Solace's POV
Solace's chest was heavy, a leaden weight pressing down on his lungs, and exhaustion burned through his muscles like acid. The moment the match was officially called, the self-imposed restriction on his essence snapped, and the adrenaline crash hit him like a physical blow. He didn't fall gracefully; he simply crumpled, one knee hitting the ground, breath rasping in his throat. His essence reserves were scraping the bottom of the barrel.
"We have a winner, everybody! Give a round of applause for Solace Wright!" The Host's voice rang out, amplified by wind, booming across the arena. "A hidden gem capable of going toe-to-toe with the scions of the Noble families!"
Solace stayed down for a moment, listening to the roar of the crowd. It was a fickle sound. Yesterday, he was a nobody. Today, a spectacle.
Then, the Host's lips curled upwards, his voice dripping with that particular brand of commentary designed to stir conflict. "It looks like the major families have lost their spark," he paused for dramatic effect, letting the silence stretch. High up in the VIP boxes, Solace could practically feel the glares of the patriarchs and matriarchs boring into the Host. "But anyway, fantastic match! Let's move to the next bracket!"
Solace dragged himself up, wiping sweat and grime from his forehead.
As he limped toward the exit tunnel. The crowd saw E- rank stats and assumed weakness. They didn't understand potential. They saw the seed and mocked it for not being a tree.
Give them time, Solace thought grimly. That spark will become an inferno.
On the lower layers, sure, the playing field looked somewhat level. But Solace knew the future. He knew the monsters these children would become.
Nolan wouldn't just be a brawler; he would be capable of stealing an ability simply by killing its owner, or separating the cause of an attack from the effect of being wounded. Lex wasn't just hard to kill; he would become the Phoenix, resurrecting from ashes. Vivi would eventually bypass space entirely, teleporting instantly to any coordinate she could remember. And Lily... Lily would eventually learn to swallow the sun, casting a literal Eclipse over the world.
And then there was the girl walking out of the arena beside him.
Solace glanced at Phoebe. She looked drained, her usual pristine posture slumped. If the Principal was Chronos, representing the absolute control of time, then Phoebe was something else. She was the Snake of Time. The Ouroboros.
Getting the signal from the medic team that they were clear, Solace and Phoebe moved into the private resting room assigned to the competitors.
The door clicked shut, cutting off the noise of the arena.
Phoebe didn't even make it to a chair. She practically collapsed onto the plush velvet sofa, burying her face in the cushions with a groan that was decidedly un-noble. Her legs hung off the edge, boots still caked in the dust of the arena.
Solace, seemingly composed but internally screaming for sleep, lowered himself into the armchair opposite her. He leaned back, closing his eyes for a second, letting the silence wash over him.
For a long while, the only sound was the hum of the air conditioning and their own synchronized, ragged breathing. A mellow tension brewed in the air.
After a moment, Phoebe stirred. She didn't sit up, just turned her head on the cushion so one platinum eye could peer at him. Her icy blue hair was a mess, sticking to her cheek.
"You've gotten strong," she said, her voice low, stripped of its usual haughty veneer.
Solace opened his eyes and nodded once.
She stared at him for a second longer, then groaned again, burying her face back into the sofa. Her voice came out muffled by the upholstery. "Remember when I used to beat you black and blue when we first met? During the entrance exams?"
"Yes," Solace said, a faint smile touching his lips. "I still have a phantom ache in my ribs from that."
"Well, I always thought that..." She paused, taking a deep breath before lifting her head again to look at the ceiling. "I always thought I would have the upper hand in our friendship. I was dominant in the beginning."
She sat up slowly, wincing as her muscles protested. She looked at him, her expression unusually vulnerable, lacking the sharp edges of her persona. "So maybe now that you defeated me fair and square... I think my ego took a hit."
She peeked at him, eyes searching his face, waiting for him to react. Waiting for validation, or perhaps a triumphant gloat.
Solace looked her dead in the eye. He wore a mask of absolute seriousness. His jaw was set, his gaze intense. He leaned forward slightly, clasping his hands together.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, the tension in the room spiking.
And then...
"Pfft—"
The dam broke.
"Bwahahaha!" Solace burst out laughing. He doubled over in the chair, clutching his stomach. "I'm sorry... haha... oh, gods... I'm sorry, but this... hahahaha!"
He laughed so hard he couldn't finish the sentence. The sheer absurdity of the moment, combined with his exhaustion, broke his composure completely.
Phoebe sat frozen on the sofa, stunned. Her mouth hung open slightly. The laugh echoed in the small room for a good ten seconds before Solace finally wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Wow," Phoebe said, her voice flat, dangerously calm. "Way to go, Solace. Really. Classy. When a girl is finally being vulnerable with you, pouring her heart out about her insecurities, you just laugh in her face?"
"I... I'm sorry," Solace gasped, holding up a hand to surrender, though a grin was still plastered on his face. "I really am. It's just..."
He took a deep breath, forcing his heartbeat to slow down.
"I never thought I would see Phoebe Frostbane, the Heiress of the Frostbane family, the girl who walks around like she owns the very air we breathe, be so serious," Solace admitted, shaking his head. "You usually joke around or tease. This sudden change? The 'my ego took a hit' speech? It was just... unexpected. It short-circuited my brain."
Phoebe crossed her arms, a flush rising on her cheeks. "I can be serious! I have layers!"
"I know you do," Solace said. He leaned back in the chair, looking at his hands. " But listen to me, Phoebe. You shouldn't feel bad. And you definitely shouldn't feel 'defeated' in the way you're thinking."
"You won," she countered stubbornly.
"I survived," Solace corrected. "There is a massive difference. I'm not that strong, Phoebe. Not in the way you are."
He gestured vaguely to the arena outside. "This was a match. There were rules. There were boundaries. But if you were actually trying to kill me? If you decided I was an enemy?"
Phoebe stared at him. She chewed on her lower lip, processing his words. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"I never lie about survival odds," Solace said simply. "You are a monster, Phoebe. In the best way possible. Today, I just happened to have the right puzzle pieces to stall you."
Phoebe looked at him for a long moment, her expression shifting. The annoyance faded, replaced by something odd, a mix of grudging respect and a flustered sort of affection.
Without saying a word, she stood up.
Solace watched her, confused. "Phoebe?"
She walked over to his chair. She loomed over him for a split second, and then she started punching him.
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
They were light punches, aimed at his shoulder and arm. There was no strength behind them. Just frustrated, human flailing.
"You're such an idiot, Solace," she muttered, hitting him again. "An absolute, total idiot."
Thwack.
"Laughing at me..."
Thwack.
"Telling me I could have killed you..."
Solace didn't block. He just sat there and let her hit him, feeling the harmless impacts against his arm.
"Ow," he said deadpan, though it didn't hurt at all.
"Shut up," she said, landing one final, weak punch on his chest before leaving her fist resting there against his heart. She looked down at him, her blue eyes shimmering slightly. "Next time, I won't hold back. I'll freeze you into a statue and leave you in the garden."
"I look forward to it," Solace smiled softly. "Just make sure it's a heroic pose."