Words by the author:
Thank you all so much for waiting for the next chapter. It's been a rough few months but I'm back. I hope you continue to read and enjoy this adventure. I won't upload daily chapter but I want to upload 3 or 4 chapters a week. Thank you all very much and enjoy :)
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Laia ran off in the direction of the training camp, unable to stop thinking about what she had just seen. The images of Olivia falling backwards with the knife stuck in her chest replayed in her brain like a broken record.
As soon as she reached the training ground they were on she first encountered Brand, who was talking quietly to another teacher as they watched the children.
—Teacher! Teacher!
Brand and the teacher turned at the sound of Laia's shout, which drew other stares from the training field. As soon as Laia stood in front of the two teachers she began to say that they needed a doctor, that Olivia had been badly injured, that they had run away when they had been attacked. Hearing what had happened both teachers gave a warning that they were leaving and left the training camp as they followed Laia to the scene. During all that time Laia could not stop crying.
Brand in his mind did not know how this could have happened. He knew that the 5 boys had left the training camp looking for a moment of freedom, having discussed it with some guard they decided to allow it to separate the heirs. But what Brand didn't understand was why Olivia had been attacked.
'No other students have left, we are all vigilant and we are monitoring the students. How could this have happened? Could a teacher have left him? A traitor or an absent-mindedness?' Brand's head was spinning as he was closely followed by a teacher who had been invited for the occasion, Ivonne.
When the two teachers reached the lake they stopped and watched as Laia kept running until she reached her group of friends. Caleb was holding someone imprisoned with ice, Kevin was holding Arlen who looked terribly tired and Olivia was on the ground. But what surprised the teachers the most was that all the kids were looking at Arlen with eyes of disbelief, in fact, they weren't just looking at Arlen, their gaze was quickly going between Arlen and Olivia. Both teachers approached the group in silence.
—What happened here? —Brand asked in a voice a little more menacing than he expected.
—This kid came out of nowhere trying to attack us.
Brand looked at Caleb, who had given his quick response, and looked at Olivia, who had much of her chest exposed. Next to him Laia looked at her not quite believing her eyes, as Olivia's chest was missing a wound, as if it had never existed. Ivonne caught Brand's attention and pointed with her head to the knife that was full of blood.
—A knife full of blood, the floor full of blood, but no one is hurt. Can someone explain to me what happened?
After Brand's question everyone remained silent. Brand, from what he had heard from Laia, Olivia needed a doctor urgently because she had a knife stuck in her lung, but it seemed that Olivia had miraculously recovered, and from everything that had happened it seemed that the blame for that last one seemed to be Arlen's fault. 'But how?' wondered Brand.
—That boy, that one over there, he did something with his eye, some orange marks appeared around it and suddenly--- agh.
The boy could not finish what he was saying because of Kevin, who kicked him in the stomach to shut him up.
—If you say one more word...
But Kevin couldn't finish speaking either, as Brand put a hand on his shoulder with a lot of force, indicating that he didn't like what he had just done.
—Let's all calm down —said Brand trying to calm the atmosphere—, the first thing is to take the wounded to the infirmary, the three of them will be guarded by guards. They will have no contact with the rest of the students until what happened has been cleared up. Understood?
Laia, Kevin and Caleb knew there was nothing they could do about what Brand had just said, but they felt discouraged, they too wanted answers to what had just happened, especially Laia who was the most confused of the 3.
—Ivonne —now Brand was referring to the teacher who was with him—, do you mind taking Arlen and Olivia Wolf to the infirmary? I'll take the other boy.
—Of course, go on, help me take your friends, so you can say goodbye to them.
The three were placed under guard in different rooms of the infirmary. The day of the shared class between the first and second year students ended quickly after what had happened. There were murmurs, some went ahead to make assumptions about what had happened. Some dared to say that there was a quarrel between the White and Wolf heirs, but no one really knew what happened.
That same evening, in the teachers' meeting room, the teachers who attended the event were gathered among the first and second-year teachers. Among those in attendance were the first-year teachers, the IOH academy director, and the teachers who attended as support.
—We are becoming fans of late meetings.
—Leave your jokes for another time, Lewa.
The teacher just wanted to lighten the tense atmosphere, but was quickly cut off by the head of the combat department, Krist, who was quite serious and worried about what had happened.
—Let's see —tried to mediate the director of the IOH Academy, Luca— what we know about what happened.
—There was a surprise attack on a group that had separated from the concentration —explained Brand— the attack did not become major, a thwarted attack on the Wolf heiress and stopped by the heir of the White. Nothing serious.
When Ivonne heard Brand say those words, she turned in her chair without understanding the meaning of Brand's lie.
—Anything to add about the attacker? —Luca continued asking.
—It seems that he is a member of the Ergaster family, apparently he is from a family below prestige and wanted to gain the favor of the heir, but do not think that is the case.
—Continue.
—His ability is one that we thought disappeared, invisibility, is one of the most beloved skills by all families and usually attributed to the Wolf family, then I can think of two possible theories, betrayal within the Wolf, or someone looking for the Wolf family to confront the Ergaster.
That sentence left all the attendees quite surprised. Times were quite tense, any act could mark the beginning of a new war and it was something that none of those present wanted to suffer. Everyone looked at each other without knowing what to say.
—If we have to choose one of these two options, I would choose the second one. —Said the strategy teacher Kei breaking the silence. —The first is unlikely. The Wolf family, as far as we can tell, is a family that supports us in peace and does not want problems, when they confirmed that those who used invisibility within their family had died, it is to believe them. The second option is more plausible, and I think it is not the Ergaster's family who instigated the boy to do it, so there are two options left: Scarlett Moon or Leo King.
Those words from Kei left the room in complete silence, no one moved, no one said anything, everyone was thinking about the meaning behind those words.
The director of the combat department, nervous and not knowing what to do, ended up punching the table.
—Who do these kids think they are, they're ungrateful! It's times like these that make me want to--.
Krist couldn't finish his speech as he was grabbed by one of Brand's fox tails.
—I think it's late, tomorrow we can continue with this meeting, Luca.
—Yes, you're right. —Luca got up from the table, holding back the laughter that the scene between Krist and Brand provoked in him. —Thank you all very much for attending today, and, above all, thank you to the teachers who went out of their way today to help the combat department. I believe you have already received your bonus pay.
All the teachers left, on their way to their rooms. Some were more worried than others, but they were thankful that nothing serious had happened to any of the heirs because of the trouble it would cause.
Inside the meeting room, four people remained: Luca, Krist, Brand and Joshua. They all knew what was going to happen now.
—Now —said Luca—, tell us the truth, Brand.
—Arlen. He saved Olivia Wolf from dying using one of the Phoenix's abilities.
In another part of the school, in the first-year students' dormitory of the combat department, a meeting was taking place between three people.
—Can you explain to me what happened? —Caleb and Kevin looked at each other, unsure of what to say. —We have been together long enough to know that you are hiding something from me. Today I almost saw a friend die, but suddenly she was fine. Tell me what happened.
Kevin and Caleb were shocked and speechless. It was the first time Laia had been angry, they were upset. Kevin who was not used to being yelled at was the first to submit to the pressure.
—Arlen, Arlen saved Olivia.
—How? Arlen is not someone with a healing ability.
Both boys swallowed hard.
—I don't know —Kevin said—, I don't know, but I'm sure it's the same thing he used to heal me. I don't think that is bad.
-Right now, Laia, —Caleb interjected—, we can only hope and give thanks that they are both okay.
After Caleb's words Laia relaxed, but she was still unsure. She didn't want to trust Arlen, he seemed too mysterious, and right now he seemed like a complete stranger to her.
That night no one slept peacefully.