HELL WEEK

SLAM!

Sage hit the ground for the fifteenth time.

He spat blood and forced himself back up. Every breath sent sharp pain shooting through his ribs—cracked, maybe worse. His legs buckled, but he tried to stay upright.

Across from him, Kai stood in the same stance he'd been in all week—relaxed, unreadable, and completely unharmed.

"You're fighting out of instinct. Stop and calculate," Kai said flatly.

Sage gritted his teeth. He knew Kai was right, but it was hard to think when your lungs barely worked.

This was day seven of Ash Ring training. Hell Week, he'd started calling it.

Despite his injuries and fatigue, he had grown.

His Strength remained at 12, but something new had awakened in him. Two new stats had appeared:

---

Control: 9

Endurance: 8

And a skill:

> [Iron Veins – Endurance +20% for 5 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour.]

That skill had kept him conscious through most of the past week. But right now, even Iron Veins wouldn't save him.

Kai dropped his stance. "That's enough. Rest."

Sage didn't argue. He limped off the field, vision hazy and chest aching, heading for the clinic—grateful for the rest.

---

The clinic was quiet.

He collapsed onto a cot and stared up at the ceiling fan spinning overhead. His body was wrecked, but his mind wouldn't settle.

He thought about Kol—about how the guy had actually helped him, covered for him, and never once pressed too hard for answers.

Should I tell him...? he wondered.

Then he glanced at the wall clock.

10:57 PM.

His meds were due at 11, but no nurse had shown up.

Odd.

He got up, dragging his feet toward the hallway. The lights flickered. The entire wing felt… abandoned.

He turned a corner—and stopped. A faint murmur caught his ear.

Voices.

Low. Tense.

He crept closer, pressing himself against the wall. The words were muffled, but two stood out clearly:

"...elixir..."

"...Black will not be happy about this..."

His heart skipped.

He edged toward the slightly ajar door and peeked through the gap.

Inside, three figures stood around a metal table. One of them—who looked like the leader—radiated a presence that chilled the room. His black coat hovered, as if afraid to touch the floor. Someone referred to him as Arson.

The second was a hospital staff member Sage recognized: the same female nurse who had attended to him an hour ago.

The third—a man Sage didn't recognize—was probably a teacher.

They were arguing.

Then Arson moved.

Without hesitation, he plunged a blade into the male staffer's chest. The man dropped wordlessly.

Sage recoiled but didn't look away.

Arson left the room calmly, leaving the trembling female nurse alive.

Sage had seen all three faces, and he had one thing on his mind:

Run.

---

Sage didn't realize when the sun came up. He lay on the bed in his dorm, heart still pounding.

Apparently, the news had already spread like wildfire: a staff member found dead in the hospital wing.

Official cause?

Suicide.

Though the version shared with students was suicide, instructors were still given the directive to investigate.

Erin Heeves, a Beta Slayer known for her sharp perception skills, was among them.

"There was someone else there. A student."

According to the records, all students had been accounted for in their dormitories at that time.

"Ohhh, one person wasn't accounted for. One Sage Erlanger, Zeta tier," Mark said, holding up a file.

"Zeta tier, huh..." Erin muttered, her tone sharpening.

"Invite him in," she added.

---

Sage sat beside Kol in class as usual, a little lost in thought.

So there are others after the elixir...

I wonder who Black is...

The intercom crackled, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Zeta student Sage Erlanger. Report to the Main Office immediately."

Whispers broke out around him. Sage stood slowly, heart racing, and made his way through the halls.

---

Sage entered the office cautiously, glancing around. His eyes landed on Erin, and he immediately knew he was in trouble.

Then he saw the man standing at the center—and the flames resting on his palm.

"Red Code user," Sage thought. "That should be Sir Tarris."

Tarris stepped forward. Flames danced lightly across his arms.

"My skill is Ember Flame," he said. "If you lie, it burns hotter."

No games.

He looked directly at Sage. Erin coughed slightly.

"Did you kill the instructor?" she asked, eyes locked onto his.

Sage held his ground. "No."

No reaction from the flames.

Some teachers shifted, convinced.

"He's a Zeta," one scoffed. "He couldn't kill a fly."

"We got the wrong person," Bron muttered, bored of the whole thing.

Erin ignored them. "Were you present at the scene?"

Sage hesitated.

Long enough for the flames to flicker.

Before he could respond—

"He was with me."

Everyone turned.

Kai Kalister stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

"We trained late. I dismissed him around eleven-thirty."

Shock. Then silence. Every one respected Kai too much to argue.

Tarris stepped back. "That will do."

"You are dismissed," Erin said slowly.

But something else was on her mind.

Sage Erlanger... there's more to you than meets the eye.

---

Outside, Kai walked ahead without speaking. He led Sage down a back corridor and into a locked side room.

He shut the door behind them.

Then turned to face him.

"Now talk. What exactly happened?"