Chaos Cycle: The Eye of Genesis

Shin could not find Ileana anywhere, but Feldan found a couple more of his classmate, and it appeared that was not all there was someone else who managed to free himself before they did and unlike them, he did not just flee and hide, but put together a team against the slavers.

And that person was none other than Gaivan, the first among the upperclassmen, who lost to Elior pretty badly in the tournament, but that does not mean he was any less amazing. In this short time, not only did he free himself, Gaivan actually managed to put together an elite team of a couple of dozen and not just that, half of the group were not even from Earth.

Currently, they were waiting with the boats they collected for their arrival. Shin's face was full of frustrations. Though he managed to save himself, he failed to do it for Ileana miserably.

"Don't worry about it," Leroy said. "You did what you could."

"And it's not enough," Shin said, fingers digging into his palm. They were sitting side by sides, leaning against the wall. A few others were on the sides, while the others were sent to alert others, while they took a rest for a bit. They went through the battle for more than half an hour, catching and chaining half a dozen more superiors, though their job was not finished yet.

"Well, perhaps Ileana got away on her own, or someone else helped her," Leroy added. "You know someone fired that hole into the ship. Perhaps they helped her on the way, or someone else did." 

Shin nodded. That was only his hope now. Perhaps Ileana was fully well. Then, abruptly, something clicked in his head as he looked at Leroy, blinking. "The other time," he said, "You did not mention people or students, but participants."

Leroy looked at him for once and then looked away, letting out a breath. "Yes," he acknowledged. "Just keep it to yourself for now. We are here in this way for a reason."

Shin let out a cold breath. If it was a couple of days ago, he would have jumped up in madness, shouting to tell everyone, but this experience had changed him. Or he was just too damn tired.

"So this is really . . ." he asked and trailed off.

"Yes," Leroy said, getting up. "Don't ask me how I know and don't gossip about it if you can. Even if it's all fake, we have a lot of problems ahead of us."

Shin was about to say something when a new group entered the chamber, brought in by Feldan. It was the group of Gaivan, even in these places, they seemed to be in better condition, with properly clothed and with each one with their weapons. Gaivan scanned the chamber, first disapprovingly at the state of the participants, and then looked at the superiors in the bound in chains as his eyes flicker in surprize.

His scanning stopped as he approached them. Well, most likely, for Leroy. As Shin thought, Gaivan did not even give him a glance to greet Leroy.

"Looks like you have been doing well, Leroy," he said, and only then did he notice Leroy's left palm was missing. He continued as if did not see it at first and then gave it a profound look. "Good to see you here, but it appears you have taken some serious blows. Truly, unfortunate."

"This?" Leroy held up his left arm, which was bound in red bandages. "It is a trade-off for my freedom."

Gaivan raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Well, we will have more time to chat," he said slowly, "but first, withdrawing from the ship takes priority. I am really disappointed on how you have governed these people, each doing their own thing. Do you need some help there."

Shin raised an eyebrow, eyes flashing from Gaivan to Leroy.

"I don't think I can say anything about it," Leroy said, looking at the men. "I am not their leader."

Gaivan's eyes flashed for a short blink, but he hid it instantly. "You are not?" he asked with confusion. "Then who is?"

Leroy looked at Shin at first. "Well, Shin freed most of them," he said, "But there was another youth. I don't know where he's currently, though."

Gaivan looked at Shin for once and nodded as if in enough acknowledgement. Shin said nothing as well.

"I think you should prepare you men," Leroy told Gaivan, "while we prepare ourselves as well."

Leroy did not wait for Gaivan to finish, leaving, taking Shin to the sides.

"You don't want to be the leader?" This was the first question Leroy asked as they came to a corner.

"You are the same too," Shin muttered, looking him in the eye. For a couple of seconds, Leroy kept his eye contact before looking away.

"Gaivan is a fine youth," he said, looking at the handsome youth talking with his underlings. "But he's very ambitious."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Don't act dumb," Leroy said. "I don't know why you don't want to lead, but if you are reluctant for even a little, you will only be giving them to Gaivan, which may or may not help you in the long run."

Shin looked around at the group of Gaivan. all his men looked like elite as if he had prepared them from before. Well, he very well might be, but that does not mean all of them, since half of his group were from different galaxies, yet they were listening to him now. 

Perhaps giving all to Gaivan was not a bad idea. Shin was not much of a leader and never will be. Even Feldan seemed to have joined the group.

"I will talk to Ronin about it, and let him decide," Shin said. Since he was not alone in this, why would he take all the difficult decisions? 

At that very second, a horn bellowed, catching everyone's attention, off-guard. Even Leroy, who knew the truth of the situation, looked surprised, much less Gaivan and his group.

"What is this?" Gaivan asked as they came towards the entrance. 

Shin and Leroy were closest to the gate, so the two of them were first to get out. As the horn bellowed, they soon found out, it was not coming, not coming out of the same ship they were inhibiting but a new one. 

"Looks like we have new enemies to fight and more innocents to save," Shin said wearily as they climbed the stair. 

Soon they found a couple of bodies bound nearby as a youth came down with a frigid, scowling face, as if the world hated him. Ronin said nothing, gestured them to come up as they could understand from the horn. 

There really was another ship, and it was coming towards their sinking one. Whatever this indicates, it does not mean they were coming to save them. Most likely to put back the collars to be freed themselves from.

"I don't feel anything good about this," Shin muttered as Renal's sword appeared in his arm. 

"Prepare everyone, we are under attack," a voice bellowed from behind. Shin thought it was probably Gaivan, or who else has such commanding voice. 

. . . 

Lara panted with her newly formed boat, eyes at the dark sky, twinkling stars with no moon.  The boat drifted nice and slow towards the island, but she could not stop the frustrations growing in her heart.

It was five times already. Five times she would have failed in the daily quest. The only time she succeed was on the first occasion when her situation was a little easy. But now she did not know how to save herself from the storm, the tempest, or the monster that finished her off most of the time.

And of all places, she was alone in this sea. Since it was a trial, shouldn't there be other competitors with who she could team up and make it easy for her? But it did not seem to be the case. These nightmares' quest appears like an individual trial where no one but herself could help her.

Sighing, she resolved herself again to bring one of the weirdly shaped mushrooms she was good in her initial success of the quest.

Initially, she had already finished her share of mushrooms and even the boat was broken in the second quest, but with each time she dies, the time reset and she found herself with the mushrooms and boat, alone in the idea. 

Lara breathed in and out for several times to steady her heart before gulping the weirdly shaped mushroom in her mouth. It was the only way for her success.

[You have eaten one Mysterious Mushroom. All mana training meditation will have 200% more effect] 

All she can hope to do was train her mana like crazy so that she could protect herself against everything.. The storm as well as the monster that bit off her head a few moments ago.