Angelica leaned against the marble pillar, her emerald eyes narrowing as they flicked between Aaron's stoic expression and Thane's exuberant grin. The handshake between them was a mere formality to the onlookers, but the crackling tension in the air hinted at something far more significant.
A faint smirk tugged at Angelica's lips as she watched them. Aaron appeared unfazed, but Thane's enthusiasm seemed almost theatrical, an act too perfect to be entirely genuine. Typical.
Then, she saw it.
Thane's hand trembled slightly, a movement so small, yet so unnatural. The smile that had once adorned his face slipped, and his brow furrowed. The tremor spread like a violent current, racing up his arm.
Suddenly, sweat beaded on his temple. His confident grin twisted into a grimace, his body shaking uncontrollably. In a horrifying instant, fluids began to seep from every pore, blood trickling from his eyes and ears, saliva foaming at his mouth, and urine staining the floor beneath him.
A deafening silence fell.
Thane crumpled to his knees and then was flung backward with the force of an invisible blow. His body hit the pristine marble with a sickening thud, leaving a crimson smear that marred the perfect white surface.
The crowd, who had moments ago been roaring with excitement, now sat frozen in stunned silence.
Mathew, stationed at the edge of the arena, was the first to move. He knelt beside Thane, hovering over his convulsing form, but his face...
Mathew's face was one Angelica had rarely seen before, drained of color, stricken with something close to panic.
"What are you waiting for? Heal him!" Angelica's voice, sharp and urgent, shattered the heavy silence.
Mathew's hands moved, glowing faintly with healing magic, but the energy was weak, flickering as it touched Thane's broken body. It wasn't enough.
Finally, Mathew looked up, his voice trembling with urgency.
"His mind... it's collapsing. I can't—this is beyond me. I need an S+ Elixir. Now."
An audible gasp rippled through the onlookers. Angelica felt her heart lurch. S+ Elixirs were rare prized possessions that could only be afforded by the most powerful houses. There were only five in the academy, each one guarded as though it could tip the balance of life and death.
Mathew didn't wait for permission. There was no time for that. Failure to save Thane would bring the wrath of House Eldrath, wrath no one in their right mind would dare provoke.
His gaze snapped to Kiara, stationed at the far end of the arena. Her reputation for speed wasn't just a title, it was the only hope they had.
"Kiara!" Mathew's voice was sharp, and commanding, as he pointed toward her.
Without hesitation, Kiara shot into motion, a blur of energy vanishing from sight. All that remained was the faint echo of her departure and the desperate hope that she would return in time.
Mathew turned back to Thane, his magic surging desperately, trying to heal the external injuries, but the real damage lay elsewhere, deep inside, beyond the reach of his skills. Blood continued to seep from Thane's eyes, pooling beneath him.
Angelica's eyes flicked back to Aaron. He hadn't moved, hadn't so much as flinched. He stood in the same spot, his posture relaxed, his face a mask of calm. The chaos surrounding him seemed distant—nothing more than a storm far off on the horizon.
What had he done? How had he done it?
Mathew hoisted Thane's limp, bloodied body into his arms, sprinting toward the infirmary with grim determination. Angelica's sharp gaze caught the sheen of sweat on his brow.
The blood on the arena floor glistened like a damning stain, reflecting the harsh overhead lights. Angelica clenched her fists at her sides, trying to fight back the icy dread that crept up her spine.
Aaron hadn't so much as flinched.
What in the hell just happened? Aaron thought.
***
Later, in the Office,
The room was sparse and unremarkable. Stacks of papers and files littered the desk, their presence as mundane as the silence that filled the air.
Opposite me sat Mathew and Angelica, their gazes sharp and probing, as though they could peel away the layers of my thoughts and expose my very soul.
All I had wanted was a good fight. But now? Now I was left with questions I couldn't shake. What had happened to Thane? It had to be related to his aspect, but why had this happened now? It wasn't the first time he'd used it. So what had changed?
Am I the variable here?
I couldn't help the thought that crossed my mind: was there something about me that prevented others from activating their aspects on me? Some form of protection I wasn't aware of?
"Possible." I thought
"What's possible?"
The voice broke into my thoughts, soft yet authoritative, familiar. I blinked.
"Hah?" I muttered, surprised at how my thoughts had spilled aloud.
I realized too late that I had spoken. I met their unflinching gazes, my internal sigh pushing through. I might as well say it.
"I found it unnatural," I said evenly.
"For Thane to approach me for a handshake and tell me he was excited to fight me."
"What's unnatural about it?" Mathew asked. His tone was steady, but there was an edge to his question. It was the first time he'd spoken since I entered the office. His voice felt like a challenge.
I met his gaze without flinching. "We've never spoken before. Thane's always been obsessed with taking the number one spot. So why would he show a sudden interest in fighting someone like me? An embarrassment to the Solarius name, hell, I'm not even in the top five."
I let the silence stretch, watching them carefully.
"I'd say that's suspicious."
Angelica shifted, her lips parting, but I didn't give her the chance to interrupt.
"And then there's his aspect," I continued, my voice steady.
"Whatever it is, I believe touch plays a critical role in it. Thane wanted to touch me, that's why he came to me under the guise of a handshake."
Mathew's expression darkened, a hint of frustration flickering across his face as he leaned forward. "Were you suspecting this from the start?"
I met his glare with equal calm.
"Not entirely," I said.
"But I trusted you. I figured you'd intervene if Thane tried to use his aspect before the fight even started. Isn't that your job?"
I held his gaze, a subtle edge creeping into my voice. His scrutiny felt like I was guilty of some unseen crime.
"I trusted that you were capable of handling it," I added plainly, letting the silence settle between us.
Mathew's jaw tightened. Angelica's face remained unreadable, her expression as composed as ever, but the tension in the room thickened.
Whatever they thought of me, I wasn't about to take the blame for Thane's choices.
"When Thane wakes up, ask him what he did," I said, my voice steady but laced with curiosity. "I'm curious as to what happened."
Without waiting for a response, I stood and left the office. There was nothing more for me to do there. No point in lingering with two old people.
...Well, older people.
Angelica, 25, and Mathew, 28, were hardly ancient, but the way they stared at me made them feel like relics from another time.
The door clicked shut behind Aaron, and the silence in the room stretched on. Angelica's sharp gaze turned toward Mathew.
"How long do you think Thane will need to wake up?" she asked, her voice calm but with a hint of concern.
Mathew leaned back in his chair, his face troubled. "I'm not certain. A few hours, if we're lucky."
The room, modest in decor yet suffused with Angelica's commanding presence, fell into an uneasy quiet. Mathew's expression betrayed the weight of what had just transpired, while Angelica remained composed, unreadable.