Unraveling the Patterns

The golden hues of the setting sun painted the sky in shades of orange and violet as Aaron played with the neighboring kids, the echoes of their laughter filling the air. His movements were swift, his focus sharp, but his mind was elsewhere looping through every detail of the fourth challenge.

His instincts told him the final challenge would be something physical, considering Coach Wilder was the last remaining teacher yet to host a challenge. The man was known for his relentless competitiveness, his fiery speeches about teamwork, and his unforgiving training drills. If this was going to be about physical prowess, then the entire game was about to change.

A shrill call from his house broke his train of thought.

"Aaron!" Seraphina's voice carried across the courtyard. "There's a call for you!"

He jogged toward the porch, wiping sweat off his forehead, puzzled. Who would call him now?

As he picked up the phone, an unknown number flashed on the screen.

"Hello, Aaron speaking. Who could this be?"

A sharp voice came through, laced with mock disappointment. "I am shocked you didn't save my number."

Aaron blinked, his mind catching up. "Elara! Oh, I—I'm really sorry. I just forgot about it," he said sheepishly.

A second voice chimed in with an exaggerated huff. "Wow, Aaron, way to ignore me too."

"Sophia?" Aaron realized it was a conference call. "Okay, okay, I messed up," he chuckled. "But in my defense, I've been a little preoccupied trying not to lose my mind over these challenges."

Sophia laughed. "Yeah, well, same here."

The trio settled into a familiar rhythm, their friendly banter bouncing back and forth before shifting into more serious talk.

"I still can't believe how close we were today," Sophia said. "Just a few points, and we would've won."

"Caleb played it well," Aaron admitted. "His team had two strong history buffs, and he used them perfectly. I should've anticipated that."

"Yeah, but Natheniel's reaction was the best part." Elara snickered. "He looked like he just got betrayed in an epic war movie."

"He did," Aaron agreed. "He's been riding high on first place this whole time. But let's not forget Caleb is right behind us now."

"So, what's next?" Sophia asked.

Aaron leaned against the porch railing. "It has to be physical education. Coach Wilder is the only one left, and we know how he is."

Elara groaned. "Ugh. That man runs like five laps before he even starts coaching."

Sophia sighed. "It's gonna be brutal."

"Yeah," Aaron muttered. "And the thing is, this time, it won't just be about brains. It'll be about endurance, stamina, and strategy. If we're going up against someone like Caleb, we need to figure out our strengths fast."

There was a brief pause before Elara spoke again, her tone shifting. "By the way… I found something interesting."

Aaron's interest piqued. "Go on."

"It's about the Student Council. Specifically, the Primary Section's Student Council President, Lucian Everhart."

Aaron frowned. "The seventh grader?"

"Yeah," Elara confirmed. "I heard from a reliable source that he's got an eye on our class. Apparently, he's interested in the talent here."

Sophia whistled. "Huh. That's big. I mean, if someone like him is paying attention to us, there's gotta be a reason."

Aaron's fingers curled around the phone. A sudden memory flashed Selene's offer, her cryptic words, her almost relentless pursuit to connect him to the Student Council.

Was this all connected?

"I have to think about this," Aaron finally said. "It feels like there's a bigger picture we're missing."

"Well, whatever it is, we'll deal with it after we survive Coach Wilder's madness," Elara said, her tone light but laced with determination.

Sophia laughed. "Yeah, we should probably start stretching now if we want to live through tomorrow."

They exchanged a few more words before hanging up. As the line went silent, Aaron exhaled slowly.

He needed to clear his mind.

Aaron walked along the quiet roadside, the cool evening air brushing against his face as his mind wandered through the web of thoughts tangled within him. The challenge, Selene's cryptic interest in him, Lucian Everhart's potential involvement everything was a puzzle with missing pieces. But then, like a memory unlocked from the past, his thoughts drifted to kindergarten.

Finn Carver.

His class pal with whom he went to overcome the Devil's Den, always running around with boundless energy, had an older brother Leon. Leon Carver, A name well known in the school, especially in the upper years. A seventh-grader, but unlike the others, he stood among the high schoolers, playing alongside them in the basketball team. Respected. Admired.

If anyone could give him insight, it would be Leon.

Aaron's pace quickened as he pulled out his phone. Finn was in Class 1-B, and since there was an entirely different campus for the Section B classes, he barely got to meet him. He scrolled through his contacts, found Finn's number, and hit call. The phone rang a few times before a bright, energetic voice answered.

"Hellooo? Who's this?"

Aaron chuckled, shaking his head. "Finn, it's me, Aaron."

There was a brief pause, then an exaggerated gasp. "AARON?! No way! Where have you been, man? You never call me anymore! I thought you forgot about your ol' buddy Finn!"

Aaron laughed. "Oh, come on. I've just been... busy. You know, with school and everything."

"Pfft, excuses! But fine, I forgive you. What's up?"

Aaron hesitated for a moment, then decided to ease into it. "Actually, Finn, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor."

"A favor? What kind of favor? Does it involve snacks? Because I can't promise to share mine."

Aaron smirked. Some things never changed. "Not snacks, no. It's about your brother, Leon."

Finn was silent for a moment. "Ohhh, I see. So, you're not here for me, huh? You just want to talk to my super cool, amazing, talented, godlike brother?"

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Don't be dramatic."

"I AM dramatic. It's my thing," Finn said proudly. "But sure, I'll call him. He's home right now..."

As Finn went to find his brother, he suddenly added, "Hey, Aaron, how's Section A? You were the hot topic since graduation day. Hope all's good."

"Yeah, man, it's going good. The entire class is filled with geniuses who are always wanting to trample each other to achieve the best. I'm somehow hanging in there..."

Finn chuckled. "Haha, that's what's making you so tough. I'm still very thankful for what you did last year. I really don't have to care about Varis and his crew anymore. Even though Section B isn't filled with those geniuses, it's been a bit peaceful without bullying."

Aaron smiled gently. "Yeah, those kindergarten years were tough, but we somehow managed to get rid of the bullying. I'm happy that you're having your time peacefully."

Aaron waited, the line quiet as Finn went to get Leon. The pause gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. He needed information about Lucian Everhart, about the next challenge, and most importantly, about Coach Wilder.

Finally, the sound of shifting on the other end, then a deeper, confident voice.

"Yo, Aaron. Long time."

Aaron smiled slightly. "Hey, Leon. Yeah, it's been a while."

"Finn said you wanted to talk to me? What's up?"

Aaron took a breath, leaning against a lamppost. "I need some insight, Leon. About Lucian Everhart... and Coach Wilder."

Leon didn't respond immediately. When he did, his tone was thoughtful. "That's an interesting combination. Why are you asking?"

"I think Lucian's interested in my class for some reason. And... the next challenge is probably going to be run by Coach Wilder. I want to get ahead of it."

Leon exhaled. "Lucian, huh? He's sharp. Youngest Student Council President in primary school history got crowned when he was in sixth grade. Strategic, ruthless when necessary. If he's got his eyes on your class, there's a reason. Also, since the primary school student council elections are coming up, and he'll be finishing his term as president, he might be looking for his successor. From what I can tell, he's not very fond of Selene Ashford. She broke his record by becoming Vice President when she was still in third grade, while he did it in fourth. She'll be aiming to become the next president, and from what I heard on the basketball court a few days back, he might be supporting his assistant, Veronica Alden."

Aaron's grip on his phone tightened. "And Coach Wilder?"

Leon chuckled. "Ah, Coach Wilder. Competitive as hell, loves discipline and teamwork. He's all about pushing people to their limits. If he's running the next challenge... you can expect something physical. Something tough. He respects effort, but he won't tolerate weakness."

Aaron's mind was already running through possibilities. "Does he favor any particular sport?"

"Basketball, obviously," Leon said with a smirk in his voice. "But you all are just in Class 1 and have no prior experience, so you can count that possibility out. He also likes anything that requires endurance and strategy. Think obstacle courses, relay races—anything that tests your ability to work as a team while also pushing yourself to the edge."

Aaron nodded to himself. "That makes sense. Thanks, Leon."

Leon hesitated for a second. "Listen, Aaron. If Lucian and Selene are involved in this, be careful. Those two play the long game. And Coach Wilder? He'll push you to your limits. If you're not ready, you'll be crushed before you even realize it."

Aaron exhaled. "I appreciate the warning."

Leon chuckled. "No problem, man. Good luck."

Aaron ended the call and stood still for a moment, staring up at the cloudy evening sky.

Lucian Everhart.

Selene Ashford.

Coach Wilder.

The pieces of the game were moving. And if he wasn't careful, he'd be caught in their current.

He turned around and started heading home, his mind sharper than ever.

The next challenge was coming. And he had to be ready.