"Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls," the announcer began, his voice echoing throughout the academy grounds, "I would like to welcome you all to the Clover Academy Mid Term Exams. Over the past years, we have played it safe by holding our midterms only within the Clover Clan. However, this year, we have reached an agreement with our sister clan; the Spirit Clan and the examinations shall be held together."
The crowd immediately burst into chatter.
"Woah!! The Spirit Clan?"
"That's a first."
"You wouldn't expect this."
"This year's exams are going to be insane."
The entire academy became filled with excitement, and honestly… I was probably the most excited of them all. For the first time, I would be allowed to use my abilities freely in order to win. Just the thought of it made my heart race.
After the announcement, everyone returned to their classrooms, but the discussions never stopped. The Clover Clan and the Spirit Clan had always competed with each other ever since the end of the First Clan War.
Neither clan could truly decide which was superior.
The Clover Clan relied on overwhelming combat ability and their natural affinity for luck, while the Spirit Clan relied on their deep connection to ancestors and the deceased, allowing them to access spiritual strength and ancient power.
I couldn't wait to face them.
But before my excitement could fully take over, I was summoned by the Clover Council.
Previously, I had only met the clan head and Stork, but this time I stood before the entire council itself. Twelve members sat around a circular chamber, each carrying a different opinion regarding my participation in the upcoming midterms.
The atmosphere felt suffocating.
They emphasized one thing repeatedly, "The Thunder Clan had been destroyed by another clan."
And if word spread that a surviving member still existed, whoever eradicated the Thunder Clan could come hunting for me next.
That was their greatest fear.
I tried speaking up, explaining that I was learning to control my abilities and that I could defend myself now but my words carried little weight against the voices of the council. It felt as though my opinion meant nothing in comparison to theirs.
Then the clan head finally spoke.
"If we inform the Spirit Clan of this," he said calmly, "they may choose not to spread the information."
"But that is not guaranteed," another council member argued immediately. "We would have no way of knowing whether the information has been disseminated. Other clans may think we are hiding a Thunder Clan member in order to gain an advantage over them."
"That cannot happen."
"Among the subordinates of the Light Clan, perhaps" another added, "but if the Dark Clan subordinates learn of this… it could trigger another clan war."
My heart began to race.
I felt trapped.
Just like I had in the forest all those months ago, alone, powerless, unable to do anything while others decided my future for me.
Then another voice spoke.
"You are all forgetting one thing."
The room fell silent.
"Do you not trust our sister clan?" the council member continued. "We both come from the same major clan. If we cannot trust them, then who can we trust?"
Whispers spread across the chamber once more.
Everyone was so focused on clan politics and possible wars that they forgot something important:
I was still just a teenager trying to enjoy my youth.
Eventually, the meeting was postponed to a later date, where a final decision regarding my participation would be made.
Xavier left...
As Xavier walked through the hallway, he passed two unfamiliar figures. One was an older man who appeared to be around the clan head's age. Beside him stood a girl around Xavier's age.
Neither of them looked familiar.
Xavier glanced at them suspiciously, but the girl immediately noticed and stared back at him.
The moment their eyes met, Xavier felt a sudden jolt run through his body.
Without another word, he continued on his way.
And at that moment, Xavier realized something
This year's midterm exams were not going to be a joke.