2025-04-27 00:27:40Richard's Pov
The mess hall roared with noise—cadets laughing, arguing over trays of synth-protein and law-infused fruit. I sat at Squad Seven’s table, picking at my food, my mind still stuck back at the pit. Lena slid into the seat beside me, her silver eyes scanning my face. "You look like you just fought a demon," she said, nudging my arm. "What’s up?" I forced a smirk. "Just Caleb being Caleb. Tried to bait me into a duel." Her expression darkened. "That asshole. What’d you do?" "Told him no," I said, stabbing at a piece of synth-fruit. "Council’s got me on a leash. Didn’t want to give them an excuse to lock me up." "Smart," she said, though there was an edge to her voice. "He’s not gonna stop, you know. Caleb’s got a hard-on for proving he’s better than you." "Yeah, I noticed," I muttered, glancing across the hall. Caleb sat with his usual clique—sharp smiles, loud laughs—but his eyes flicked toward me, cold and calculating. Ara appeared out of nowhere, like she always did, her presence chilling the air around us. She slid into the seat across from me, her empty eyes unsettling as ever. "You refused him," she said, her voice soft, like a breeze through dead leaves. "Wise. But the whispers grow louder." I frowned. "Whispers? What are you talking about?" Ara tilted her head slightly, her gaze distant. "They speak of you. The Hollowborn who defies the laws. Some call you a savior. Others, a curse. Caleb feeds the fear." Lena leaned forward, sharpness creeping into her voice. "Ara, cut the cryptic crap. Who’s saying what?" Ara’s lips curved faintly, not quite a smile. "Cadets. Instructors. The council. They watch him, Lena. His power is a riddle they cannot solve." My stomach twisted. "Great. So I’m a lab rat now?" "No," Ara said, locking eyes with me. "You are a spark. And sparks start fires." Lena rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the poetry, Ara. Richard, ignore her. People talk. Always will. Just keep doing you." "Easier said than done," I muttered, pushing my tray away. "Caleb’s got half the academy thinking I’m gonna blow up the place." "Then prove 'em wrong," Lena said, her hand brushing mine, warm and steady. "You’re not a glitch. Hollowborn or not, you’re better than them." Her words hit harder than I expected, easing a knot I hadn’t realized was twisting in my chest. "Thanks, Lena." She grinned, but the expression faded as Nyx and Gin approached, trays in hand. Nyx slid in beside Ara, her trademark smirk already in place. "Heard you had a run-in with Hemmins," she said. "Told you he’s got it out for you." "Yeah, you’re a real prophet," I said dryly. "What’s his deal, anyway? Why’s he so obsessed?" Gin sat down across from me, his voice low and even. "Caleb’s an Elite. Bloodline purity’s his religion. You’re a Hollowborn who’s outshining him. That’s a sin in his book." Nyx snorted. "Plus, he’s got a fragile ego. You winning’s like spitting in his face." "Great," I said, my voice flat. "So he’s gonna keep coming until I either fight him or he gets bored?" "Fight’s more likely," Gin said, cutting his food with surgical precision. "He’s not the type to let go." Ara’s voice slid into the conversation, soft but piercing. "He will not let go. But neither will you, Richard. Your paths are bound, like threads in a storm." I groaned. "Ara, can you just say something normal for once?" She blinked, completely unbothered. "No." Lena laughed, the sound breaking some of the tension around the table. "She’s got a point, though. You’re not backing down. Never have." I met her gaze, the belief shining in her eyes grounding me more than I wanted to admit. "Yeah. I’m not." Nyx leaned forward, grinning. "So, what’s the plan, Hollowborn? Keep climbing ranks? Punch Caleb’s face in? Spill it." "No punching," I said, though the idea was more than a little tempting. "Just training. Exams are coming. I need to be ready." Gin nodded, a rare glint of approval in his sharp eyes. "Good. Exams’ll make or break you. Focus on that, not Caleb’s noise." "Easier said than done," I said, echoing Lena’s earlier words. "But I’ll manage." That night, lying in my dorm, I stared at the ceiling, a blur of shadows above me. The day’s events looped endlessly—Caleb’s challenge, Nyx’s taunts, Ara’s warnings, Lena’s steady faith. My core thrummed, the Dual Consciousness stirring again, a faint whisper of power and memory threading through me. I shut my eyes, willing it to quiet, but the whispers clung to me, following me into sleep. "Prove your worth," a voice echoed in my dream. An astral beast—or maybe something even older. The same presence I’d felt the night it crashed onto the cliffs before my awakening. I jolted awake, heart pounding. The dorm was silent, the world outside my bunk unnervingly still, but the air felt heavy, as if the academy itself was holding its breath. Caleb’s words, Ara’s riddles, the council’s scrutiny—all of it was a puzzle I still didn’t know how to solve. But I would. I had to. Tomorrow, I’d train harder. Push Null Drive and Null Counter even further. Climb the ranks—not for Caleb, not for the council, but for myself. For Lena. For Squad Seven. "I’m not a glitch," I whispered into the dark, the words a vow. "I’m Richard Sol." And I’d make them all see it.
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