist,” she said, standing up straight again. “This cube is made of two tons of pure diamond.”
“Wait, diamond?” Yozora echoed, still taken aback.
Blair grinned with pride. “Yep, pure diamond. But it’s not just for show. This cube is part of your Control Test. It's used to help Tuners understand their class type and how to harness their Toro effectively.”
She turned back to the cube, her playful demeanor fading as her face took on a more serious expression. “From this point on,” she said with a hint of warning, “I won’t be regulating the ice in this area anymore. So it’s about to get very cold for you boys. Very, very cold.”
With a wicked grin, she added, “Try not to die, okay?”
The temperature around them immediately began to drop, the icy wind biting at their skin, and the boys could feel the weight of the challenge ahead.