Kael sat with Jace and Lyra on the bench as the sparring tests continued, the air was heavy.
The instructor's voice sounded throughout the arena, "Next up, Lyra Caelis!"
Lyra stood, her movements as smooth and unhurried as ever. Even in the standard-issue uniform, she looked composed, her silver hair reflecting the arena lights. Kael watched her descend the steps, fighting the urge to stare too long. He busied himself by pulling up her details with Observe.
[Target: Lyra Caelis]
Magic Affinity: Umbramancy – Manipulation of shadows and darkness
Combat Level: 12
Notable Trait: Exceptional spatial awareness
Kael's lips quirked in a faint smile. "Figures she's even stronger than she looks."
Jace leaned over. "Think she's nervous?"
Kael shook his head. "No, He should be." He nodded toward her opponent—a broad-shouldered guy who looked like he'd been carved out of rock and given a blade almost as tall as Kael.
The whistle sounded, meaning the start of the battle....
Her opponent charged forward, his boots were hammering against the floor. Lyra didn't move until the last possible moment. Then her shadow stretched across the ground, it's tendrils whipping up like living serpents. They wrapped around the man's legs, halting him mid-swing.
He cursed, slashing down with his sword, but the blade cut through nothing but darkness.
Lyra flicked her wrist, and the shadows yanked him off his feet. He hit the floor hard, breath whooshing out of his lungs. A moment later, his own weapon was yanked out of his grip and tossed aside like scrap metal.
The whistle blew again. "Winner, Lyra Caelis!"
A murmur rippled through the recruits. Lyra turned and walked back up the steps, her expression was calm. She caught Kael's gaze for the briefest second, and he thought—just maybe—she allowed herself the faintest smile.
Jace whistled low. "Yeah, note to never fight her anywhere dark."
Kael chuckled under his breath. "Or anywhere at all."
---
Then it was time for Jace to fight.
"Wish me luck!" he called, hopping down the stairs.
"Don't break anything," Kael called back. "Preferably yourself."
[Target: Jace Renner]
Magic Affinity: Aeromancy – Control of wind and air currents
Combat Level: 10
Notable Trait: Reckless improviser
The whistle blew, and Jace exploded forward with a blast of wind. He overdid it, overshooting his opponent and skidding across the arena like a human hoverboard.
"Totally meant to do that!" Jace yelled, drawing laughter from the bleachers.
Recovering, he gathered wind into his palms, releasing a focused burst that slammed into his opponent, knocking the guy flat. Another gust sent the opponent's weapon flying.
"Winner: Jace Renner!"
Jace jogged back, grinning ear to ear. "Flawless. Every move executed perfectly, exactly as planned."
Kael smirked. "Yeah, I especially liked the part where you almost faceplanted."
Jace pointed at him. "Style points. You wouldn't understand."
---
When the final matches wrapped up, the instructor dismissed them with a simple, "Advanced drills start tomorrow at 0700. Rest up. You'll need it."
Back in Dorm 27D, Jace collapsed onto his bunk, already pulling a ration bar from his locker. "Not bad for day one, huh? I'm calling that a win."
Lyra leaned against her desk, crossing her arms. "You almost knocked yourself out."
"Keyword: almost," Jace said through a mouthful of ration bar. "Means I didn't."
Kael half-smiled, settling onto his bed. He called up his status screen, the familiar blue interface materializing in his vision.
[Kael Ardyn]
Level: 5
HP: 120/120
Stamina: 95/100
Strength: 14
Speed: 15
Dexterity: 13
Sync Level: 45%
Luck: 9
Magic Slots: 3/3 (Empty)
Skills: Observe (Lv. 2), BioSync (Lv. 1)
Unallocated Stat Points: 5
Hmmmmmmm… I could use a bit more speed… or stamina for longer fights. He dragged three points into Speed and two into Stamina, feeling the small and tiny shift in his body, he felt lighter, sharper and like the world had slowed down.
Jace noticed him zoning out. "Hey, you daydreaming about tomorrow's drills, or just staring into space?"
Kael shrugged. "Just thinking about what they'll throw at us."
Lyra didn't speak, but when Kael's eyes flicked to her, she was already looking his way. She quickly looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Kael tried not to smile.
Neither of them knew that the other's heart was beating just a little faster.
---
Later that night, Kael lay awake, replaying Lyra's fight in his mind. Umbramancy. A living, breathing shadow at his command.
He flexed his fingers. He had three magic slots, Just one touch…
And before he knew what was happening, he had fallen asleep.....
---
The world shifted.
He was back in the facility.
Corridors stretched endlessly, the air was heavy his fear. Somewhere far away, metal doors slammed and screams echoed, short and sharp. Kael ran, but the hallways twisted, leading him back to the same door over and over.
Room 47B.
The room where they pushed him to Full Sync for the first time.
"Subject K-23," a voice said through unseen speakers. "Synchronization unstable. Increase dosage."
Agony and pain tore through him. The black veins surged across his arms, and his reflection in the steel wall cried, his eyes were too bright,his teeth was too sharp...
He stumbled toward the door, clawing at the keypad. "Let me out!"
The System's voice whispered in his ear, cold and detached.
[Survival probability: 13%. Would you like me to take over?]
"No!" he shouted
Hands grabbed him,they were cold metal fingers digging into his arms. Dread Hunters, Their glowing red eyes bored into him as their blades slid out.
He fought, but every strike passed through them like smoke. The pain returned, all-consuming.
---
Kael jerked awake, heart pounding, drenched in sweat. It took him a second to remember where he was, it was Dorm 27D, not Room 47B.
The dorm was quiet. Moonlight passed through the narrow windows. Jace still snored, undisturbed. Lyra was back, curled up on her bed, her breathing even and calm.
Kael wiped the sweat from his brow, his hands still trembling.
[Status: Elevated heart rate. Cortisol spike detected. Recommend breathing exercises.]
He exhaled shakily, lying back down and staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn't come again. Not tonight.
His gaze drifted toward Lyra's sleeping form. For some reason, watching her made the tension in his chest ease a little. He didn't know why.
[New Quest Unlocked: Face the Shadows]
Objective: Survive the next Sync Surge without losing control.
Reward: +2 Sync Level, unlock partial control of Hybrid Protocols.
Failure: System takeover.
Kael closed the window and shut his eyes, letting the quiet hum of the dorm fill the silence.
Tomorrow would bring more tests. More sparring. More reasons to keep pushing forward.
And maybe, just maybe, a way to finally stop running from the shadows of the facility.