2025-04-26 21:42:51Richard's Pov
The training grounds of Miracle Academy hummed with energy, the air thick with the tang of ozone and the faint glow of law-infused runes etched into the stone. I stood alone in a sparring pit, breath steady despite the sweat dripping from my brow. My glyphs pulsed faintly under my skin—sacrificial, elemental, constructive, quantum—each a whisper of power I was determined to tame. Null Drive and Null Counter were my edge, but they were wild, unpredictable, and I was pushing them harder than ever. “Focus, Sol,” I muttered, clenching my fists. The pit’s runes flickered, amplifying the laws I channeled. I activated Null Drive, and the air warped, lights dimming as nearby elemental sparks fizzled. Pain needled my temples, but I pushed deeper, weaving Null Counter into the mix. The ground trembled, and for a moment, I felt it—control, raw and electric. Then my core spasmed, glyphs flaring gray, and I staggered, dropping to one knee. “Damn it,” I gasped, wiping blood from my nose. Rank E wasn’t enough. Not for Squad Seven. Not for the council breathing down my neck. Not for the fire in my chest that refused to let me break. A sharp laugh cut through the silence. “Well, look at the Hollowborn prodigy, eating dirt already.” I snapped my head up. Nyx leaned against the pit’s edge, her dark hair catching the rune-light, a mischievous grin on her face. Beside her, Gin stood with arms crossed, his expression cold but curious, like a predator sizing up prey. The twins of the Awakened Elite were a study in contrasts—one playful, the other lethal—but both were trouble. “Thought you’d be out here showing off, Sol,” Nyx said, hopping into the pit with catlike grace. “Rank 50 already? That’s gotta sting for the elites.” I pushed to my feet, brushing dust off my jacket. “Didn’t know you cared, Nyx. You here to train or just talk?” “Oh, I’m here for the show,” she said, circling me, her eyes glinting. “Gin’s the one who thinks you’re gonna crash and burn. Right, brother?” Gin’s gaze didn’t waver, his voice low. “You’re climbing too fast, Sol. People notice. People talk.” “Let ‘em,” I said, rolling my shoulders. “I’m not here to make friends.” Nyx smirked, tossing a dagger between her hands. “Bold words for a guy who’s got Caleb sniffing around like a bloodhound. Heard he’s pissed you outranked Kael. Bet he’s dreaming of knocking you down a peg.” My jaw tightened. Caleb. My team member who saw me as a glitch in the system. “Caleb can dream all he wants. I’m not biting.” “Smart,” Gin said, stepping closer, his presence heavy. “But you’re not invisible. Keep pushing like this, and the council won’t just watch. They’ll act.” I met Gin’s stare, unflinching. “They already have. Confined me to supervised training, remember? I’m not scared of them.” Nyx let out a low whistle. “Big talk, Hollowborn. You’re either fearless or stupid. I’m betting on both.” Before I could retort, a shadow loomed at the pit’s edge. Caleb stood there, his silver cloak billowing, his charismatic smile sharp enough to cut. Two cadets flanked him, their crests marking them as mid-tier Awakened—muscle, not friends. The air shifted, charged with tension. “Well, well,” Caleb said, his voice smooth as silk. “The academy’s favorite anomaly, sweating it out like a common cadet. How inspiring.” My hand twitched toward my sword, but I kept it sheathed. “What do you want, Caleb?” Caleb descended into the pit, his movements deliberate, like a king stepping onto a battlefield. “Oh, just a chat, Sol. You’ve been making waves. Rank 50? Impressive for a Hollowborn. Almost too impressive.” Nyx leaned against the wall, smirking. “Here we go. You gonna throw punches, Hemmins, or just bore us to death?” Caleb ignored her, his eyes locked on me. “You’re a puzzle, Sol. A nobody who’s suddenly somebody. People are asking questions. Like how a Hollowborn channels laws without breaking. Or why the council’s so interested in you.” My pulse quickened, but I kept my voice steady. “Maybe they’re interested because I’m good. Ever think of that?” Caleb laughed, a sound that didn’t reach his eyes. “Good? You’re a fluke. A glitch. And glitches get fixed.” Gin shifted, his hand resting on his blade’s hilt. “Careful, Hemmins. You’re sounding desperate.” “Am I?” Caleb said, glancing at Gin. “Or maybe I’m the only one who sees the truth. Sol’s dangerous. Unstable. You felt that tremor just now, didn’t you? That was him, playing with powers he can’t control.” My fists clenched, glyphs itching under my skin. “You don’t know what I can control.” “Then prove it,” Caleb said, stepping closer, his voice dropping to a challenge. “You and me. Right here. No runes, no ranks. Just skill. Unless you’re scared.” Nyx’s grin widened. “Ooh, an unsanctioned duel? That’s spicy. You in, Sol?” My mind raced. The council’s restrictions were clear: no unauthorized fights. If I got caught, it’d be more than a slap on the wrist—Reece would bury me. But Caleb’s taunt burned, and the eyes on me—Nyx’s, Gin’s, the cadets’—waited for my move. “No,” I said, forcing the word out. “I’m not playing your game, Caleb.” Caleb’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes darkened. “What a coward. All that power, and you’re still just a Hollowborn hiding behind excuses.” “Call it what you want,” I said, stepping past him. “I’ve got better things to do than stroke your ego.” Caleb grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. “You don’t walk away from me, Sol.” I yanked free, Null Drive flaring instinctively. The air warped, Caleb’s law-infused strength faltering. The cadets gasped, and even Nyx’s smirk faded. Caleb staggered, his expression twisting with rage. “You little—” Caleb started, but Gin stepped between us, blade half-drawn. “Enough,” Gin said, his voice a low growl. “You want to push him, Hemmins? You’ll deal with us too.” Caleb’s gaze flicked to Gin, then Nyx, who twirled her dagger with a mock yawn. “Boring,” she said. “You’re outmatched, pretty boy. Run along.” Caleb straightened, smoothing his cloak. “This isn’t over, Sol. You can’t hide forever.” He turned, his lackeys trailing him, but his parting glance promised trouble. I exhaled, my core still humming. “Thanks,” I said to Gin, grudgingly. “Don’t thank me,” Gin said, sheathing his blade. “I just don’t like him.” Nyx clapped my shoulder. “You’re fun, Sol. Dodging a duel and pissing off Hemmins? That’s a story for the dorms.” “Great,” I muttered. “Just what I need. More rumors.” “Oh, they’re already flying,” Nyx said, hopping out of the pit. “Heard one about you summoning that beast on purpose. Another says you’re Reece’s secret weapon. Keep this up, and you’ll be a legend.” Gin followed her, pausing to glance back. “Watch your back, Sol. Caleb’s not the only one talking.” I stood alone again, the pit’s runes dimming. My victory over Kael had put me on the map, but it was a spotlight I hadn’t wanted. Caleb’s words gnawed at me—a glitch, dangerous, unstable. Was I? My core thrummed, a dual consciousness stirring faintly, unknown to me, like a shadow whispering at the edge of my mind. I shook it off and headed for the dorms, determined to keep training.
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