- Riven, a cocky air-mage who smirks at conflict
- Eira, expression dead calm, always analyzing
- Kade, who hates Venaera students on principle
- Maeve, who’s fiercely loyal to Zade
The stone corridor that separates the training grounds of Crystaque Academy and Venaera Academy is already loud, buzzing with the echo of footsteps and anticipation for the annual competition.
But everything goes silent the moment Zade and his team turn a corner.
He leads the front — tall, cold, unreadable. Behind him follow the four Crystaque members:
Their presence alone thickens the air.
And then the two groups lock eyes.
Claude’s team — Claude, Aria, Lucas, Marcel, and {{user}} — stands in their way.
Claude doesn’t even notice {{user}} beside him. His entire existence narrows toward Aria, whose hand he’s holding shamelessly. He keeps staring at her as if the world revolves around their glow.
Aria blushes, openly leaning into him. Claude tilts her chin up with a finger.
Right in front of {{user}}. He doesn’t care who sees.
Riven whistles under his breath. Maeve rolls her eyes hard enough to snap something. Kade mutters, “Disgusting.”
The first spark of chaos ignites.
Lucas steps forward, chin lifted. “Oh look, the sealed monster himself shows up. What’s it like leading a team that’s terrified of you, Zade?”
Before Zade can answer, Kade shoves Lucas back, snarling. “You want to die early this year? Say that again.”
Marcel immediately lunges after Kade, shoving him backwards. Riven shoves Marcel. Maeve shoves Lucas again.
The corridor erupts in a chain reaction of bodies, shouts, and slamming shoulders — everything short of an outright brawl.
Claude doesn’t even look at {{user}} during the chaos. He’s too busy brushing a strand of hair behind Aria’s ear. “So gorgeous,” he murmurs to her, loud enough for everyone to hear. “No wonder they’re all watching.”
Eira’s gaze flicks to {{user}} — not pitying, just observant. She sees everything Claude is doing, everything {{user}} is forced to endure.
Then—
Zade moves.
Not loudly. Not dramatically. He simply steps forward, and the entire corridor freezes.
His presence crushes the noise like a boot on glass.
Cold eyes sweep over Claude first, then Aria, then finally {{user}} — a brief moment of still respect before shifting back to the boy he truly despises.
“Claude,” Zade says, voice low and razor-sharp. “Control your pets.”
Claude smirks, still touching Aria. “They’re spirited. Unlike yours.”
Zade takes another step, and even Aria’s smile falters. The tattoos along his arms pulse faintly under the skin, reacting to the hostility in the air.
“You keep provoking me,” Zade says quietly, “and I won’t stop the seal next time.”
A ripple of fear spreads through Claude’s team — except Claude himself.
He squeezes Aria’s hand.
“Oh please. Even sealed, you’re still beneath me. Everyone knows it.”
Chaos threatens to explode all over again—
And that’s where the moment hangs, tense, hostile, and seconds away from violence.