Chapter 15 #2
“Do you want to skip the session? I can tell Professor Saris you weren’t feeling well. No one will question it.”
“No.” She straightened her spine. “No, I’m not going to let them take this from me too. I can’t be afraid of the dark forever.”
“That’s my girl,” Rowan grinned.
We turned and pushed open the heavy iron doors, stepping out into the observation deck of the combat arena.
The room was massive, ringed with reinforced glass looking down into a sunken stone pit.
In the center of the pit, three Class Two scavengers—hideous, multi-limbed creatures made of dark matter that only Aelari could see—thrashed against their invisible containment tethers, screeching at the scent of fresh magic.
Jupiter flinched at the sound, but she didn’t step back. I moved to her right side, and Rowan took her left. We stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her as Professor Saris, a scarred veteran shield warrior, began calling out instructions to the class.
Two other shield teams entered the arena just as Professor Saris finished explaining the day’s objectives.
I recognized them immediately—Stormwatch and Daybreak, two of Imperium’s most respected combat units.
Stormwatch was led by Gabriel Turner, a powerfully built Cancer designation with a reputation for strategic brilliance.
Daybreak was headed by the twins, Samuel and Marlena Frosh, whose synchronized fighting style was legendary among the student body.
“Jupiter Black!” Gabriel called out, his face breaking into a genuine smile as he approached us.
“I’ve been hoping to meet you properly. Your reputation precedes you.
” Jupiter paused beside me, immediately on alert, and I didn’t blame her a bit.
“All good things, I promise,” Gabriel continued, extending his hand to her.
“Your portal work is already becoming legendary around campus.”
Jupiter relaxed and shook his hand. “Thanks. Still working out the kinks, though.”
Marlena stepped forward, her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a severe braid. “We’ve been watching your morning sessions with Stardust. Impressive control for someone who’s only been working with spatial manipulation for a few years.”
“You’re welcome to join us sometime,” Rowan offered, his voice friendly but with that underlying possessiveness I recognized all too well. We were all fighting the same instinct—to keep Jupiter close, to protect what was ours.
Ours. Is she really ours to protect? Or is this just some desperate dream?
I noticed movement on the observation deck above. A group of female students had gathered, their eyes tracking the shield warriors below with predatory hunger. I recognized several of them as axis candidates from prominent zodiac families, all hoping to secure a prestigious bond.
“Your fan club is here,” I murmured to Rowan, nodding toward the deck.
He glanced up and groaned. “Bloody vultures. They smell fresh meat.”
Jupiter followed our gaze and snorted. “Let me guess. They’re desperate to catch the eye of any available shield warrior?”
“Got it in one,” I said. “Though they’re particularly interested in Stardust since...” I trailed off, not wanting to bring up Eliza.
“Since you’re technically available,” Jupiter finished, her expression softening slightly. “That must get old fast.”
“You have no idea,” Rowan muttered.
Jupiter gave us a weak smile. “Don’t be too hard on them. It probably sucks being on the other end of this, hoping a shield team will pick you over dozens of other candidates. If I wasn’t a warrior axis, I’d probably be just as thirsty as the rest of them.”
Gabriel chuckled. “Right you are, new girl. My shield has our eye on a couple of them up there, but we haven’t made any formal declarations. Honestly most of them are sweethearts when you get to know them, not to mention incredibly powerful.”
Professor Saris clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Alright, warriors! Today’s exercise will test your adaptability. I’ll be assigning mixed teams to handle the bane specimens.”
He began calling out names, grouping students together regardless of shield teams. When he reached our section, he paused, eyeing Jupiter with interest.
“Black, you’ll work with Hargrave, Nightingale, Daniels, and Wu.” He gestured toward a tall, lanky Sagittarius named Mark Daniels and a compact, serious-looking Capricorn called Peter Wu.
Jupiter nodded, her eyes darting briefly to the snarling bane in the pit below. I could see her fighting to keep her expression neutral, but the tightness around her mouth betrayed her anxiety.
“We’ve got you,” I said quietly as we moved toward the access stairs. “Those things won’t get within ten feet of you.”
She shot me a grateful look. “I can handle myself. But... thanks for the sentiment.”
The observation deck was now crowded with spectators. Not just the axis candidates, but other students curious to see the infamous thirteenth zodiac in action. I noticed one particularly bold Virgo named Amelia leaning over the railing, making eyes at Rowan, who studiously ignored her.
As we descended into the pit, Mark and Peter joined us, both looking somewhat starstruck in Jupiter’s presence.
“It’s an honor,” Peter said formally, bowing his head slightly to Jupiter. “I’ve read everything available on the Ophis designation.”
“Which isn’t much,” Mark added with a friendly grin and his own slight head bow. “Most of it’s classified. Is it true you can create stable portals anywhere you’ve been before?”
Jupiter’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “As long as I have a clear mental image of the location, yes. Or if I can anchor to someone’s magical signature.”
“That’s incredible,” Peter breathed. “The theoretical applications alone—“
“Less theorizing, more focusing,” Rowan interrupted, positioning himself slightly in front of Jupiter as we approached the containment field. “Those ugly bastards aren’t going to wait while we chat.”
The three Class Two bane were revolting creatures with writhing limbs and gaping maws filled with needle-like teeth.
Their bodies were made of dark matter, a thick, black substance that humans couldn’t even see, but Aelari could.
They sensed our approach, their screeching intensifying as they strained against their magical tethers.
Professor Saris took his position on the observation platform. “Team one, prepare! On my mark, the containment field on the first specimen will drop. Your objective is simple: neutralize without killing. These are valuable training specimens.”
I glanced at Jupiter, noting the way her hands had begun to glow with a faint silver light. Noodle had slithered to the edge of the arena, taking up residence underneath the overhang.
“Stay between me and Rowan,” I instructed quietly. “Mark, Peter—flank positions. We’ll contain, Jupiter will disable.”
They nodded, taking their places. Above us, the spectators had pressed closer to the glass, whispering excitedly as they watched the shield warriors prepare for combat.
One particularly bold Taurus woman was practically hanging over the railing, her low-cut top leaving little to the imagination as she tried to catch someone’s eye.
“And... release!” Professor Saris called out.
The containment field around the first bane dropped, and the creature wasted no time, launching itself toward us with terrifying speed, its limbs scrabbling against the stone floor.
Rowan moved first, his magic manifesting as a wall of freezing air that slowed the creature’s advance.
I followed immediately, my Libra magic creating a field of balanced energy that forced the bane to move in predictable patterns instead of its usual chaos.
For a moment, the thing looked visibly confused.
Sometimes, my magic was more useful than outright defense.
Libras were the opposite of chaos. We were control, patience and logic.
I could extend my will towards the creature, and force it to either slow down, speed up, or stand still.
The problem was, I could only hold it for a few seconds before my magic began to wane.
Mark and Peter coordinated beautifully, hemming the creature in from the sides. The bane screeched in frustration, its beady black eyes rolling wildly as it searched for an escape route.
“Jupiter, now!” I shouted, maintaining my focus on the bane, making its movements sluggish.
She stepped forward, her silver eyes blazing with light.
The air around her hands warped visibly as she gathered her Ophis magic and flung it at the bane.
The creature froze mid-movement, caught in what appeared to be a localized spatial distortion.
It wasn’t paralyzed—we could still see it struggling—but it was contained within a bubble of warped space that prevented it from moving in any meaningful way.
“Brilliant!” Professor Saris called from above. “Maintain that hold, Black!”
Jupiter’s face was pinched in concentration, beads of sweat forming on her brow. I could see the strain in her shoulders, the slight tremor in her extended hands. This wasn’t easy for her, despite how effortless she made it look.
“You’re doing great,” I murmured, stepping closer to her while maintaining my own magical field. “Just a little longer.”
Above us, the spectators had gone silent, all eyes fixed on Jupiter’s display of power. Even the flirtatious axis candidates seemed momentarily forgotten their mission, captivated by the sight of the Ophis in action.
“Team two, prepare for your specimen!” Saris called, and another group of students moved into position across the pit.
The bane in Jupiter’s spatial trap let out a high-pitched whine, its limbs still flailing uselessly against the distorted space.
“I can hold it,” she said through gritted teeth, as if reading my concern. “This isn’t even difficult compared to Class Five.”
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should exhaust yourself. Remember, we’re a team. Use our energy too.”