Phoenix Warriors

Chapter 11

A week had passed since my strange encounter with Xavier, and I had forced myself to focus on training. The next trial was only a few weeks away, looming over all of us like a dark cloud. Every day felt like a countdown, ticking closer to something I didn't fully understand but knew I needed to prepare for.

I continued sparring with Garick, but neither of us mentioned the kiss. It was like an unspoken agreement between us, both pretending it hadn't happened while things continued as usual. We worked well together, falling into a rhythm that I couldn't help but appreciate. He was sharp, quick, and despite his goofy charm, he was a strong fighter.

But even with the distraction of training, I couldn't shake the paranoia that had been gnawing at me since that night with Xavier. His words haunted me—you're more special than you think. I found myself questioning everyone around me, wondering who could be trusted. And more than that, I questioned myself. If there was something different about me, something that made me a target, I had no idea what it was.

I tried not to dwell on it too much, but it lingered in the back of my mind, like a dark shadow I couldn't outrun.

Today, though, was another Survival Instincts class. As soon as I stepped into the room, I could feel the energy shift. There was a tension in the air, a kind of seriousness that hadn't been there before. Everyone was on edge, knowing the trials were fast approaching.

Commander Vaelan stood at the front of the room, his eyes scanning over us with that same cold, calculating look. "Today, you'll be working in groups," he announced, his voice as sharp as ever. "Survival isn't a solo endeavor. More often than not, you'll need to rely on others to make it out alive. Whether you like them or not."

I took my seat, already sensing the groans and murmurs of dissatisfaction around me. The thought of relying on others for survival didn't sit well with a lot of people. Everyone was so used to competing against each other, fighting for the top spot, that the idea of working together seemed almost foreign.

Vaelan continued, "In a real-world situation, you don't get to choose who you're stranded with. It could be your best friend, or it could be the person who annoys you most. But if you want to make it out alive, you'll need to adapt."

He motioned for us to group up, and I felt the familiar tightness in my chest. Group work wasn't exactly my favorite, especially with the way things had been recently. I'd spent so much time second-guessing everyone around me that the thought of trusting anyone felt... impossible.

A few students near me started to move, and before I knew it, I was in a group with three guys who didn't seem too thrilled to have me there. I could feel their eyes on me, judging, though none of them said anything outright. But I could hear the whispers, the quiet mutters under their breath.

"Great, we're stuck with a girl," one of them scoffed, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He was tall, with a permanent scowl on his face, and looked like he could've been the leader of some schoolyard gang.

I bit back the sharp retort on the tip of my tongue, choosing to ignore him for now. I had bigger things to focus on.

Vaelan stepped forward again, his hard gaze sweeping across the room. "Today's lesson is about trust. Survival isn't just about being able to fend for yourself. Sometimes, the only way to make it out alive is by trusting the people around you—whether you want to or not. That means you need to be able to help them, and they need to be able to help you."

He locked eyes with a few students, and I had to resist the urge to shrink under his scrutiny. "Imagine you're stranded. No map, no shelter, no idea when—or if—help is coming. The only thing you have are the people around you. If you can't figure out how to work together, you won't survive. End of story."