Seraphina stands alone in a clearing, catching her breath after defeating one of the many groups of students in the tournament. Her movements are graceful yet cold, as she brushes dust off her uniform, casting a disinterested glance at the defeated students lying around her.
Just as she's about to turn and leave, a strange aura prickles at the edges of her awareness. Her brow furrows, and a faint wave of disgust ripples through her. This aura feels twisted—a foul, unnatural amalgamation of disparate magics and raw energy that don't seem to belong anywhere.
Seraphina clenches her fists, feeling a surge of unease she's not accustomed to. "What… is this?" she murmurs to herself. The aura's presence lingers like a bad taste in the air, and she feels an instinctive revulsion as if she's in the presence of something inherently wrong.
She turns, glancing toward the distant part of the forest from where she senses the aura. "Whatever that is… it's nothing good," she mutters, choosing to cautiously continue on her path but remaining hyper-aware of the foreboding sensation now clouding her senses.
....
Ash is crouched down, carefully inspecting one of the objectives his team was tasked with. He's in the middle of completing it when a shiver runs up his spine. The strange aura he's felt intermittently over the past few hours has intensified, becoming so palpable that even he can't ignore it.
Despite his attempts to shrug it off and focus on the tournament, the aura's strength has escalated to a point where it gnaws at his attention.
"This feeling… it's been there all along, lurking." He murmurs under his breath, trying to mask his unease with his usual calm demeanor. But now, as the aura pulses with renewed intensity, it's clear that he can't ignore it any longer.
Ash's Aetheris device beeps, and a message from his teammates pops up. They inform him they've completed two more objectives, adding points to their group's score. Ash smiles in relief, but his mind is still preoccupied with the growing sense of dread.
He quickly responds, "Good work, but go on without me for now. I have something to check out." When they question his decision, he reassures them with a casual, "Don't worry, I'll just be earning a few more points. Nothing to fret over." Before they can argue further, he ends the transmission, resolving to investigate the aura himself.
…..
Sitting on a tree stump surrounded by the fallen bodies of mid-tier magical beasts, Kallus casually rests his one-handed axe on his shoulder, surveying the aftermath of his recent skirmish. His gaze sharpens as he feels a strange, oppressive presence in the air—an aura unlike anything he's encountered before.
"What's this ugly feeling?" he mutters, his eyes narrowing in irritation. The aura's energy grates against his senses, filling him with a prickling sensation he can't quite shake.
Kallus rises to his feet, dusting off his clothes and adjusting his grip on his axe. "Might as well see what's causing all this… I could use a real fight." His lips curl into a slight smirk, though there's an edge of caution in his eyes. He strides purposefully toward the direction of the aura, determined to uncover the source of this disturbing presence.
....
Elena navigates cautiously through a dense part of the forest, her eyes scanning the area as she tries to locate Lucius. She's been searching for him ever since they were separated, hoping to reunite and tackle the objectives together. But so far, her Aetheris hasn't been able to pinpoint his location.
She halts abruptly, her eyes widening as she spots several students lying on the ground ahead of her. Approaching with caution, she realizes that they're unconscious, sprawled out as if they'd collapsed in the middle of a battle. The closer she gets, the clearer it becomes—these students aren't just unconscious; they're gravely injured, with deep bruises and cuts covering their bodies.
"What… happened here?" Elena whispers, her voice trembling as she kneels beside one of the fallen students. She reaches out, preparing to use healing magic, but the student stirs, grabbing her hand weakly.
"No… don't… waste your energy," he gasps, his voice faint and filled with dread.
Elena hesitates, concern flooding her features. "Please, let me help. You're in terrible shape!"
But the student only shakes his head, his gaze desperate. "There's… something out here. A monster… stronger than anything we've ever seen…" His words falter, his face twisting in fear as he recalls the creature that attacked them.
Elena's heart races, and she asks quickly, "What did it look like? What exactly are we dealing with?" But before the student can answer, a horrifying change overtakes him.
His skin starts to decay, patches of flesh liquefying as his body begins to rot before her very eyes. His eyes bubble, turning into a formless, oozing mess, and a horrified gasp escapes Elena as she stumbles back, the gruesome transformation rendering her speechless.