The next morning, Virelia Academy shimmered under a lavender sky dusted with floating moons. The free gravity field hovered above the main school towers—an enormous floating island covered in plush green grass that moved slightly under their feet, like the whole world was swaying.
All the student teams were assembled, clad in their sleek training uniforms—each tailored to represent house colors, personal styles, and power compatibility. The air thrummed with energy, anticipation, and quiet rivalry. Everyone looked fierce, focused. Except for Team 10.
Estella stood with her team, her white-and-black body suit glowing faintly under the strange sky. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her heart beat with determination. Today's the day. No more mess-ups. No more light accidents . I'm gonna show up 'em I'm not a screw up.
To her left, Aurelia stood tall, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her dark blue suit looked sharp, regal. Her long indigo hair was pulled back in a high ponytail that swayed like a whip in the air. She looked unshaken, silently mapping battle plans in her mind.
Solara, meanwhile, had her foot propped up on a low hover-rock, chewing her pink gum with her usual careless ease. Her orange and black patchy bodysuit made her look like a blazing sun in the cool morning air. She tossed her curly brown hair behind her shoulder, adjusting it for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Reika was the quietest of them all. Now that she wasn't wearing her hoodie, Estella could see just how pretty she really was. Her hair was a sleek, chin-length bob, and her electric blue bodysuit clung to her like she was made of circuitry. Her eyes never left her round, hovering phone as she tapped and scanned continuously.
Estella smiled to herself nervously. They might not feel like a team yet...but I'll change that, I'll make us a real unit.
A small flaming creature with metal boots stomped forward. Mr. Flamefoot—their battle supervisor, tactics coordinator, and, possibly, some sort of sentient salamander. His ember-like eyes glowed fiercely.
"There is one goal today," Flamefoot barked. "Find the Flag. Retrieve it with your whole team intact. Not one, not two, all of you—together. I want strategy, communication, survival instinct. Not mindless running like mountain goblins."
Then he snapped his fingers.
The lush floating field shimmered like glass rippling underwater. Everything twisted—trees, hills, even sky—and changed.
Suddenly, the training field was no longer green and soft.
It had transformed into something strange.
The ground was still there—but stretched with hills, twisted stairs leading in impossible directions, doors floating midair, and platforms that flickered in and out of reality. The horizon looped in on itself. If you looked up, the same terrain hovered above—as though gravity was optional and the world was mirrored. Like stepping into a dream layered with geometry and nonsense.
"Begin," Flamefoot announced, and just like that—teams scattered.
Estella's pulse quickened. "Alright, guys—we can do this, right?" she said with forced cheer.
No one replied.
Reika coughed dryly behind her screen. Aurelia finally broke the silence.
"We can't just run. We'll strategize," she said, cool and commanding. "Reika, scan that area. Solara, check over there. I'll head that way."
She paused and barely glanced at Estella.
"Oh… and Estella—look anywhere, I guess."
Estella smiled regardless.
"I don't think we should split up," Reika interjected. "Professor Flamefoot said together. What if there are traps? What if one of us gets lost?"
Aurelia shrugged. "Then don't get lost. We'll regroup here."
"This terrain has weird software shielding," Reika muttered, tapping frantically on her scanner. "It's like the code keeps rewriting itself. I can't even log a map."
"Then we're wasting time." Solara snapped her gum. "Let's just go."
Estella gave a weak smile as they peeled away in different directions.
She was alone, again.
©°°°°°°°°
Alone in the maze she wandered, doors floating all around her like options in a dream gone wrong. Each one was etched with strange runes, pulsing faintly. She opened one—and nearly fell headfirst into an underwater realm. A monster with too many tentacles snarled up at her from a shifting sea. She slammed it shut.
"Okay… doors are portals. Noted," she whispered, panting.
Everything about this place was wrong. It was quiet—eerily so—and the air felt cold, like it carried secrets. She passed an upside-down staircase that led to nowhere, climbed over a crumbling wall that tried to fold in on itself, and carefully stepped over a floating platform made entirely of glass.
Somewhere, she spotted another team—a girl helped a boy out of a glowing door as they both laughed, playfully shoving each other.
Estella's heart clenched
Where's my team?
She turned a corner somewhere most teams weren't looking and then she saw it.
A pole. Thin. Gleaming.
And on it, fluttering ever so slightly—a tiny, iridescent cloth. The Flag.
It was just there. No trap. No guardian. Not even a confusing puzzle.
Estella blinked.
"…That's it?" she said.
Cautiously, she walked forward. Then faster. She reached out and—grabbed it.
No resistance.
She stared down at the flag in disbelief.
"Is this a prank?"
"Actually," a voice purred behind her, "I was just about to take that."
Estella turned—and her stomach dropped.
Celestine.
Her hair shimmering, her Crystal purple suit glittering. Her hands glowed with raw crystal magic, jagged chunks forming lazily between her fingers.
"Put it down, Estella," Celestine said sweetly, tilting her head. "You weren't meant to find it. Honestly, I'm impressed you even made it this far without tripping over your own sparkle."
Estella held the flag close to her chest. "Back off, Celestine."
Celestine rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You can barely light up a hallway. I, on the other hand…"
She lifted her hands and slammed them down.
A tidal wave of crystal burst out of the ground, jagged and gleaming. Estella yelped and dodged to the side, slipping on a slanted stair. A chunk of crystal grazed her arm, slicing her suit.
Celestine strode forward, elegant and brutal.
"I don't want to hurt you, Estella. Well, not too much," she smirked.
Estella's palms flared with light. She fired—but the beam was weak, diffused, scattered across the floor like sunlight through stained glass.
Celestine laughed.
"That's it? That's all the Earth girl's got?"
She formed a massive crystal spear and hurled it. Estella barely rolled away, light crackling at her fingertips.
You need focus, she told herself. Breathe. Find your light.
Another blast of crystal came. Estella ducked behind a floating door, heart hammering.
Then—an idea.
She waited.
Let the light build.
She peeked from behind the door.
Celestine advanced, cocky, walking straight into the open.
"Boom," Estella whispered.
And then she released everything.
A brilliant burst of blinding white light exploded from her hands, bathing the room in gold. Celestine screamed and covered her face, stumbling back.
"My beautiful eyes! You brat!"
Estella didn't wait. She bolted, the flag clutched tightly to her chest.
The terrain twisted as she ran—doors flipping, stairs moving under her—but she didn't care. Her heart raced, sweat dripped down her back, and her light still shimmered faintly in her palms.
I did it. I actually did it.
Estella smile obviously proud of herself. She hoped her teammates would be too.