Where the Past Bleeds

The wreckage still smoldered.

Emric stood amidst cracked ferrocrete and ruptured walls, his breath shallow but steady. His fingers flexed as if testing a new reality—because in a way, he was. The flickering glow of his wristpad was now rhythmic, no longer chaotic. Clean data streams ran along its curved screen.

[Class: Cognivore] [Resonance Level: 72% — Sync-Stable]

His HUD adjusted, new systems unlocking with soft chimes.

[Tactical overlay enabled]

[Predictive combat assist: Active]

[Neural echo buffer: Stabilized]

He exhaled. It was like thinking in four dimensions now. Angles, movement, intent—everything was clearer.

Yet, his chest still hurt like hell.

The blast had singed through the outer plating of his armor, and his ribs throbbed with the dull ache of healing tissue. But he was alive. And awakened. No dramatic lightning bolt. No mystic chorus. Just raw cognition pulsing through every thought.

"One left," he muttered. His voice sounded distant, like it belonged to someone else.

-----

In the academy's high observatory, Strategos Datch watched the feed from Sector 1189 with narrowed eyes. The young man now pacing through the smoke wasn't just another promising student.

"He adapted mid-fight to a plasma-class Arcanist," Datch said, turning slightly. "Unawakened until seconds ago. What are the odds?"

Professor Halveth replied without looking away. "Infinitesimal, and that resonance off the bat? 72%. Its too bad he didn't awaken a talent too."

Someone nearby tapped at their console. "Initiate Vale's cognitive scans just crossed the Echo Line. We've never seen a Cognivore spike that high without mental preconditioning."

Datch's gaze stayed locked on the boy.

"Keep him flagged."

-----

Elsewhere, screens flickered as other simulations wrapped.

Karya stood breathing hard at the edge of her now-vanished battlefield, her long braid singed at the edges. Her elite-tier Arcanist awakening had made her a clear favorite in her sector—but she hadn't won. A Vanguard cadet had brute-forced his way through the terrain and outlasted her finesse.

Lio's zone had collapsed before the timer. He was pulled from a pile of rubble, cursing about glitched grav-plating. He wasn't injured, but he wasn't happy either.

Renna had gone down in a three-way tie. And Calen had been outed by the third round.

None of them had advanced automatically.

But all had qualified for induction, based on analysis.

Karya watched Emric's footage on the massive main screen.

She didn't say anything for a long time.

Then, quietly: "He awakened."

Lio crossed his arms. "Not just awakened. Cognivore. No wonder he was always two steps ahead."

She nodded. But her gaze wasn't admiration—it was worry.

Because something in the way he moved at the end... wasn't just calculated.

It was disconnected.

-----

Emric's senses sharpened as he moved forward. The final opponent wasn't hiding— She was waiting.

He entered what remained of a former junction terminal. The lights flickered overhead. His steps echoed.

A tall figure leaned against the far wall, a long-barreled rifle slung low, eyes glowing faintly under the dim light. Her wrist-pad indicating her class— Obscurant.

She stood there untouched and breathtakingly beautiful, like it wasn't a battlefield.

"I was hoping I'd get you," she said casually, tossing a depleted energy cell aside. Her tone was light, but her stance was anything but careless—feet braced, hands loose at her sides, ready.

Emric didn't answer. He was already calculating.

She smirked. "Virell Suna," she said, inclining her head slightly. "Obscurant. And yes, I've seen you in action. Smoke grenades, collapsing floors, predictive angles… Very Cognivore of you."

His eyes narrowed. Not just another elite looking for a flashy elimination, then.

"I'm sure Strategos Halveth is already watching as a Cognivore himself"

" You're unawakened— oops, were unawakened and still took out 15 initiates on your own." she continued, like they had known each other for long.

"I like puzzles and you interest me Emric Vale."

Emric kept silent, but inside, every variable was shifting.

Terrain: Narrow. Limited cover. Possible traps.

Opponent class: Obscurant. Specialization unclear.

Confidence: High.

"I'm a quick study," Emric said, leveling his repeater.

She smiled. "Let's find out how quick."

She vanished.

-----

Cut to the observation deck

"She's an elite Tier 1," Vorn said. "Virell Suna. Obscurant with perceptual masking, shadow phase displacement and a talent that can read surface thoughts. Nearly won the Winter Intercity Trials for high school students last year."

"She's testing him," said Strategos Datch. "Good. Let's see how the boy handles pressure now that he thinks he's powerful."

------

Karya folded her arms tighter, eyes fixed on the screen where Virell Suna casually circled Emric.

"She's smiling," Karya muttered. "Why is she smiling?"

"She's flirting," Karya said flatly.

Lio raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Looks tactical to me. She's an elite Tier 1, but she is still an obscurant . That smile might just be preparation for an ultimate move and the talking just a distraction."

Karya shot him a look. "That wasn't fire prep. That was a hair flip."

"She what?" He choked on a laugh, a short, stifled bark of amusement that came out as more of a sputter. His shoulders shook once as he slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide with exaggerated mock-horror.

"Gods, you're serious."

Karya didn't answer, jaw tightening as Virell stepped closer to Emric on-screen.

"Two days ago, no one knew his name. Now everyone suddenly wants to duel him or date him."

Lio gave a lazy grin. "Bit of both, maybe."

Karya laughed along but her gaze stayed locked on the projection, knuckles whitening just slightly.