With the challenge over, ending with the Ravensteins' victory, the champions of Khelzar stormed out with furious steps. While it remained unsaid, from their intense glares it was clear this wasn't over.

Aurora turned away from them with a sneer. Despite their obvious killing intent, there was nothing they could do.

'I should have put them in their place.'

If not for Sirirus's warnings not to start any large scale fights, she would have attacked the moment he uttered those words. She frowned as she remembered them.

'We're nothing without Atticus…'

Aurora gripped her glass so hard that it shattered.

"Damn, you okay?" Caldor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"…I'm fine."

Aurora was about to pick up another glass when she caught sight of the broken shards and spilled drinks on the floor. Kael had cleared the table for his challenge.

'Shit. Right when I need it the most.'

She closed her eyes, then released a deep breath that sent steam surging from her nostrils.

'He's right…' She clenched her fists.

Without Atticus, they would've never gotten this far. They would've never survived the onslaught of the Zorvans, nor would they have ascended the Middle Planes.

The beast was right, and Aurora knew this well. But…

'I don't want to hear it from your stupid mouth…'

She was trying hard to escape his shadow; the last thing she needed right now was some stupid creature running his mouth.

'I'll roast him if we meet during battle.'

She felt eyes on her and turned to see Zoey staring at her with an unreadable expression.

"What?"

"…"

"Fucking hell. Would you stop staring at me?"

"Okay." Zoey turned away without a word.

Aurora scoffed. "Creep."

While the other teams whispered among themselves and threw glances at the Ravensteins, who completely ignored them, Caldor was in another world entirely.

'Damn…'

To him, the world had slowed. His eyes had through the hall and fixed on a girl standing with the Surnix Hold team. During the wrestling match, both of them had suddenly locked eyes.

'She's beautiful…'

She was just barely below his height, looking to be in her early twenties. Her face was framed by dark hair tied into a ponytail, and she wore large round glasses that did nothing to dampen the intensity of her eyes.

'She's also staring at me. I need to do something!' Caldor gulped. 'I'll wink. Yeah, winking is cool.'

With a deep breath, he tried to wink, only to end up blinking both eyes. The girl narrowed hers.

'Shit shit shit! What the hell did you just do, Caldor!' He chided himself, taking a breath. 'Don't ruin this… let's just smile. Yes, smile.'

His lips began to curl up, but he soon panicked.

'No no no! That's too much! Stop showing teeth!'

What was supposed to be a charming smile turned into a full blown grin with his teeth on full display.

'Ahhh, it's all over!'

He was about to turn away when the girl suddenly giggled with her palm over her mouth. Caldor couldn't help but blink. Had his grin actually been charming?

'Ahem. As expected.'

Caldor straightened, preparing to approach her.

'Let's bring this home,' he thought confidently, but froze as Ember suddenly gripped him.

"We're leaving."

"L-leaving?"

"Yeah, there's nothing left here for us anymore. Let's go," Aurora said, and the others nodded in agreement.

"What? No no. Let's just chill for a bit, you know? Have fun?"

"In a room filled with people who want nothing but to murder us? No thanks."

Aurora began walking away, followed by the others. Caldor felt his world crumble.

'No no no, please…'

"Let's go."

As Ember grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her, Caldor couldn't help but curse his luck.

…

Bam.

Bam.

Bam.

Lyanna sat comfortably with both legs on her table while she threw and caught a tennis ball against the wall.

Her office was large, with shelves filled with countless books and documents, and a couch and center table in the middle.

Though the exercise seemed pointless, to Lyanna it was calming. Throwing and catching the ball grounded her, made her think clearly, and usually without emotion.

Those who knew her would be scared when they saw the current scene. The only time she ever did this was when she was deeply disturbed about something. It more often than not meant something was about to occur.

She kept it on until a knock came at the door and a woman entered.

"Mistress, this is Julie." The woman, Julie, shivered the moment she saw what Lyanna was doing.

"Did you bring them?"

"…Yes, Mistress. But…"

Lyanna snatched the approaching ball from the air, then turned to her assistant.

"What?"

"I… I just don't understand why you're doing this, Mistress."

"You really don't?" Lyanna raised an eyebrow. "You don't know why we search for spies?"

"No, no, Mistress, that's not what I mean." Julie straightened slightly. "I mean, why search for spies when it's impossible for there to be one? Anyone worth anything is under a mana contract that forbids betrayal."

Lyanna scoffed, squeezing the ball in her grip until faint cracks spread along its surface.

"Julie," she said softly.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Do you know the most pathetic thing that kills an apex predator?"

Julie blinked, uncertain. "No, Mistress."

"Negligence."

The ball couldn't take the strain anymore and burst.

"They think their prey is weak, cornered, finished. So they relax, they breathe easy, and they die. You never let your guard down, no matter how weak your prey becomes. The moment you do… is the moment you lose."

Julie swallowed, then nodded quickly. "…Yes, Mistress."

"Good."

"Then shall I go through them for you?"

"No." Lyanna turned back to the table, placing the deflated ball gently beside a set of books. "I'll do them myself. Drop the documents and leave."

"…Yes, Mistress."

Julie obeyed without another word, setting the mountain of documents down and stepping out.

Lyanna instantly got to work. Though using paper was very outdated, she had always loved the process.

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