The newly claimed meeting room of the faction was a spacious, dimly lit chamber tucked away in a secluded corner of the academy. The walls were lined with shelves filled with dusty tomes and strange artifacts, and a large, circular table dominated the center of the room. Cain sat at the head of the table, slouched in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling as if hoping it would provide him with an escape from the chaos unfolding around him.
Selene lounged on a chair beside him, her legs draped over the armrest and a knowing smirk playing on her lips. Lyra sat in the corner, her daggers glinting in the low light as she sharpened them with meticulous precision, her focus entirely on the task at hand. Ravena sat across from Cain, her posture elegant and composed as she sipped tea from a delicate porcelain cup, as though this were an ordinary afternoon social gathering. Valeria stood in the shadows near the door, her arms crossed and her piercing gaze fixed on Cain, silently judging him.
Cain sighed, the sound heavy with resignation. "I never agreed to this," he muttered, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had been dragged into something against their will.
Selene grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You never disagreed, either," she pointed out, her tone light and teasing.
Cain pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident. "I literally did," he said, his voice rising slightly.
Selene waved a hand dismissively. "Semantics," she said, as if that settled the matter.
Cain groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Okay, let's get this over with. What's the agenda?" he asked, his tone resigned.
Ravena set her teacup down with a soft clink, her movements graceful and deliberate. "Simple," she said, her voice calm and measured. "We need to make our faction official."
Cain frowned, his brow furrowing. "Why?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
Selene leaned forward, her smirk widening. "Because people are watching, Cain," she said, her voice taking on a more serious edge. "The moment you revealed your strength, you became a target."
"You can stay alone and get crushed—" she continued, her tone shifting to one of mock solemnity.
"Or we can build something that they have to fear," she finished, her eyes gleaming with determination.
Cain considered her words for a moment, then shrugged. "Still sounds like work," he said, his tone dismissive.
Valeria twitched, her expression darkening. "You are infuriating," she said, her voice cold and sharp.
Cain grinned, his expression one of mock innocence. "You're welcome," he said, his tone light and teasing.
Lyra finally spoke, her voice calm and measured. "If we're forming a faction, we need one more member," she said, her gaze fixed on her daggers as she continued to sharpen them.
Cain blinked, his expression one of confusion. "…Why?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
Ravena smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Four is an unofficial group," she explained. "Five makes it an organization."
Cain groaned, slumping further in his chair. "Fine," he said, his tone resigned. "Who's the poor soul we're dragging into this mess?"
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Selene smiled, her expression one of satisfaction. "Perfect timing," she said, her tone light and cheerful.
The door swung open, and a girl stepped into the room. She was tall, with sleek silver hair that cascaded down her back and glowing violet eyes that seemed to pierce through the dim light of the room. A staff was strapped to her back, its intricate design hinting at the power it contained. She examined the room with a calm, calculating gaze, her expression unreadable.
Then, her eyes landed on Cain, and she raised an eyebrow. "So, you're the lazy idiot they want me to follow?" she asked, her tone dry and unimpressed.
Cain blinked, his expression one of mild surprise. Selene chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Cain, meet Astra Nightveil," she said, her tone light and cheerful. "Our new strategist."
Cain sighed, his shoulders slumping. "…Great. Another headache," he muttered, his tone resigned.
Astra smirked, her expression one of mild amusement. "Likewise," she said, her tone dry and unimpressed.
Cain leaned back in his chair, his expression one of resignation. "Alright, fine," he said, his tone heavy with resignation. "We're a faction now. What next?"
Selene's eyes glowed with excitement, her smirk widening. "We make our first move," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Ravena sipped her tea, her expression calm and composed. "And what will that be?" she asked, her tone measured.
Selene's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We take over the academy's underground network," she said, her voice filled with confidence.
There was a moment of silence as the weight of her words sank in. Cain sighed, his expression one of resignation. "Of course we do," he muttered, his tone heavy with resignation.
Astra's eyes flickered, her expression one of mild interest. "That's ambitious," she said, her tone calm and measured.
Selene grinned, her eyes sparkling with determination. "That's the point," she said, her voice filled with confidence.
Cain stood up, stretching as he did so. "Alright, meeting's over," he said, his tone dismissive. "I need a nap."
Astra raised an eyebrow, her expression one of mild amusement. "You're really as lazy as they say," she said, her tone dry and unimpressed.
Cain stretched, his expression one of mock innocence. "Yup," he said, his tone light and cheerful.
Valeria glared at him, her expression one of frustration. "You are impossible," she said, her voice cold and sharp.
Cain grinned, his expression one of mock innocence. "And yet, here you all are," he said, his tone light and teasing.
Selene chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Exactly," she said, her voice filled with satisfaction.
And as Cain left the room, the others exchanged glances, each of them silently acknowledging the chaos that was sure to follow. Whether they were ready for it or not, their faction was about to make its mark on the academy and Cain, despite his protests, was at the center of it all.