Under Attack
The atmosphere in Stellaris Arena had always been electrifying, humming with the intensity of competition and the weight of every fighter's ambition. Today was no different—at least, it started that way.
As I passed the leaderboard, a subtle feeling of pride swelled inside me. Our Celestial Academy was dominating the Qualifying Rounds for Arena 5. We had been training for this moment, honing our skills and pushing our limits, and the scoreboard reflected that effort. I scanned the names.
Rose Coren stood at the top of the board, her formidable presence undeniable. She had claimed victory in all four of her matches, accumulating 380 points.
And then there was me—Avant Dekus—just a hair's breadth behind Rose with 377 points, my own record clean, no losses. Moza Norm was trailing behind at third place with 355 points, winning three matches.
A flicker of anticipation rippled through me. I'd fought four matches so far, and with four more left to go, I wondered who would be my next opponent. Would I cross paths with Rose or Moza? That might be inevitable. Or would it be one of the Durnas brothers, Ezra or Ezka, from Nova Sanctum Academy? They occupied the fourth and fifth spots, equally undefeated and breathing down our necks.
The stakes were high. Every point mattered now, especially in these last rounds. A sense of pressure was hanging over me—not fear, but an urgency to remain sharp, to ensure every strike counted, every move flowed. The arena was unforgiving.
I was just getting ready for my next bout, feeling my muscles tense in anticipation, when an ear-splitting alarm shattered the rhythm of the arena. The sharp blaring echoed through the halls, a sound no one expected to hear. The vibrant energy of combat was replaced by a sudden, chilling tension.
"What the hell is going on?" I muttered under my breath, instinctively falling into a defensive stance.
The arena was washed in red light as the alarms continued their wail. An emergency announcement followed immediately: "All participants, remain calm and proceed to the nearest assembly point. Repeat, proceed to the nearest assembly point."
I could feel the unease swelling through the gathered fighters and spectators alike. Whatever this was, it wasn't part of the planned event.
I caught up with Devon Starbolt and Zerul Scorva, both wearing the same expression of confusion I felt twisting my gut. We exchanged quick glances, but it was clear none of us knew what was happening.
"Do you think this is part of the trial?" Devon asked, though his voice betrayed a note of worry that suggested he knew the answer.
"If it is, it's a hell of a way to test us," Zerul replied with a smirk, though his eyes were darting around cautiously.
Together, we made our way toward the assembly point, where the crowd of participants and academy instructors had already gathered. Every academy stood clustered together, the instructors herding their students like shepherds protecting their flock.
As we reached the assembly point, a massive holographic screen materialized above us. The image it displayed immediately grabbed my attention. Stellaris Arena was now encased in a shimmering, translucent shield—a defense barrier. The system had activated some kind of protection mechanism.
Suddenly, the screen flickered and shifted to the grim face of City Lord Vassor. His expression was grave, far removed from the welcoming figure I remembered at the opening ceremony.
"I apologize for the current situation," he began, his voice heavy with restrained urgency. "Stellaris Arena is under attack. We have also received reports that several participants are missing."
A murmur spread through the crowd, the whispers growing into a low rumble of anxiety and confusion. I blinked in disbelief, my mind reeling at his words. Missing participants? Who could've disappeared in the middle of an arena this heavily fortified?
The screen switched again, this time displaying the faces of the missing students. I saw the crest of the Radiant Tide Academy, Thunderpeak Academy, and Stellar Apex Academy—each one representing a top academy. But the last face jolted me.
One of the missing students was from Celestial Academy. My academy. My heart sank as the name registered in my mind.
Sophina Norm.
Moza, who had been standing beside me, clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His aura shifted, growing darker, more intense, like a storm about to break. His voice came out as a low, pained whisper. "Sophie…"
His reaction told me everything I needed to know. This wasn't just any student from our academy. This was someone close to him—maybe a sister or someone even more personal. His entire body vibrated with barely restrained fury, his aura flaring out, making the air around him feel heavy.
"Moza," came the stern voice of Vice Dean Miroden, who quickly stepped in front of him. "Calm yourself. Your sister should be fine. She is stronger than you think."
For a moment, I wasn't sure if Moza could. His entire being seemed ready to explode, and frankly, I wouldn't have blamed him if he did. If it had been one of my older brothers, or someone I cared about, I wasn't sure I would have had the composure to hold back either.
The city lord continued his explanation, trying to keep the panic at bay. "The missing students were caught in the middle of the attack, which occurred during their matches. A domain portal was activated within the arena, pulling them through. We do not know where they have been taken or by whom, but the arena's defense systems have been fully activated to prevent any further abductions."
My mind raced. A domain portal? Inside the arena? How did something like that happen? There should have been wards and protections against such breaches. Whoever orchestrated this was powerful, and worse yet, they were bold enough to attack a place filled with some of the most skilled young fighters in the Zodiac Universe.
The screen flickered again, showing the site of the abductions—Arena 1, where the top-ranking students of each academy were battling. Sophina was one of them, as were students from Radiant Tide and the others. The Top 10 ranked students. Whoever was behind this knew exactly who they were targeting.
The arena grew quiet, the tension thickening as everyone digested the situation. I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on us, on me. The competition no longer mattered. The points on the leaderboard felt insignificant in the face of this.
Why would someone attack the arena? And why target the top students?
Moza stood rigid beside me, his eyes locked on the screen, his aura still simmering with fury and despair. I wanted to say something—anything—to calm him, but what could I say? I didn't even know how to process this myself.
Before I could find the words, Instructor Layna stepped forward, addressing our group with a firm but composed voice. "Everyone, remain calm. We are under the protection of the arena's defense systems. No one else will be taken. Stay close to your academy, and await further instructions."
Her words carried weight, but they did little to soothe the unease gnawing at my insides. This was more than just an attack. This was a challenge—a deliberate strike against our safety and, possibly, against our very existence as Awakeners.
I glanced at Moza, his face still etched with tension. If we were going to get through this, we needed to stay sharp. Whoever did this wasn't finished. This was just the beginning.
As I looked out at the shimmering shield that now encased Stellaris Arena, I felt an unfamiliar sense of dread creep into my bones. This wasn't just a competition anymore. We were part of something much larger now, something darker, and we would need to be ready for whatever came next.
I was prepared to fight in the arena, to push myself to the edge of my limits against powerful opponents. But this—this was an entirely different battlefield, and I had no idea what was waiting on the other side.
But one thing was certain: I wouldn't stand by and let them take anyone else.
I wasn't sure if it was the weight of the Ophiuchus on my soul or something else altogether, but I felt the stirrings of a deeper power within me, a quiet but undeniable call to action. Whatever was coming, I would be ready.
Even if it meant going through hell to find the answers.