The blizzard, a monstrous force that had swallowed the world for no more than five minutes, dissipated as abruptly as it had arrived. The wind, once a howling banshee, fell silent, leaving behind a stillness that was almost unnerving. The snow, a thick blanket that had blanketed the landscape, vanished in an instant, revealing a world that seemed both familiar and alien. The chill, a bone-deep cold that had permeated everything, retreated, leaving behind a crisp, clean air.
Ash, her body battered and bruised, stood amidst the remnants of the disappearing storm, her gaze fixed on the figure standing before her. He was tall and slender, with a shock of turquoise hair that seemed to gleam even in the fading light. His eyes, a deep turquoise blue, held a calm that was both unsettling and strangely comforting.
"Who are you?" Ash asked, her voice raspy from exertion. "And what was that?"
The young man, his expression unreadable, simply smiled. "Raymond Turquoise," he replied, his voice a low murmur. "And I believe you're Ash Onyx?"
"That's right," Ash said, her brow furrowed in confusion. "But how did you…"
"I'm a student, just like you, I happened to have read some students files" Raymond said, his smile widening. "I was just passing by when that… creature attacked."
"Creature?" Vanta, his face pale but his eyes wide with curiosity, stepped forward. "What happened? What was that all about?"
Raymond, his gaze shifting to Vanta, nodded. "She attacked me out of the blue," he said, his voice calm and measured. "She said she wanted to 'play a game' and that I was her first 'target.' I tried to reason with her, but…"
He trailed off, his expression turning somber. "I was just trying to get to the next examination site," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm not sure what she wanted, but I'm glad you were here."
Ash, her gaze fixed on Raymond, felt a strange sense of unease. He was calm, almost unnervingly so, his demeanor a stark contrast to the girl's manic energy. She couldn't help but feel a sense of trust in him, a feeling that was both unexpected and unsettling.
"I'm Ash Onyx," she said, extending her hand. "And this is Vanta Black."
Raymond, his expression softening, shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you both," he said, his voice warm and sincere. "I'm glad you're okay."
Vanta, still reeling from the events of the past few almost like an hour, felt a strange sense of relief. He had never been one for sudden confrontation, and the girl's attack had left him curious. Raymond's calm demeanor was a welcome change, a soothing balm to his frayed nerves.
"So, what now?" Ash asked, her voice a low tune. "The exam is still on, right?"
Raymond nodded. "Yes, but it seems things have changed," he said, his gaze shifting to the sky. "The blizzard was a part of my ability, don't worry about it much?"
Ash, her brow furrowed in confusion, looked around. The world seemed to have shifted, the landscape now a canvas of swirling colors. The air, once crisp and clean, now carried a strange, almost electric hum.
"Something's different," she said, her voice a low murmur. "I can feel it."
Vanta, his eyes wide with apprehension, reached for his book. He flipped through the pages, his fingers tracing the words that had once been so familiar.
"The exam order section," he said, his voice a barely audible whisper. "They've changed."
He opened the book, his eyes widening in surprise. The pages, once blank, were now filled with intricate alphabet, each one a unique symbol. He recognized them—the exam order cards, the digital tokens that had once been sent to their books, now replaced with something far more… mystical.
"This is… fascinating," Ash said, her voice a low whisper. "It seems the exam has taken a turn."
Raymond, his expression unreadable, nodded. "The Xue sense was out first test," he said, his voice calm and measured. "It seems we've passed. Seems that's not the end, we have got a new one."
He looked at the swirling colors in the sky, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity. "But the real test is just beginning."