Confusion in Aetheria

The cave's exit could be seen, and beams of light from it infiltrated the dark cave. While running, Sol was unsure how much time had passed, but he was certain his time using the [Embrace of the One] was coming to an end, especially since he could feel the power slowly fading from within.

[Time left: 00:19]

The exit was within reach, but death was closer! 

Sol was left with two choices, keep running with his back turned to the enemy and hope for the best, or stop running and meet the enemy head-on.

'The best way for one to overcome what they fear is to face it!'

Sol's eyes dilated as determination flickered in his eyes. His body twisted as he turned to face the enemy. 

Thud!

Sol planted his feet on the ground and took a stance. His hands flew forward, and his dark green eyes lit up with power as he mustered the remnants of the One's power flowing in his veins.

His face chilled, and his resolve remained steadfast as he watched the massive rhino gallop in his direction.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

The closer it got, the heavier its footsteps became. Sol remained standing, and he felt all his power fade from his body and gather around his palms, demonizing them even more.

He waited patiently until the massive rhino was just a few meters away from him.

"HAK!!!!!!"

Sol growled at the top of his voice and the hellfire exploded violently and created an explosion, so massive, that Sol couldn't see what was ahead of him.

Boom!

A powerful collision occurred, and powerful shock waves erupted, forcing Sol to slide back rapidly.

Ha!

Sol gasped as he struggled with the intense pressure, but then he felt something coming.

"Impossible!" He gasped in shock as he felt the arms of death still reaching for him.

Roarrrr!

The furious cry reverberated across the cave as the rhino tore through Sol's hellfire and struck him.

"HAAAAAAKKKKK!" Sol gasped for breath while he screamed those words. 

Flames cracked from his palms once more to meet the horns of the enemy.

Boom!

…. Alpha Academy….

In the dimly lit room, shadows danced along the walls, casting an eerie atmosphere over the scene. A floating water sphere hovered at the center, its surface rippling with an otherworldly glow that illuminated the space with a faint, ethereal light. Within the sphere are images of various events in the testing area.

Surrounding the sphere were numerous hooded figures, their identities concealed by the depths of their darkened robes. Each witch stood in silent reverence, their forms swaying rhythmically as they chanted inaudible words that hung heavy in the air like a shroud of incantations. 

Beneath the sphere, a black-haired lady knelt on the cold stone floor, her eyes tightly bound by a piece of cloth, rendering her sightless to the world around her. Clad in robes of myriad colors that seemed to shift and shimmer with each passing moment.

In her hands, she clutched a weathered scroll, its parchment yellowed with age and marked with cryptic symbols and sigils. With a determined grip, she brought the scroll to her lips, sinking her teeth into its edges as if drawing sustenance from its ancient knowledge.

As she bit into the scroll, a chorus of whispers filled the air, the voices of unseen entities that flitted around her like ethereal shadows. Insects of various types, their forms twisted and distorted by magic, hovered around her, their wings buzzing softly as they whispered cryptic words into her ears, their presence adding to the surreal and unsettling ambiance of the chamber.

"What do they say?" Lady Zephyra asked as her figure emerged from the shadows. "Why can't we see what is happening within that cave?"

Ever since Sol entered the cave, they had been trying to force their Spectral wisps into the cave, but for some reason, they couldn't enter. 

Loud rumbling and explosions had been heard around the cave, indicating that something serious must be going on, but they couldn't tell what it was.

"Something is blocking out my Spectral wisps," the lady in multicolored robes said. "I don't know what!" She admitted, with a hint of concern in her tone. 

Lady Zephyra was going to say more, but then the door to the room opened, and Instructor Ethan entered with a deep frown on his face.

Considering his jovial nature, Lady Zephyra turned pale in fear and expected the worst.

"Tell me…" she ordered.

Instructor Ethan ignored her and walked around the room. His body vanished and reappeared as he blended into the darkness and emerged from time to time.

His gaze was pinned on the numerous images on the water sphere. Particularly in the section which revealed the rumbling cave.

"The witches have grown incompetent," Instructor Ethan hissed.

His voice was laced with rage and frustration.

"You…." Lady Zephyra hissed.

"If I'm wrong, then tell me why your Great Sorceress is unable to send us back to the testing area?" Instructor Ethan growled.

His words seemed to catch Lady Zephyra off guard, which caused her to choke on the words she was about to say.

How can a tier-five witch who has led the witch coven for centuries fail in such a simple task?

She was the one who set up those spatial arrays leading to the testing areas, and it has been in use for centuries, how did it suddenly fail?

"Don't you dare speak that way of our Great Sorceress!" The lady in multicolored robes growled at Instructor Ethan.

Her killing intent blazed around the room, alongside that of the numerous witches present, but Instructor Ethan wasn't moved.

"This involves the heirs of the other three alpha families," Instructor Ethan sneered. "Do you really think that there will be no repercussions if something happens to them because of your Great Sorceress's mistake?" 

Hearing his words, all the witches were shaken, and their faces turned pale in fright. Just like Instructor Ethan said, if something happens to the heirs due to the Great Sorceress's incompetence, the witch coven will be held accountable.

"Our Great Sorceress has never failed before. Don't you think that something strange is going on here?" Lady Zephyra said in a stern tone.

"I believe the beasts of the testing area are involved in all of this," she added.

Her words caused silence to befall the room as everyone. Even the infuriated instructor, Ethan, was puzzled but found this option extremely possible.

"Who the fuck has the guts to fuck with the alpha families of Aetheria?" Instructor Ethan hissed with a murderous look on his face.