Back at the school, everything appeared to be operating normally. We continued our regular classes as if there were no danger. Nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. Top teams only conduct occasional scouting missions.Sandro was still a secret to the deadlocks. The Trinity told them that keeping quiet about where Aragon went was best. This was a terrible secret to keep from them, but I knew that I had to ensure their safety. Innocence, I hoped, would be enough to protect them.Our foraging training has come to an end. Ed Vega taught his students about edible wild plants like mushrooms, moss, and berries. The fact that we could put what we learned to use in the real world made the lesson all the more engaging. The training sessions they've been giving us seemed more like practice for an eventuality in which these abilities would be crucial after reading this.It was almost precisely nine o'clock, and we were still outside. While the deadlock children were ten
A pair of quick, fiery feet moved towards the shock point just before the electric ball could hit Mira. Glor Fina's unique countermove to the strong force was like something out of a jaw-dropping circus as she jumped and dashed.She quickly kicked the electricity upward, thanks to her long arms' ability to build up rotational forces as they approached the ball. It clumped together like a little comet and shot back into space.After being rescued by her sister, Mira was left gasping. The eyes slowly opened as she did. She looked shocked and disbelieving in her eyes as they landed on me. What my hands had done even shocked me.The counterattack was unexpected. Leaving the surprise felt like my wrists moved in tandem with the cosmos. Somewhere within me, I discovered a pleasant surprise.Being underestimated worked to my benefit, I thought. What I did wasn't something I felt any remorse about. The way the other students treat the deadlocks, whether they iden
"No one's going to be an abyssal demon, kid."Simultaneously, we looked over to where Sir Ferns had been standing, at the garden's wooden gate. His calm, almost startled expression moved from me to Oswin. I could see the rising irritation in his eyes and hear the shallowness of his breath as he attempted to keep the power above his shoulders from crashing.Everyone in the camp rose to greet the camp leader."Sir Ferns," Mauvi, Regina, Martha, and Lux all ran to him. Before returning to us, the camp's leader ruffled Mauvi's hair.We were all gathered inside the cottage garden, waiting for The Drift beyond the rectangle railing. Perhaps they were waiting for Sir Ferns' approval before splitting us into three groups.Our camp's commander cleared his throat. "There will be a still hour today," he said, "and no one knows the precise time save Lyka Millar, who is currently being kept captive by the black sorcerers.""Is she the girl who was colore
Both Chase's demeanor and response when I came close were unruffled. The slovenly Fabian stood behind Myra and Oswin while they chatted under the willow tree. My eyes met Chase's, and he smiled. My eyes betrayed the residual unease I was trying to conceal. I mustered up the will to seem happy, but my lips quivered. There was no fooling my face. His gaze was questioning. His deep gold eyes peered at every detail of my skin. "A-are you okay?" he asked, not leaving my sight. I had no idea why my cheeks had turned hot. To cover it, I walked by him and toward Myra. I was about to walk away from the man when I felt his warm palm on my left arm. Our skin still shined. It refused to give up. "Don't ever leave my sight," he said possessively. I came to a halt and stared at it. Because of what he said, the strength of my chest beat doubled. I had to raise my head to view his face. "I know you're trying to protect me, Chase, but there are other people wh
"Stella, please don't get up! Stillness has not yet been broken." Isabel, her voice still calm but sad, turned her back on me. She studied the footprints Sir Fernando had left behind. Her head was hung low, and she appeared to be suppressing a sob.All of us, including Isabel, were carrying something we all had in common. In other words, it hurts just as much. Several strategies for restraining or redirecting them in the future. Another ally of ours fell.Another occurrence of this kind has occurred. Our camp leader is the target this time.We had a sibling taken away because of the impasse. There was a guide that went missing. A guiding star that can help us reach safety. The impasses were like a ship full of sailors out on a dark ocean at midnight.I addressed him as "Sir Ferns..." I repeated as my chest heaved with each sob. While Oswin slept, Myra held me in her arms. Despite this, I knew I was on their side regardless of the future.Smoke and
I met Zeri and Faey in the yard outside the Provost Building. Oswin and Myra were contacted by the academy's provost earlier. It also included Isabel, Avi, and a juvenile hybrid named Samantha."There has been a two-hour delay. We need to know what became of them." Impatiently, Faey asked. The rose behind him was almost completely sucked dry. It has created a hobby of carefully removing petals from flowers.Once upon a time, I could read sounds into the Provost Building; now, I can't listen to everyone's heart."Perhaps Renate, the provost, has created a shield around the entire room, Zeri. That suggests they're discussing a sensitive topic and need to take extra safety measures, "I added.Perhaps," acknowledged Zeri, who appeared to have given up on trying to learn what was happening inside the structure.I heaved a sigh and mutter, "I hope sir Ferns is doing well."Together they drew air and whispered, "I hope so."We stood in silen
Fabian didn't even flinch. His eyes shifted from me to the man beside me like hard marble slowly crumbling into powder. He breathed heavily as he swallowed the lump in his throat. A loud female voice from behind Fabian interrupted the action, saying, "All deadlocks, follow me!" Professor Zoe Glynnie, wearing a voluminous purple cloak, stepped out. Her long, glossy locks hung down below her neck. She looked like a living doll with a thick book tucked under her right side. Myra claims that she is a "purple caster" and is highly trusted by Provost Renate because of her skill with purple focus. "Stella!" Myra, standing right behind Professor Zoe, screamed out loudly to me. Oswin sat next to her, looking perplexed. The man fixed his gaze on me and shook his head automatically. They kept walking till the professor was sure where we were. He raised his right eyebrow as he gazed at me. His visage was devoid of any enthusiasm—a blank expression.
"Can you keep a secret?""I'm a sucker for secrets!" Myra responded quickly, as if enthralled by what Oswin had to say. Her swollen eyes have yet to return to normal."What is the secret?" I was intrigued. I quickly sensed dread in the secret that the man hadn't even started yet, and I knew it would have a significant impact on what happened next. I looked at Oswin, who seemed to be bothered by something. His eyes couldn't conceal it."I can get us out of here!" he moaned excitedly.Myra moved her gaze closer to the man who appeared to be the most enthralled by whatever Oswin had to say. "Do you have a counterspell?""Swear in this dungeon that the secret will be kept within these four walls.""Promise," I murmured, raising my right hand."Promise! Even if I bet on my lovely face! So, do you have a counterspell for Professor Zoe's high-level spells?""No. But we, Levistes, are true masters of escape abilities such as transfer,
Chase wished for her. Because fate had decreed that he would be the one to save the Tribe when evil seeded. For a long time, almost every living thing on the planet believed that this was the ultimate goal—he who would save us all. True. I'm guessing quite frequently. But, there are those people who selected the road to their own ruin. Either temporarily or indefinitely. He could have been one of the unlucky few. Be cautious of what you hope for. The rumors have it, but he didn't pay any heed. Chase did not beg a falling star to help him keep the tribe safe on the night in question. He merely desired to be content. The desire to find true love. He thought that true love had an eternal essence. He did. Stella descended from the stars the same night. His desire. Yet, if wishes could be granted, why didn't his hope for bliss and eternal love come true? Why did it tear him to shreds? Perhaps not all of our desires are granted; perhaps a meteor's fall does not magically fulfill all of
My mind was deluged with disturbing visuals. There appeared to be no living things. Nothing but an enormous void of darkness exists. Should we consider Tribes over at this point? Is this what my bleak visions of the future mean? So, this is it? "Chase," Mira muttered behind me. He clung to my arm, which he hadn't done in a long time because he hated me for losing Sandro. "Please tell me what you see, Isabel. Please let me know if you can see the photo of us... of Tribus." I stammered as I tried to speak. As thick black smoke gradually enveloped the entire dome, my entire system trembled. "I'm not seeing anything. I can't. Nothing is visible to me!" "This can't be happening," said Fina, who was standing behind me. The density of the dark smoke increased. None of the doom tree's limbs were visible to us. Our shared anxiety united us. Is it the end of everything? The last place I saw Chase, my eyes widened as I noticed a small light there. That is until the intensity of the storm
A strong breeze blew. Leaves, small branches, and sand fluttered in the breeze. The entire opening of that volcano was barely visible to me. Even with my glasses on, I fell asleep because my lashes are short. I leaned in close to Fabian and Stella. "Clypeus!" Mira begins to cast her spell. Then, gradually, a semitransparent, glass-like dome forms around us. Mira sat behind the sobbing Fabian, comforting his back. Many people see it as rude and hard, but there is a hint of sadness on its face. It is understanding. "She desired to live. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted to be with us, but fate had other plans." The man hugged Stella's body once more. "She's a pleasant person. I'm sorry for your loss, Fabian and Isa "Fina, who was sitting at Stella's feet, made a sad statement. Even though Fina's statement was brief, I could sense her sincerity. I was surprised to hear Mira sobbing behind Fabian. Perhaps he is sorry for what he did to Stella. Tears formed on the bridge of her ey
A piercing scream filled the volcano's mouth. Fighting with opponents had almost rendered me paralyzed. Chase here. I can hear his anguish from where I am. He's finished it. It has been completed. Stella has been drained to death by him. Stella... My dearest friend. She's left. She was consumed by both, as I have seen many times. All of my friends were being taken away from me by fate. Sandro. Myra. Oswin. Now Stella. Tears streamed down my cheeks gradually. I really wish we had more time. Stella exudes positivity. I wish it had ended differently. This is not the case. This is not the case. Chase yelled once more. This created a powerful wave of energy. The man is in mourning. I understand your anguish. That is why his power has been increased by a factor of two. Never underestimate the strength of a bereaved soul. It is capable of destroying an entire village in its grief. Thank you very much! I raised my eyes to the doom tree's flowers once more. My heart was pounding
From the glowing cylinders strewn about, three divine forms form a triangle. A tailcoat tuxedo in a scotch mist white with solid silver Gothic buttons was what Sir Ultra wore. As he descended into the volcano's crater, his mournful gaze followed me. Sir Blue Dane, decked out in a brown military jacket and worn pants, stood across the way. Sir Strike comes down from up high in his trademark black trenchcoat and blows off the Santis. The nearest landing spot was right here, and he kept looking between me and Chase, who was still asleep. That's right, they've finally arrived. Trinity touched down in the volcano's sandy crater. They didn't waste any time, Blue Dane and Ultra. As soon as they landed, they unleashed a barrage of counterattacks on their foes. Meanwhile, I was aware of Sir Strike's close proximity to me. In an instant, his jaws tightened and his golden eyes narrowed. "I hope we're not late," he said quietly as he yanked the grass wrapped around me with all his effort. Whe
Like a light of a single firefly banishing in the prey's mouth, his burning eyes were gone, and so was his grip, which was almost an inch away from my hands. Oswin was able to move him to the point where the bullets would have passed through, which should have been for the enemy. Chase hesitated when he got to his new place, but as soon as he did, three bullets hit his right chest in quick succession. Chase almost recoiled as the bullets hit his body. White, icy mist splattered from the gunshot. like a ball bursting inside after hitting a sharp and deadly bullet. My heart slowly disintegrated seeing his demise. "Chase!" I screamed. I tried to run towards where the man was now unable to move and what looked like a lump of ice in the standing. Chase was frozen solid, metaphorically speaking. He was paralyzed from the neck down. As the scalding liquid trickled down my cheeks, I made an effort to close the gap. As I walked up to the man, tears filled my eyes. It didn't go unnoticed b
This scene was shattered by four shots fired in rapid succession. My first taste of the pungent, cold gunpowder came from the locusts released by Isabel's magical rifle.The next thing I noticed was the smell, which seemed to be deteriorating muscle, fabric, and rubber. When I turned around to face the shadow sorcerers following me, I saw that they, too, were dissolving like ice in the presence of a powerful flame. Isabel praised them as she walked toward them with her gun still pointed at Sandro. Myra and Oswin stayed inside the massive energy orb. Sandro made a gesture that his black coworkers should not attack. I think he was trying to protect Isabel. The all-black group didn't do anything as the student regent moved closer to his old friend. Sandro froze in place. Isabel approached him, the rifle pointing directly at his face. As the man traced a path between them, I saw Isabel take a few gulps at a time. When he got close enough, I could see the whites of his eyes reddening un
"Detrahet me in vas+," came a whisper in the wind. It echoed in my head. Detrahet me in vas... I was suddenly reminded of the mark it made on my mind during the silent hour at the academy, which Isabel informed me meant "bring me the vessel."As the four dark sorcerers held me captive, I fought to free myself. The tight grasp of their dry hands and sharp nails had already begun to irritate my arm and leg. I was definitely terrified when I saw his face again, and I let out a shriek. The look on his face spelled doom for me.I felt my chest disappear. Because of the attention I received from my peers, the struggle was particularly intense. Chase emerged from hiding behind the massive boulder and began to stand. Time will tell, but it seems likely that it will bolt off again soon.They are doomed to die. If it didn't finish, people could feel sorry for me, and that would lead to many deaths. I would not tolerate pity on anyone else's part.But what should I do first, and how?It seemed t
Each passing second was accompanied by the shrill sound of my heart. Then the noise level skyrocketed, and I could see everything happening right in front of my eyes. It felt like my body was going numb with each pulse of my heart and every pump of my veins.A part of me felt like it was wasting away, but my brain wouldn't let me give up.Yes. I did my best to stick to the established sequence. My world nearly came apart at the seams because I trusted the weaver's prophecy. I thought that the beginning and end of my story were written by the universe itself.But.In the middle of the beginning and the end, a pause gave me a chance to alter my fate, if I so chose.This was presented to me by him.I needed Chase to give me hope so that I could keep going until the battle was over. To fight back at every turn, and perhaps throw a wrench into what the foresightful weavers and seers have planned.As he raced to save me, I realized he wanted to prove that he would fight and try to change fa