Haven stepped into the elevator, unsurprised at the fact that she was the only one present in it when mostly it was crowded every hour of the day. Most of the agency, she assumed, was awaiting her arrival in the basement of the whole building.
They awaited a show.
She was prepared to give them that.
Adrenaline roared through her veins after the exhilarating chase she had just gone through but she needed a more clear mindset to analyze and win the test. Being headstrong and rushing into a fight only led to disappointment and a bunch of broken bones. She still hadn't forgotten that up to this day.
The elevator halted at its destination and Haven wasted no time in stepping out, her head held high and her eyes scanning the area quickly to determine the end result of today's fight.
Right in the center of the massive room, there stood a colossal, menacing ring. Surrounding this majestic centerpiece, a sea of anticipation filled the air as countless throngs of individuals gathered, their collective gazes transfixed on the formidable metal doors of the towering elevator, which had swung open just a fleeting moment ago.
The hushed murmurs of the crowd reverberated through the vast expanse, mingling with the electric energy that crackled and surged in the atmosphere, as every eye followed her graceful emergence from the enigmatic depths of the lift.
Her eyes immediately caught the familiar-looking baby blue ones that walked up to lead her to the middle of the ring. "Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, right?"
Haven shook her head, smiling a little and nudging him with her shoulder to ease the worry on his face. "You think anybody could land a finger on your partner?"
Gavin grinned. "Go beat her ass up there partner."
Bending down, she slipped through the ropes and inside the middle of the ring which was full of blinding light from every angle she could imagine. It seemed like most of the agency had ended up down here, expected since there hadn't been a test in ages. Ending up in the Strategic Department was similar to getting prepared for suicide.
All of a sudden, the crowd parted and a round of whistles and applause went up in the air as a woman walked down the path and slipped through the ropes, making eye contact with Haven in an instant.
Back when she had joined the Department as a newcomer, her biggest competitor to get to the top had been Phoebe Xie. Somehow or the other, Phoebe had found out that she had taken Wei's case immediately after the few beginner cases. Resentment and envy enshrouded inside her heart and she wasted no time in taking a case that was only a few levels low in difficulty compared to Wei's case.
Her hatred for Haven had increased to the sky's limits when she found the case too hard and got embarrassed when she had to drop it and take up another one. Rumors had spread about her and perhaps that was the reason that only Gavin remained her friend and nobody else dared approach her. Not that she minded. Haven preferred it that way.
"You look like someone I once knew," she spoke, her entire posture erect with pride and the resolute determination to leave the ring as the winner.
Too bad, Haven thought internally. That's not gonna happen.
"I'm certain, however, that I won't end up like her," she replied back and Phoebe let out a scoff.
"Aren't you a little overconfident about this, newbie? Don't underestimate my words to be a kind gesture. I'm not going to go easy on you when the bell strikes." she warned but Haven didn't reply back this time, letting the corners of her lips curve up in silence.
The tiny flicker of anger that crossed her black orbs confirmed that silence had irritated her more than her words. Defeat begins with one's fear. And sometimes, anger.
The bell echoed through the area and without a word, Phoebe lunged forward with lightning speed, a blur of motion. Her fists flew through the air, aiming for Haven's face with deadly precision. Haven's instincts kicked in, and she managed to evade her initial onslaught, her agile movements allowing her to dance away from harm's way.
Seizing the moment, Haven retaliated with a flurry of kicks, each one precise and calculated. Her movements were fluid, almost like a well-rehearsed dance. Phoebe blocked with expert precision, her years of training evident in her flawless defense.
The two girls circled each other, each searching for an opening. Haven's mind raced, analyzing Phoebe's every move, searching for weaknesses to exploit. She knew she couldn't match Phoebe's raw power with her current body, but she possessed a fierce determination and a clever mind that had gotten her through many tough situations.
"That's all you got?" she yelled out, but Haven continued her silence only pausing to smirk at her which aggravated her beyond limits.
A bead of sweat trickled down Haven's temple as she feigned a punch toward Phoebe's stomach. She took the bait, lowering her guard for a split second. Haven capitalized on the opportunity, swiftly sidestepping and delivering a devastating roundhouse kick to Phoebe's jaw. The impact echoed through the basement, the force of it reverberating in the air.
Phoebe stumbled backward, a stunned expression on her face as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. The small moment of ecstasy, however, didn't last too long.
For the first time in her entire life, she heard it. Heard him.
The first time she heard it, Haven's eyes darted around hurriedly like she'd been hit with an electric shock, certain that it had come from right beside her. That there was someone there with her, hidden in the shadows of the crowd which was still busy cheering. Glancing around, she found nobody looking at her or trying to talk to her.
But she knew what she heard. A clear voice. A word — carved out and vivid amongst the nebulous array of her own thoughts.
Come.
Just that. One single, unmistakable syllable.
Come.
The voice that uttered it was nothing like hers. Its timbre was deep and rough, and for a second she was forced to consider it might be Zei.
And yet, Haven was fairly certain she knew the sound of his voice — and this? This wasn't it.
This was something entirely different.