Trapped

"Surprised?" Annalina's voice echoed gently.

Alex blinked, disbelief etched on his face. "Am I the only one who can see you?"

Annalina offered a faint smile. "Who knows, I never asked."

"What are you exactly?" Alex asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"You will know everything in time," she reassured him with a soft, comforting tone.

Alex couldn't help but press further, a sense of urgency in his voice. "And when is this right time you keep talking about?"

Annalina's ethereal presence radiated warmth. "Don't rush things."

The questions continued, and Alex couldn't help but wonder about her existence. "Are you real?"

Her response was measured. "It's hard to explain."

His determination was unwavering. "Try me."

Annalina's gaze met his, full of unspoken secrets. "Not now, but I promise you, I will explain later."

Alex nodded, feeling a bond forming between them. "You better keep your word."

With a hint of a smile, Annalina directed his attention back to the task at hand. "I always do; now can you beat her?"

Confidence surged through Alex. "Of course, I can."

Annalina gently inquired, her presence reassuring. "You can what?"

"I can beat her," Alex declared with newfound determination. Annalina's supportive smile added fuel to his resolve.

Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas observed the interaction, clearly aware that Annalina had set the stage for something significant. He spoke, breaking the momentary silence. "Really?" His words hung in the air as Annalina subtly unfroze time just before Alex answered.

Alex realized the weight of the challenge he had declared, but his unwavering spirit wouldn't allow him to back down. He believed in Annalina, trusting her guidance and wisdom. "Yes, I can."

Ashe fixed her intimidating gaze upon him, and he could feel the intensity of her stare, like a fiery brand searing into his soul.

Unfazed, Ashe decided to up the ante. "Let's do it the hard way then," she declared, her hand signaling to one of her classmates. "Fire up ESPER, 1 on 1 mode." Then, locking eyes with Alex, she taunted, "Don't go crying to Mommy." With that, she gracefully departed, heading toward the dressing room.

Concerned for his well-being, Eve couldn't help but whisper to him, her voice filled with apprehension. "Alex, are you sure about this?"

Alex's confidence, bolstered by his connection with Annalina, shone through. "How bad can it get?"

Eve, still worried, couldn't fathom his lack of awareness. "If you say so. I hope you have a better ESPER than hers."

Perplexed, Alex sought clarification. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of the school's strongest ESPER, Ashe the Phoenix? No one has ever beaten her."

With an endearing yet slightly clueless expression, he admitted, "Nope, not at all. But again, how bad can it get?"

Their conversation was interrupted as Ashe returned from the dressing room, donned in a futuristic battle suit that accentuated her graceful figure. The sleek, black metallic material-like fabric gave her an imposing aura. As she held the ball in her right hand, Alex finally understood why she was known as the Phoenix. A massive, fiery bird erupted from her body suit, its flames threatening to engulf the entire gym. The ball in Ashe's hand spun wildly, emitting scorching flames. Her gaze locked onto Alex. "You haven't changed yet?"

Alex stood there, utterly perplexed by the spectacle before him. The term "ESPER" remained an enigma, and he had no idea how to confront a giant, flaming bird. However, his trust in Annalina remained unshaken, even in the face of this seemingly insurmountable challenge.

With a sense of awe and trepidation, he finally headed into the dressing room. His mind raced, questioning why he remained in the dark about this advanced technology when it seemed common knowledge to everyone else.

As he grappled with his thoughts in front of the dressing room mirror, a fellow player entered, ready to assist him in selecting the necessary gear.

"Hi, I'm John, and I'm here to help you pick your gear," John introduced himself warmly.

Grateful for the support, Alex attempted to maintain his composure despite his lingering uncertainty. "So, what's your type?" John asks Alex

John's eyes twinkled with amusement, unaware of Alex's lack of knowledge. "Type of what?"

Seeing an opportunity to conceal his ignorance, Alex played along. "Ah, you don't want to spill your secrets. Clever."

John chuckled. "Wait, let me guess. From your physique, I would say you're a striker type. You've got potential."

Alex offered a grateful smile, trying to mask his uncertainty. "You've got a keen eye."

John then presented him with a piece of gear. "Here, take this. It belonged to the previous Captain. It would be awesome if you could win this game using this gear."

Alex examined the gear, noticing that it resembled Ashe's suit but seemed worn and weathered, covered in scratches and cracks. At first glance, it appeared far from invincible. "Don't be deceived by its appearance," John cautioned him. "Thanks to this gear, we won the league for three years straight."

Intrigued, Alex sought more information. "Then what happened? Did it stop working?"

John's response was tinged with nostalgia. "No, our Captain left. That's why we call him the previous captain."

Alex couldn't help but wonder about Ashe's rise to leadership. "Is that when Ashe took over as the leader?"

John's explanation remained enigmatic. "It didn't happen exactly like that, but you'll find out soon enough. For now, gear up."

As John prepared to leave, he expressed his gratitude. "Thanks," his tone subdued.

Alex, ever the optimist, responded warmly. "What's that for?"

"For challenging Ashe," John explained, his face clouded with determination. "It's alright; I'm sure you do that all the time, right?" Alex replied with a goofy expression.

John paused dramatically before responding. "No, you're the first one in the past two years. After all, she was the vice-captain and a school edge."

Curiosity piqued; Alex couldn't resist inquiring further. "School edges?"

John, however, chose to keep the mystery alive. "Oh, that's right; you're new here. Don't worry; you'll find out soon enough. Anyway, put your stuff in the locker after you finish gearing up," John instructed before leaving. "Please do your best," he added, his words carrying a genuine hope for Alex's success.

Secrets kept piling up. Why did they refer to Ashe as the school tyrant? Who is this Annalina who keeps appearing out of nowhere? And why is all of this happening on his first day at school?

Alex took a deep breath as he prepared to don the gear, which miraculously fit him perfectly. He neatly stowed his regular clothes in the locker, but as he did, a book fell out of his bag. It was the same book he had mentioned wanting to read before going to sleep. He couldn't fathom how it ended up in his bag. Perhaps Jane had mistaken it for a schoolbook. Alex picked it up, and to his surprise, the pendant was nestled inside the pages.

Confused, he wondered, "How could the pendant have ended up in the book again?" Alex carefully placed it on the table.

Annalina's voice echoed once more, a calm presence in the midst of the unfolding chaos. "That's a nice pendant."

Realization dawned on Alex. "You planned this from the start, didn't you?" He focused on sorting his gear in the locker, trying to push aside the mysteries surrounding Annalina.

She didn't deny it, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness. "And what if I did?"

Determined to navigate through this ordeal, Alex asserted, "You got me into this mess, and you will be the one who gets me out."

Annalina's response was enigmatic. "Don't worry about it. You can win. Just wear the pendant; it will make you look awesome."

Alex held up the pendant, seeking answers. "This?" However, Annalina chose silence over explanation. "Like always," he muttered under his breath.

Having donned the gear and locked up the locker room, Alex could hear the distant cheers growing louder. John burst into the dressing room, his excitement palpable. "You have to see this; it's awesome!" he exclaimed.

They headed outside, where the entire school had gathered in the gym. John seemed genuinely thrilled as he pointed out the crowd. "It's cool, isn't it?"

Alex, feeling increasingly out of his element, questioned, "Who gathered them?"

"Eve. She called them using the speakers," John explained.

Then, an announcement rang out over the speakers, causing the crowd to cheer even louder. "A challenger has emerged from the unknown, threatening to extinguish the flames of our pride. Who will win? Who will become the leader of our hope?"

Alex couldn't help but feel perplexed; this challenge wasn't about leadership. He glanced at Ashe, who wore an expression of annoyance. The crowd's fervent cheers took an unsettling turn as they chanted, "Burn him alive, burn him alive," eagerly awaiting a spectacle.

Turning to John, Alex confessed, "I've never played this before."