Chapter 47 - 47: Chained Together [6]

The VR pods hissed open one by one, releasing their occupants back into the real world. Kyle groaned as he peeled himself off the padded interior, his muscles aching as if he'd actually fought for hours. Beside him, Eleanora sat up smoothly, though her fingers twitched slightly—phantom echoes of the battle still lingering in her nerves. The room was dead silent. Kyle blinked, adjusting to the bright lights of the VR chamber. Then he noticed—everyone was staring at them. All the other students had been eliminated earlier and had watched the final battle play out on the massive screens lining the walls. Their expressions ranged from shock to outright disbelief. A low murmur spread through the crowd. "Did you see that lightning serpent?" someone whispered. "That darkness dome—how is that even possible at Bronze rank?" Kyle ignored them, rubbing his temples. His head throbbed from the mental strain of shaping his lightning into such a complex form. The Echoes of the Roaming Storm—his blessing—had helped, but even that hadn't been enough to bridge the gap between him and Cedric. Sёarᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eleanora stood gracefully, her crimson eyes scanning the room before landing on Cedric's pod. The golden-haired prodigy was just stepping out, his movements stiff. Though the simulated injuries weren't real, the mental fatigue clearly lingered. Serena, already out of her pod, was glaring daggers at Cedric. Her arms were crossed, her usual cold demeanor edged with something sharper. "Lucky," she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for those nearby to hear. Cedric either didn't notice or chose to ignore her, his attention fixed on the holographic display forming in the center of the room. A sharp clap cut through the murmurs. "Alright, ducklings! Gather round!" Professor Seraphina's cheerful voice rang out as she flicked her wrist. The display solidified, showing the final rankings. *** Final Rankings: Cedric Valteris & Ella Pierce – 44 teams eliminated Kyle Valemont & Eleanora D'Argent – 44 teams eliminated Serena Blackthorne & Clara Reeves – 37 teams eliminated Cassian Emberfall & Samuel Wilson – 36 teams eliminated Reo Dustbane & Luna Starfrost – 32 teams eliminated Sylvie Wavecrest & Lyra Silverwind – 31 teams eliminated Orion Ironveil & Ben Dover – 25 teams eliminated *** Kyle's jaw tightened as he stared at the numbers. 'Forty-four teams.' Nearly a tenth of the entire freshman class, wiped out by them—and Cedric had matched it. "Tch." Kyle clenched his fists. Even after everything—the planning, the coordination, pushing their abilities to the limit—they still hadn't beaten him. Eleanora's voice was quiet beside him. "We will get him next time." Kyle exhaled sharply but nodded. Seraphina twirled a lock of pink hair around her finger, grinning. "Well, well! Looks like we have got a tie for first place! "And some very impressive performances all around." Her gaze lingered on Kyle and Eleanora." "Especially from our resident lightning and shadow duo. That serpent trick?" "Chef's kiss." A few students chuckled, but most were still staring at the rankings in awe. Then— "Kyle." A familiar voice cut through the noise. Aurelia stood near the doorway, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Kyle stiffened. "Uh. Hey, Big Sis." Aurelia's sharp blue eyes flicked between him and Eleanora. "That last move. The lightning construct." Kyle swallowed. "Yeah?" A long pause. Then— "Good job." Kyle blinked. 'Did she just—?' Before he could process it, Aurelia turned on her heel. "Don't get cocky. You still lost." And with that, she strode out of the room. Kyle stared after her, torn between irritation and amusement. Reo suddenly slung an arm around his shoulders, grinning. "Damn, man. You and the princess wrecked people. I mean, Cassian looked pissed when he got out." As if summoned, Cassian pushed through the crowd, his usual smirk replaced with something more intense. "Valemont." Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?" Cassian stared at him for a long moment before breaking into a grin. "That was awesome." Kyle blinked. "Uh. Thanks?" Cassian clapped him on the shoulder, his excitement barely contained. "I don't like losing, but damn—that lightning serpent? The way you two moved together? I can respect that." He pointed at Kyle, then at Cedric. "Consider this official. You are both my rivals now." Kyle couldn't help but laugh. "Great. Just what I needed." Across the room, Cedric was being swarmed by admirers, though he looked more exhausted than triumphant. His partner, Ella, was practically vibrating with excitement beside him. Serena, meanwhile, stood apart from the crowd, her arms crossed. Her cold gaze met Kyle's for a brief moment before shifting to Cedric. "Don't get comfortable" she said, her voice cutting through the noise. "This isn't over." Then she turned and walked away, Clara trailing after her. Seraphina clapped her hands again. "Alright, kiddos! Exam's over. Get some rest—you have earned it!" As the crowd began to disperse, Kyle exhaled slowly, rolling his stiff shoulders. They hadn't won. But they had come damn close. And next time? Next time, they would do better. *** The academy's training grounds were empty, the last golden rays of sunset stretching long shadows across the grass. Kyle sat hunched on a weathered stone bench, absently rolling his sore shoulders as he stared at his hands. The faint scent of ozone still clung to his fingers - a phantom reminder of the lightning he had shaped earlier. Eleanora's footsteps made no sound as she approached, her shadow falling across him before she spoke. "You are brooding." Kyle didn't look up. "I'm thinking" he corrected, tracing a finger along a fresh callus on his palm. She settled beside him, the fabric of her uniform whispering against the stone. The fading light caught in her blood red eyes as she gazed at the darkening sky. "About the fight?" "Yeah." Kyle exhaled through his nose, flexing his hands. The memory of lightning crackling between his fingers felt too fresh. "We had a plan. We executed it damn near perfectly. And still..." Eleanora didn't interrupt. She never did. Kyle dragged a hand through his hair. "We lost to a guy who was practically carrying dead weight. No offense to Ella, but—" "—but Cedric did most of the work" Eleanora finished. Her voice was calm, but the tightness in her jaw betrayed her own frustration. "I know." A breeze rustled the trees at the edge of the training field. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called—a sharp, lonely sound. Eleanora turned her hands over in her lap, studying her palms as if they held answers. "We underestimated him" she said at last. Kyle barked a humorless laugh. "You think?" She turned that piercing gaze on him, unblinking. "I mean specifically his adaptability. We assumed our combined attack would be enough to finish him." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "It wasn't." Kyle dragged a hand down his face, the stubble rough against his palm. "Because he's Cedric Valtieri the so-called prodigy. Of course it wasn't enough." He kicked at a loose pebble. "Guy's like some damn storybook hero who gets stronger every time you look at him." For a long moment, the only sounds were the distant shouts from the dining hall and the rustle of leaves in the evening breeze. Then Eleanora stood abruptly, her shadow stretching long across the training grounds. "Next time" she said finally, "we will be stronger." Kyle glanced at her. There was no doubt in her voice, no hesitation. Just fact. He smirked, some of the tension bleeding from his shoulders. "Yeah. Next time." The quiet stretched, comfortable now, the weight of their unspoken promise settling between them. Then Eleanora stood abruptly, brushing invisible dust from her trousers. "Come on." Kyle blinked up at her. "What?" She tilted her head toward the training dummies at the far end of the field, already walking. "I'll teach you that sword trick I used against Cassian. The one you kept staring at." Kyle scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over the bench in his haste. "I wasn't staring—" "You were." She didn't look back, but he could hear the smirk in her voice. "And if you are going to keep up with me, you will need to learn it." Kyle grinned, jogging to catch up. The frustration of the day still lingered, but it was softer now, tempered by purpose. They would be stronger. And next time— Next time, they would win. ***