The three people stood at the edge of the training room, their presence a looming shadow over everything we tried to do. I couldn't concentrate, not with them silently observing our every move. Every time I tried to summon my power, it slipped away like water through my fingers. I wasn't the only one struggling—Ethan, Mira, Lena, we were all on edge. Even Drex, who had already unlocked his power, seemed to be holding back.
Who are they? And why are they just standing there? They weren't instructors; that much was clear. Instructors would be offering guidance, correcting our mistakes, but these three… they were just watching, judging, it felt like. I could almost feel their eyes on me specifically, and it made my skin crawl. What if they're here because we're failing? Because we're not good enough? Or maybe they're waiting for something to happen, something that hasn't yet—something that has to do with me. The thought sent a chill down my spine.
Lena, who had always been the most outspoken among us, finally broke. I could see the tension building in her, the way she kept glancing at them, her jaw tight. She couldn't take it anymore. She stopped mid-practice, her shoulders stiff with irritation, and started walking towards them.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice firm but edged with a polite frustration. "Can I ask why you're here?"
The three strangers didn't respond right away. They just turned their heads slowly to look at her, their expressions unreadable. The silence stretched on, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, waiting for them to say something, anything.
But instead of answering Lena, their eyes shifted again—this time, all three of them focused on me. It was like the air was sucked out of the room. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my skin. Why me? What did they see when they looked at me?
Lena hesitated, clearly thrown off by their reaction. She glanced back at me, confusion written all over her face. But the three strangers didn't move, didn't speak. They just kept their eyes on me, as if waiting for something. The weight of their gaze felt like it was pressing down on me, making it impossible to think or breathe.