Ascension: Rebirth in a World of Powers-Chapter 28 - : The Rising Storm

Eren woke before dawn, his mind already alert. Sleep had been fleeting, his thoughts consumed by the inevitable clash with Reyes and Selene. He could feel the tension in the air, a quiet, foreboding weight that pressed against the academy like a storm waiting to break.

He pulled on his uniform and stepped out into the hallway, where Kaelena was already waiting, arms crossed. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked, though it wasn't really a question.

"Not much," Eren admitted. "You?"

She shook her head. "Too much to think about."

Together, they made their way to the training hall, where the others had already gathered. Kain stood near the entrance, stretching his arms while Mira sharpened her twin daggers with slow, deliberate strokes. Elara was reviewing their battle strategy with a few other students, her usual calmness masking the anxiety that was creeping through the group.

Eren glanced around. There were more of them now—students who had once remained neutral, now forced to choose a side. It wasn't about personal grudges anymore. It was about survival.

Elara looked up as they approached. "We need to move soon. Reyes and Selene aren't going to wait for us to be ready."

Kaelena nodded. "Any updates?"

"Scouts reported movement near the abandoned south wing of the academy," Elara said. "They've been gathering there, likely planning their next move. If we want to take the fight to them, that's where we go."

Eren exhaled. "Then we don't have a choice."

Kain cracked his knuckles. "Good. I'm tired of waiting."

The group gathered their weapons and prepared to move.

The south wing of the academy had been abandoned for years—old, crumbling hallways that no longer served any purpose except as a hiding place for those who wanted to operate in the shadows.

Follow curr𝒆nt nov𝒆ls on fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com.

As Eren and his group crept through the dimly lit corridors, the scent of dust and decay filled the air. The silence was unnerving. Even the usual hum of magical energy that permeated the academy seemed absent, as if the very walls were holding their breath.

Elara held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. She pointed to a door at the end of the hallway. "They're in there."

Eren nodded and stepped forward, pressing his ear against the wood. He could hear voices—low murmurs, the sound of a blade being sharpened. His pulse quickened.

Kaelena touched his shoulder. "Ready?"

He tightened his grip on his weapon. "Always."

With a swift motion, Kain kicked the door open.

Inside, Reyes and Selene stood at the center of the room, surrounded by a dozen students who had pledged their loyalty to them. Reyes turned, his cold eyes narrowing as he saw Eren.

"Well, well," he drawled. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

Eren stepped forward, his fire flickering to life in his palm. "You knew this was coming."

Reyes smirked. "Of course. And you walked right into it."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air shifted. Selene raised a hand, and suddenly the room warped. The walls stretched, the ceiling seemed to vanish, and the entire space twisted into an illusion.

Eren felt his senses scream in protest. The students around them flickered like mirages, their shapes shifting, their faces blurring. He clenched his fists, willing himself to focus. This was Selene's doing—an elaborate trick meant to disorient them.

Kaelena was the first to react, sending a bolt of lightning through the illusion. The electricity crackled, revealing glimpses of the real room beneath. "Ignore the lies!" she shouted. "Focus on what's real!"

Mira lunged forward, her daggers flashing as she sliced through one of the illusions. It disappeared in a wisp of smoke, revealing the true enemy beneath. The battle erupted in an instant.

Kain charged at Reyes, throwing a punch that sent shockwaves through the air. Reyes absorbed the kinetic energy, redirecting it back in a devastating counterattack. The force sent Kain skidding across the floor, but he rolled to his feet, undeterred.

Eren turned his attention to Selene, who watched him with an amused expression. "You think you can see through my illusions?" she asked, her voice smooth as silk. "Let's see how deep your mind can go."

The room shifted again, and suddenly, Eren was standing in a different place. The academy was gone. He was back at the moment he had first awakened in this world, staring at the unfamiliar sky, his head spinning with confusion.

"No," he growled, clenching his fists. He knew this wasn't real. He reached for his fire, but it sputtered out, as if the illusion was suppressing his power.

Selene's laughter echoed around him. "Your mind is strong, but not strong enough."

Eren forced himself to focus. He thought back to his training with Elara—to the way illusions could be broken with intense sensory disruption. If fire wouldn't work, then maybe...

He clenched his fists and bit down on his own lip, hard. The sharp pain cut through the illusion like a knife, and the false reality around him cracked. He pushed against it, forcing his mind to break free.

When he opened his eyes, he was back in the fight. Selene staggered backward, her grip on the illusion faltering. Eren wasted no time. He launched a wave of fire toward her, forcing her to dodge.

"You—" she hissed, but before she could recover, Kaelena struck her with a bolt of lightning, sending her crashing to the ground.

Across the room, Kain and Mira had forced Reyes into a corner. He tried to absorb their attacks, but the relentless assault left him no room to counter. With one final blow, Kain sent him sprawling.

The fight was over.

Eren stood in the wreckage of the battle, his breath heavy. Reyes and Selene were defeated, but the war for control of the academy was far from finished.

Kaelena placed a hand on his shoulder. "We did it," she said.

Eren exhaled, staring at the fallen enemies before them. "For now."