Chapter 21- Arrival of Announcement day

Cough

"Argh—thud."Zekk dropped.

His body hit the ground with a dull thud, legs sprawled out as his back slid halfway up the tree trunk before collapsing fully, his head tilted sideways, one eye barely open.

His shirt was torn from the collar down, clinging in shreds to one shoulder while the rest hung loose like a broken rag. Dirt clung to the side of his face, and a faint line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Hey! What the hell—" the girl in his group screamed, stepping back in disbelief.

Riven didn't even glance her way.

He stood there, shirtless—his own uniform discarded somewhere behind him, sweat lining his collarbones, knuckles scraped. A faint cut bled down his rib. But his breathing was steady. Controlled.

He raised a single finger to his lips and said, flatly, "Shut up, Reena."

She froze.

The silence hit harder than the punches.