Chapter 8 - Unfinished Battle

Isabella's return to the arena was marked by a disquieting silence. The echoes of the earlier battle had faded, leaving behind a landscape marred by destruction. The once-pristine training ground was now a wasteland of shattered stone, uprooted trees, and deep gouges in the earth. The air was thick with the smell of churned soil and the faint, lingering tang of sweat and blood.

Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene before her: The once-structured battlefield had been torn apart, with chunks of debris scattered haphazardly. Massive craters pockmarked the ground, remnants of the fierce attacks unleashed during the confrontation. Some of the training dummies were nothing more than splintered wood, while others had been completely pulverized. The sheer scale of the destruction was a testament to the intensity of the battle that had taken place.

Her gaze darted from one end of the arena to the other, her mind racing to piece together what had happened in her absence. The trainees stood scattered around the battlefield, their faces a mix of exhaustion, confusion, and lingering adrenaline. The instructors—Connor, Louise, and Akanji—stood apart, their expressions grim and alert, as if expecting another attack at any moment."What in the world happened here?" Isabella demanded, her voice sharp with concern as she approached the instructors. The tension in the air was palpable, and her tone carried an edge of urgency.

Connor, usually the first to crack a joke or lighten the mood, was uncharacteristically serious as he stepped forward to explain. "We were ambushed," he said, his voice low but steady. "By a lancer known as The Cavalry. He brought his army of shadow wolves with him."

"The Cavalry?" Isabella repeated, her brows furrowing in confusion. She knew of the lancer's infamous reputation, but it made little sense for him to target a ranger training facility. "But why here? What did he want?"

Louise answered, her voice calm but tinged with frustration. "He claimed it was justice." Her hands, still crackling faintly with residual energy from her resonance kami, clenched into fists. "But there's more… we had him on the ropes. He was no match for the three of us, yet he managed to escape."

Isabella's eyes narrowed as she processed this information. "Escape? How? The Cavalry is powerful, but a 3-on-1 should have been the end for him."

Akanji, ever the showman even in the aftermath of battle, flicked an imaginary speck of dust from his shoulder before speaking. "Someone intervened," he said, his voice laced with intrigue. "Just as I was about to finish him off, a thick black mist engulfed the arena. We couldn't see a thing, and when it cleared, The Cavalry was gone."

The confusion in Isabella's expression deepened. "A mist? But who could have…" Her voice trailed off as she struggled to make sense of the situation. "There's no one in our ranks with such an ability. Could it have been another lancer?"

"That's what we're wondering," Connor admitted. "Whoever it was, they were strong enough to snatch The Cavalry out of our grasp without leaving a trace."

As the instructors continued to discuss the battle, Kasuto and Hanne stood at a distance, listening intently. They had always known Connor was skilled—after all, he was one of the top instructors at the academy—but seeing him in action today had been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Kasuto, who prided himself on his analytical mind and cool demeanor, couldn't shake the image of Connor taking on The Cavalry, parrying each attack with a speed and precision that seemed almost otherworldly. So it's true, he thought, his expression betraying a hint of respect. He really is a Grandmaster ranger…Hanne, too, was struck by what she had witnessed. She had always found Connor's laid-back attitude hard to reconcile with the idea that he was one of the strongest rangers in the academy. But now, after seeing him unleash his full power against The Cavalry, she understood. He wasn't kidding… she mused, still processing the speed and fluidity of his movements. Connor really is a Grandmaster… The thought filled her with a mixture of admiration and determination. If she could learn even a fraction of what Connor knew, she might one day reach that level herself.

Before Isabella could respond to Connor's last comment, a rustling sound came from the edge of the arena. The group turned to see Karl, the Master-ranked ranger who had been assigned to watch over the trainees, stumbling into view. The sight of him was alarming—his body was covered in strange, mushroom-like growths, and his skin had taken on a sickly pallor. His once-strong frame was now hunched and trembling with weakness."Karl!" Isabella exclaimed, rushing forward to catch him as he collapsed to the ground. His breathing was ragged, each inhalation a struggle. The instructors hurried over, their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm as they took in Karl's condition.

"Karl, what happened to you?" Isabella asked, her voice tight with worry as she supported him.Karl's eyes, dull and unfocused, struggled to meet hers. "They… they came for me… before I could warn you…" His voice was barely a whisper, each word costing him immense effort. "Lancers… they're created… an o-organisation…"The words sent a chill down Isabella's spine. "Lancers? Do you know who's leading them?"

Karl's mouth moved, but no sound came out. He coughed, a wet, gurgling sound that made Isabella flinch. Then, with a final, desperate effort, he rasped, "The leader… is…"

But before he could finish, his body convulsed violently, and his eyes rolled back. A final breath escaped his lips, and he went still. The mushroom-like growths on his body seemed to wither, their vibrant colours fading as if they too had died with him.

For a moment, there was only silence. The weight of Karl's incomplete message hung heavy in the air, leaving Isabella and the others in a state of shock and disbelief.

Isabella gently laid Karl's lifeless body on the ground, her hands trembling as she did so. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. When she spoke again, her voice was firm, though tinged with sorrow. "We need to stop the training. Until we understand what's going on, it's too dangerous to continue."

The trainees, who had been listening from a distance, exchanged uneasy glances. The excitement and adrenaline from the earlier battle had dissipated, replaced by a growing sense of dread. The reality of the situation was beginning to set in. Isabella turned to the group, her expression resolute. "Return to your dorms. We'll regroup and decide our next steps once we've assessed the situation. Stay alert, and do not leave the premises until we know more."

The trainees nodded, though some were visibly shaken by the day's events. As they began to disperse, Misimi lingered behind, a deep scowl etched on his face. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles white with frustration."Damn it," Misimi muttered under his breath, his voice filled with anger. "I didn't even get to fight Rion… That lancer and his stupid wolves ruined everything!"

His mind raced with thoughts of revenge, the anger boiling within him. The Cavalry had not only disrupted the training but had also robbed him of the opportunity to prove himself against Rion. The thought of it gnawed at him, fueling his resentment.

Rion, on the other hand, was lost in his own thoughts as he walked towards the dorms. The events of the day had left him weary, but his mind kept drifting to his sister, Penelope. He had left her in a secluded spot earlier, intending to return to her after training. With classes canceled for the next day, he now had the perfect opportunity to sneak out, check on her and spend some time together.

But even as he planned his visit, a nagging sense of unease lingered. The encounter with The Cavalry, the mysterious mist, and Karl's dying words all pointed to a larger, more dangerous threat on the horizon. For the first time, Rion wondered if he was truly ready for the challenges that lay ahead.

As the trainees filed out of the arena, the sense of unease remained, like a dark cloud hanging over the training center. The battle had ended, but the war was far from over. The unanswered questions, the looming threat of the lancer organization, and the mystery of the shadowy rescuer all left an unsettling feeling in the hearts of those who had witnessed the day's events.

Back in the now-deserted arena, the echoes of the unfinished battle seemed to linger, a haunting reminder that the true fight had only just begun.