Chapter 14: Conflict between the Squads

Elijah walked through the training grounds, enjoying the rare quiet of their weekly day off. He had spent most of the morning reflecting on his progress and trying to relax, but the peace was suddenly shattered when he noticed Cassandra and her squad approaching him.

Her presence was unmistakable; even without seeing her, the uneasy silence and the tense expressions on the faces of her squad members gave her away. Elijah tensed, already guessing what this was about.

Cassandra wasted no time. "Elijah," she called out, her voice sharp and accusing. "We need to have a word."

Elijah stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. "What is it?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Cassandra stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. "You think you're clever, don't you? What happened in the cafeteria the other day—don't think for a second that I didn't know it was one of you three."

Elijah shook his head, trying to remain calm. "I didn't do anything, Cassandra. My telekinesis is limited to what I can lift, and there's no way I could've applied that much force over such a wide area."

"Really?" Cassandra's voice dripped with sarcasm. "So you're saying it was just a coincidence?"

"I'm saying it wasn't me," Elijah replied firmly, trying to keep his voice steady. "And even if it was one of us, that doesn't mean you can accuse me without proof."

Cassandra's gaze hardened. "I don't need proof," she snapped. She then looked over her shoulder at the guys in her squad. "Teach him a lesson."

Before Elijah could react, two of Cassandra's squad members lunged at him. The first punch caught him off guard, landing squarely in his gut and knocking the wind out of him. He doubled over, gasping for breath, but they didn't stop. Fists and kicks rained down on him as they forced him to the ground.

Elijah tried to fight back, using his telekinesis to push one of them away, but his power was no match for their combined strength. The best he could do was slow them down, but it wasn't enough to stop the assault. His mind raced, desperate for a way out, but every time he tried to summon his strength, another blow would land, breaking his concentration.

Cassandra stood back, watching with cold detachment as her squad did her bidding. "You should've kept your head down, Elijah. Maybe next time you'll learn."

Elijah's vision blurred as the beating continued, pain radiating through his body with each hit. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing him cry out, but he knew he couldn't hold out much longer.

Just as he was about to black out, Cassandra finally called off her squad. "That's enough. Let him crawl back to his friends."

The guys stepped back, leaving Elijah on the ground, battered and bruised. Cassandra gave him one last contemptuous look before turning away. "Remember this the next time you think about crossing me," she said before walking off with her squad in tow.

Elijah lay there for a moment, his body aching and his pride wounded. He knew he had to get back to his barracks, but every movement sent waves of pain through him. Slowly, he forced himself to his feet, using whatever strength he had left. This wasn't over—Cassandra had made sure of that—but he wasn't about to let her break him. He would recover, and when the time was right, he'd make sure she paid for this.

Elijah stumbled into the barracks, his usually strong posture now hunched over in pain. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth, leaving a trail behind him as he struggled to stay upright. The moment he made eye contact with Ethan, he collapsed onto the ground, barely conscious.

Ethan was on his feet in an instant, rushing to his friend's side. The sight of Elijah's battered body, covered in bruises and cuts, sent a wave of fury coursing through him. His heart pounded in his chest as he knelt beside Elijah, carefully turning him over to assess the extent of the injuries.

"Who did this to you?" Ethan demanded, though he could already guess the answer. But Elijah was too weak to respond, his breaths shallow and ragged.

The anger inside Ethan swelled, threatening to consume him. He had been content to keep his powers hidden, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention, but seeing his friend like this changed everything. His restraint snapped.

"Enough," Ethan growled under his breath. He turned his gaze toward the shadows in the room, his eyes narrowing with resolve. "Shades, follow the blood trail. Find out what happened."

His command was met with immediate action. Two of his Shades slipped out from the shadows, invisible to the naked eye, and darted out of the barracks, following the faint trail of blood that led back to the training grounds. They moved with a speed and precision that only Ethan could command, driven by the same anger that now fueled their master.

Ethan gently lifted Elijah onto his bunk, careful not to aggravate his injuries. "I'll take care of this," he whispered, though Elijah was barely conscious enough to hear him. "You're safe now."

As the Shades scoured the grounds, Ethan's thoughts turned dark. Whoever had done this would pay. He was done hiding, done playing by their rules. It was time to show them what he was capable of, and if that meant using every ounce of his power, so be it.

The Shades moved swiftly, slipping through the shadows and spreading out across the training grounds. Ethan watched through their eyes as they searched the area, their movements precise and purposeful. It didn't take long for them to find the spot where the scuffle had taken place—a patch of trampled ground, streaked with blood, the grass torn and muddy from the struggle.

The Shades lingered there for a moment, taking in every detail. The ground told a story of violence: footprints leading in all directions, the faint outline of where Elijah had fallen, and the scattered traces of blood that marked the path he'd taken to get back to the barracks.

But the Shades didn't stop there. Ethan's fury demanded more than just the aftermath; he needed to know who was responsible. The Shades fanned out, slithering through the shadows, searching for their quarry. Their instincts led them to the edge of the training grounds, where they spotted a group walking back toward the dorms.

It was Squad 1. Cassandra led the group, her confident stride and the smirk on her face making it clear she felt untouchable. The Shades focused in on her and the others, and that's when Ethan noticed the faint specks of blood on their clothes. They hadn't even bothered to clean themselves up after the beating.

Through the Shades, Ethan could see it all—their casual demeanor, the way they laughed among themselves as if nothing had happened. The sight fueled Ethan's rage, but he forced himself to remain calm. He needed to be smart about this, to ensure that whatever he did next wouldn't just be an outburst of anger but a calculated move that would send a clear message.

He recalled the Shades, their surveillance complete. Now he had the information he needed. Cassandra and her squad had no idea what was coming for them.

Ethan returned to the present, his mind racing as he formulated a plan. The blood on their clothes was enough evidence to confirm what his Shades had seen. Now, he had to decide how to use it. He could strike tonight, catch them off guard, and show them the power he'd been hiding all this time. But it would have to be done in a way that wouldn't expose his abilities to the wrong people.

He looked down at Elijah, who was resting fitfully on the bunk. This was for him, for all the pain he'd suffered. But it was also for Ethan himself, a chance to prove that he wasn't someone to be trifled with.

Back at Stone Brook Orphanage, Clara was growing restless. The months had passed quickly since Ethan and the other children had been sent off to the military academy, and she knew her time at the orphanage was drawing to a close. She had fulfilled her duty, watching over Ethan and ensuring he reached the academy safely. Now, her mind was on her next assignment, a return to the kingdom's capital to rejoin the Royal Spy Corps.

One evening, as she was preparing to slip away unnoticed, something caught her attention. She stood at the edge of the forest, the evening light casting long shadows across the ground. The woods, which had been eerily silent and devoid of life for so long, were now teeming with activity. Birds chirped in the trees, rabbits darted through the underbrush, and the air buzzed with the sounds of nature returning to its normal rhythm.

Clara frowned, her instincts on high alert. She had spent months noticing the unnatural quiet in the forest, wondering what had caused it. Now, with the animals returning, it was clear that whatever had driven them away was gone.

She couldn't ignore this. Clara decided to inform Hunter Thorne before leaving. She found him near the orphanage, overseeing some final preparations before his own departure.

"Thorne," Clara called out, approaching him. He turned to face her, his expression as stoic as ever.

"Clara," he greeted. "I thought you'd already be on your way."

"I was about to leave," she admitted, "but I noticed something strange. The forest… the wildlife is returning. It's almost like whatever was keeping them away has suddenly vanished."

Thorne's eyes narrowed. "The forest was nearly dead before, wasn't it?"

Clara nodded. "Yes, and now it's as if it's been restored overnight. I can't help but think it's connected to one of the children we sent to the academy."

Thorne crossed his arms, his mind clearly working through the possibilities. "You believe one of them was responsible for the unnatural silence in the woods?"

"It's the only explanation that makes sense," Clara replied. "And if that's the case, we might have sent a child with a power far more dangerous than we realized."

Thorne's jaw tightened. "We'll have to keep a close watch on the academy. If one of them truly has such a power, it could mean trouble for us all."

Clara nodded, her thoughts aligned with Thorne's. "I'll report this to my superiors in the capital. We can't afford to overlook anything."

As they exchanged final words, Clara felt a sense of unease settle in her chest. Whoever was responsible for the forest's eerie transformation and subsequent restoration had to be extremely powerful. And now, that power was in the hands of a child at the military academy. The thought made her wary, and she knew she'd be watching closely for any reports from the academy in the coming months.

With one last glance at the now-lively forest, Clara turned and walked away, heading towards the path that would take her back to the capital. The kingdom was on the brink of war, and with the mysterious power she had just witnessed, things were about to get even more complicated.

Back at the academy, the atmosphere in Squad 7's barracks was tense. The revelation of Ethan's powers had shaken his squadmates, and now they gathered around him, waiting for an explanation. The room was dimly lit, the shadows playing on the walls as Ethan stood before them, his expression serious.

Garret and Elijah were at the forefront, both still processing what they had seen. Garret, usually the outspoken one, was unusually quiet, while Elijah, nursing his wounds from the recent encounter with Cassandra's squad, looked at Ethan with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Ethan took a deep breath, knowing this conversation was necessary. He couldn't keep everything hidden any longer, especially after what had just happened. His shades had revealed themselves, and there was no going back.

"I need to explain something," Ethan began, his voice low but steady. "What you saw tonight… those shadows… they're part of my power. They're not just some trick. They're real, and they're dangerous."

Garret crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "You mean those shadows are actually alive? Like, they're a part of you?"

Ethan nodded. "Yes. They're called Shades. They're… an extension of me, in a way. They can move, scout, and even fight on my command. And they make me stronger—much stronger than I should be."

Elijah, still pale from the earlier attack, asked, "So, those shades… they helped you find out what happened to me?"

"Exactly," Ethan confirmed. "They tracked Cassandra's squad and saw everything. But here's the thing—I need this to stay between us. No one else can know about them. Not the instructors, not the other squads. If word gets out… I don't know what will happen, but it won't be good."

Garret looked skeptical. "Why keep it a secret? If you're that strong, why not use it to climb the ranks, maybe even get back at Cassandra?"

Ethan shook his head. "It's not that simple. If the Arcane Hunters find out what I can do, they'll start asking questions—questions I can't answer. My shades are tied to something deeper, something dangerous. I'm not even sure what it all means yet. But I know enough to keep it hidden."

Elijah, always the more thoughtful of the two, nodded slowly. "You're worried they'll see you as a threat."

"Exactly," Ethan said. "And not just me—anyone close to me could be in danger too. That's why I need you to keep this quiet. I don't want to draw any more attention than I already have."

There was a heavy silence as the others processed what Ethan had said. Finally, Garret sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, man. If you say it's that important, I'll keep my mouth shut. But we've got to be careful. Cassandra's already got it out for us, and if she catches wind of this…"

"We'll deal with her when the time comes," Ethan replied, determination in his eyes. "For now, we stick together, keep our heads down, and train hard. We can't afford to mess this up."

Elijah gave a small nod of agreement, while Garret simply grunted in acceptance. The three of them understood the gravity of the situation, and though they had questions, they knew they couldn't push Ethan for more answers—not yet.

Ethan felt a small sense of relief. His secret was out, but at least it was in trusted hands. Now, he just had to hope they could all stay one step ahead of the dangers that lay ahead, both from within the academy and beyond.