It was night again.
But louder this time. I hear music and voices. There's a lot of energy and beneath all that—
There's tension.
Kalen stepped away from the crowd. He went to a more quiet part of the academy gardens. The moment he did—
The air felt different.
Nyxara appeared first. She was there in the flesh. Not just a presence. She was standing behind him. Too close one might say.
"You let her stay near you too long " she said softly.
Kalen exhaled. "She helped me."
"She wants you " Nyxara said. She was direct and honest.
Asha'Kareth appeared next. She was in front of him. She took charge of the space right away.
"That doesn't matter " Asha'Kareth said.
Nyxara's eyes sharpened. "It does matter " she said.
Lyra appeared last. She was watching both of them with amusement.
"Ohhh boy here we go " Lyra said.
Kalen rubbed his temple. "Not now " he said.
Nyxara stepped closer. Her hand touched his arm lightly. It lingered and it was warm.
"You feel it too " she said quietly.
The system reacted.
Asha'Kareth's gaze got slightly darker.
"You are making the sync unstable " she said.
Nyxara didn't move back.
"Or maybe I'm making it stronger " she said.
There was silence.
It was charged. It was heavy.
Kalen breathed slowly.
"You're both doing this on purpose " he said.
Lyra laughed. "They absolutely are."
Asha'Kareth stepped forward. She closed the distance. Her hand was on his chest again just right above the core.
It felt familiar and controlled.
But this time there was tension beneath it.
Not just power. It was something else.
"Focus " Asha'Kareth said.
Nyxara moved behind him again. Her presence was closer. Warmer and more insistent.
"Or don't," She whispered near his ear.
The system reacted immediately.
[SYNC INSTABILITY DETECTED]
Kalen's breath caught.
The space got tighter. Energy was rising. It wasn't violent but It was intense, layered and conflicting.
Three pulls.
Three directions.
One center.
Him.
"Too much—" he muttered.
Asha'Kareth's voice got lower. "Control it " she said.
Nyxara's voice was soft. "Feel it " she said.
Lyra grinned. "…Or lose control. That works too."
The system surged.
[FORCED SYNC INITIATED]
Energy flooded through him. It was stronger than before. It was closer. It was deeper. The connection wasn't power now. It was presence, touch and awareness.
Everything overlapped for a single moment in perfect alignment.
Then—
A blade cut through the air.
All three reacted instantly.
Asha'Kareth moved.
Nyxara pulled him back.
Lyra snapped. "Told you!" She said.
The attack missed by inches.
The festival lights flickered. The music became distorted and screams began to rise in the distance.
"They're here " Nyxara said.
"Then we end this " Asha'Kareth's eyes burned as she said.
Kalen steadied himself. He felt the energy was still under his skin. It was alive. It was waiting.
His gaze sharpened. "…No." he replied.
A pause.
Then "We escalate." he said.
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: AGREED]
Somewhere in the shadows; Multiple figures moved. They were watching, surrounding and they were closing in on him.
The festival was no longer a celebration. It was a battlefield.