False heroes

The battle begins

The morning of the ranking battles was cold and gray, with storm clouds pressing down on Heroic Dawn Academy. Gabriel stood at his window, watching students stream toward the combat arena in excitement. His reflection stared back still the same thing fifteen years old but his eyes held depths that hadn't been there before. 

Today's the day huh.., Echo said with satisfaction 

Today we reveal just enough, Umbrix corrected. Remember, we want to win, not expose ourselves completely.

Today we cut, Soulrender's fragment added eagerly. Finally, finally, we get to cut something.

Gabriel pressed his forehead against the cool glass. His hands were steady, his heart calm. The nervousness that should be consuming him was nowhere to be found. In its place a cold certainly terrified him more than anxiety could have.

You ready for this?"

Gabriel turned to find Marcus watching him with concern. He was already dressed in his academy uniform, lightning crackling faintly around his fingers, a nervous habit that had developed over the past few days.

“As ready as I'll ever be,” Gabriel replied this was perhaps the most honest thing he'd said in weeks.

Gabriel…” Marcus hesitated, then spoke in a rush. “Look, I know we're not exactly close friends, but I've been watching you this past few weeks. You seem different. And I keep thinking, "What if everyone’s wrong about you?”

He's smart, Umbrix observed.

“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked carefully.

“I mean, what if you're not actually powerless? What if you've just been hiding it?” Marcus stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “The academy doesn't keep students for three years without abilities. It's never happened. So either you're the first exception in the Academy's history, or….” 

“Or what?” 

“Or you're something else.” 

The words hung in the air “ or something else entirely.”

The words hung in the air between them. Gabriel felt the three entities stir within him, alert and ready. Marcus was too close to the truth, 

He could be useful, Echo mused. An ally among the students.

He could be dangerous, Soulrender countered. One word to the wrong person… 

He's offering friendship, Umbrix said simply. When did you last have that? 

Gabriel looked at Marcus. His aura filled with curiosity. No malice. No deception. Just a decent person trying to understand something that didn't make sense. 

“Marcus,” Gabriel said quietly, “if I were hiding something hypothetically what would you do about it?” 

Marcus was quiet for a long moment. Outside, the academy bells began to ring calling students to the arena.

“I'd ask if you needed help,” he said finally. “And I'd hope you trusted me enough to accept it.” 

Gabriel felt something warm unfold in his chest, a feeling he'd almost forgotten. Hope, maybe. Or just the simple pleasures of not being completely alone.

“Thank you, he said. “That… means more than you know.” 

Marcus nodded and headed for the door. “ Come on. We don't want to be late for the most anticipated slaughter in the Academy's history.” 

Despite everything, Gabriel almost smiled. 

The combat arena was a marvel of magical engineering, a circular amphitheater carved from white stone, with protective barriers that could contain even the most destructive student abilities. The seats were beginning to be filled with students. 

Gabriel had never seen the academy so united in purpose. Students who normally tear each other sat side by side, all eager to witness his humiliation. Even the faculty was present, professor, administrators, and several other people Gabriel didn't recognize wearing federation uniforms. 

federation observers, Echo noted with interest. They're here to evaluate students' potential. How delicious they'll witness something far beyond their understanding.

Gabriel made his way to the competitor staging area, trying to ignore the whisper that followed him. The betting boards showed odds astronomical they'd stopped displaying them properly. 

“Stone!”

Gabriel turned to see Thane approaching with his usual entourage. But something was different today. Instead of cruel amusement, Thane's expression held genuine excitement, like a predator that had been denied a hunt for too long.

“I'd have to admit, I'm impressed,” Thane said as they walked. “ When I made that wager, I half expected you to find some excuse to back out. Take guts to show up for your own execution.” 

"Maybe I'm not as weak as you think," Gabriel replied quietly.

Thane laughed. “ Right. Tell me, stone, have you even figured out what you're going to do when you get in there? Run around until I get bored? Fall down and hope I take pity on you? 

“I thought I'd try hitting you,” Gabriel said 

The simplicity of the statement seemed to catch Thane off guard. His laughter died, and for a moment, Gabriel saw uncertainty flicker in his eyes 

He's beginning to suspect something, Umbrix observed.

Good, Soulrender hissed. Let him worry. Fear makes the cutting so much sweeter. 

“Hit me, Thane repeated slowly. “ With what, exactly? Your devastating lack of magical ability?” 

“ Guess we'll find out.”

Before Thane could respond, a voice boomed across the arena. “STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND HONORED GUESTS, WELCOME TO THE MONTHLY RANKiNG BATTLES!”

The crowd clapped in cheers. Gabriel looked up at the announcer’s booth where professor Dalton stood with a voice amplification crystal. Behind him, the federation observers leaned forward with professional interest 

“TODAY'S FEATURED MATCH,” professor Dalton continued, “IS A SPECIAL CHALLENGE, RANK 34, ‘IRON TEMPEST’ VERSUS RANK 847 ‘THE POWERLESS’ 

The crowd's cheers turned to laughter and shaming. Someone shouted, “Don't hurt him too badly!” Another voice called out, “I bet on thirty seconds!” 

Let them laugh, Echo said coldly. Their mockery will make the lesson more complete. 

"CONTESTANTS, ENTER THE ARENA!"

The protective barriers flared to life around the fighting platform, shimmering walls of energy that could contain magical force capable of leveling buildings. Gabriel walked through the entrance gate, his footsteps echoing In the sudden hush that had fallen over the crowd 

The arena floor was smooth white stone marked with regulation combat circles. Thane entered from the opposite gate, moving with the confidence of someone who had never doubted their own superiority. His rank collar blazed steady blue, and magical energy already crackled around his hands

They took position on opposite sides of the central circle, thirty feet apart. Gabriel could see Emma in the front row of the student section, her violet eyes wide with worry. Zara sat two rows behind her, that mysterious smile wider than ever. Even Maya was watching intently, her red hair seeming to flicker with contained flame

“STANDARD RANKING BATTLE RULES APPLY,” professor Dalton announced. “VICTORY BY KNOCKOUT, SURRENDER, OR INCAPITATION. DELIBERATE KILLING STRIKES ARE FORBIDDEN. MEDICS STAND READY.”

Gabriel barely heard him. His void sight was showing him things the crowd couldn't see the flow of Magical energy through the arena's protective systems, the tension lines in the corners despite the bright overhead lights.

Ready? Umbrix asked 

More than ready, Echo replied 

Let me cut, Soulrender pleaded. Just a little to taste blood. Let me cut, Soulrender pleaded. Just a little. Just enough to taste blood.

Gabriel took a deep breath and centered himself. One hit. That's all he needed to win the bet. One hit that won't break his bones and reveal too much of what he'd become. 

It should have been simple 

“BEGIIN!”

Thane moved instantly, his enhanced speed carrying him across the arena in a blur. Lightning crackled around his fists as 

he closed the distance, clearly intending to end things quickly. 

The crowd held its breath, waiting for the inevitable 

Gabriel didn't move.

Thane's fist, wreathed in electrical energy and backed by months of training, struck Gabriel square in the chest with enough force to shatter his ribs.

Nothing happened 

Thane’s eyes went wide with shock as the lighting died against Gabriel’s shirt like water hitting stone. His momentum carried him forward, but Gabriel simply wasn't there anymore; he'd stepped sideways into his shadow and emerged behind his opponent. 

The crowd gasped. The crowd gasped.

Gabriel tapped Thane gently on the shoulder.

"My turn," he said quietly.

Thane spun around, his face pale with confusion and growing fear. “How did you…..” 

Gabriel smiled not the nervous, apologetic expression everyone expected, but something colder and more confident. 

You wanted to know what I was hiding,” he said, his voice carrying clearly in the stunned silence. “ Let me show you.” 

Power flowed through him like liquid starlight. Not all of it, not even close but enough. Shadows deepened around his feet, and his eyes flickered with void black energy. 

In the stands, Emma went pale as someone who's died.

The storm that had been building all morning chose that moment to break. Rain began to fall on the arena’s protective dome

, and thunder rolled across the academy grounds 

Gabriel stone, the academy's failure had just become something else entirely. 

And everyone was watching