Two days later, on the courtyard, rain Is dripping everywhere. Cooling the flames and ash. The whole courtyard is destroyed, the tech seniors repairing some of the ground. The bushes have been burnt to ash, and the whole battle was just catastrophic for the whole school.

Inside Aureole Academy, though the mood is alright but tense. Students are walking in, chatting. ‘’Did you see the battle that happened outside 2 days ago? Team Aureole was wild.’’

‘’I know, right? If only they couldn’t have jammed our communications, it would have been trended on social media.’’ One student says. It’s just filled with endless chatter, their footsteps echoing.

Meanwhile in the cafeteria, the lunch lady serves the food, just normal sandwiches or hot dogs or just sad spaghetti with some milk. And the students all grab and sit down, On the television, the fight between Team Aureole and the Seniors keeps replaying, all watching in awe.

‘’I guess that’s why Team Aureole is the best, huh.’’ One of them mummers. ‘’That fire-powered kid is insane. He just made the whole battle into a battlefield. I would like to meet him one day.’’ ‘’And James continues to be a powerhouse as usual.’’ One of them chuckles.

Outside though, deep in the hallways. In the east wing, footsteps are reverberating, their black shoes on the ground. It’s revealed a person with a black suite and glasses is walking with Kent Scott, who is wearing a coat.

‘’Mr. Scott, we need to talk about Team Aureole.’’ The person tells him. ‘’Team Aureole, huh? What have they done now?’’ Kent asks, hands in pocket.

‘’They have been failing to defeat the Root Burners a lot of times in a row. So many losses are happening, tell me, is this okay for the school? They are the top protectors who needed our help in defeating Alex. Sure, they captured one but we are nowhere near our plans if the person isn’t responding.’’ The person shouts at him.

‘’I understand. The thing is the Root Burners were out of their league even for them. We can’t expect them to win every victory.’’ Kent says sternly. ‘’Yes, I know that. But if this keeps happening, then we will be in danger. We have gotten one target and who knows what the Root Burners might be planning? They might be after us now.’’ The senior panics, ‘’Go and get James so we can organize a meeting.’’

‘’But James is unwell, he is being heavy bandaged by the doctors now. He is not in a perfect state to walk.’’ Kent tells him.

‘’Then carry him. No matter how sick he is, this meeting is urgent and won’t be postponed.’’ The person walks away. Kent turns to him, ‘’Wait. Brian!’’

Brian turns to him, adjusting his glasses, ‘’What?’

‘’Please, let it be postponed. We have no choice. The support seniors are busy, the others are also calculating stuff, and the techs are fixing the architecture. Just take it to a later date, alright?’’ Kent pleads.

Brian sighs, ‘’Fine. But only this time. And I’ve only allowed because I’m busy as well. You should talk to James though, please.’’ He walks away. ’Fine. I will.’’ Kent admits, resigned. He starts walking away.

However, a robot slowly moves, it’s eyes flash red, seeing the vision of Kent waling. It moves away.

Meanwhile in the infirmary, Theo and Charlie are resting on their beds, weak and heavily injured. They both have casts on their arms, and their heads and arms are filled with bandages. The senior medics are operating on them. An electrocardiogram near him.

‘’There, that should do it. Don’t overexert yourself again, know your limits.’’ Lisa says, firmly, removing her mask.

‘’I know…’’ Theo whispers. ‘’It’s just…if I don’t overexert myself, no one will survive, and if no one survives, then I won’t…’’ He remembers what Chloe asked him, ‘’If you have a fragile ego, why do you save people?’’

Theo coughs, ‘’I won’t…be alright. Because no one was there to save me in life.’’ His eyes falter. Lisa looks at him, ‘’You’re not a lone wolf, newbie. Team Aureole survived without your help. Why do you blame yourself for everything? Is it your fault Alex came here?’’

‘’No.’’ Theo whispers, ‘’It’s my fault for having a fragile ego. Despite what the teacher told me about everything, I fail to put it in practice. I write things that help others, I do things that help others. But I don’t know how to help myself.’’

Lisa looks at him, ‘’If you keep having that mindset and doing this, then your bones might get destroyed.’’ She grabs his hand and shows him his knuckle, filled with scars, ‘’Keep this, as a reminder of how careless you are.’’ She pulls the hand down, ‘’You have to love yourself. Even if it appears ego-centric, writing the things that you are good at helps you a lot.’’

Theo scoffs, ‘’As if I can write that. I never even managed to write praises about myself, I never manage to write about what I’m good at. Because I know that no one is perfect.’’

‘’People can be perfect at a thing, newbie. Not everything.’’ Lisa says, pulling the tray away, walking to Charlie.

‘’That’s right. I’ve never cared or loved myself. And I don’t think I will.’’ Theo thinks to himself, closing his eyes.

Lisa appears on Charlie checking his hand, ‘’Gotta say. Ms. Sunny, is a great doctor. She helped remove the poison from your body. Sadly, she’s not doing well, her temperature has gotten up. And that metal punk is goofing around, he never got hurt for some reason. And Vesper is not alright as well. But the only problem is you overuse your firepower too much, don’t you lose oxygen?’’

‘’I’m not omnipotent, I know. So yeah, I fail to breathe after using my firepower. But it didn’t happen to me a lot, because of my fire gun, I found myself managing to catch my breath.’’ Charlie grins.

‘’But when you were fighting that flower girl you used your power in anger. It makes you powerful but yet…’’ She looks at the marks in his chest, ‘’Damages your body.’’

‘’Oh, that innocent-looking baguette-fetish lady? Screw her. I hate her with every ounce of my soul. I am allergic to pollen; I am allergic It makes my head hurt. Why did she use that on me?’’ Charlie shouts, angrily.

‘’You’re making it personal.’’ Lisa says flatly. ‘’What’s your name? Are you one of the French-y clones as well? Stupid— ‘’ Charlie throws a punch but Lisa blocks it, ‘’Despite being a nurse. Do you know I can dislocate your bones?’’

Charlie’s eyes widen, ‘’The hell? No, I don’t know any of that.’’

‘’Good.’’ Lisa tells him, her voice dark. She puts his arm down.

‘’So, lady. What’s your name?’’ Theo asks, voice hoarse. ‘’Lisa Reed. Why you ask?’’ Lisa walks away.

‘’I like your skills.’’ Theo says, warmly. Lisa freezes, ‘’What?’’

‘’You remind me of someone I used to be friends with. She was such a good nurse that she will die doing it. So, thank you for taking care of us.’’ Theo says, softly.

Lisa is still frozen, but sighs. ‘’You don’t need to thank me, It’s just my job. I’m a weakling without it.’’

‘’But you are very strong. I heard you— ‘’ Theo stops when Lisa does a gesture for him to keep quiet. ‘’Alright.’’ He says, looking down.

‘’Also, I have left some medicine for you on the table. You should drink it; your arms need it.’’ Lisa walks away.

Theo turns to the table, ‘’Medicine?’’ He thinks. ‘’Hey, Charles. How are you holding up?’

‘’I’m holding up terribly, man. I can’t believe I got stabbed. But you disturbed me! I was about to kill her but you had to give a reality check, as usual.’’ Charlie says disgruntled.

Theo chuckles, ‘’Well, at least we gave it our all, right?’’

‘’Yeah. I didn’t expect Alex to be so strong as hell, though. Even my fireballs went through him. And also, Theo.’’ Charlie turns to him, ‘’You were great.’’

‘’Thanks. You too.’’ Theo smiles.

Meanwhile in the dorm room, Kent walks, hands in pocket. He turns around and sees a caged room, he walks to the door and enters the code, ‘’Q387.’’

The cage unlocks and the door shifts. Kent enters the dark room, dripping with water drops. He sees Crane sitting on the chair, on a ventilator machine. Kent stares at him, ‘’You’re gonna give us answers, alright?’’

His words are put on a small text machine that reads out what he said. In a Microsoft Sam Voice. ‘’Ha-Ha. Let’s see about that. I will never let you know about our organization.’’

‘’I’m gonna make you, alright?’’ Kent says darkly. ‘’You want to punch me? How hilarious. I’m your only hope of giving you answers and you want to punch me? Didn’t know you were an idiot, Scott. I’m free to kill, but just know The Root Burners haven’t given up, and are gonna retrieve me.’’

Kent pants with anger, ‘’No, they won’t. We will make sure they don’t come out of their pocket dimension.’’ Kent walks away but turns around, ‘’Just you wait.’’

He walks away and enters the code again, making the gate shut down, ‘’Still not giving any answers.’’ He mutters in frustration, ‘’I’ve tried talking to him 4 times now and it won’t work. What can make him speak?’’

He walks away, ‘’Whatever. I only came for James.’’ He sees James’s dorm, a golden door. And knocks on it, ‘’Hello? James?’’

‘’Come in.’’ James answers from the other side. Kent slowly opens the door, the room is white, with a large fan and television screen, also a bed where James is resting, heavily bandaged and wearing a large coat, trembling in coldness.

‘’Is it me, or it’s cold?’’ James asks. ‘’Summer is coming. And also, your temperature is high.’’ Kent touches his head.

‘’Oh, is that’s so?’’ James coughs, ‘’Man. You really hurt yourself in your battle with Alex.’’ Kent says sympathetic.

‘’How is Crane doing? Still not giving answers?’’ James asks, drinking his cup of coffee.

‘’Yeah. We should go again in the next few hours.’’ Kent grabs a cloth of water and splashes it on James’s head.

‘’James.’’ Kent says softly. James looks up, ‘’What?’’

‘’We need to talk about Team Aureole.’’ Kent says, serious.