When Riven saw what happened, he immediately turned on the telepathic link for the others at the Academy.
"Hey, what's going on over there?" Riven yelled out in his mind, immediately making everyone aware of the seriousness of the situation.
"What happened?" Nico asked back.
"Wren and Harkel's HP went down a lot. Where are they?" Riven was asking in a panic.
"Wren went with the vice principal, and Harkel went with the third-year dean," Kira said.
But before more was said, Joey was already out of the room, running toward the Academy with the others quickly following after him. They didn't know where Harkel and Wren were, or if they were even in trouble, since Riven had turned off the ability for them to see the system as well. But when Riven turned it back on, they could see their friends' HP being more than halfway gone—and their location.
When they all entered the front door of the Academy, they saw Harkel covered in a small pool of blood, lying on the ground. Wren's face was bloody as she was lifted by the scruff of her short hair by a girl with a rainbow aura surrounding her. When Joey saw this, he immediately sprang into action, holding out his hand as light built up into it.
"You can't do that," Skye said. "You'll hit them as well."
When Skye said those words, it made everyone realize—there was almost no damage around the area they were in. And with Harkel and Wren both injured, it told them their fight was one-sided.
Joey clicked his teeth, knowing the girl was right.
"Dang it, and I can't make potions here either without anyone seeing," Riven thought, with everyone hearing.
"Don't worry, Riven. We don't need the system potions. It's just one of her—and all of us. I think we'll be fine," Luka said, displaying confidence in his and their abilities.
"Wait, do all of you agree with Luka's statement?" Jude asked.
"Yeah," they all said.
"Fine. I'll turn off the link for you guys so you can stay focused," Riven said, then turned off the link.
The group then all surrounded the long, dark-haired female.
"Ganging up on one girl is unfair, don't you think?" When Samantha said this, she felt something shift in the person she had in her hand. When she looked at Wren, her wounds that she had earlier were healed. Then Wren blasted Samantha with a ball of lightning.
The girl fell down, catching her breath. She was able to escape thanks to Kira's healing without Samantha noticing.
As they gathered around, picking up Harkel from the ground with Kira healing him as well, they could all see Samantha standing there like the attack she just took was a minor inconvenience.
"How annoying," she muttered. Then she looked at Joey and pointed at him. "On the contrary, you were one of the ones on my list. Same with… what were those guys' names? Ah—Jordan and Riven, I think. They're usually with you. Same with that big guy and those two other girls. You mind telling me where they are?"
"Make us," Luka said, walking back toward the door.
"What? Hey, where do you think you're going? For a guy with all that confidence earlier, it looks like you're ready to run," Skye said, calling Luka out.
"We can't use our abilities in this closed area—we need to get outside and fight," Luka whispered back, with all of them hearing him.
They walked out of the door while still keeping eye contact with Samantha, making sure she didn't make a move.
"By her uniform, she's a third-year. What's her problem with us?" Joey asked as they all made it outside, with Samantha slowly walking after them.
⸻
A few minutes earlier
"Say the devil's name and she appears."
"So by that statement, I'm guessing you're Samantha?" Wren questioned.
"Correct."
"What do you want?" Harkel asked back. Neither he nor Wren had their weapons with them, nor did Samantha. But that didn't change the fact that the girl in front of them had way more battle experience than both of them.
"To teach you a lesson about respecting your elders. See, rumor has it you and your little group almost got into it with a bunch of second-years. Now, truthfully, what you guys and the second-years have going on is none of my business—but Matthew…" Samantha muttered the last part. "…wants me to keep the order of the Academy. Think of it like this: you guys just started going through puberty. But does that really give you the right to try to fight your parents—people who already went through it and are already trying to make a name for themselves, or have already made one? That's what he would probably say. But truthfully, I really don't care."
"So how exactly are you gonna teach us that lesson?" Wren asked, lightning crackling at her fingertips.
"Ohhh, I'm so scared," Samantha said as a book appeared in her hand.
"Where did that come from?" Harkel thought.
"Actually… nah. My physical capabilities should be enough for you," Samantha said, as the book disappeared just as quickly.
She immediately got in Wren's face, but before she could do anything, Harkel appeared in front of her with a sword made out of air, slicing at Samantha. She easily avoided it and punched Harkel's arm into the air.
"Ahh!" Harkel yelled out in pain.
Samantha tried to continue with her attacks, but Harkel quickly spun his body, kicking the girl in the face. With her head down, Harkel couldn't see her expression, but when she lifted her head, they could see rage in her eyes. Her body began to glow, her hair standing on end in a rainbow-type of color—this was her True Awakening Form.
"What…" Harkel said, shocked. It was the first time he'd seen someone else with a true awakening form that wasn't one of his family members or someone from the group.
She instantly rushed Harkel. The blue-haired boy activated his own True Awakening, but the aura around him looked like a candle compared to Samantha's, which looked like a spiraling flame of color. Wren then activated hers, trying to get Harkel out of there, but she was too late. Samantha was beating the boy to a pulp, with him unable to fight back or defend himself. Harkel managed to throw out one block here and there, but he was badly injured and fell to the ground, covered in his own blood.
Samantha then set her sights on Wren and rushed toward her. Wren, quick on her feet, dodged Samantha's assault and tried to deliver a counter, but the girl dodged the uppercut in a graceful manner. Wren didn't back off and rushed in again. Instead of lightning, she used sound, quickly placing her hand on the ground to make the floor shake—but the floor was strong enough not to break.
It threw her off, but she recovered quickly and rushed back in. She had a plan the whole time. Wren had a lightning ball building up behind her back. When Samantha got close, Wren threw it and hit her.
"Yes!" Wren said, clenching her hand in a fist, "Harkel, are you okay?" she yelled out.
But all she could hear was the boy grunting.
"You should really worry about yourself more," a voice said.
Wren was shocked—it was Samantha. What shocked her even more was that the girl didn't seem damaged at all. Not even her uniform. She looked perfectly fine.
Samantha rushed in, punching the short-haired girl in the stomach. Before Wren could be pushed back, she grabbed her and slammed her to the ground, making Wren cough up spit.
"Geez… is this how strong her True Awakening is? I thought after we got ours we'd be some of the most powerful people at the Academy. Was I mistaken?" Wren thought to herself as her body hit the floor.
Samantha picked up Wren by her face and started slamming it into the ground over and over again.
"You know, I hate being touched. Like, I really hate being touched. It makes my skin crawl," Samantha said with pure hatred in her eyes.
"Is that why you're mad? 'Cause of that little bruise he left on your face?" Wren said, smiling.
She hadn't realized there was a big red bruise where Harkel had kicked her.
"Hmm," was all Samantha said as the book magically appeared in her hand once again. She flipped a page, and then—right before Wren's eyes—the bruise was healed.
"Ahh, all better. But you look terrible. Should I do the same thing for you?" Samantha asked with a cheeky smile.
Wren replied by spitting blood in the girl's face, which only angered her more. After Samantha wiped it up, she was about to continue bashing Wren's face into the ground until a golden-haired boy showed up—which made her stop.
⸻
The Present
The group was now outside as Samantha slowly walked after them.
"So what exactly is her evolution?" Nico asked.
"A book," Wren replied.
"Gonna need a lot more than you just saying 'a book,'" Skye said, looking nervous.
"All I know is that the book can heal her. That's all I saw. And it can probably heal others as well."
Without another word, Joey charged a light orb in his palm and threw it at Samantha.
The girl responded by summoning the book. When she did, a blue shield appeared in front of her, blocking the light ray.
"That's what she used to block my attack earlier," Wren thought.
"Just healing, huh?" Skye yelled out, looking at Wren.
"Well, sorry I wasn't able to learn her full ability while having my head smashed into the ground!" Wren yelled back at Skye.
Luka then wrapped Samantha's arms with vines to the ground, but he could tell he wouldn't be able to hold her for long.
"She'll break through soon. Hurry up!" Luka urged.
Joey then charged another big blast toward Samantha, but when it got close, it was deflected upward into the sky. When the group saw who did it, there stood a white-haired man with an eyepatch and bulky arms—clearly someone who worked hard for the body he had today.
"That's enough for the day. You proved your point, Samantha. Let's go," the white-haired man said.
"Fine, Matthew. I hope you guys know—this isn't over."
Both Samantha and Matthew walked away toward Sigil Gate City.
"What's those guys' problem?" Luka asked.
"I'll tell you guys when we get back in the training room," Harkel said.
They waited for the two to get far enough away, then started walking to Wren's training room while still keeping an eye on them.
⸻
Back in the Shifting Waste
"Hey, you guys all right? You slowed down there for a second," the woman who saved them asked.
"No, we're all better now," Riven responded.
"Why do you think they were attacked?" he asked, wanting their input.
"I don't really know. We mainly keep to ourselves. Maybe they angered someone, and they have a grudge against us now," Tessa said.
The field they were walking on started to shift and rock.
Phineas had a report on how this world works, so he knew what was coming.
"Everyone, run—and try to stick together!" were the last words Phineas said as he started running straight ahead. Where was he running toward? He didn't know. Anywhere but the spot they were previously at.
Everyone else started running behind Phineas. The man himself was holding back, not wanting to leave anyone behind.
"What's going on?" Riven asked.
That's when he turned his head—and could see.
The ground heaved. Great fissures yawned open behind them, swallowing pieces of the world whole. Boulders rolled from nowhere. The land itself was alive—shifting like a sleeping giant disturbed.
A few people screamed—and vanished—falling into the gaping holes that had opened beneath their feet.
Riven looked back, his heart racing.
"What the hell is this world?"