In the weeks that follow the assassination plot, Elusives have surged to unprecedented numbers. Entire city blocks have turned into battle zones overnight, igniting new rifts with alarming frequency.
The screech of Alwin's blade clashing against Kiara's katana is replaced by the sound of her slamming her locker shut. She sneakily hides her phone under her hoodie, though it was so obviously clear that she was calling someone.
"Any new news about Elusive surges, J.J.?" Kiara mutters.
"I'm so sorry, Kiara, but I have been tipped off by your grandpa not to contact you about Elusives during school hours," J.J. apologizes relentlessly. "He's a scary man."
[ American Warden–Assistant Manager: Jim Johnson]
Though the news of Elusive outbreaks pulsed over the city, here, the world felt almost too normal. The most thrilling battles at her school are more so food fights and last-minute homework assignments.
She lazily slouches in geometry, but her mind wanders to her buzzing phone.
Focus, she tells herself, laying her head on her desk. Relax Kiara. It's time to return to normalcy.
Sadly, normalcy did not come.
During math class, while the teacher was going through her newborn's photos, one of Kiara's classmates leaned over to his friend.
"Bro, why were you hating on the teacher's baby?" the curly-haired boys mutter.
"I-I wasn't," the blonde friend stammers, trying to defend himself.
"What? You were literally doing fake spells like fireball. Fireball, you called him-it."
"No. It was like 'lightning whip. Lightning whip," the blonde student defends himself, pretending to hit the teacher with a fake lash of lightning.
"You're not defending yourself!" the curly student yells.
"Oh my god," Kiara whispers, slouching exaggeratedly in her seat.
The day did not improve.
"Did you know that Mrs. Roman has a thing for Mr. Sans?" Nina questions.
"Mr. Sans? The guy that's married?" Kiara furrows her brow. "The man who likes dipping his pizza in milk. Mr. Sans?"
"Yup," Kiara's friend cuts in.
[12:55 pm]
"We all have a thing for legs, right?" a tall boy talks to his group, grinning like it's the biggest secret ever.
"That is actually one of the more normal things I've heard today," Kiara comments from across the room. "I don't actually mind that."
"I love my sister," one boy says, eyes wide like he's confessing a cosmic truth.
"Okay, bro," Kiara mutters in complete defeat. She lowers her head in shame. "This place is not real." She drags her feet on the carpet floor, legs swinging back and forth.
Someone sneezes–ring outs like a gunshot.
A girl behind Kiara taps on her shoulder with an ouija board in her hands. "Want to contact the girl's bathroom spirit?"
[1:45 pm.]
A group of friends is reenacting DnD in the middle of ELA. It is the middle of free time as the class is busy talking and goofing off.
"Ahh. He grabbed your heart," one messy-haired student comments.
"No, he grabbed my nuts," the freckled boy clarifies.
"Then why is it pulsating?" the short-haired boy questions. "He's eating them."
"Ahhh," The freckled student dramatically screams, pretending to wince in pain.
Kiara stared off into the void, holding back tears of horror. She watches her busy classroom, slouching in her seat.
"Why does this even matter?" she mutters, gaze flickering to the window. "Just a few more weeks under summer break."
When the school bell shrieks like a dying siren, Kiara does not waste a second, sprinting for the exit doors as she weaves through all her classmates. Elbows, backpacks, half-finished gossip—it didn't matter a single bit.
Nina and Chloe stare off, wondering what could cause her to run away like something was about to eat her soul.
Meanwhile, back at the American Warden Temple, Zhang carefully places his lunch tray in front of Edward. Many of the senior Wardens pay no attention, minding their own business as they dine in for lunch.
"Can I help you, Zhang?" Edward asks, grabbing a piece of karaage off Zhang's plate.
"You remember Thomas Maloum, Edward," Zhang says, leaning forward.
"The acid manipulation user?" Edward raises his brow. "The one you killed?"
"That same man," Zhang explains. "This is something I want to discuss further with you."
Edward picks up a piece of karaage with his chopsticks.
"We already know this…but a spiritual technique revolves around your personality," Zhang continues. "As long as your ideals truly reflect your character, the techniques you can awaken will suffice."
"What are you getting at?" Edward questions.
Zhang's voice lowers. "Thomas Maloum talked about growing up in a white room. From a young age, he was raised in that faculty."
"A white room?" Edward takes a sip.
"No colors. No names. Just training and conditioning." Zhang scoops up a curry omelette on his rice bowl. "An incubator for future killers. The worst part is they break down and rewrite your personality and core character."
Edward's expression drops. He sets his chopsticks. "So Thomas wasn't meant to utilize acid."
"Maybe," Zhang chews slowly. "I didn't give him the chance to say anything more before I killed him."
"There's so much we don't know about the supernatural–Elusives, spiritual energy, it's all insubstantial at best," Edward mutters, looking down at his food. "Despite how long we've been interconnected and fought."
As the men discuss amongst each other, a call from one of their coworker alerts them.
Meanwhile back at home, Kiara slams opens the door, slipping off her shoes at the doormat.
"How was school?" Evander asks, laying his feet on the coffee table.
"Evander, my school literally became more hellish than it already was," Kiara relays, showing more fear than fighting cursed spirits.
"That sounds awful," Evander nods his head, pretending to sound interested. "There are no good shows or movies on this screen."
Remote clicks.
The sports channel shows a golfer about to hit a hole-in-one. As the man coils his arm back, he smacks the golf ball with all his force. The white smear misses the hole and falls into the lake.
"Boring," Evander comments.
"Can we do training?" Kiara shakes Evander's shoulders. "I want to test out my new powers."
"You can teleport. Don't teleport too high in the air. Done," Evander shifts his shoulders. Remote clicks.
The local news shows a reporter interviewing a man with washed-out strawberry blonde hair and a pristine navy blue double-breasted suit.
"Mr. Romano. You've been a major player in the industry for over two decades," the news anchor says. "Can you share what sparked the start of your empire?"
Aldehard chuckles to himself, shaking his head. "You need to assemble a team. You take an idea and expand on it. You make it better than anyone has seen before. Once you get the foundations, the pillars are the networking of businesses you add."
Kiara pretends to gag from the words spoken.
"Interesting yet still boring," Evander comments, changing the channel. It cuts to the news, retelling a story about a missing meteorite that was recently stolen from a national museum in New Mexico.
"You found anything about the spell to free the Soul-Bound?" he asks, jogging Kiara's memory.
"Oh no," Kiara mutters, playfully kneeling in complete defeat. "I actually forgot. Classic memory issues."
"With everything that's been happening lately…I barely had time to breathe, and my teachers are already planning out my final ahead," she continues, "I can't remember a complicated spell, I almost forgot that we were soul-bound."
Evander pinches his arm. Kiara winces, feeling the shared link.
"Really," she says, tilting her head downward. "I said almost."
"Just a subtle reminder," Evander mutters. "The only thing I have to worry about is that you don't die a horrific death."
"I just want to test out these new powers I have." Kiara frantically shuffles her arm around in the air. "Imagine what distance I can teleport if I master my technique. Maybe I can travel entire city blocks with one throw."
"You first have to work on arm strength," Evander mocks, slowly rising off the couch. "You can't teleport anywhere if your weapon can't even travel a couple of meters away from you."
"Which is why we need to train together," Kiara insinuates, trying to get Evander on the same wavelength, literally.
"We?" Evander frowns, walking into the kitchen. "I've seen plenty of morals who went through a fraction of what you're going through. Give it time—pain, betrayal, death–it's only been like a month so far. So focus on your schoolwork and get to finding that spell."
"You sound like my grandpa," Kiara crosses her arms. "Also, it's still a bit too early to let you off the leash, need to make sure you don't kill everyone in case I do free."
She collapses on her comfortable couch, taking note of the meteorite news.
"During the heist, officials have said masked operatives sneaked through security before escaping with the meteorite," the anchor explains, reading off the script. "The celestial space rock was already drawing offers overseas. If true, it could be worth over millions of dollars."
Kiara frowns, rubbing her fingers together. A meteorite theft—something didn't add up about that.
Her lips press into a thin line, tapping her foot nervously.
[American Warden Temple]
Edward and Zhang enter the Arbiter's chambers, being greeted by two royal guards draping their path forward. The Arbiter claps his hands together, enthusiastic about what's shown on screen.
"Look at the new rankings this year," The Arbiter congratulates, shaking Edward's and Zhang's hands. "Congratulations indeed."
Edward looks at the screen in front of him. The title on the board tugged a smile on his lips: Top 10 Warden Ranking– Edward Meitner: 10th place.
"Not bad," Edward chuckles, pointing at the leaderboard.
"Didn't realize they'll release a list this early," Zhang questions.
"Don't worry, the ranks are just placeholders for now," The Arbiter explains, wrapping his arms behind his back. "But the names? Those are locked in."
"Me?" Edward arches his brow. "How did I end up on it?"
"The assassination plot a few weeks ago, remember?" The Arbiter smirks, eyes not reaching his face. "Edward–the plot against you skyrocketed your popularity and intrigue worldwide. Thanks to that, we now have two Americans on the leaderboard."
"We now have to wait until our foreign allies compete against each other in their tournaments. Only then can their rankings be final."
"Europe and Asia?" Edward questions.
"Yes, the Grand Crown tournament in Europe," The Arbiter steps forward. "And the Jade trials in Asia. Both will be hosted this year for one of these continents' countries to earn the title of strongest warden nation in their continent and a pillar of Warden society."
"Make sure to check the radio later this week," he finishes.