With the sun setting, a cool breeze swept through the courtyards, dancing with fallen leaves from the trees around. The air was crisp and calm, with the sky painted in hues of orange and purple. Yet, none of this serenity resonated with Kade.
He paced back and forth in a spot far from the courtyard where the earlier incident had unfolded. This part of the facility was devoid of green quilts. The ground here was uneven, blotched with shallow holes and cracks from countless stomping feet and inhumane anomalies. Scattered leaves, splintered wood, and dried blood stained the earth, remnants of harsh and unrelenting training sessions.
At the far edge of the yard stood an old, weathered tree stump, reaching well above human height. Its bark was chipped and scarred, but the weathering wasn't the only salient observation. No, it was the dark, crusted stains of blood, a silent reminder of past struggles, the marks of relentless strikes that had worn away its life.
Could he be where I think he is? Kade wondered, his thoughts straying to the facility's prison. He had been there before and knew how gut-wrenching the underground prison was. The way they had appeared earlier lingered in his mind—they never operated in pairs, always singularly. Their actions felt deliberate, almost as if their presence had a purpose beyond the fight that broke out. Something about it all felt... planned.
Turning away from the yard, Kade made his way toward the abandoned training hall at the edge of the facility. It was as dilapidated as any other part of the compound, the walls cracked and the ceiling sagging, threatening to cave in at any moment. But there, standing amidst the fading light was Melly.
She was exactly where Kade expected her to be. A faint glow of magic illuminated her figure. She wore a long, light-blue robe that shimmered softly in the fading light. Around her neck hung a dim crystal pendant, its surface dented by a small crack.
Her eyes were sharp and intense, giving her an otherworldly beauty, as if magic had preserved her youth. She was striking, with symmetrical features and long hair that swayed gently, even with no wind.
Most boys at the facility avoided her, fearing her mysterious aura and magic. Most believed she wasn't ordinary. Melly was familiar with Kade and Haze. Their paths had crossed during a demanding training session where she had, somewhat reluctantly, sought their help. This experience left a significant impression, creating some sort of bond between them. While they weren't the closest of friends, they were certainly not strangers, each aware of the other's strengths and idiosyncrasies, bound by the shared challenges at the facility.
"Melly," Kade said, stepping into the room.
She didn't even look at him. "Kade, what've you got going on?"
"I need your help." his voice steady but urgent.
"Is it about Haze?" she asked, stopping mid-pace.
"Who else?" he said, his expression unwavering.
Melly sighed, a bit of resignation in her voice. "I can only provide you with little information. And that is, he's been taken to the underground prison."
"I figured that much myself," Kade responded, his voice still calm but no less urgent. "I need more than that, Melly. Something else."
Melly's eyes flickered with something, uncertainty, perhaps, or caution. She crossed her arms and studied him, clearly weighing her options. "What you want won't be easy," she warned, her voice low, guarded. "They've got barriers up. Magical barriers. It's not just any prison—if you try to get in without proper caution, they'll know. And when they know..."
"They'll come for us," Kade finished for her. His tone was as unwavering as ever. He had already considered that risk.
Her eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, Kade wondered if she would refuse him. But then she spoke, her voice softer, though still cautious. "I can try. But if it's a constant surveillance barrier, we'll be seen. The second I make a move, they'll know. They'll come straight for us, Kade."
"But can you get through to him?" Kade pressed, his voice taking on an edge, as though he was testing her resolve.
Melly hesitated, looking down for a moment. "I'll try," she finally said, her voice soft but determined. "But I can't promise it'll be easy. If they're on high alert..." She let her words trail off, leaving the meaning clear.
"That shouldn't be an issue," Kade said, calm and sure. "You're skilled enough to avoid detection."
Melly raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by his confidence. "Don't push your luck. This isn't a game, Kade."
----
In the underground prison, Haze remained where he had been hours earlier, rested in the corner of his cell. His back pressed against the numbing stone wall. The room was dimly lit, casting shadows that partly obscured his face.
He was recovering slowly from the damage Ghent's magic had inflicted. Though he possessed no recovery magic, he had always healed faster than normal, a minor but appreciated gift in his current predicament.
Across the room, Ghent was pacing. Again.
"This is stupid," Ghent growled. "All of this is stupid. Throwing us in here like we're animals. I swear, the second I get out—"
"You talk too much," Haze interrupted, his tone flat.
Ghent froze, his jaw clenching. "What did you just say?"
Haze's eyes still closed. "Hmph, you're all talk, you've got no trigger."
Ghent fumed, his brows closing in on his eyes. Then, as if reconsidering, he let out a laugh, one that felt challenged. "You're something aren't you?"
Haze smirked. "I thought so too." But deep down, disappointment twisted. 'I really wanted to see what would happen; that's too bad.' He had been hoping for some kind of outburst, a reaction to prove something, but Ghent's restraint only confirmed what Haze had feared. He's not entirely stupid.
The silence wad heavy, broken only by the occasional drip of water from somewhere far down the corridor. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep them alert.