"Hmm! Hmm! Plw-wess!"

The cadet pleaded with his eyes.

"Hm? What was that?" The Sanguine leaned in, cupping a hand to his ear. "Speak up. All I’m hearing is blegh, blegh."

The cadet turned desperately to the other cadets, eyes bloodshot, mouth now streaked with blood, silently pleading.

Yet each of them avoided his gaze.

The cadet’s eyes fell.

"Haha! See? Look at ’em. Every single one looking the other way. Ain’t nobody coming for you, buddy. They’re all a bunch of spineless little bitches!"

The kicks grew even more frantic as his laughter echoed across the platform.

Zephyrion slowly rose.

"That’s enough."

The blows stopped. The sanguine blinked at Zephyrion, momentarily taken aback. His gag had slipped slightly from his mouth, though his wrists and legs remained bound.

"Huh... one of ’em actually grew a spine." He let out a laugh as he strolled over. "Come again? Thought you said something."

"Stop hitting him."

A slow grin spread across the sanguine’s face.

"Ohhh, I know you. You’re that Lightning Prince everyone’s been yapping about, ain’t you? Boys, we’ve got royalty!" He gave an exaggerated bow. "Can I get your autograph? Right here." He slapped his backside. "Sign my ass."

Loud laughter erupted from the other sanguines.

"Ah... this is priceless."

The sanguine’s grin slowly disappeared.

"Listen up, prince." He jabbed a finger into Zephyrion’s chest. "Lemme teach you something they forgot to cover at your fancy academy. Out here, titles don’t mean jack shit. Doesn’t matter if they call you prince, king, or the Almighty himself. Slit your throat..." He drew a finger across his own neck. "...you’re still dead. Cave your skull in..." He mimed stomping. "...still dead. Rip your heart out..." He slowly clenched his fist. "...still dead."

He stopped in front of Zephyrion. He was shorter, yet his bloodlust towered over him. The cadets around them shivered.

"You get it now?" He tilted his head with a grin. "So what’s it gonna be? Sit your ass down like a good little puppy..." His smile widened. "...or do I have to train you?"

Zephyrion met the man’s gaze. Countless ways to kill him flashed through his mind, but he held himself back. That was not the plan.

An oppressive silence settled over the platform as Zephyrion continued staring. His message was clear. He was not backing down.

The sanguine’s face hardened, and he nodded.

"Fine then."

Zephyrion saw the punch before it was even thrown. Legs bound, he threw himself aside, the punch whistling past him.

His next movements came in an instant. Spinning with the momentum, he swept the sanguine’s legs out from under him and came up in one smooth motion. Then he twisted, driving his bound hands into the sanguine’s face and hurling him back.

Several gasps rippled through the cadets.

From the corner of his eye, Zephyrion saw Kaiden, Kaelion, and several Calderalth cadets rise to help him.

Then he jumped, both legs crashing down toward the dazed sanguine. He caught sight of something crimson hurtling toward him and instantly realized what it was.

He twisted, allowing the burst of blood to slam into his back. The impact hurled him backward, off the platform.

"Uuugh!"

"N-nnnnno!"

Zephyrion heard the horrified screams of Kaiden, Tobias, Fiona, and several others.

Yet his eyes found Lumi’s. She stared at him with wide, trembling eyes. He blinked once. She blinked back. Countless words passed silently between them before he plummeted from the sky.

Zephyrion forced himself to push Lumi from his thoughts and focus.

’She knows the plan. She can take care of herself.’

He faced downward. The cold night wind battered him as the forest rushed up to meet him. His legs and feet were still bound. They were still watching. A fall from this height while bound... he’d be lucky to survive.

’Can’t visibly use my elements.’

It was good he didn’t have to.

Urge consumed him.

His blood churned, surging through every part of his body before rushing into his arms, then his shoulders.

Zephyrion pulled.

A low pop echoed as both shoulders dislocated. He swung his legs over his bound arms, bringing the chains to the front.

Metal coated his teeth as he bit down hard on the chains. They snapped.

The sky disappeared, replaced by towering trees. Almost at the bottom. He caught sight of an approaching branch and threw his back into it.

He crashed into it head-on, the air blasting from his lungs. Clenching his teeth, he forced his shoulders back into place with a sharp snap, then hauled one leg up and bit down hard on the remaining chain.

He reached another branch just as his leg tore free. He twisted, kicking off it and spinning through the air in the same motion. He kicked off another branch. Then another.

He landed on the forest floor with a rough roll, sprang to his feet, and shot forward without breaking stride.

’They’ll send someone. No scrambler active. Good.’

He reached a tree, smeared the base with some of his blood, then ran up the trunk and halted on a thick branch. Pressing his back against the bark, he lowered his temperature with the ice element to mask his scent and went completely still.

He looked no different from part of the tree.

"That little bastard! When I find him, I’m gonna make him wish he’d just fallen to his death!" an angry voice snarled.

Zephyrion recognized it immediately. The sanguine he wanted to kill.

’Good.’

"What’s the point? We’re not allowed to kill the brats. Just find him so we can get back."

"Who said anything about killing him? I’m just gonna break both his arms... then his legs. We’re allowed to rough ’em up, right? Accidents happen."

"He probably already snapped a few bones from that fall."

"So? I’ll heal ’em... and break ’em again."

A sigh escaped the other sanguine.

’Two of them.’

The latter suddenly sniffed.

"I smell blood."

"Yeah... over there."

They made their way toward the tree he’d smeared with blood.

"Looks like the little shit was here. Blood’s still fresh."

The other remained silent for a moment.

"He can’t have gone far."

They slowly turned away from the tree. Zephyrion dropped silently behind them, not a single sound escaped him. But he was too close. They felt his blood.

Both whirled toward him, but Zephyrion was already moving.

His steel-like fingers drove into one sanguine’s throat.