Cyrus Solaris
Heavy rain fell from the dark, moody sky as the drumbeat of thunder boomed relentlessly.
Battered and beaten, I sprinted after the creature, my feet splashing on the long pavement of the central isle.
The few moments it took for me to track the creature with gravisense felt like an eternity, but when I did, I channeled most of my cosmic energy into my legs. The rain needled against my face as I weaved through the many buildings and structures on the central isle. It wasn't long before I caught up to the creature.
It was standing near the edge of the isle, its body flickering from a solid mass to an intangible state.
I slowed my approach.
What is this thing?
The creature turned slightly, glancing at me.
Mira said it was a starspawn, but it felt way more intelligent compared to a starspawn, as if it were on the brink of becoming a Stellarfeind.
This is so strange.
I took another step towards the creature, my heart pounding, and my hands shaking. I didn't know what would happen next. It was cornered, and it seemed desperate to leave. My next move had to be the best one.
But then the creature spread its arms, wings of shadows growing from them, and it jumped off the isle.
I ran to the edge and saw the creature glide down to the surface. I imbued my eyes with cosmic energy and tracked it as it descended. It landed near a swirling portal on the ground.
That looks like a rift… Did it come from a rift?
On the ground, the creature seemed to be moving slower as it headed toward the rift.
Now is my chance.
I had half a mind to jump from the spot, but I knew I wouldn't survive that fall.
Think Cyrus.
I scanned my surroundings, looking for anything that would help me get to the ground quickly and safely.
Wait the teleporter!
I ran from the edge of the isle and darted to the teleportation terminal in the middle of the isle. At this point, I didn't care if it would get me in trouble; I had to get this thing.
I pushed past the half-sleep guards at the entrance and barricaded the door so they couldn't come after me.
Inside the terminal, I didn't know how to activate it. So I just pressed a bunch of buttons until something worked. Now that it was on, there were only three areas it could take me: the second-year isle, the test isle, and the surface.
I pressed the surface button, and in a flash, a wave of disorientation washed over me, and placed me on the surface.
It was dark, and rain flooded the ground. With Gravisense, I picked up the creature's mass again and trudged through the flooded terrain to get to it.
I fought past the pain and exhaustion to reach the creature, and when I caught up again, it stopped in its tracks. Its arms spread open again.
"You are not getting away from me again!"
I pushed the remaining cosmic energy into my legs and darted after the creature before it took flight again. The flooded terrain split as I cut through it like a razor.
My labored breathing filled the night air, and everything blurred in my peripheral vision. I was focused on bringing this thing back with me. But the creature's wings propelled it forward, and a gust of wind sent a wall of water crashing into me.
Closing my eyes, I fought through it, my legs still churning forward.
When I opened my eyes, I was a couple hundred feet away from the swirling portal of the rift.
In my blurred vision, it looked like the creature escaped into the rift.
Damn it.
Angered that I didn't catch the creature, I slammed my fist into the ground.
I stared at the swirling portal, catching my breath. Something began to crawl on my skin, slowly pulling me forward toward the portal. I frantically tried to swipe it away, but I couldn't stop the feeling.
If I wanted to enter the rift, I would need to enter in my astral form, but something about this felt like it was different.
I stuck my hand out, something invisible clasped it, and tried to pull me in. I struggled against it, but I wasn't strong enough to resist.
Inch by inch, I was dragged closer to the rift until I slammed into an invisible barrier that rejected my entry.
Then came a faint whisper.
"Not ripe enough."
My heart thundered as the grip around my hand loosened.
I sprinted back to the teleportation terminal, my body in a constant state of unease.
After teleporting back to the central isle, I undid the barricade. The guards were not there, so I sprinted back to where I had left Mira and the sleepwalking student.
They were in the same spot, their bodies still like corpses. I kneeled next to Mira; her pulse was low, and her breath was shallow. I gently nudged her, trying to get her to wake up. But she didn't budge.
"Mira, I'm back," I said, trying everything I could to wake her.
Still nothing.
I felt a trickle of cosmic energy coming from her.
She's in shock from the cosmic energy drain. I looked at the other kid, and he was in the same state. I had to get them to the medbay quickly. But in my current state, I don't think I could carry them.
I pulled out my communicator and saw that it was working, but I heard a crowd of voices.
I turned to see where they were coming from, and I saw professors and students from other houses.
"Cyrus Bennu, step away from the students," one of the professors said, releasing their cosmic energy.
It was potent and oppressive; I had nothing left in me to resist its presence.
"Professor, they need medical attention."
"Step away now."
I got up from the ground and took a couple of steps away. Suddenly, my hands were tied behind my back by the other professor.
"What are you doing?" I yelled out.
"You are being contained for harming students outside the bounds of academy-sanctioned activities and illegal use of the teleportation terminal."
"But I didn't do this to them. We were attacked!"
"Attacked by what?" the teacher behind me said, tightening their grip around my wrist.
"It was a behemoth."
"Behemoths are in captivity on the test isle. Escaping isn't an option."
"But it was. You have to believe me!"
I pleaded with the teacher, and more students filed out of the gym. Members of my cluster were among some of the first to come out.
Sora and Nerena stood at the front, both their faces painted with confusion. I scanned the crowd and saw Cendra, worry sketched on her face.
"Cyrus Bennu, you have developed a reputation at this academy that would prove otherwise. This is an expulsion-worthy offense."