Lennox found himself lying on the ground with the sun beating down on his body. "Ahh," he woke up, his eyes fluttering slowly as he covered them to shield from the sunlight. "Ugh, what happened? Why am I on the ground?" Lennox grumbling.
Confused about why he was on the ground, he gradually got up, recalling the events leading to him being there - the artifact burning from the inside, the appearance of the phoenix, and then passing out.
Shaking his head to fully wake himself up, Lennox questioned, "How long was I passed out for?" as he scanned the now cleared and undamaged arena, remembering his fight with the guardian and spotting the portal. "Forget it, it's better to leave first," he sighed.
As Lennox walks through the cleared and undamaged arena: "I never expected to make it this far. The artifact, the phoenix... it's all a lot to take in. What did that trial really mean, and what did I unlock within myself?"
Lennox realized his body was no longer in pain. Instead, he felt increased strength, speed, and heightened senses. Entering the portal, he appeared on the other side, surprising everyone. He had taken longer than expected, and people were shocked because the portal had been there for about two hours. This raised questions about whether he had passed or failed the trial but had just stayed inside.
Nadia approached Lennox with a worried look, asking if he was okay. Lennox, noticing her concern, inquired if something had happened during his absence.
"No, it's just that you were inside the trial for a couple of hours, so we thought something happened," Nadia explained.
Lennox questioned what had really happened during those two hours when he was passed out. He knew that one hour inside the trial equaled ten hours in the outside world.
Nexarch Valarian walked up to Lennox, congratulating him on passing all the trials and reaching the Nexarc grade. Lennox turned around to see multiple names on two black stones from the other trials, and the last black stone had his name. He realized he was the only one to pass all three trials and make it to the Nexarc grade.
Valarian explained that the artifact Lennox had obtained was his reward, and rewards were mainly random for people with certain bloodlines. Turning to the other Nexarc students, Valarian acknowledged both those who failed and those who succeeded in the second trial, encouraging the former to see it as practice and a stepping stone.
Lennox couldn't believe what was happening, and the other Nexarc students shouted and cried with excitement. Feeling something shift inside his body, Lennox sensed he was about to explode, so he decided it was best to go back and rest, despite having been asleep for over ten hours.
"Mentor Nadia, I will visit you later... I want to go back and rest," Lennox said slowly.
"Okay, take a good rest. You deserve it," Nadia replied, looking at Lennox with a sense of strangeness, as he seemed more interested in going back to sleep than celebrating his successful trial completion.
...
After arriving in his dorm, Lennox instantly passed out on his bed for a nap. A couple of hours later, he woke up, finding his bed soaking with sweat. As he continued to sweat, he felt a sense of something evil. In his half-asleep state, he saw the phoenix from the artifact being swallowed up by darkness, waking up just before it happened.
"What's happening to me?" Lennox questioned, noticing his own smell and the sweat all over. "Ugh, I stink. I need a shower more than ever before," he said in disgust.
Entering the shower, Lennox couldn't help but think about what the artifact had given him and what changes it might have caused. After the shower, he left the bathroom and suddenly, a figure with a demon mask appeared in front of him.
"Boo!" the person tried to jumpscare Lennox. While he was a little shaken, he quickly retaliated with a punch to the person's face, sending them crashing into the wall. Lennox realized his strength seemed much greater than before. "Who are you?" he questioned, preparing for a fight.
The figure slowly got up and took off their mask, revealing themselves as Theo. "Ha, Ha! Now congratulations on fully becoming a Nexarc," Theo said.
Lennox smiled, "Thanks, but are you okay?" He scanned Theo's face, noticing no damage.
"I'm good. I got an idea. Why don't we go out and have some fun to celebrate?" Theo suggested.
"I don't—" Lennox began to deny, but he remembered that he needed to relax, have fun, and spend time with Theo, Kira, and Nadia. "All right, let's go."
"Great," Theo thought, realizing he didn't have to convince Lennox to go out, which was a change from the past when Lennox rarely wanted to go anywhere besides with him and Kira in the academy.
Outside the academy, Lennox could be seen wearing well-fitted jeans paired with a simple but stylish button-down sweater and comfortable sneakers. A leather watch adorned his wrist.
"I thought we were going out. What are we doing here? We already had to sneak out," Lennox whispered to Theo on the side, knowing that Nexarcs couldn't leave the academy after 10 at night.
Theo, on the other side, was wearing T-shirts featuring humorous designs, paired with distressed jeans. He included funky sneakers that never failed to catch the eye. Added with a variety of statement jackets, ranging from retro bombers to bold prints.
Theo looked in one direction from a wall. "Just wait a sec, will you? It's only been 15 minutes... here she comes," he whispered to Lennox before a shadow jumped over the wall.
Walking out of the darkness was Kira, dressed in high-waisted, distressed denim jeans paired with a colorful and oversized graphic T-shirt. Her long, flowing black hair framed her face like a waterfall of silk. Kira added layered gold necklaces and bracelets and carried a sleek crossbody bag.
Lennox was captivated by Kira's look, having never seen her dressed like this before. "She's so beautiful," he thought.
"So, did I arrive late or early?" Kira asked.
Theo noticed Lennox was just staring at Kira and reassured him, "No, you just arrived."
"What's the plan?" Kira asked, noticing Lennox's gaze. "Theo is twinkle okay?"
"Yeah, he's just captivated by your beauty. Now, let's go," Theo said, quickly dragging Lennox and walking off, leaving Kira behind surprised before realizing what happened and following them.
...
The local bowling alley was alive with the sounds of crashing pins and lively chatter from bowlers. Theo had brought Lennox and Kira along, and while Kira was familiar with the bowling alley, Lennox had never been. As they entered the neon-lit alley, Theo eagerly instructed them to don rented shoes and grab bowling balls. Theo, an experienced bowler, was eager to showcase his skills. Kira, a proficient player, was equally excited. Lennox, however, eyed the lane with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty, having never tried bowling before.
"Alright, Nox, it's time for a crash course in bowling!" Theo declared, grabbing a ball and demonstrating his flawless technique. "Watch and learn, my friend!"
Lennox decided to fully observe Theo's practiced movements, attempting to grasp the fundamentals. Meanwhile, Kira couldn't help but steal glances at Lennox, her mind still reflecting on what Theo had said. "I thought he never saw me that way," she thought, feeling warm in her heart. She decided to walk up to him and said, "Twinkle, congratulations on fully becoming a Nexarc."
"Thanks, I can't wait to be able to do a lot more in the academy with you both," Lennox replied before turning his attention back to Theo.
Seeing Lennox's slightly puzzled expression, Kira stepped in. "Don't worry, Twinkle! It's all about the technique," she said, taking a ball and guiding Lennox through the motions. "You've got to aim, take a step, swing your arm, and release. Easy, right?"
Lennox nodded tentatively, attempting to mimic Kira's instructions. The first few attempts resulted in the ball rolling languidly down the lane, narrowly missing the pins. Theo couldn't resist laughing at Lennox. "Come on, Nox! You throw the ball like it owes you money!"
Undeterred, Kira moved closer to Lennox, her hands gently guiding his posture. "Try to feel the rhythm," she suggested, her smile filled with encouragement. Lennox couldn't help but feel a warm flush of both embarrassment and gratitude.
As the evening progressed, Lennox's bowling skills slowly improved under Kira's patient guidance. Theo, as always, continued to make the atmosphere light-hearted with his infectious laughter.
With each strike and spare, Lennox found himself enjoying the game more than he thought possible, all thanks to the support of Kira and Theo. As the game came to an end, they gathered around for a group photo, smiles lighting up their faces.
Deciding to continue their celebration, they headed to the movies, choosing a thrilling film for suspense and excitement. Entering the dimly lit theater, Theo spotted three open seats right in the middle of the row. "This is prime real estate!" he declared, leading the way.
Little did they know, the seats they chose were right in front of Nadia, Kage, and Vayuna, who were looking forward to a relaxing evening at the movies. As the lights dimmed and the suspenseful music filled the theater, everyone settled into their seats. Just as the suspense reached its peak, Theo's spontaneous burst of laughter coincided with an intense moment on the screen. The entire theater went silent, and all eyes turned to their row. Nadia, Kage, and Vayuna, startled and bewildered, looked at Lennox and the others. Shocked, Lennox and the group were terrified because they were caught outside the academy late at night.
Exchanging glances, Lennox and the others sprinted out of the theater. The audience, relieved by their departure, returned to the movie with a mixture of amusement and confusion.
"What the heck were they doing there?" Kira questioned.
...
Outside the theater, Lennox, Theo, and Kira found themselves breathless from their impromptu escape. Theo, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, exclaimed, "Well, that was unexpected!"
"The most fun I've had in a very long time," Lennox said.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Theo replied. "Let's call it a night before we get caught again."
Lennox dap-up Theo and hugged Kira as they walked back to the academy. But before they continued, Kira stopped Lennox and softly asked, "Do you want to come over to spend some time?"
Lennox raised an eyebrow. "Sure," he said, unsure why, especially when it was already so late at night.
Still buzzing with laughter from their earlier escapade, Lennox and Kira arrived at her apartment. They decided to grab a late-night snack, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, and as the night progressed, Lennox found himself feeling more at ease than ever.
In the midst of their conversation, Lennox couldn't help but glance around Kira's apartment, curious. As he moved around, he accidentally tripped over a misplaced object, stumbling forward and reaching out for support.
In a moment of unintentional gracelessness, Lennox's hand brushed against a canvas on an easel, causing it to tilt and reveal a stunning painting beneath a protective cloth. The sudden reveal prompted an apologetic gasp from him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Kira! I didn't mean to..." Lennox trailed off, his eyes widening as he took in the breathtaking artwork. The painting, a vivid portrayal of a serene landscape bathed in warm hues, showcased Kira's artistic talent.
Momentarily caught off guard, Kira chuckled at Lennox's surprise. "No worries, Twinkle. It's just a little something I've been working on," she explained, a hint of modesty in her tone.
Genuinely impressed, as he didn't think she painted last time he was here, Lennox couldn't help but express his admiration. "This is incredible, Kira! I had no idea you were such a talented artist."
Blushing at the unexpected compliment, "I'm glad you appreciate my paintings. They're a way for me to express myself." she said smiling. 'Painting has always been my refuge. It's a piece of my history'
Kira thanked Lennox and decided to share more about her passion for painting. She explained that her grandfather had a room full of paints, though he never painted. Instead, it had multiple paintings of different places, people, emotions, horror, and fights. By watching these paintings, she felt a connection, and that's when she started painting at the age of 7. She hasn't stopped ever since, As Kira spoke about her artistic journey, Lennox found himself captivated not only by her words but by the passion that sparkled in her eyes he listened intently.
Lennox, genuinely impressed as he scanned more of her painting 'I had no idea Kira had this artistic side. There's always so much more to people than meets the eye.'.
'He genuinely appreciates art. It's nice to share this part of me with someone else that care about me and I care about them...even since joining the academy we both barely open up to other but now I'm willing to open up a bit more and I hope he does to' Kira thought.