Abomination

The next day, students were gathered at the grand coliseum of Arc Aegis. Today's military tournament was highly anticipated.

Under the luminous glow of Nytherite-powered floodlights, hundreds of recruits and military officials gathered in the combat arena, their murmurs flooding the entire place.

At the center of the arena stood numerous raised platforms, their smooth surfaces contrast the rugged energy of the combat zones around them.

Holographic scoreboards hovered in the air with digits and symbols flickering with the names and rankings of combatants.

As the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, the crowd fell silent.

"Welcome, cadets and honored guests, to today's round of the military tournament at Arc Aegis! Today, we shall continue the fights from where we left off yesterday. Let the competition begin!"

The first match of the day was slated for one of the most anticipated combatants: Seraphina Kennedy, the brilliant Pure whose pyrokinesis had already become legendary.

Clad in her pristine, flame-inspired uniform that shimmered like molten metal, Seraphina stepped forward into the center of the platform. Her eyes, piercing and resolute, locked onto her opponent—a formidable Pure fighter, known for his agile combat style and a reputation for precision strikes.

The arena air sizzled with tension as the two combatants circled each other.

Seraphina's opponent adopted a defensive stance. In a mere moment, the duel was underway.

Seraphina's fingers sparked with a searing energy that coalesced into a controlled flame along her fingertips. With a fluid motion, she launched a barrage of fiery projectiles that danced around her opponent like miniature comets.

Each strike was executed with impeccable timing and surgical precision. The opponent, though quick and well-trained, found himself overwhelmed by the onslaught of heat and light. As the flames licked his armor, he stepped backward, his counterattacks faltering under the relentless blaze.

The Pure from the opposing side attempted to rally, drawing upon his own elemental abilities to deflect the burning assault. Yet Seraphina's mastery over her power was evident—every flicker of flame seemed to respond to her will as though it were an extension of her very being. With one decisive, sweeping gesture, she summoned a towering inferno that encircled her foe, sealing his fate before his defenses could properly realign. The flames subsided almost as quickly as they had surged, leaving her opponent immobilized and defeated on the scorched platform.

A roar of admiration erupted from the crowd as Seraphina stepped back gracefully, her eyes alight with the satisfaction of a battle well-fought. The judges' holographic scoreboards displayed near-perfect marks, acknowledging her flawless technique.

In the aftermath of the match, military officers and spectators alike exchanged nods of approval and hushed comments of awe. For many, her performance was a reaffirmation of Pure superiority, a testament to the refined abilities that only the genetically exalted could wield.

The announcer's voice rang out once more: "A magnificent victory for Seraphina Kennedy! A performance of unparalleled mastery."

The tournament's next match, however, would prove to be the spark that ignited controversy. As the arena's lights dimmed momentarily to allow for a brief intermission, the next name was announced with an air of reluctant excitement: "Next up, representing the Base 7, Recruit Eve Reed!"

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd. In a society rigidly divided by genetic purity and class, the very notion of an Outcast stepping into the arena to face a Pure fighter was unthinkable to many. If such a thing was to happen, the results would be obvious. The Pure will destroy the Outcast. But even more so, it would be an insult to the Pure to be matched against not an Ascendant, but an Outcast.

The word "abomination" began to circulate in the whispers of the onlookers, as if the social order itself were recoiling from the impending challenge.

Eve Reed emerged from the waiting area with a quiet determination that belied the skepticism etched on every face. Her eyes, a mesmerizing blend of frost and defiance, held the secret of a power that had long been underestimated. Clad in a simple yet resolute combat uniform that bore the marks of base 7, Eve moved with a grace that was almost ethereal. Every step she took resonated with the conviction of someone who had nothing left to lose and everything to prove.

Her opponent was none other than Aldric Valmont, a renowned Pure fighter whose reputation for impeccable technique and strategic brilliance was widely celebrated on Arc Aegis. Aldric's presence exuded an aura of superiority; his silver hair and icy blue eyes marked him as one of the elites. As he strode confidently into the center of the arena, the tension in the air thickened to an almost unbearable density. When Aldric looked into Eve's eyes, he was even more shocked to see they were blue.

"Cadets, prepare yourselves," the announcer intoned. "Let the battle commence!" he shouted.

The signal rang clear, and the duel began. Aldric advanced with a series of precise, calculated strikes, each movement carried the impact of the years of disciplined training he had gone through. His weapon—a gleaming, intricately designed energy blade—sliced through the air with deadly precision, a blur of silver aimed directly at his opponent.

But Eve was no novice to combat. Despite the stigma attached to her Outcast status, she had honed her abilities with relentless perseverance. As Aldric lunged forward, Eve's eyes narrowed and her hands moved in a graceful yet deliberate pattern. A chill swept through the arena as frost began to form at her fingertips, crystallizing the moisture in the air into delicate, yet deadly, shards of ice.

In a breathtaking display of cryokinetic prowess, Eve summoned a swirling vortex of ice that deflected Aldric's incoming strikes. The shards of ice danced around her like a protective barrier, glinting under the arena's brilliant lights. Aldric's eyes widened in surprise as he found his every attack met with an unexpected, almost natural resistance.

The battle escalated with a flurry of movements. Aldric's agile attacks clashing with the frozen onslaught from Eve. He attempted to overpower her through sheer speed and technique, but every maneuver was countered by the unexpected depth of Eve's control over her element.

Much like Seraphina, with a series of well-timed parries and ripostes, Eve gradually began to turn the tide. Her ice constructs morphed fluidly, shifting from defensive shields to razor-sharp projectiles that sliced through the space between her and her opponent.

As the duel progressed, it became clear that Aldric was being forced onto the defensive. The cold precision of Eve's abilities was something he had never anticipated facing, it was a force of nature that transcended the rigid boundaries of genetic purity.

Aldric had fought many Ice elemental ability users before, some of them were even Pures, but he had always been able to move faster than they could form icicles, and his attacks were stronger than what an ice barriers could block. But here he was, everything he had was useless against this outcast ice user.

With every strike, Eve wove a narrative of defiance against a society that had long relegated her to the margins simply because of her hair color.

In one defining moment, Aldric launched what he believed to be a final, decisive assault, a rapid succession of slashing strikes aimed at breaching Eve's defenses. But with a calm that belied the fury of the moment, Eve raised her hands and summoned a torrent of glacial energy. The sudden burst of frost exploded outward, enveloping Aldric in a dazzling storm of ice. In mere seconds, the arena was transformed into a spectacle of crystalline brilliance.

Aldric was enveloped by the attack, his movements growing sluggish as the ice constricted around him. His blade clattered to the ground, and he could only watch in astonishment as Eve advanced with an unyielding determination. With a final, sweeping motion, she directed a concentrated beam of pure frost energy at him. The beam struck him squarely, and Aldric crumpled to the arena floor, with half of his body frozen. He was defeated.

Silence fell over the coliseum as the realization sank in. An Outcast had not only dared to step into the arena but had triumphed over a Pure fighter in a contest of strength and ability. The holographic scoreboards flashed Eve's name alongside a score that left little room for argument. She had gained total victory.

For several heartbeats, no one spoke. Then, a loud murmur of whispers erupted. "Abomination!" someone shouted, and the word quickly spread like wildfire.

"How can an Outcast best a Pure?" others demanded in voices trembling with incredulity. The outrage was palpable.

From the stands, high-ranking officers exchanged disapproving glances, their faces etched with a mixture of shock and concern. A murmur of discontent rose among the elite, as though the very foundation of their society was being challenged by this singular, unexpected defeat.

Back on the platform, Eve stood alone, her breath misting in the cool air, her eyes reflecting both the chill of victory and the weight of the moment. Despite the triumph, a profound loneliness lingered in her gaze.

Among the onlookers, some whispered, branding Eve's win as an abomination against nature itself.

"It is unnatural," one voice insisted, laden with venom.

"An Outcast should never have the audacity to challenge the Pures!" another argued, his tone laced with a mixture of fear and loathing.

In the midst of the uproar, Commander Darius stepped forward onto the platform, his presence commanding immediate attention. His stern gaze swept over the arena, taking in both Seraphina's flawless performance and Eve's controversial victory. In a measured tone that brooked no dissent, he addressed the assembled crowd.

"Today, we have witnessed feats of unparalleled skill and power. Seraphina Kennedy has reaffirmed the excellence of our Pure standards, and Recruit Eve Reed has demonstrated that strength and determination are not confined by birthright. While some may find this unsettling, let it be known: talent and willpower are the true measures of a warrior. This is the foundation on which base 7 operates."

His words, though diplomatic, did little to quell the murmurs of discontent among the people. Yet, even as he spoke, Eve's eyes met those of a few fellow Outcasts in the crowd—faces that shone with pride and hope. For them, her victory was not an abomination; it was a beacon of possibility, proof that destiny could be rewritten by those once deemed inferior.

Some officials saw it as an isolated incident—a fluke in the heat of competition—while others feared it heralded a seismic shift in the rigid social hierarchy that had long defined the federation.

Within the corridors of power, a faction of traditionalists began to mobilize, intent on preserving the status quo at any cost. Their rhetoric was laced with scorn and bitterness. "We must not allow our standards to be diluted," one senior officer proclaimed during a closed meeting. "If an Outcast can defeat a Pure, then what does that say about our genetic destiny? It is an abomination that must be contained."

In a secret meeting held in a shadowed chamber deep within Arc Aegis's command center, a cadre of senior officers debated the future. "The purity of our ranks has always been our greatest asset," one voice declared, echoing the sentiments of the old guard. "Yet, if we allow an Outcast to rise in prominence, we risk unraveling the very fabric of our society."

Right there and then, it was decided that the twin outcasts must be dealt with before they can cause any more uproar.