EQUINOX || The Catalysts Series, #3

XXIX

It's as if Caelus arrived just to speak to her. Because after their conversation, he's left once more.

In reality, he didn't intentionally arrive for Lena; he'd been watching the games for his two best friends, Roen and Neesha. When the two had entered the fields, the two had stopped talking naturally, and watched the opening introductions of all shortlisted participants.

"Aren't you supposed to be up there as one of the panelists?" Lena had asked when an announcer's voice went through, explaining the next round.

"They said I was too monotonous and unnatural," Caelus explained, and he looked as if he didn't really understand what he did wrong. And perhaps he didn't; it wasn't exactly a crime to be so clueless. Lena can't help but suppress her laughter.

He left the moment Arcana begun to introduce the details of the next game, as if he just wanted to check in on his two best friends' presences, seeming to have no interest in the games even if the two are participating to win.

As he left, Lena can't deny that Caelus must have came partially also for her, knowing she'd be at the spectator stands because she had lost. Because knowing him, he could've watched Roen and Neesha somewhere else—which is why he left so soon presumably to do so—without the crowd and away from any eyes at all.

Now Lena watches the game proceed below alone at the railing where Caelus left her, her heart lighter than it is before.

It's an obstacle race course. All students are being pitted against each other all at once. During the prelims, all students were also allowed into the course simultaneously, but the walls and all the maze's own trials were separating them from going all out duels with each other. It was a full arena, but the students aren't directly competing with each other because students can choose not to engage in direct combat or conflict and instead opt to challenge the trials instead. Today's race course is an open space with many obstacles and trials, but students are going to have to compete with each other directly on the tracks if they clash—which they likely will. The arena is wide and the track space is enough to fit ten at once, but that's not going to stop some brawls from happening.

While the maze prelims was captured with more sensitive micro cameras that zip across every angle and every scenario of the maze to best capture everything happening altogether, a drone is about just enough for this one. Multiple drones are flying across the sky, already pitching for the best angles as Lena sees them projected to the sky and to the world.

Lena is almost excited to see the competition. It's a different feeling when you're on the fields versus when you're spectating; the pressure on her is now gone, and she can watch from the sidelines. Even if she'd felt bad about losing, watching the games proceed now gives her a different perspective: that she can learn just as much if she observes.

Today, the guest is Grandmaster Alizeh, who has greying streaks over her dark hair, and mischief dancing in her light blue eyes. She is rumoured to be Caelus' mentor, and is invited as a guest today alongside Azrael. The two of them and Arcana represents the three-person panel today.

"A race course," Grandmaster Alizeh comments simply, seemingly bored. She seems flippant and much too casual for a legendary grandmaster, so unlike the fierce portrayal of Grandmaster Nerida. Even her posture is lazy, uninterested.

Arcana is amused as usual, but he seems to be entertained by Grandmaster Alizeh's behaviour, as if it isn't the first time he is seeing her like this. He studied her with a strange expression Lena can't make out through cameras alone, before supplementing, "If there's anything the students of Arcane Academy like more than the opportunity of tearing each other's throats out, it's to win a high stake race with more than one element in it. So, yes, Grandmaster Alizeh. With all due respect, the first official Annual Games begin with a typical race course, spiced with abilities."