Disquieting Event

The next day, the Southern Academy was buzzing with an electric energy. The principal, Ángel, took the stage to make the announcement everyone was waiting for: the Annual Groups Tournament. The competition, a game of capture the flag, would be held at the Gaia Coliseum, a mythical venue that broadcast events on a global scale. The excitement was palpable; the top three places would qualify for the prestigious national tournament.

Ángel paused at the podium, her imposing presence filling the auditorium. Her voice, clear and motivating, resonated in every corner.

Ángel—"First, I wish you all the best of luck. This year I have seen several students demonstrate their best in every training session, which fills me with pride. Presenting the leaders of each team, we have…"

A luminous panel lit up behind her, showing the names and abilities of the chosen ones.

Fera, Termoarc Ability – Leader of Group AQuira, CraCandy Ability – Leader of Group BMorfeo, Letalis Ability – Leader of Group CPaola, Auros Ability – Leader of Group DHeinel, Necrobones Ability – Leader of Group EYellow, Shadow Ability – Leader of Group FXela, Negative Ability – Leader of Group GYelena, Golsit Ability – Leader of Group HÁngel—"These are your leaders and their respective groups. The matches will be chosen randomly on the day of the tournament. We have also prepared four fields for capture the flag: Forest, Spheres, Labyrinth, and Desert. And, as a small incentive, we have hired renowned designers to create an exclusive suit for each of you, adapted to your abilities. I wish you all luck again and we will see you in two weeks."

The tournament announcement unleashed a wave of euphoria. The students were excited about the new suits and the opportunity to shine. Several groups immediately headed to the training fields, anxious to prepare. But in a dark corner of the academy, the excitement of the moment did not exist.

A masked figure moved stealthily, whispering with a dark and resentful voice, as if speaking to herself.

Masked Figure—"The Pillar of Fire must be here... If I find it, I can take it and fix everything... I can get back everything... everything I lost... Mom promised..."

This person was seen by Quira, who recognized her instantly. An icy shiver ran through her body, and repressed memories of a painful past resurfaced with overwhelming force. Quira’s eyes widened in horror, fixed on the figure disappearing into the shadows.

Quira, in a trembling whisper—"What is she doing here? She's not supposed to leave Gold State Academy. Why is she here...? I need to warn him..."

Without a second thought, Quira ran to the Group A classroom. She burst through the door, her breath accelerated, and shouted Jin's name. The entire Group A, immersed in a casual conversation, was perplexed. Jin got up, worried, and before he could say anything, Quira grabbed his arm, dragging him in a hurry down the hall. The adrenaline of panic consumed her.

Quira—"You better get ready, Jin! She's here!"

Jin, scared and hesitant—"By 'she' do you mean…? Is Angela here? Why?"

Quira—"I don't know for sure, but if she's here, it's not good! She can do anything to get what she wants."

As Quira and Jin ran down the hall, a long, dark figure swooped through the windows, shattering the glass. The twilight sky was interrupted by the crash. A broken, shrill, and agonizing voice resonated in the air. Angela, the masked figure, laughed in a disturbing way as her form materialized inside. Her body recomposed, adopting a more humanoid form. However, several dark, twisted tentacles emerged from her back, each ending in sharp bony protrusions that gave her an unnatural agility.

Angela, with a deformed and mocking voice—"But look who we have here... it's little Jinney who had to run from me in fear... You never needed to run... I will always find you wherever you go."

Without giving him time to react, Angela grabbed Jin with surprising force and threw him violently outside. Jin, bruised but furious, got up with difficulty, unsheathing a pair of swords with blades that shone faintly in the gloom.

Angela, with a childish and threatening tone—"Am I that scary, little one? You were everything to me..."

The creature unleashed a fury of attacks. Her tentacles lunged at Jin with lethal speed and precision. He danced among the blows, his swords tracing arcs of light as they cut the dark appendages, but the number of attacks was overwhelming. He couldn't evade them all, and several tentacles reached him, tearing his clothes and leaving deep cuts from which crimson blood flowed.

Quira, stumbling, arrived at the combat. Angela, with surprising agility for her grotesque form, plunged a bony spine into her arm. The sharp pain made her fall to her knees, a choked scream escaping her lips.

Angela, with disdain and rage, her eyes fixed on Quira—"Don't interfere...!"

The crash and the screams alerted the nearest professors. Axel, with his flame-red hair and a permanently tired expression, burst onto the scene along with Emma, who radiated a charismatic energy even in the tension of the moment.

Simultaneously, Axel, whose Pyro power allowed him to control fire, raised his hands. A wave of intense flames surged from the ground, creating walls of crackling fire to try to trap Angela. At the same time, Emma, activating her Neow ability, manifested sharp, knuckle-like claws on her fists and launched a series of fast, precise blows, targeting the creature's vulnerable points.

Angela, however, defended herself with unexpected ferocity. Her tentacles moved with amazing coordination, blocking Emma's attacks and dispelling Axel's flames with ease, as if the fire were nothing more than smoke. While fighting both professors at once, she launched a tentacle charged with dark energy toward Jin, who was lying badly wounded on the ground.

Jin, in a barely audible voice—"Look out...!"

But it was too late. The blow connected squarely with his chest, throwing him a few meters back. His body impacted against the wall with a groan of pain.

Angela, momentarily free from Axel's and Emma's attacks, approached Jin's inert body. She leaned over, her deformed face close to the young man's ear and whispered in a voice that was both sweet and chilling: "See you soon… D-E-A-R."

With a quick and fluid movement, Angela vanished into the shadows like a creature from a nightmare. Axel, gasping and with several superficial burns from the effort, urgently called an ambulance before collapsing exhausted on the floor. Emma, though less wounded, watched the spot where Angela had disappeared with a somber expression.

Jin lay motionless, surrounded by a pool of blood. Quira, with a superhuman effort, managed to remove the bony spine from her arm, her face pale from the pain. Stumbling, she walked to Jin's side, her voice cracking as she spoke.

Quira—"Jin… Are you okay...?"

Jin, in a faint voice—"Everything… hurts..."

Quira, murmuring desperately—"This girl hasn't changed at all..."

With that last phrase, she fainted, falling near Jin's body.

The sirens of the ambulances were heard in the distance. The injured were attended to by a professor with medical skills, but the severity of their wounds required specialized care. They were taken away on stretchers.

Upon hearing what had happened, Fera felt a pang of worry for his friend. Meanwhile, somewhere in the academy, Frida, informed of the events, told Kleif everything.

Kleif, in a thoughtful voice—"Maybe they are already looking for the Pillars. Jin was just an obstacle that crossed their path."

While chaos spread, in a hidden place far from the academy, two figures conversed in the darkness. One voice, furious and repressed, addressed the other.

Voice 1—"You made a scene yesterday! WHY COULDN'T YOU STAY STILL?! What was the need to show yourself like that? What if the higher-ups start to get suspicious? How do you want me to help you?"

Angela, in a submissive and repentant voice—"Sorry, mother..."

The first voice let out a sarcastic laugh. "SORRY? Now you regret it. Continue with the mission, but don't attack anyone again... You are a disaster..."

The next day, at the hospital, the doctor informed John about Jin's condition.

Doctor—"He'll recover quickly. Thanks to the professor's attention, nothing serious happened, just some scratches... although deep."

John let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Doctor."

He headed to the waiting room where Alex, León, and Fera were, his voice turning serious.

John—"It's been a day since the incident. We don't know what that person was looking for. Quira still hasn't woken up to give details. The principal is investigating this thoroughly. The tournament is coming, and we don't want something so dangerous to happen at the event."

Fera, with concern—"Professor, our training is advancing, but Jin was an ace we were going to use. Although they said he would recover soon, I hope he can use his hundred percent."

León, with an optimistic smile—"Don't worry, Fera, everything will be fine."

Everyone left the hospital and headed to the academy. They were still repairing the mess: broken windows, the entrance marked by blows and remains of bony spines. The attacker's ability was strange and very rarely seen, according to the principal. They hoped to find the person responsible, but no one with such a power was known yet. Meanwhile, rumors about the event were spreading.

On the academy's terrace, two figures met in the twilight gloom.

Heinel, in a calm voice—"Hello, Xela. To what do I owe your visit to this terrace where only I can be?"

Xela, with an enigmatic smile—"You never cease to surprise me, you knew I was coming... You already know why I'm here... My sister attacked yesterday and made a mess, which means the oracle has already revealed that the Pillar of Fire is here."

Heinel, with determination—"It's time to catch that bastard before she attacks..."

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