Rise of the Young: Warriors are not made; they are forged (The Ascended Book 2)

by Bygott, Hugo C.

  “The odds have evened! Can Xu and Abel join forces to stop Sonus and Svana?” shouted Yujin.

  All around the stadium, students began to chant the names of Xu and Abel. Students from factions whose leaders were already out, and also students who were factionless cheered them on. Down by the podium, the taiko drummers started to beat their drums. The sound of the drums in tandem with the pouring of the rain filled the stadium with a vibrant energy.

  Xu moved carefully with his spear, keeping his eyes on Sonus and Svana, while Abel was calm as if he were a rock in a storm. The beat of the drums increased and grew more loudly as the remaining four combatants waited for the first one to strike. None of them were fazed by the unrelenting rain, the rain falling so quickly over their barriers that it blurred their vision. Sonus moved first, darting in and firing fireball after fireball at Xu, but Xu blinked away, trying his best to avoid the intense heat. Sonus was especially vicious in his onslaught compared to his attacks on the other faction leaders. He was burning with rage, caring little for his own safety as he pursued Xu tirelessly, not even allowing Xu to counterattack.

  While Sonus kept his attacks on Xu, Svana blew kisses toward Abel, followed by brutal bolts of lightning. Abel forced back the lightning with his own mixture of elemental energy. Not one of Svana’s bolts made contact, causing her to become frustrated. She decided to combine her elemental attacks with her sword, firing bolts of lightning as she blinked toward Abel with her sword drawn. Abel sprayed a flow of water across her path which turned to ice as she landed. Svana slipped on the newly formed ice path, and her scream of anger was heard all across the stadium. She tried to regain her footing, but Abel formed a ring of stone around her, trapping her in a cage. Svana tried to break free, but the stone was unmoving as she struggled against the walls of her prison. Abel then turned his attention to Sonus who was keeping Xu pinned down.

  Sonus sensed Abel behind him and blinked away just in time to avoid being trapped in another stone prison. Sonus spat on the ground at the attempt and gave Abel a scornful look. He then proceeded to generate balls of fire at great speed, but each fireball was knocked away by Abel’s own energy.

  With the pressure on Xu temporarily eased, Xu prepared his spear to strike Sonus while his attention was on Abel. Xu blinked behind Sonus and drove his spear now wrapped in energy into him. A resounding crackle lit up the Cube as Xu’s spear pierced the exterior of Sonus’s barrier, but despite the powerful impact, Sonus’s barrier had expanded so greatly that the tip of Xu’s spear was unable to reach Sonus.

  As Xu tried to remove his spear from Sonus’s barrier, he was taken by surprise as a surge of fire surrounded him, weakening his own barrier. Sonus broke through the barrier and grabbed Xu’s throat, pressing down tightly.

  Abel intensified his attacks, and the sheer force of his energy caused Sonus to release his grip on Xu. Xu fell to the ground and was breathing heavily, trying to regain his senses. He looked to Abel with appreciation, but before he could return to his feet, Xu was thrown forward as a bolt of lightning struck him from behind.

  Svana had broken out of the stone prison and had launched herself on top of Xu, striking down with fury in her eyes. He tried to force Svana off him, but the sudden attack had caused him to lose concentration. Abel tried to help but did not see the flame of energy, shaped as an arrow, flying toward him. The fire-arrow pierced Abel’s first barrier, and the subsequent shockwave knocked him off his feet.

  Sonus had returned his attention to Xu while Svana held him down. Xu almost succeeded in forcing Svana back, but Sonus pulled Svana away from him and with a flaming fist struck Xu on his temple. With anger in his eyes, Sonus then grabbed his throat and continued to strike him. Svana was horrified as she stepped back from the enraged trance of Sonus.

  There was no more drumming nor cheering as only silence remained.

  “Please…no…” cried Whisper.

  Sonus continued beating down under the heavy downpour of rain before finally releasing his grip. Xu did not move.

  Svana looked at Sonus with fear as he rose to his feet, the blood staining his hands. There was no ray of light for Xu as had been for the others.

  Abel was back on his feet and ran forward with concentrated energy blasts which took Sonus and Svana by surprise, throwing them across the ground. Abel moved to Xu’s side, checked his pulse and then his wrist. He tried to wake him, but Xu did not respond.

  The crowd was silent. Yujin looked from the podium with a face of sorrow.

  Abel lowered his head into his palms and then roared so loudly that the Cube itself vibrated, echoing his pain. Abel turned around to Sonus and Svana with his own fury in his eyes. Sonus returned the glare, but Svana looked afraid. Abel picked up Xu’s spear and spun it around, finally ending with the tip pointed at them. Sonus and Svana moved together, firing balls of fire and bolts of lightning, but Abel’s speed was unmatched as he blinked from left to right, zipping around them in a dance of wild fury. Svana tried to strike with her sword, but Abel moved Xu’s spear with such precision that he disarmed her, driving the sword out of her hand. Abel then transformed his skin to a hardened rock and fired shards of ice at Sonus. Sonus tried to evade the oncoming ice by darting in and out of the shards and then threw a giant ball of fire toward him. Abel was not afraid as he formed a wall of water around him, extinguishing the flames. Before Sonus could prepare his next attack, Abel blinked toward him, and a beam of red energy came from his hands, destroying Sonus’s barrier and throwing him to the ground. Abel then turned and threw another red beam at Svana who was trying to find her sword. The energy broke through her barrier and threw her backward. Two flashes of light shot up into the sky, and both Sonus and Svana were removed from the Cube.

  Abel threw the spear to the ground and lowered his barrier, allowing the rain to fall on him. The stadium was silent as Abel walked through the rain and to Xu’s body. He lifted him up into his arms.

  Yujin held up the microphone with a heavy heart. “Sonus, Svana…and Xu are eliminated.”

  Abel carried Xu out of the caged energy walls of the Cube and placed his body on the ground.

  Kry’s heart pounded. After the deaths of Rhea and his parents, he had hoped he would never have to see an innocent death again. This was not the reality he wanted.

  Xu did not move, nor did he breathe. Abel returned to the Cube, standing under the rain which covered his tears.

  Yujin spoke with Katar and the other Professors before speaking on the microphone. There was sadness on all their faces. “Xu, a smart student, a brave warrior, and a powerful User has fallen in the Cube.” Yujin’s words were full of grief.

  The silence in the crowd now turned to anger as students shouted at the outcome. Students from Xu’s faction began to blink from the stands, and within seconds, many students were surrounding Xu’s body.

  Yujin and Katar tried to hold back the storm of students who showed their anger and pain. Zero acted first before the other professors and formed a barrier around Xu’s body. He then thrust his hands forward which created a shockwave to push back the students. Zero then made clear that no student would approach any further. Katar acknowledged Zero who did not appear to be happy with him.

  Yujin had the staff take Xu’s body away and asked Xu’s faction to return to their seats. It was some time before they all had returned to their seats, many in tears.

  “What has happened is something which can happen every time you enter the Cube, and although the Cube has certain failsafes to eject incapacitated students, not everyone makes it out unharmed. Life can be taken in an instant,” said Yujin. He shook his head in disappointment. “But we have a winner, and as is tradition, Abel must go on now to face the champion of the Cube.” The power in his voice had vanished, and his words lacked any enthusiasm.

  Abel remained inside the Cube, alone, his face turned to the sky. Kry was angry that the contest was continuing despite what had happened. Would one day this be his fate? Or even Eclipse or Whisper whe
n they would enter the Cube? He would not allow that, not since he had lost so much before.

  Another group of students walked onto the field, replacing the students with the taiko drums. These new students carried a large metallic disc which they placed over their laps as they sat in a line.

  “The hang, at the Champion’s request, will announce her entry into the Cube,” said Yujin.

  The students tapped the musical instruments on their laps, and a stream of hollow, methodical music entered the stadium. Unlike the aggressive and warlike taiko drums, the hang was soft, calm, and relaxing.

  Abel waited inside the Cube and did not even turn around as Aiyax, the champion, entered. Her face was painted with white lines across her green eyes which shone like emeralds in the night sky. She was beautiful and elegant as she walked toward the Cube. Her brown leather combat suit defined her curvy body, and she portrayed a confidence that mesmerized any who saw her. By her sides, she carried a long black whip in each hand and snapped it back several times as she entered the Cube.

  “Aiyax has entered the Cube. Our Champion.” Yujin’s voice had no emotion.

  Despite Xu’s death, many students shouted her name. Abel had yet to move and did not even acknowledge her presence. The hang drum music had stopped as Aiyax and Abel stood alone in the Cube.

  The Cube echoed with energy as the rain stopped, and then it was a perfect day with beautiful rays of sunlight bringing light and warmth. Aiyax cracked her whips to get Abel’s attention, but he still did not move.

  “What’s he doing?” said Kry.

  Eclipse had her own thoughts. “I think he’s broken. This won’t last long.”

  “You think so? Abel has a chance from what I’ve seen,” said Kry.

  Eclipse shook her head. “Just by seeing the way Aiyax carries herself, she moves just like my mother did, and I saw how powerful she was. If Abel has a chance, he needs to give everything he has.”

  Kry had not a chance to reply as Aiyax launched her first attack with a resounding lightning crack which came from her whip. Abel’s two-level barrier had returned, and Aiyax’s whip slashed across the first one. She continued to swing her hips as she cracked her whips, slowly wearing down his barrier. Abel blinked backward and looked at Aiyax with regret.

  “I think Abel can win this,” said Kry.

  Eclipse remained silent.

  Abel held his ground as Aiyax followed him, continuing her attack with her whips which now flashed with lightning. Each crack was like thunder. She stalked him as if he were prey and kicked his barrier so hard that he was knocked to the ground. Abel quickly returned to his feet, but Aiyax used her whips to latch onto the bottom of his barrier and spun him around. She was fast as much as she was beautiful. She moved with precision, striking quickly and powerfully.

  “It’s over,” said Eclipse.

  Abel seemed less involved in the fight than he had been against Sonus and Svana. The fury in his eyes was gone, and instead, there was only a quiet sadness. Abel was passive and allowed Aiyax to dominate him with ease. She pulled her whips back and then thrust herself forward, striking Abel’s barrier with a fury of lightning. Abel’s first barrier dissipated.

  “Why doesn’t he fight back?” said Kry.

  “I told you, it’s over,” said Eclipse.

  Aiyax was shouting at Abel, commanding him to fight back, but Abel said nothing and held onto his remaining barrier. Aiyax broke his second barrier with a powerful crack of her whip. She then wrapped her whip around his neck and pulled him to the ground. Abel hardened his skin to rock, but still did nothing to resist.

  The Cube hummed, and the beautiful day was now replaced with a pitch black darkness. The entire Cube was void of light. It was impossible to see what was happening, but Whisper’s eyes glowed in the dark, and he leaped to his feet in excitement about what was happening.

  “What is it Whisper?” asked Kry.

  Whisper’s jaw was open. “Abel has broken free! He has Aiyax on the defense!”

  There was a sudden explosion within the darkness, and lightning shot up in several directions, briefly providing light of Aiyax and Abel fighting. They seemed to be evenly matched as they fought, but then Aiyax’s eyes glowed green, and she moved faster than ever in between the flashes of lightning. There was another flash of lightning, and then the darkness was gone.

  Aiyax stood over Abel who lay unconscious between her feet, her two whips buzzing with energy by her side. A flash of light shot up into the sky, and Abel was removed from the Cube.

  There was silence before the rapturous applause.

  Yujin rose and took the microphone. “Our winner, and still, champion of the Cube, Aiyax!”

  The cheering continued as Aiyax left the Cube, but there was sadness still hanging in the air because of Xu’s death. However, Kry did not cheer. The Cube was barbaric. And Kry was convinced Abel held back, but why? Aiyax had won, but there was no victory this night. Xu was dead, murdered by Sonus. The question was, who would be next?

  Chapter 13 – Bookworm

  The death of Xu had hit the university hard. A week later, there had been a quiet funeral in the grounds of the university where many former students who had fallen in the Cube had been buried. All the faction leaders attended, except Sonus. Even Svana attended and looked as sad as the rest. Kry was angry at the university and at the system which cost the lives of so many young students. Tombstones of white marble had been placed in the student cemetery in ordered rows just like military memorials around the world. Each tombstone had an inscription of the student and the year of their death. Many had fallen here, and many would continue to fall in the future.

  The Chinese faction had attended in force, and a powerful eulogy was delivered in honor of their fallen leader. Yujin also gave a speech, as did President Katar. Kry was beginning to understand the customs here but hated the fact that Sonus was allowed to continue unpunished. What would stop Sonus if he tried to do it again? Kry realized nothing would, only being strong enough was going to stop him.

  Kry had noticed Abel standing in the shadows under a tree watching the funeral from a distance. Why Abel wished to be aloof and alone all the time was a mystery to him. Kry knew he cared, the death of Xu affected him more than any other. Abel became more and more elusive in class, hardly saying a word, as he studied by himself, ate by himself, and walked by himself. Kry could not help but feel a kindred spirit in Abel and wanted to talk to him. However, every time he tried, Abel disappeared. All Abel wanted was to be left alone, but that did not mean he did not care. Kry was sure of that.

  The Chinese mourned for several days, and then appointed a new faction head, a female, by the name of Wei Long. She was strong, beautiful, and carried the weight of the faction behind her. She had been close to Xu, almost like a younger sister, and every time Sonus entered the cafeteria with his followers, she gave him the most vengeful glare. Sonus, though, cared little; he did not care for anything. He walked around as if nothing had happened and continued recruiting more and more students to his faction.

  Kry had worked harder than ever in his classes, learning as much as he could. He and Whisper pushed each other and encouraged each other when they failed or made a mistake. Eclipse took separate classes, but she reviewed her lessons with them in the evenings, and all three of them progressed quickly.

  ****

  Two months had now passed since the death of Xu, but there had been no other major incident since. The friendships with Thrace, Akira, and Inessa also grew stronger. Thrace kept asking Kry to recruit more people, but Kry did not want to be a part of this hierarchy after seeing what had happened to Xu. Thrace had told him that the New Order was growing too big, and they needed to increase their numbers. Kry was concerned, but the only thing he wanted to do was learn how to control his powers and understand his limitations. He enjoyed his classes, but he had reservations about the university and the Cube. There was too much barbaric behavior here, and he was sure there was a better way. He just did not
know what that was. Akira recalled the death of his sister in the Cube at the hands of Yuri’s right hand, Ren, and especially hated some of the traditions of the university, but among the majority of students and professors, it seemed this was how things were done.

  Eclipse and Whisper supported Kry’s decisions despite Thrace saying otherwise, but Thrace respected Kry and had left it at that.

  Aside from worries about Sonus, the names ‘Aiyax’ and ‘Abel’ had been on everyone’s lips. Aiyax had also appeared concerned with Sonus’s behavior, but made nothing of it, keeping to herself with her half-brother Kayne who followed her like her own private bodyguard. No one doubted that the champion could handle herself, but having Kayne, who was gigantic, follow her everywhere made sure that any power-hungry student would have second thoughts.

  Kry was still certain that Abel had held back in his fight with Aiyax and wanted to find out the reason. He had made a plan that he would follow Abel and try to make him talk. Kry had noticed that every evening, Abel would walk across the central courtyard and into the fields behind the university. It was always the same time after dinner that Abel would make his customary walk. Kry decided that tonight, he would follow him.

  As usual, Abel ate alone while the cafeteria was loud with talk and laughter among friends. Kry tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, not even telling Eclipse or Whisper what he was planning. He would follow Abel alone. As soon as Abel left, Kry excused himself to the surprise of his friends. Eclipse gave him a suspicious look, probably having an idea of his plan, but she remained quiet.

  Abel walked across the central courtyard and made his way to the courtyard of seven paths. Kry kept his distance, making sure not to get too close. Abel continued as always, following his same path, but then unexpectedly he stopped. Kry moved into the shadows of a building. He was unsure why Abel had stopped. Did Abel know he was being followed? Had Abel seen him?