Without a second thought, Rumiya sprinted after Harabi, and the two of them rushed into the burning hall. Inside, chaos reigned. People scrambled, uncertain of where to go. Flames had already consumed much of the hall, and smoke filled the air, making it difficult to breathe.

 "We need to find the others and get them out!" Harabi shouted, trying to be heard above the noise. They split up, each searching for the remaining students.

The flames roared like a wild beast as they devoured the academy’s hall. The crackling of fire, mingled with the sound of breaking wood and the screams of panicked students, filled the air. Smoke poured from the windows, thick and suffocating, while the stench of burning wood and fabric made it hard to breathe. Harabi’s heart raced as she pushed through the chaos, her eyes scanning the room for her friends.

“Harabi! We need to get out of here!” Tatsuki’s voice barely reached her over the uproar. Harabi turned to see her sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Eiles stood beside her.

“Harabi, we’re getting everyone out! But we have to move quickly!” Tatsuki shouted.

The three of them made their way toward the exit, pushing through panicked students. The smoke was thick now, stinging their eyes and choking their lungs. The flames licked at the walls, casting an eerie orange glow over everything. Harabi glanced around, but there was no sign of Rumiya among the escaping crowd.

"Rumiya... She's still inside... We need to help her," Harabi said, her voice trembling with panic.

"Rumiya? But how? I thought she didn’t come," Tatsuki said, her face full of concern.

"She’s still there," Harabi insisted.

"Wait, Harabi. Help is on the way. It’s too dangerous for you to go back," Tatsuki said, grabbing Harabi’s arm to stop her.

"But Rumiya..." Harabi’s voice cracked with desperation.

"Tatsuki’s right. Stay here. It’s too dangerous," Eils added.

The ceiling began to collapse with a loud crash, the fire growing stronger by the second. Harabi felt a knot tighten in her chest as she looked back at the burning building.

"This fire is unusual... like magic... Someone set the hall on fire. And this wasn’t by accident," Tatsuki said through gritted teeth.

"You want me to leave Rumiya there?" Harabi shouted.

Desperation gripped her. Without thinking, Harabi tore away from Tatsuki and Eiles, rushing back toward the hall. The smoke thickened as she reentered, the crackle of fire filling the air. She called out Rumiya’s name, but the sound of the flames consumed everything.

"Rumiya... Rumiya!" Harabi shouted, her voice hoarse.

"I’m here!" came Rumiya’s voice from the thick smoke.

Harabi’s heart leapt in relief. She pushed forward through the smoke, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Finally, through the haze, she saw Rumiya, crouched down, trying to pull Miki from beneath a pile of debris. The flames were dangerously close, and Rumiya’s movements were frantic, her strength not enough to shift the heavy rubble.

"Rumiya!" Harabi cried, reaching her friend. "What’s happened? We need to get out!"

Rumiya looked up at her, her face covered in soot and streaked with sweat. Her eyes were wide with fear and determination.

"Miki is trapped," Rumiya said, her voice shaking. "I can’t get her out on my own!"

Without hesitation, Harabi knelt beside her. Together, they began to pull at the debris, trying to free Miki. The flames were closer now, the heat unbearable, and the smoke clung to their skin. Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the far corner of the hall, and part of the ceiling began to collapse.

"We have to hurry!" 

Harabi and Rumiya struggled, their hands trembling from fear and exhaustion. The fire was too close now, the heat suffocating. Harabi stepped back, her hands glowing with blue light as she tried to use her magic to shift the rubble. But the magic was slow, and the coughing fit that followed made it clear that time was running out.

Then, from the thick smoke, Adena appeared. Her face was calm and focused, eyes steely with determination. She surveyed the scene, clicking her tongue in displeasure.

"Step aside," Adena said coldly, extending her hands.

A red shield of light materialized around them, pushing back the fire. The flames crackled and hissed, unable to breach the magical barrier. Harabi and Rumiya gasped in relief, but the fire still raged beyond the shield, threatening to consume everything.

"Adena, you’re just in time!" 

"And you don’t have the right to call me that," Adena responded coldly, her tone unchanged.

"Miki isn’t moving!" Rumiya shouted, her eyes filled with panic as she looked at Miki’s unconscious form beneath the debris.

Rumiya’s frantic energy seemed to surge, but her hands trembled with fear and uncertainty. She began pulling at the debris again, desperate to free her friend.

"Rumiya, calm down. Let us help," Harabi said, her voice firm and calm.

"How long are you going to keep struggling, Sudzukawa?" Adena shouted, her voice raw with emotion. "What are you so afraid of? There are no elders or students here.Use your stupid magic, or Miki will die here!"

Rumiya's face flushed with anger, but before she could speak, she slammed her palm against her own face, hard. The sound echoed in the chaos, a desperate attempt to snap herself out of the emotional storm threatening to overwhelm her.

"Calm down," Rumiya muttered to herself, her voice barely audible. Her breath was ragged as she steadied herself, staring down at the floor. Harabi, stunned, staggered back for a moment, but Rumiya didn’t wait. With inhuman strength, Rumiya threw the debris aside, freeing Miki from beneath it.

The girl lay unconscious, her face covered in soot and small cuts.

"Harabi, help me!" Rumiya cried, grabbing Miki by the shoulders, her eyes frantic with fear.

Despite her panic, Harabi grasped Miki’s legs, and together they dragged her toward the exit. Adena’s shield moved with them, the flames still raging beyond it. Adena walked behind them.

"We need to hurry," Adena urged, her voice distant, almost mechanical.

 Suddenly, there was a loud crash from one corner of the hall, and the ceiling began to fall directly toward them. Adena spun around instantly. A burst of flame shot from her hand, pushing the falling debris aside.

 "Go faster!" she ordered, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, which continued to crack and groan threateningly.

Just as they reached the door, the entire roof of the hall caved in with a deafening roar. The ground shook beneath their feet, and a cloud of dust and smoke erupted into the night sky. Adena’s shield flared brightly, holding the debris back from them for just long enough to allow them to escape.

 Outside, the night air was thick with smoke, and the full scale of the destruction became clear. Harabi gasped for air, her lungs burning. She didn’t look back at the building - there was nothing more they could do.

 Adena stood silent, her posture tense as ever. She didn’t speak a word, her eyes scanning the scene like a hawk. Harabi wanted to say something, but the coldness in Adena’s gaze made her hesitate.

 Rumiya dropped to her knees beside Miki, checking her pulse. She was breathing heavily, her hands trembling as she searched desperately for signs of life.

"Move, you won’t find anything in that state," Adena said bluntly, stepping toward Miki. She was quiet for some minute and then spoke quietly. " She is alive."

Rumiya smiled and sat down beside Miki, her face softening in relief. Adena glanced at the two girls before turning her gaze toward Harabi.

Harabi sank to the ground just behind them, her heart still racing. Tatsuki knelt beside her, trying to wipe the soot from her face. Harabi gave a faint smile, coughing from the smoke.she watched the fire burn in the distance. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off - that the fire wasn’t just an accident, that someone had meant for this to happen. But right now, she didn’t have the strength to think about it. Harabi spoke hoarsely to Adena.

"Thank you, Adena. You saved us."

"It was necessary. Just as I said, the story has begun," Adena replied, her tone distant and unreadable. 

Rumiya Sudzukawa 

Michelle Blossom

Adena Redheart