While Neale was practically being carried by the doctor escorting him to the waiting room, exhaustion weighed heavily on his eyes, warping his view of the path ahead. In that moment, he had completely forgotten that he was about to reunite with the other members of his team. He couldn't even imagine they would all be in the same room.
Fitty, Nuke, and Luan had already given up trying to guess who would walk through those doors over the next few hours. Now, they simply waited in silence, resting.
Far from there, Kilay and Lira were already walking down the corridor that led to the arena where they would fight each other.
When they approached the gates and the guards, the instructions they received were the same. After listening, they began storing their weapons and anything else necessary into their respective chests.
Kilay removed the sword from his back and placed it into the chest beside him, along with the hoodie he was wearing. When he took off his black hoodie, it revealed a white shirt with a yin-yang symbol on his chest. Around his neck, he wore a necklace with a golden ring hanging from the cord.
Don't you think you should leave that necklace in the chest too? It might break during the fight. - Lira
I can't imagine taking it off. It's the last physical memory I have of my father. I don't want to risk losing it. - Kilay
Lira gave a soft smile as she unfastened a whip from her waist, having to unwrap it three full times before finally removing it and placing it inside her chest.
Are you both ready? - Guard 2
You can open the gate. - Kilay
I'm ready. - Lira
As the guards began opening the gates to grant them access to the arena, Lira, who was wearing a ribbed purple top, started tying up her long blonde hair, leaving only her red streak loose, with a few strands falling over her right eye.
With her hair tied, a large tattoo became visible on her back: a dragon coiled around a golden coin, seemingly devouring it.
You, with a tattoo... that's something I wasn't expecting from you. - Kilay said, glancing at her back.
My father gave it to me. He tattooed it on me the day before he died. If I remember correctly, it's a family legacy. It's all I have left to remember him. - Lira
My condolences. - Kilay
Thank you. - Lira
Who would've thought we'd both be orphans in this chaos-soaked land. - Kilay
I guess we both drew the short straw. - Lira
You may proceed. - Guard 1
As soon as they stepped into the arena, the gates slammed shut behind them with a loud crash while they walked toward the instructor at the center.
Very well. You will now perform the final match of Group Twelve in the second stage of the admission exam. State your full names loudly before this arena separates you. - Instructor
Yilira Akves. - Lira
Kilay Flury. - Kilay
Once their names echoed through the arena, the instructor returned to his position and raised his hand as high as possible.
In this final match of your group, may only the strongest remain standing in this arena. Begin!! - The instructor gave the order, dropping his hand sharply.
Back in the past, Calamity was already on his way to the city of Valerium with a small army of fifty mercenaries. With them was Kallay's descendant, who had been meditating nonstop for nearly three days inside the same vehicle.
Calamity. - Descendant
Calamity.. - Descendant
Calamity... - Descendant
Calamity remained silent, fully aware he was being called. That silence enraged Kallay's descendant to the point where he stood up and grabbed Calamity by the shirt.
Hey, Calamity, stop ignoring me right now. - Descendant
What do you want from me, child? - Calamity replied, opening only one eye beneath his hood, locking his gaze onto the one confronting him.
I'm not a child, so stop treating me like one. - Descendant
Listen here, child. Even if you were twice your father's age, you'd still be insignificant compared to my existence. - Calamity
Don't open your mouth to talk about my father, Calamity. - the descendant said, tightening his grip around Calamity's neck.
That small action made Calamity's eyes widen. A cold, golden glow lit up beneath his hood, and that alone sent chills down the spines of everyone in both vehicles.
Or what, child? - Calamity said, his glowing eyes radiating cold menace.
What will you do? You, an ant... no, a microscopic bacterium, so insignificant you're not even worth eating? - Calamity
I... - Descendant
Don't bother thinking. I'll tell you the answer: nothing. You'll do nothing. - Calamity said as he stood up. To the "child," he now looked like a towering giant despite being inside the vehicle.
Take your hand off my neck. - Calamity said. Seeing the child frozen, he grabbed the hand himself and pulled it away. - I said take it off. - He threw him down onto the vehicle floor.
Now sit there. Quietly. - Calamity
But you said you'd train me, and all I've done so far is meditate in silence. - the descendant replied, his voice trembling, strangely both masculine and feminine. - When do I actually train?
Driver, how long until we reach Valerium? - Calamity
About halfway there... sir. - Driver
I see. You two, open that door. - Calamity
The two nearest passengers rushed to obey, fear clear in their movements as his glowing eyes remained fixed.
With the door open, Calamity grabbed Kallay's descendant by the neck, lifting him off the ground and dragging him toward the opening as his breathing grew strained.
What... are... you... going... to do... to me? - Descendant
Weren't you the one who wanted to train? Then I'll train you. - Calamity
Don't forget to protect your head. - Calamity
Wai— - Descendant
Without hesitation, Calamity threw the "child" out of the moving vehicle.
As he fell, the descendant saw everything in slow motion, the wheels kicking up dust before his body slammed into the ground.
I'll go train that insignificant thing. I'll catch up later. Stay hidden outside the city. If you enter, do it in small groups. - Calamity said before jumping out after him.
He landed effortlessly, like stepping off a stair, already scanning the surroundings. A broken road stretched endlessly, surrounded by near nothingness, with only a handful of ruined buildings scattered around.
Get up already. I know that fall wasn't enough to kill you. - Calamity called out, walking toward him.
It's midday now. I'll give you until sunrise. That's the time you have to get stronger. - Calamity said, now standing over him. - So either get up now, or stay there kissing the ground and beg me to kill you.
The descendant rose, his body scraped and covered in dust.
You're insane... I could've died. - Descendant
That's a detail I don't care about. And in the end, you didn't die. So get up. - Calamity
Calamity's eyes lit up again with that golden glow as he formed spheres of Grace around both hands.
Now, I've got until sunrise to use you as a punching bag. - he said, a wide grin revealing fang-like canines beneath his hood.
Wait, what's the goal of this training? Am I supposed to dodge your attacks? I don't get it! - Descendant
Whether you dodge or not doesn't matter to me. It'll just make me want to hit you even more. - Calamity
Enough talking, "child." Punching bags don't get to speak. - Calamity