The sky above Htrae was bleeding. What was once a vibrant realm now trembled under the weight of an ultimate betrayal.
"Master, what do we do now?" the first disciple asked, his voice shaking with terror. "Infinite has betrayed us. Everything is falling apart."
The master stood tall, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the darkness was spreading. His voice was heavy with a cold, hard truth. "There is nothing left for us to do here," he admitted quietly. "The supreme wand... it still hasn't chosen a master. Without it, we are powerless against this tide."
A second disciple stepped forward, tears welling in his eyes. "So, Master... is our world truly going to end? Are we all going to die here?"
The master finally turned, his eyes sparkling with a flicker of desperate hope. "No, there is still one way. We must combine every ounce of our remaining power to tear open a rift—a portal to another world."
"Which world, Master?" the first disciple asked, hope battling with his fear.
"I know that after the evil powers finish destroying our world, they will set their sights on a realm called Earth. We will go there. We will hide, we will train, and we will find others to join us so that one day, we can stand against this darkness."
The third disciple looked up, his face pale. "Master, do you even know the coordinates of this 'Earth'?"
"Yes," the master replied firmly. "I know them. Let us create the portal now before it is too late. Only thirty of us remain alive in this world. We must save every soul left and take them with us. Now—concentrate."
The thirty survivors gathered in a circle, their hands outstretched. As they merged their magic, a blinding light erupted in the center of the circle. One by one, they stepped through the shimmering veil, leaving their dying world behind forever.
[In the world of Earth...]
The quiet hum of the study hall was a sharp contrast to the chaos of Htrae.
"Cut it..." a voice hissed, low and dangerous. "Don't make me angry, Adira; otherwise, I will make you regret the day you were born. You had better understand that right now!"
Adira didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned in, her eyes flashing with a challenge. "Oh, please. Don't make me angry, or I'll make your life a living hell. Do you understand, Theia?"
Aria sneered, her patience snapping. "Just get lost. Get out of my sight now."
"You're the one who should get out," Adira shot back, crossing her arms defiantly.
A third student, sitting nearby and trying to focus, finally looked up from her books with an exhausted sigh. "Seriously, you guys? Stop fighting. We're in the study room—just sit down and study."
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. While dozens of other girls sat at their desks, their low whispers creating a constant hum of gossip and study chatter, Theia's focus was laser-pointed at Navya.
"Just get lost," Theia snapped, her voice dripping with irritation. "Don't come over here and start acting like you're some expert giving out free advice. Nobody asked you. Every time I look up, there you are with that same annoying face of yours."
Adira nodded in silent agreement, her gaze as sharp as Theia's.
"So many girls are talking in this room besides us," Adira added, her voice cold. "But you just had to poke your nose into our business, didn't you? I know the three of us are enemies, but that doesn't mean you should be obsessed with us. Do you understand, Madam Navya?"
"Don't say another word, both of you!" Navya snapped, her face flushing with anger. "I'm going to tell my mother right now, and she will lodge a formal complaint against you both!"
Adira and Theia exchanged a look of pure indifference. Without a word, they turned away from her, reaching a silent pact that she simply wasn't worth their energy.
"What? Are you scared now?" Navya taunted, her voice rising in frustration. "Come on, apologize to me right now and I might just forgive you! Hello? Adira? Theia? Are you seriously ignoring me?! Go to hell!"
With a final huff of indignation, Navya stormed out of the room. As soon as she was gone, Adira and Theia's stoic faces broke, and they burst into laughter. Their amusement was interrupted, however, when the girl sitting in front of them turned around with a worried expression.
"Aren't you afraid?" the girl, Aniska, asked tentatively. "What if she actually follows through and complains?"
Theia shrugged nonchalantly. "Then she'll be the one who ends up getting scolded."
"Navya is nothing but a bully," Adira added firmly. "The list of complaints against her is never-ending. What could she possibly say about us? Don't worry about it, Aniska."
"Alright..." Aniska murmured, though she still looked uncertain.
Suddenly, the heavy rumble of thunder shook the building, followed by a sharp crack of lightning.
"It looks like rain is coming," Theia remarked, looking toward the ceiling. "Let's go and see."
Adira smirked. "Those who thunder loudest seldom rain."
"Whatever," Theia rolled her eyes playfully. "The Doubt Counter will be empty. Let's head over there."
"Fine by me," Adira agreed.
In the entire coaching institute, there were no windows—except for the Doubt Counter (DC), which boasted magnificent floor-to-ceiling glass. Adira and Theia made their way there, but as they reached the windows and looked out at the horizon, they froze. The sight waiting for them outside was enough to leave them both in a state of absolute shock.