As Alex sat next to Naomi in the library, the silence between them was comfortable but charged with something new. Naomi was flipping through the pages of their shared history book, but neither of them had said much in the last few minutes. Alex couldn’t stop glancing at her, feeling the tension between them grow.Naomi broke the silence first. “You’re distracted today,” she teased, her eyes still on the page but a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”Alex cleared his throat, his heart racing. He didn’t want to sound too eager, but he couldn’t hide it anymore. “I’ve been thinking... about you. About us, actually.”Naomi looked up, eyebrows raised. “Oh? What about us?”“I don’t know,” Alex said, shifting in his seat. “It’s just... being around you is different now. It’s like I’m always looking forward to these moments.”Naomi tilted her head, her smile growing a little. “I noticed something had changed. I mean, you’ve been spending a l
Victor's jealousy had always been something he could control, a quiet simmer beneath his otherwise dominant persona. He had a way of keeping everything in check, maintaining his reputation as the untouchable guy at school, the one nobody dared challenge. But ever since Alex came back, and especially after seeing him with Naomi, Victor's composure was slipping, unraveling in ways that shocked even him.At lunch, Victor sat at his usual spot, surrounded by his loyal followers, Jake and Emily. His eyes, however, were glued to the far end of the room where Alex and Naomi sat, laughing together. The sight of them made his blood boil, the tight grip on his fork threatening to bend the metal."Look at them," he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice dripping with disdain. "It’s disgusting."Emily, ever the observant one, raised an eyebrow. "You’re really letting this get to you, huh? I thought you didn’t care about that whole Alex thing."Victor’s eyes darkened as he watched Naomi lean i
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon when Ryan, Samira, Alex, and Naomi decided to spend the day together. They had made plans to hang out at the local arcade and grab some food afterward, wanting to unwind after the stressful weeks they’d all had. With school, powers, and everything else going on, it felt like a good time to just relax and have fun.As they arrived at the arcade, the place was bustling with kids and teenagers, the sounds of pinball machines, laughter, and electronic games filling the air. Alex immediately lit up at the sight of all the different games, and Samira couldn’t help but laugh at his excitement.“I swear, you’re like a kid in a candy store,” she teased, nudging Alex.He grinned, not denying it. “Hey, I’m allowed to enjoy some games after all the craziness, right?”Ryan smirked, already heading toward a shooting game. “Alright, who’s up for some competition? I’m about to show you all how it’s done.”Naomi chuckled softly as she stood next to Samira. “He’s reall
The Shadow Circle's chamber was filled with an unsettling quiet. Silas paced at the head of the room, his patience thinning.Raven glanced at Malachai, uneasy. “Silas, we’ve been watching them for a while now. They’re moving carefully. Alex has Lila, and she’s been covering their tracks.”“That’s the problem,” Silas snapped. “You’re watching. We’re sitting back while the boy grows stronger. And Lila? She’s making him dangerous.”Malachai shifted, his deep voice calm but calculated. “We underestimated her. She’s using skills we didn’t account for.Silas stopped pacing, his eyes cold as they met Malachai’s. “Underestimated? That’s what you tell me now? What you call underestimating, I call incompetence. Alex and Lila should’ve been in my grasp long ago.”Raven stiffened, but didn’t speak. Silas’s temper was notorious, and she wasn’t about to provoke him further.“Alex’s power,” Silas continued, ignoring their silence, “it’s growing. The amulet responds to his emotions—rage, fear, all of
Silas stood in the dark chamber, focusing his energy on the amulet’s connection to Alex. His eyes gleamed as he began weaving illusions through the bond. "It’s time to see just how far your emotions will take you, Alex Chen," he whispered.Through the shadows, he projected the vision: Astra lying on the ground, bloodied and broken. Her chest barely rising as she struggled to breathe. The scene shifted, showing Astra standing over Grandma Chen’s lifeless body, holding the blade that had ended her life.---Alex gasped, jolting upright in bed. His heart pounded, eyes wide as the horrific image burned into his mind.*No... she was part of it?*Without a second thought, Alex grabbed the amulet and stormed out of the room. He didn’t wake Lila or Samira, not even considering it. This was personal now. He had to face Astra—alone.---In the dim, cold cavern that served as Silas's lair, Alex arrived, fists clenched tight. His breath was ragged, his mind clouded with anger and betrayal."You,"
As Alex’s world faded into black, the sound of Silas’s mocking laughter lingered in his ears, a cruel reminder of his failure. When his eyes fluttered open, everything was cold. His body ached, his wrists bound tightly in chains. The faint flicker of dim torchlight cast eerie shadows on the stone walls around him. He was in a cell, deep within Silas’s lair.Groaning, Alex tried to move, but the chains rattled with his effort, reminding him of his helplessness. His mind raced, replaying the events in his head. Silas was right there, taunting him, breaking him down bit by bit. And worse, Astra—someone he thought he could destroy—was somehow tied to the death of Grandma Chen. He hung his head low, feeling the weight of his own decisions. *I should’ve told Lila. I should’ve told Samira. What was I thinking, coming here alone?* His fists clenched as guilt gnawed at him. Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence, low and cold.“You’re awake.”Alex’s head shot up, eyes narrowing as Silas
Lila paced back and forth, her fists clenched tightly as her mind raced. The normally composed martial artist was clearly shaken. Samira sat on the edge of the couch, her knee bouncing anxiously as she glanced at the door for the hundredth time that evening. Naomi leaned against the wall, arms folded, her eyes narrowing in deep thought, while Ryan hovered by the window, glancing outside as if expecting Alex to suddenly appear.Samira finally broke the tense silence, her voice trembling. "He’s never been gone this long without telling us. Something’s wrong."Lila stopped pacing, turning to face Samira. "I know. I’ve felt it too. But wherever he is, he’s not going to just disappear without reason."Ryan frowned, still staring out the window. "Maybe he just needed some time alone? You know Alex, always taking things on his own shoulders."Naomi shook her head. "No, not this time. He would’ve said something. This is different.Ryan turned, his brows furrowed. "So, what are we saying here?
The hallways buzzed with energy, students huddled in groups, whispers spreading like wildfire. As Samira and Ryan walked through the halls, they could hear snippets of conversation trailing behind them."Did you hear? Alex Chen’s gone missing.""No way. Seriously?""Yeah, no one’s seen him for days. He’s probably in some serious trouble."Ryan shot Samira a worried glance. "It’s everywhere already," he muttered.Samira clenched her fists, keeping her head down. "I figured it would spread fast, but this is ridiculous."A group of girls passed by, whispering louder than they realized. "Do you think he got into a fight with Victor again? Maybe he’s hiding."One of the girls scoffed. "Hiding? From Victor? Alex would never. He probably just ran off because he couldn’t handle the pressure."Ryan narrowed his eyes, his voice low. "I should say something. Set them straight.""Don’t," Samira warned, pulling him back. "Let them talk. We don’t need to give them more reason to gossip."Ahead of t