EQUINOX || The Catalysts Series, #3

XXVIII

PART II: Shattered Dreams & Realities

The attention is overwhelming.

Lena recalls saying this upon her first few days of arrival in Arcane Academy, but this is a different kind of overwhelming. It's a national kind of overwhelming. Just what kind of celebrity lives are the students of Arcane Academy living?

Classes are more than full of energy the next couple of days in light of the Annual Games. Students and professors alike are high in spirits, equally eager to learn and teach. Lessons are held in between, with the next games held this afternoon. With that said, excitement hits peak today, and barely any student's listening to what the professors have to say. The latter however, decide to let the students free. It is a once in a year kind of event after all.

Lena found herself being recognised everywhere: on the Aerotrain, on the streets of the City of Leatia, even her neighbourhood in Sector Eridanus. Before, it's a different kind of fame. Everyone spares a look or two because of her academy outfit, knowing she's enrolled in the elite school and probably possess some strong abilities. That's also what happened when she visited the edges of Sectors Andromeda and Bellatrix. Now, people look at her as if they know her. And they probably do.

Once, while travelling on the Aerotrain, a group of shy younger students approached her through an 'accidental' manner of bumping into her and asking the obvious question of whether she's from Arcane Academy. They just wanted to talk to her; one of the friends said she'd looked amazing on the shot. Lena can only hope she didn't mean falling face first to the ground amazing.

It doesn't help that Lena is voted for one of the best fights. Statistics have gone out over the days since the preliminary round, and Lena's face has been up more than ever not because of her close stunt—thankfully—but for being up there as one of the most voted best fights. That's right, somehow her fight against Leviathan for the final 'star' has been voted as one of the many top choices for viewership. As a result, it was replayed many times over the days, her face featured as a portrait for screens that do not play videos. Of course, there are many other features such as other top fights, best individual performances, or best overall abilities usage, and many other interesting statistics either voted or bested out, but this makes her all the more recognisable when her face is being put on display continuously even after the prelims—and even after she is disqualified. Perhaps only after today she'll finally be forgotten.

For that reason, Lena has put her ventures on hold. While she's been much freer than other students who will be competing tomorrow, she can't risk loitering the different sectors with a known face. Sector Delphinus may not care too much about her appearance—for all they care, she's living in the sector alongside them—but she might garner unnecessary attention in the hype of the Annual Games.

It's all everyone is talking about for days. The headlines bear no other news—which Lena thinks is extreme for the City of Leatia. It's not possible for nothing else to be happening; they are just covering it from public.

Lena scrolls the news more so than ever these days, just to see what else is going on... to no avail. She's tired of all the headlines featuring their academy already.

Will the better parts of the City continue to prosper, while the rest of it suffer?

It bothers her. After what she'd seen at the borders of Sectors Andromeda and Bellatrix, she can't simply forget that or brush it off her mind. It's been at the corners of her mind for days as this grand life of hers continues, nagging at her whenever she tries to enjoy. So how can the rest of the world be able to focus on the games as if hypnotised?

A stadium is erected for the games today. And this time, the arena is much smaller to accommodate the less students participating—and to focus attention on them—while the circumference is made into a spectator's stand. And still, it is as grand as the previous event, because this is the opening event for shortlisted candidates.