Gods and Mortals

#19: Deadliest Attack

"Kid... Hey, kid, wake up. Are you alright?" The words echoed through a demigod's mind, a voice filled with concern cutting through the haze. "Those troublemakers didn't know what hit them when they decided to mess with a little kid. Can you hear me?"

Suddenly, the memory surged into his consciousness, seeming to stretch time though it had only been a matter of seconds. And in response, X's eyes fluttered open, snapping him back to the present almost instantly.

He rose from his place, the dream – or more accurately, a fragment of his past – fading away like morning mist. As his surroundings came into focus, he realized he was in a room, accompanied by three other demigods on the floor: Iris Haze, Tyler Justice, and Arthur Knight.

His thoughts pieced together the before and after of their transportation, reminding him that they now occupied an arena – the stage for their upcoming trials.

Gradually, the rest of Team Stellar stirred, awakening from the disorienting effects of their journey one by one. Their collective groans were almost symphonic, a chorus of headaches reverberating through the air.

X, too, felt the ache, though he regarded it with an odd detachment, not quite labeling it as true pain.

As the discomfort waned, Iris moved towards a window that overlooked the expanse beyond. A realization dawned – they stood atop a towering structure. Nearby, a prominent flag caught their attention at the end of the room, a reminder of the game mode they were embroiled in.

Sol's words resurfaced in their minds – to win, a team must possess more than one flag, necessitating the capture of rival flags.

"Alright, mis amores, it's time to strategize. Any ideas?" Iris voiced the need for teamwork, a call to collective effort.

Tyler joined her, his voice brimming with optimism. "I'm with Iris. Our team's got potential, we can win this."

Arthur added his consent, surrendering to the necessity of collaboration.

Yet, X seemed distant, unmoved by their discussion. Seated by the open window, he let his gaze roam the surroundings.

Gazing around, he observed the absence of other towers on the horizon. This implied that their team might be the sole tower occupant or that the arena was so immense that no other tower was within sight.

Considering the latter as the likelier scenario, X found the lack of additional towers inconsequential. His attention returned to the landscape, noting that approximately eighty percent of it was covered by sprawling forests, broken up by occasional clearings and bodies of water.

"X, we need to be on the same page here," Iris called out, attempting to draw him into the team's discussion.

As she moved closer, attempting to engage X, she couldn't help but notice his pupils were contracted, resembling the reaction to a sudden flashlight or the intense focus of a hunting bird of prey.

"What the..." Iris voiced.

Her confusion was palpable, but before she could probe further, X's attention shifted northwestward, his pupils returning to their normal size. He spotted another tower in that direction, several miles away.

His gaze reverted to normal as he adjusted to the other side of the window, then without hesitation, he leaped outside.

Hurriedly, Iris reached the window, realizing the drop would be significant. To her bewilderment, X was nowhere in sight at the tower's base.

X's departure left Arthur seething with frustration. The plans for strategizing shifted, prompting him to exit the tower through the door leading to the ground.