Sovereign of The Abyss

Chapter 7

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual energy, filled with the clatter of trays and the chatter of students. Miko stepped inside, his return after weeks of being missing met with curious glances and murmurs. He ignored the whispers, keeping his head high as he scanned the room. His gaze landed on a table near the corner, where three students sat—Akiya Ren, Liam Draven, and Anna Elsin. He took a deep breath and walked toward them.

As he approached, Akiya leaned back in her chair, her fiery red hair as vibrant as her sharp glare. "Look who finally decided to show up," she said, her tone cutting but not entirely hostile. “Thought you were gone for good, Miko.”

Miko paused, unsure of how to respond. "I had... things to take care of," he said carefully, setting his tray down and taking a seat at the edge of the table.

Liam, slouched in his chair with his arms crossed, smirked. "Yeah, 'things to take care of.’ Sounds like code for hiding from the clan games," he teased, his lazy demeanor failing to hide the calculating glint in his eyes.

Miko shot him a sideways glance. "I'm not hiding," he said firmly, though his voice lacked the confidence to fully sell the claim.

Anna, who had been quietly stirring her soup, finally looked up. Her soft blue eyes met Miko’s, and she spoke in a gentle voice. "Welcome back," she said simply. It was a small gesture, but it seemed to ease the tension at the table.

"So," Akiya began, leaning forward with a challenging grin, "are you planning to actually contribute this year, or are you just going to be a liability again?"

Miko tensed at her words but noticed a flicker of amusement in her eyes that suggested she didn’t mean it as harshly as it sounded. "I’ll do my part," he said firmly, meeting her gaze.

Liam chuckled, brushing his dark bangs from his face. "Well, as long as you don’t trip over yourself like last year, we might actually have a chance."

"I didn’t trip," Miko muttered defensively.

"Sure you didn’t," Liam quipped, his smirk widening.

Anna, sensing Miko’s discomfort, chimed in softly. "The games aren’t just about winning. It’s about teamwork." Her voice was calm, almost soothing, as she added, "We’re all in this together."

Akiya rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. "Yeah, yeah. Just don’t drag us down, Miko."

Before Miko could respond, a loud voice cut through the cafeteria noise. "Well, well, if it isn’t Clan Dusk’s misfits." A burly student from another clan loomed over their table, sneering. "You lot really think you have the right to participate again after last year’s embarrassment? and the year before that."

Akiya was the first to react, her chair scraping back as she stood. "Say that again, and I’ll make sure you regret it," she snapped, her fists already curling.

Liam, still lounging, glanced up lazily. "Relax, Akiya. No need to waste energy on someone whose only talent is running his mouth."

The bully ignored Liam’s remark, his eyes locking onto Miko. "And you—aren’t you supposed to be the weakest of the weak? Clan Dusk’s charity case?"

Miko’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. He knew better than to take the bait.

The bully laughed, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Pathetic," he sneered, turning to walk away.

Just then, the cafeteria doors swung open, and Elena strode in with her entourage from Clan Zenith. Her presence instantly commanded attention, the room falling quieter as she made her way to a table near the center. The bully, noticing her, quickly turned back to Miko. "Looks like your helper couldn’t even bother with you anymore," he jeered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Miko kept his eyes on his tray, his shoulders stiff. Liam, never one to miss an opportunity, smirked and leaned toward him. "Isn’t that the girl you used to practically worship?" he said in a low voice, his tone dripping with mockery.

Miko sighed, his voice quiet. "We were engaged before… but not anymore."

Akiya raised an eyebrow. "Engaged? To her?" she asked incredulously, jerking her thumb toward Elena.

Liam snorted. "Well, that explains a lot."

Miko didn’t respond, his focus on the food he hadn’t touched. The atmosphere grew heavier as Elena suddenly stood, her tray in hand. She walked toward their table with a deliberate stride. The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes on her.

Stopping in front of Miko, she tilted her head, a cruel smirk playing on her lips. "Engaged?" she said loudly, her voice dripping with disdain. "We were never engaged."

Before Miko could say anything, she raised her tray and slammed it into him, the food splattering across his uniform. Gasps echoed through the room as she leaned closer, her voice cold. "I could never know a loser like you."

The cafeteria erupted into laughter, the sound ringing in Miko’s ears as he sat frozen, food dripping from his hair. Elena turned on her heel and walked back to her table, her entourage following her like obedient shadows.

Akiya was the first to react, her anger flaring. "What the hell is her problem?" she demanded, glaring daggers at Elena’s retreating figure.

Liam, for once, dropped his mocking tone. "That was… uncalled for," he said, his usual smirk replaced with a frown.

Anna, silent until now, reached for a napkin and handed it to Miko. "Here," she said softly, her eyes full of quiet sympathy.

Miko took the napkin without a word, wiping the food from his face. His hands trembled slightly, but he kept his expression neutral.

Akiya sat back down, her anger simmering. "You’re not just gonna sit there and take that, are you?"

Miko looked at her, his expression unreadable. "What would you have me do?" he asked quietly.

"Stand up for yourself," she said firmly.

Liam leaned back in his chair, his usual smirk returning. "Well, if nothing else, this should give you plenty of motivation for the clan games."

Miko’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile. "Yeah," he said softly, his smirk widening. "It does."