The arena had settled into a lull, the energy of the previous matches still lingering in the air like smoke after a fire. Kazimir Zelenko materialized on the screen, his digital form stretching lazily as if waking from a nap.
"BELLISSIMO!" Kazimir exclaimed, his voice carrying a note of exaggerated enthusiasm. "That was absolutely bellissimo! I don't know about you all, but that kind of reminds me—I need some pepperoni pizza right now. Perhaps that Grace Barlow can invite me sometime to her place. What do you think, folks? A guy can dream, right?"
He winked, his form flickering with a burst of pyrrhia sparks.
---
In the VIP section, Nikolai Morozov shook his head slowly, his expression one of weary exasperation.
"Seriously? Now they're funny guys?" he said, his voice carrying a note of disbelief. "Those programmers are just childish, coding the AI bots to start being like this. We might just end up heading backwards as a species."
Dhivya Rana turned to him, her brow furrowing. "Why do you say that?"
Nikolai gestured toward the screen, his movements lazy and dismissive—a perfect parody of Gen-Z nonchalance. "Because they might engrave their stupidity into the AI. Look at that—" he pointed at Kazimir's exaggerated hand gestures, "—like a teenager who just discovered caffeine."
Jericho Jerkin leaned forward, his attention caught by a different thread of conversation. His voice carried a note of genuine curiosity.
"I heard about those two brilliant twins from a couple of years ago," he said. "They were the inventors of the operative tools, gears, and equipment. Motion detectors, the aethernova suit itself—the very first prototype at that time could only enhance one's reflexes and strength. But now, they're designed specifically for those of Sutran bloodline."
Nikolai nodded, his expression becoming more serious. "Each of the clans—anyone with even a slight ounce of essence from them within their DNA—has a slumbering essence of prana itself embedded within them. It's awakened through the ancient technique of the Sutrans. But with the aethernova, it's automatic. They only need training to be more efficient and have a higher percentage of awakening than the rest."
Dhivya Rana's eyes widened. "The twin brothers—one of them was none other than Dr. Rex Whar, the current head of the Rex family court. As for his other twin, nothing is known about what happened to him. Whar was said to be the most favored of the household since birth."
Eugene Torrent's voice carried a note of slight reverence. "The Rex family are the most well-known scientific powerhouse of the twenty-first century. Governments of the world all want to carry favor with them—especially those of the scientific fanatic world. They're the ones who make the impossible possible."
Jericho's brow furrowed. "What was the name of the other twin?"
Dhivya shook her head slowly. "Sadly, all the credit for the aethernova went to Whar himself. As for his twin—who he was, or what happened to him—no one knows. It's like he was erased from history."
Jericho's expression shifted to one of unease. "That sounds shady as hell."
Eugene shrugged. "Nothing surprising about it. Since ancient times—whether it was humanity or us Sutrans—brothers have been fighting or killing one another whenever power and influence were involved. It's the way of things."
Valerik joined the conversation, his voice carrying a note of dark curiosity. "What I find interesting is how the Mysterium clan itself is becoming real gargantuan, especially with the introduction of the aethernova to their arsenal."
Eugene's eyes narrowed. "More like ushering an age of dominion, if you ask me."
Valerik leaned forward. "Why do you think that?"
"Because strife is currently erupting within the Sutrans themselves," Eugene replied. "Those that oppose the aethernova and those that don't, who want it to be the new way for the race. And you are aware how much of a mess that can create."
Jericho's brow furrowed. "Why are the others opposing it?"
Nikolai's voice carried a note of grim certainty. "Maybe they are aware of the downsides of using aethernova. How many trainees have you heard of declared dead suddenly?"
Valerik nodded slowly. "More like a cover-up. We didn't see any bodies. Anything to do with the Mysterium clan itself—nothing is ever roses and flowers about them. We all know that."
The group fell into a heavy silence, the weight of his words pressing down like a physical force.
---
A melancholic melody began to play through the arena's speakers, its notes carrying a haunting quality that seemed to echo through the very souls of those who heard it.
"In the silence of the night,
I hear the whispers of my soul,
Fighting shadows, seeking light,
Trying to make myself whole..."
The lyrics drifted through the air, soft and ethereal.
"I'm saving my soul, piece by piece,
From the darkness that won't release,
Every step I take, every breath I breathe,
I'm saving my soul, I won't grieve..."
---
In the concession area, trainees moved about, their movements casual and unhurried. Some stood in line for snacks, their voices carrying over the ambient noise. Others sat at small tables, their expressions relaxed.
Caspian Jerkins sat with a smoothie in hand, its contents a vibrant shade of electric blue. Beside him, Grace Barlow held a similar drink—a deep, swirling crimson that seemed to pulse with its own inner light. Elijah sat across from them, his own smoothie a pale, almost translucent green.
Caspian took a long sip, his expression one of contentment. "Refreshments always aid one to forget their troubles," he said, his voice carrying a note of philosophical satisfaction. "Or at least make them more bearable."
Grace's lips curved into a small smile. "Is that your wisdom for the day?"
Caspian shrugged. "I have my moments."
He turned to Grace, his expression shifting to one of genuine curiosity. "What you did back there—that was something else. Was that some kind of advanced tech gear installed in your aethernova? Something we don't have?"
Grace's expression shifted to one of mild exasperation. "Don't tell me you possess something you aren't aware of what it really is. If anyone else asked me such a question, I wouldn't be surprised. But you're a Jerkin. Don't tell me you're all just dimwits serving the Unseen Accord fraternity."
Elijah's ears perked up at the name. His eyes narrowed slightly.
The Unseen Accord, he thought, his internal voice carrying a note of recognition. I've heard of them. The most powerful spy agencies in the world are all higher-ups part of it. They're all subsidiary to the Unseen Accord fraternity itself.
He kept his expression neutral, his voice casual. "The Unseen Accord—are they part of the Mysterium clan?"
Grace shook her head. "I don't know for sure. But I remember my relative saying they are a different entity as a whole." She paused, her expression becoming thoughtful. "Mostly, their leaders are found and indoctrinated from those that pass the tests they choose. It's like a secret society within a secret society."
Caspian's eyes widened. "Well, if that's true, doesn't that mean the whole world's rulers are just their pieces?"
Grace's expression became guarded. "You can say that, but all of that is speculation. Whether any of it is true hasn't yet been confirmed."
Elijah's voice carried a note of casual curiosity. "What about the World Architects? Isn't the Unseen Accord fraternity like them—some secret society manipulating things from the scene?"
Grace's head snapped toward him, her eyes widening with surprise. "You know about the World Architects? Tell me what you know."
Elijah raised his hands in a placating gesture. "What's surprising about knowing them? We're in the twenty-first century. Any dirt you want to know about the world, you can find it on the Dankweb."
Caspian's expression shifted to one of recognition. "You mean that illegal site mostly recognized by criminals?"
Grace's voice carried a note of sharp interest. "They have information on them?"
Elijah nodded slowly. "Not much, other than they are believed to have been founded centuries ago. All major world events—they contributed to them."
Caspian's face paled. "Wait, if that's true, then they're serious guys not to be messed with."
Elijah's voice dropped to a near-whisper. "What's even more interesting is the fact that I think the Mysterium clan are just foot soldiers for the World Architects."
Grace's hand shot out, covering Elijah's mouth. Her voice was sharp, urgent. "There are things one should be spewing like that. It can get one killed."
Elijah's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Hey, concerned for me?"
Grace's face flushed a deep crimson. "Stop. This is not the time for jokes."
Caspian watched the exchange with a knowing grin. "If you two need some room, just be frank and say so." He made a series of exaggerated body cues—arms wrapping around an imaginary partner, head tilting as if nuzzling. "Stop your all... you know."
Grace backed away from Elijah, her face still flushed. "It's not like that," she said, her voice carrying a note of embarrassed protest.
---
Cassia Ulfric was passing by, heading toward the vendor area. A female companion walked beside her, her gaze scanning the crowd.
"Look," the companion said, pointing toward Elijah. "Another one of those... you know."
Cassia's gaze followed the gesture.
Elijah noticed them approaching. His lips curved into a theatrical smile, his movements becoming exaggerated and dramatic.
"Hey there, beauties," he said, his voice carrying a note of playful charm. He spread his arms wide, his hand gestures flowing like a performer on stage. "I was just walking along when this dazzling light blinded my sight. I wondered what it was—and behold, it turned out to be a couple of fresh flowers. At that moment, I knew I had to come closer."
His words were smooth, his movements fluid—a perfect performance of a charming rogue.
The female companion's expression shifted. Her hand stretched out, her fingers curling into a claw-like gesture. The air around her hand shimmered with barely contained energy.
"Whoa there," Elijah said, his voice carrying a note of amusement. "I was just complimenting you. No need to get violent."
The tension hung in the air, crackling with unspoken threat.
Cassia watched, her expression unreadable.