EQUINOX || The Catalysts Series, #3

XXVII

All set to return to her residence and rest up for the long, exhausting day, Lena is back in the fields of Arcane Academy. Flanked by Neesha and Roen, the three are chatting away about the Annual Games and recent news when they reach the fields, having to go through the gates built here to be back out in the City.

Students who already took the notice to leave early are already somewhat merrily scattered across the field. Some are playing their own casual sports, but Lena finds that more of them are already spent from the games earlier and are just scattered across the dimensions leisurely. There are some duels as expected, but definitely far less than usual. Even the best students of Arcane Academy opt to take a break for once and relax, even if it is playing some ability driven sports or games.

Neesha is still reading off the news as they walk across the artificial grass lawn. She focuses on the positive impact the Annual Games have on the public now that they are out on the open, directly repeating after the breaking headlines:

THE ANNUAL GAMES: ARCANE ACADEMY'S YEARLY EVENT KICK OFF

INFAMOUS MR. DE VINCENZO MARKS HIS PRESENCE AS ARCANE ACADEMY'S PANELIST

"Aaand it goes on, and on," Neesha drawls, her tone a mixture of awe and in it, some kind of irritation and disgust. She bobs her head, reading the personalised screen faster and faster, her eyes growing distant and unfocused as she begins skimming. "Arcane Academy, Annual Games, Headmaster Arcana, Stormbringer and Superman, the Grandmasters, the Games, the government representatives. Future Catalysts, top Academy. Blah, blah—we're everywhere."

"Are we famous yet?" Roen pipes in enthusiastically, skipping in his long step, waving to a group of girls on his way out to the lawn and fist bumping a first year.

Neesha rolls her eyes after giving Roen a disgruntled glance. "You're already famous."

"I meant the world. Am I featured?"

"I'm pretty sure all of us had a chance at the big screen."

"No one would beat my feature," Lena offers, thinking back to her face meeting the ground. She winces as she remembers the moment she realised that particular moment was captured and broadcasted live to the entire City of Leatia. "I made an impression."

Roen laughs. "The way you fell flat on your face? Way to make it to the world's spotlight indeed, Miss Lena."

"Of course you've seen that," Lena grumbles.

"Are you kidding? Everyone must have seen that."

Not all, Lena thinks silently, somehow reminded of Caelus' aloofness and lack of attention to the Annual Games entirely. He's a damned panelist, so why wasn't he at least watching?

And why does she care if he was watching or not?

Annoyed by her own thoughts, Lena seems to have picked up the pace without her realising. Roen and Neesha catch up eventually because Lena pauses. She turns, searching for that faint pull she'd felt so suddenly tugging at her, something so strange and inexplicable in this unique super-powered world. Everything around her shifts into a slight blur as if she's entering a different dimension—except that can't be, because she isn't actively using her abilities, and there are no glass mediums nearby.

"Lena? What's wrong?" Neesha seems to be asking.

"Just dizzy from earlier, I think," Lena says as she blinks, then refocuses. The odd spell is gone. It must just be lethargy.