XII

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Classes resume to their normal schedules after the trials.

Viktas and his group had a formal exchange with Arcana and the rest of the professors and instructors of Arcane Academy, before departing the Academy grounds. It was ceremonious event with all the students receiving their renewed ability class, ranks and statistics for the year—data that are officially tabulated and published into the City's official systems.

It's a pride of some sort to receive an improved ability class from the previous year, and those with Class A or above are generally classified as higher tier ability users with much potential to the City. These students receive additional attention from the higher ups and have already been receiving offers throughout the week of the trials for various mentee positions in different sectors of the City of Leatia.

Lena doesn't have anything to worry about further. The authorities have departed, and her apparent ability class and rank are just average. She's received a B-Class rating, unsurprisingly, and her internal rank in Arcane Academy isn't noteworthy either. The rest of the uniquely measured statistics of her abilities? She doesn't pay them any attention—but it's not like she can understand those specific numbers and what they may imply anyway.

And so she relaxes. But there's still unrest—students are already working their gears up for the next chapter: the Annual Games. Some students are fortunate enough to consider the openings and offers given to them via the trials, but everyone else also sees the annual school competition as an even greater equal opportunity for them to perform publicly, and get recognised.

It's an annual competition within Arcane Academy, with students competing with each other with their abilities through various games—only, it's broadcasted live and across the City of Leatia.

Which means being featured in the games will earn outstanding students publicity; and in a City revolving around power, it's their chance to show the world what they're made of.

The Annual Games is still going to happen despite all that's happened. This is part of the deal Arcana made with the authorities: to hold Arcane Academy's Annual Games whilst pulling away the City's attention from the recent tragedy of Andromeda, allowing the authorities to continue their investigation without public unrest.

One episode after another. Ever since Lena stepped foot in the City of Leatia and was made a student of Arcane Academy, she's been like a character in a fantasy world. Except this is indeed reality—and a world created by her nonetheless.

At the very least, it's still true that Lena can take it easy now that the academy is free from watchful eyes. Her shoulders feel considerably lighter with each step she takes in the academy since the departure of the government representatives. The Annual Games, on the other hand...

"Is completely voluntary," Neesha explains as the two girls walk the length of the ancient hallway, under stone arches.

"But?" Lena prompts, sensing something there.

"But," Neesha continues, "Most of the students are eager to participate anyway."

"To fight among the best. Free duels and games—what better way to do it than this competition where these are legally allowed?"

Neesha flashes her a grin. "Exactly."

Perhaps this annual competition of Arcane Academy can keep Lena's own mind away from what happened in Andromeda, too. She needs this refresher herself—especially if she can't talk to anyone about it.

The only person who has openly prompted her to talk about this—who equally shared an experience in Andromeda Sector, only on different battlefields—is Caelus, but he is still not talking to her since the trials. And immediately after the departure of the authorities, he's simply gone from classes just as before.

So, no—even if Lena still sometimes replay Andromeda when she closes her eyes, she is unable to talk about this incident, and doesn't have anyone who really understand what she's been through since entering the city and then the academy. And the truth of her powers are even harder to take on her own.

It's hard to forget where it all begun: from where she witnessed Reyes and Lucifer crushed under all the debris, and it all restarted again, where she still bears the weight of knowing Reyes never made it out in one piece.

Lena watches the quirky, nosy boy now as he roams across the fields talking in quick tones to their classmates—and disturbing others—after Combat Training. The exoskeleton supporting Reyes' lower back and his two legs allows him to walk and do everything a pair of functioning legs would without the injury that led to the paralysis of his lower body. There he goes, passing students of Corvus and even Draco, gathering bits of gossips as he always does on his old-fashioned memo pad and pen.

If fate wanted to be cruel, it would find its way somehow or the other.

With no way of knowing Lena's own power to shape reality concludes their fates for the better or worse, she constantly reminds herself of what Caelus thought of this: Everyone is here. Whatever injuries and misfortunes sustained, they still made it back here alive, and you're part of the reason why.

"Lena?"

She looks to her friend Neesha, who fortunately wasn't part of the Andromeda incident, though she was one of the first direct witnesses of the intruders. It was oftentimes ignored that Neesha had an immediate encounter with two of the Shadow Syndicate, nearly facing them off like the S-Class was supposed to, right on the grounds of Arcane Academy. The enemy was so close.

Besides, Neesha is secretly let on on their little extraction mission, when Lena admitted it to her, Roen and Caelus in the medical centre. Details are obscured, with only the barest hint of what happened, but Neeeha knows.

A sudden urge rises within Lena, from simply wanting to put the thought out there to yearning to tell Neesha everything about Andromeda. Lena wonders how Neesha might have felt: knowing that while her best friend Roen was taken away, her other best friend Caelus was tasked on a dangerous mission from the authorities to fight a group of powerful ability users without prioritising the rescue of Roen.

It's perhaps why the trio never once mention what happened in Andromeda—they were fighting on different fronts of the battle, worrying for one another whilst helpless and unable to do anything for each other. The three of them somehow silently agreed not to talk about it post reunion in the medical centre.

"Sorry, I was just spacing out," Lena says, breaking the air. The fields are almost cleared now as the two girls enter the inner wing of Arcane Academy, into the maze-like hallways. "Which lesson are we having now?"

"It's break before three hours of General Studies with Ms Iparis," Neesha tells her, her face giving away to disdain.

"Three hours..."

They stop around a corner, reaching their classroom's hallway. The halls are crowded with students moving back and forth, especially since all three classes of their year just had Combat Training together and students are now making their way back to their respective classes.

As some students move around, Lena notices that a section of the hallway is destroyed. She starts, forgetting that this is usual. It was rather quiet the last week because of the trials. It was not because they were under supervision and had the authorities watching them—Lena suspects they might have done whatever they want either way—but because of the students' focus on the trials. Now that the trials are over, the constant duels begin again.

As the structure repairs itself, Neesha tugs Lena closer on the other side of the hallway. They stay clear of the way and the curious horde of students. "This way," Neesha says, slightly dishevelled from the small space.

A sudden flash of light appears before them, materialising into a figure.

"Oh." Celeste startles to have materialised before Neesha and Lena. But as she looks around the crowded hallway, she backs up to the wall and realises that there is no way she could have teleported here without outright coming face to face with some of the students. The destroyed part of the already narrow corridor adds on to the lack of space.

"Celeste?" Neesha approaches the senior. "Are you here for Caelus?"

"Caelus?" Celeste mulls, somehow using a moment to process her brother's name. She spaces out, eyes drifting over the hallway. "No, no—"

"Celeste!" Her name is spoken once again within a short time, from somewhere amongst the crowding path.

The called turns to the source just as a strong hand grabs hold of her arm, and Everett emerges from the crowd of students. He tries to weave himself forward toward Celeste, but just as he does, some student knocks his shoulder and he stumbles a step forward. The two's joined hand and arm still intact, they are eventually forced together by the slight push.

Their foreheads collide.

"Sorry—" Celeste apologises just as Everett mutters, "My bad—"

A set of stormy grey eyes meet a pair of summer green ones, and Celeste seems to be in a daze until Everett's features break into a charming grin.

"You two... know each other?" Neesha wonders aloud suddenly, and the two of them pull away awkwardly. Lena notices that Everett pulls his hand back too deliberately and runs it through his messy black hair once before shoving both his hands into his pockets. Neesha puts her hands up. "Sorry, I—"

"No, no," Celeste replies while Everett says at the same time, "Yes."

They take a moment, glancing once at each other and then back at Neesha and Lena.

"No," Celeste says again. "I mean, no, we don't know each other." Lena sees through the line: If it weren't for Andromeda, they wouldn't.

Neesha raises her brow, but Lena doesn't prod. She nudges her friend and waves a hand over. "See you around."

Neesha takes this cue to leave, and they leave the two behind, Everett lifting a shy hand as goodbye before being led away by Celeste.

"Never seen a friendly senior like Celeste here in our junior building before, doing something other than checking on Caelus," Neesha muses as they continue on. "I mean, the other powerful seniors are usually out tormenting us juniors."

Lena takes a plunge from the way she's seen the two interact earlier. Slyly, she remarks, "I've noticed Celeste here, but only recently."

"Huh." Neesha turns to face her then, a look on her face. "Speaking of which, there's that rumour Reyes is trying to pick up on, about you and Caelus—"

"Hello, ladies," Reyes announces just that moment, appearing in the small space between Lena and Neesha. Because he's small and agile, he slips through easily, hooking both their arms on either side. "Anything for me?"

Lena blinks at the sudden intrusion, and at the quickness of Reyes to jump at every gossip however far away. Neesha, on the other hand, rolls her eyes. Her friend says, "Go away, Reyes. I don't have anything—"

Reyes makes a disapproving sound. "Everyone has secrets, and it's up to me to uncover them. I may not have my useful memo pad with me, but I assure you everything you tell me, I'll remember word for word"—he puffs out his chest, grinning—"promise. A true view."

At his never fading enthusiasm even with his permanent injury, Lena can't help but smile bittersweetly. "Are you looking to do something with writing and editing in the future, Reyes?"

This question catches him off-guard, and he studies Lena. Reyes has perhaps never been asked a personal question because of his status as the head of Arcane Academy's newsletter team as a second year—people only approach him with talks of the town, or are confronted by him in search of interesting rumours. Surely Reyes has a great many connections, but does he have some good friends?

"I... might, actually," Reyes admits. For the first time, he's lacking at words. "I want to be on the front lines, reporting news—and perhaps making live commentaries on the best Catalysts battles. Speaking of which, I'll be the commentator for the Annual Games. How exciting!"

"Oh," Lena says. "You're not participating."

She doesn't miss the slight drop in his eyes before he whistles in his quirkiest manner, hands thrown over his head causally. "Nope." Then he adds, "I would. But I think I'd like to sit this year out."

Lena nods. His back injury, to others, was because of a demon attack in his residential building. Arcana had even prepared all the necessary documents as official evidence for the government.

"That's nice to hear. You are participating—as the omniscient narrator," Lena points out.

Reyes beams. "Are any of you participating?"

They reach their classroom, and they enter through the carved doorway. Reyes fluidly moves away and onto the next crowd of students in their class for more exciting conversation, without even hearing their replies.

"I don't know, but I'll probably sit this one out," Lena admits to Neesha. The Annual Games may be a refresher from Andromeda, but she doesn't need to be participating in it for it to be as such. She can be a spectator and may as well take a break from all the action for once. Besides, it'll be good for her to watch experienced students in combat, then learn from there. "I've never asked. What about you?"

Neesha gives her a knowing look. "I used to want to avoid these things. But I became a part of it," she says with excitement. "There are different games each year and even if I'm not competing for fame, I will participate for the thrill of it—as a student of Arcane Academy, the best there is in the City of Leatia."

Lena smiles at that. "That's a good perspective."


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