Part Thirty-Two

Queen Celeste watches in awe as the array she activated with her mana begins its intricate work. Her lightning affinity, channeled through the array, flows through each individual affected by the corruption. To her, the process is vivid and clear, as if time has slowed down. The mana weaves magic circles around the academy, a visual testament to the power of the array. 'Amazing... my mana is being completely controlled. By having me do this, he is giving me all the credit while ensuring no traces of him remain. This man doesn't want to be known,' she realizes, a new understanding of Kael's intentions dawning on her.

As she continues to observe, her thoughts turn inquisitive. 'It's weird, though. If he doesn't want to be known, why would he expose himself to me? Does he want something from me?' Her expression remains calm and serious, even as her mind races with questions and theories about Kael's true motives.

Kael, standing beside her, gazes down at the people affected by the array. 'Raelle and Elith look tired, Riya seems to be enjoying herself. I'm glad she's there; those three are barely holding on,' he observes, assessing the situation. He knows that by now, everyone below has noticed the array, but it's too late for them to do anything. Even if they tried to escape, the process is irreversible.

Suddenly, the mana pulsating through the array transforms into a white mist, enveloping everyone it touches. One by one, the individuals affected by the corruption collapse, succumbing to a deep unconsciousness. The scene below is one of eerie stillness, as the mist continues to spread, rendering each person it touches inert.

Kael observes the aftermath of the array's activation, with everyone affected by the corruption now fallen into a deep unconsciousness. 'The parasites should be killed by now. My part is done,' he thinks, assessing the situation. 'I can't intervene in Professor Thaddeus's fight. If I get near, I'd be taken out instantly. And Rose can't interfere either, or it might disrupt the storyline.'

With a strategic move, Kael steps forward and addresses Queen Celeste, "The boy you're looking for is north from here. He should be hiding in a wall." He watches as Celeste's eyes widen in realization. 'Ash, that little boy is here. I don't want to leave like this... Dammit,' she thinks, conflicted about her next move.

Seeking to maintain contact, Celeste asks, "Is there a way I can contact you?" Kael, smirking behind his mask, internally comments on her attempt to keep tabs on him. "I will find you when I need you," he responds cryptically, maintaining his enigmatic demeanor.

Without another word, Kael jumps off the balcony, landing amidst the crowd of sleeping students, skillfully navigating his way through them. Queen Celeste restrains herself from following, understanding his desire for secrecy. 'He clearly doesn't want to be followed. I should go pick up Ash,' she decides, before swiftly heading north.

Meanwhile, Kael moves among the unconscious students, throwing a marble at Raelle, Elith, and Riya. A puff of purple smoke emerges, and he observes them start snoring. "Pretending to be sleeping, smart kids," he remarks, acknowledging their quick thinking.

As he surveys the scene, Kael reflects on his next steps. 'I didn't tell her the exact location of Ash, or she'll come looking for me. I need to get back into the competition right now,' he thinks, planning his reentry into the ongoing events.

Kael locates Sera amidst the aftermath of the recent events. Finding her on the ground, he nudges her, "Alright, Sera, get up. No need to pretend anymore." Sera groans as she rises, complaining, "My body still hurts."

Kael, more focused on the task at hand, disregards her comment. "Let's go back," he states firmly. He taps his earpiece and instructs, "Go back to the portal." From the other side, Lysandra responds with a yawn, "I'm already waiting for you."

As they start moving, Sera, curious about the outcome of Kael's actions, inquires, "So... did you save them all?" Her eyes scan the bodies still lying on the floor.

Kael, running with Sera following close behind, assures her, "They're all fine. The parasites are gone, and they'll be back up in half an hour."

Sera, trying to keep pace, stretches and asks, "What are we going to do now?"

Kael, formulating a believable cover story in his mind, thinks aloud, 'Everyone should be completely focused on Suzu and Oliver's fight right now. When I went underwater, I found a cave. I explored that cave and came across Sera where we fought. That's not a completely unrealistic story, given that if they can't detect us in the cave, they can't confirm nor deny that story.'

-

Kael and Sera arrive at the portal, where Lysandra is already waiting for them. As they approach, she stands up, stretching, and greets them casually, "Yo. You sure took your time."

Without hesitation, Kael pushes both Sera and Lysandra into the cave, now standing by the portal. With a determined look, he addresses the portal, "No need for this anymore, sorry Nyssa but you won't get away." He then proceeds to break the portal, methodically deactivating it and reducing it to small rocks.

Lysandra, observing Kael's actions, smirks and teases, "Haha, did you get mad or something?" She then turns to Sera, her expression curious and somewhat mocking. "And why are you here, didn't you attack us?"

Sera, visibly embarrassed and caught off-guard, responds in a quiet, almost inaudible voice, "I didn't mean to do that."

Kael, trying to alleviate the tension, addresses Lysandra, "Alright Lysandra, stop complaining. When this is over, I'm going to make you your favorite dish." At the mention of food, Lysandra's demeanor changes instantly. Her eyes light up, her mouth waters, and she turns to Sera with a smug expression. Grasping onto Kael, she boasts, "You see this? This is what a best friend is."

Kael, slightly annoyed by Lysandra's antics, gently pushes her off. 'This damn woman, always acting like this whenever I mention food,' he thinks.

Leaving Lysandra and Sera alone, Kael walks off to attend to other matters. Sera watches Lysandra, who is still grinning, and can't help but feel a pang of jealousy. 'She is always next to Kael and she's always disrespecting him. Why does Kael like her so much? Wait, don't tell me... are they dating? No, no, no, I shouldn't be thinking that. Lysandra looks too beautiful. I'm not trying to make fun of Kael, but given Lysandra's personality, I doubt she would want to be with Kael,' Sera muses, trying to understand the dynamics of their relationship.

Kael is focused on a screen. His eyes scan the information displayed, revealing a calm yet analytical demeanor. 'Good, everything is going fine. I'm surprised Rami is still around, but given her personality, she might have already cut ties with her mother,' he muses internally.

Without turning away from the screen, Kael instructs Lysandra, "Change back to the Academy uniform, Lysandra." As he speaks, he begins to remove his suit, methodically folding it and putting it away. Lysandra, ever so nonchalant, throws her outfit at him, her tone laced with a hint of eagerness, "Are we heading back to fight?"

Kael takes a moment to assess both Lysandra and Sera. Lysandra appears unscathed, in stark contrast to Sera, who looks visibly beaten. 'Well, there's no need to change her,' he thinks, acknowledging Sera's condition.

Approaching Lysandra, Kael prepares her for what's to come. "This will hurt," he warns, as he coats his arm in mana and aura. Before Lysandra can react, he lands a swift punch to her gut, eliciting a cough and a startled exclamation from her, "What the fuck do you think you're d—"

However, Kael quickly diverts her attention with a fireball, momentarily capturing her focus like a cat with a toy. In that brief moment of distraction, he takes the opportunity to punch her in the face. Sera, observing the scene, can't help but think in disbelief, 'How can she keep falling for that?'

Kael continues, making sure Lysandra appears as though she's been in a fight. "There, now she looks like she's fought," he comments, satisfied with the result.

Turning to both Lysandra and Sera, he braces himself for what's next. "Alright, you two... go ahead and punch me," he says, a hint of reluctance in his voice. 'Shit, I'm going to regret this.'

Lysandra's face lights up with a mischievous grin. "Fair enough," she replies enthusiastically and begins to punch Kael repeatedly. Kael, though he coats his body in aura to minimize the damage, still feels the impact of each blow. The pain is evident on his face, but he endures it.

After a series of punches, Kael signals them to stop, coughing, "Alright, enough." He looks at the three of them, noting their disheveled appearances. 'Now it looks like we've been fighting each other,' he concludes, satisfied that their appearances will support the cover story he has in mind.

Kael calmly grasps Sera's arm, a focused expression on his face. "Nyssa deactivated it, let me see..." he mutters, tinkering with the device until it flickers back to life. "Alright, Sera, remember now. We came across each other in the cave and fought. Tell them Nyssa left you and ran off," he instructs, his voice carrying an authoritative edge.

Sera, confusion etched across her features, stammers, "Huh? Wait, what do you mean?" Kael offers her a sly smile, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I hope you don't make me waste time like earlier," he says, his tone light but with an underlying seriousness.

Without warning, he stabs her, the bracelet on her arm glowing brightly in response. Sera coughs up blood, her eyes widening in shock as she realizes the blade has pierced her stomach. Despite the pain, a resigned smile crosses her lips. "I guess I deserve this..." she whispers, her form fading as she's teleported out of the competition.

Lysandra, observing the scene with a smug grin, punches a hole in the wall in anticipation. "So, can I finally fight someone!?" she exclaims, her excitement palpable.

Kael, meanwhile, is busy fixing up their bracelets. He slips them on with a practiced ease. "That would depend on how things play out," he replies, his tone noncommittal yet suggestive of underlying plans.

He then halts abruptly, extending his hand. "Give it to me," he demands. Lysandra reaches into her pouch, retrieving a large dragon heart, glowing a soft red hue, encased in chains covered with runes. Kael takes it in his hands, examining it closely. 'This will come in handy. I want to see if Eira can make a cloak using it,' he thinks, his mind already racing with possibilities.

Lysandra gazes at the heart, a hint of discomfort in her eyes. "That heart... it's from an old man..." she murmurs, a tinge of confusion in her voice. Kael nods. "Yeah, the ones that killed him are pretty strong," he acknowledges, his thoughts turning Serious. 'She must feel uncomfortable seeing it. I should keep it away from her. As much as I like making fun of her, to her a dragon heart means a possible member of the same clan died.' 

Kael's hand strikes Lysandra's head with a sharp smack, startling her. "Don't think about it too hard, idiot," he chides, his voice carrying a mix of sternness and jest. As he stows away the dragon heart, he adds, "Don't tell me you're going to get all emotional."

Lysandra, taken aback, retorts with a hint of defiance, "Huh!? Me? Emotional? As if!" She stands taller, puffing her chest out in a show of feigned confidence.

Kael's smirk deepens, revealing his amusement. "You know, I haven't forgotten. When I have time, I'm going to teach you how to swim," he declares, watching her reaction closely.

Lysandra nearly trips at his words, her glare sharpening as she faces Kael. "I-I won't do it," she asserts, her voice firm yet revealing a trace of apprehension.

Kael doesn't relent, his tone turning slightly playful yet firm. "No, you will. You have to listen to me, or I won't be feeding you anymore, and you'll have to eat that boring food that can't compare to mine," he counters, as they step out of the cave.

Lysandra, caught in a dilemma, bites her cheek, torn between her reluctance and her desire for Kael's cooking. Despite her strong front, her silence speaks volumes; she is unwilling to give up the culinary delights Kael offers, even if it means facing her fears.