THESE HIDDEN WINGS

[75.1] THE CUBE

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"Roman Algrand is your roommate?"

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WE STOOD OUTSIDE the Cube, and I couldn't help but feel minuscule when standing beside it. I was breathing a little bit more heavily than usual as was everyone else.

"Wow, it is bigger than it looked at the Crown," Claire commented glancing back at the distance, we had moved.

We could see The Crown a good distance away before staring back up at The Cube before us. It seemed to be built mostly of glass and yet about 3 stories tall stemming out an impressive cubic length, the door wide and welcoming as some students walked past us and into it.

It definitely took years to build this.

I nodded confirming Claire's statement before Lira beckoned us to follow her, moving forward. David trailed after and then Claire and I made our way in, moving up the slant and into the building.

At first glance, it felt like we had just entered a stadium hall, a wide space greeting us all as various students hovered around, but most were moving to the left following the shiny metal hallways.

We followed after them, noticing the glass doors that resembled that of a high school gym.

"These are the Combat classes, prepare yourself, next week you'll be in one of these," Lira informed, glancing back at the three of us humor dancing in her eyes.

And for good reason.

I had my fair share of combat classes and even Zali said I was hopeless. I just couldn't do a high kick, my punches were weak and I didn't know how to use my miniature frame to my advantage as Zali had encouraged.

She was by all means a small woman too, but she was quick on her feet and her punches were as fast as lightning and as hard as thunder.

"Depending on which house you're in, you'll be in one of these," she repeated as my eyes trailed each double door.

"House?" Claire replied.

"Ah, for the Inter-Color games of course," David replied and Lira nodded, looking slightly impressed or was it relieved that she didn't have to answer that question?

"We're going to be divided into houses?" Claire asked and David nodded along with Lira.

"By our colors?"

"Nope," Lira replied popping the p as we rounded the corner, "the whole point of Inter-Color games is mixing the Colors up to see how well you'll work together to defeat the other team, even those with similar powers to yours," she explained, "in a wide wild environment," she added, "emphasis on wild."

"So what are these houses?" Claire asked glancing between David and Lira.

David, glanced over at Lira, "May I?"

"Please do," she huffed this time noticeably relieved.

David grinned seeming pleased he was schooling us yet again, "The three houses of Kingsland are named after the three most famous monsters throughout all of mythology, The Leviathan, the Kraken, and The Hydra."

When nothing else was said my eyebrows creased and so did Claire's, "is that it?"

Lira looked back at David and David shrugged, "that was as much info as I could get before Roman had to leave for the bonfire last night," he huffed.

"Roman Algrand is your roommate?" Lira huffed, chuckling to herself.

David nodded seemingly exhausted, "It's as terrifying as it sounds," he confessed his eyes seeming drowsy, "oranges are one of the most hyper people on earth," he mumbled.

"I can only imagine," Lira replied, "anyway, each house has an original five captain, for Hydra it's the twins, Rangi and Lwangi, for the Kraken it's Lucas Bowne, and for the Leviathan well, you all know who's left."

The silence developed around us,

"Harvest Adams," David said out loud and we all looked back at him 't-that's in case you don't know who it is," he added clearing his throat awkwardly.

Claire's eyes narrowed on him as did Lira but I ended up grinning to myself looking down the hallway as we walked.

"There it is," Lira huffed pointing at a partly open doorway, the sounds of cheering being heard from the doorway, "sounds like the game is already in full swing."

We approached the open doorway, Lira first to enter.

Just as we suspected the game was in full swing, students filling the bleachers and cheering them on. It seemed to be color against color as I noticed there were those with Silver bands and those with orange bands playing on the courts on opposing sides.

Some wore orange and some wore dark blue.

We stood at the entrance of the door each of us searching for a place to sit but it seemed like everything was filled. It was only when Lira pointed to an empty patch higher up on the bleachers did we notice the gap.

Making our way towards it, we had to squeeze past seated and standing bodies until we got to it, in between a group of gossiping giggling girls and some people who were sitting in pairs.

Looking down at the game below us, it suddenly stopped as the whistle blew, and the coach who I recognized as one of the secondary teachers called it half-time.

Claire grumbled taking a seat as did all of us, watching as the players huddled reforming their tactics and plans.

"Dang it, it's hot in here," Lira blurted out, leaning back and I nodded trying to use my notebook like some kind of fan.

All these bodies huddled up together were simply not ideal.

"It seems like its silvers against oranges," David noted a thin brow of sweat a taking shape as he tugged at the collar of his shirt to let in some air.

I took this time to surf the crowd.

Ever since the match at the Arena, it seemed I had developed a conscious to double-check if HE was somewhere lurking about.

After my search came out empty I put my hand on my heart trusting my heartbeat.

Somehow, I could always feel those cold eyes on me but my heart was beating normally. That was a good sign. I visibly relaxed breathing out and also leaning back.

Lira smirked at me as we were both leaning, " that's right redy, relax," she hummed with a slight chuckle just as the whistle went off and the game took off once again, sweaty bodies dashing across the court.

"Left corner, blue," Lira announced and all our eyes shifted to the player on the left, full brown hair and a build that could make any girl's knees weak, "oh mama, I'm in paradise," Lira mumbled and Claire purred to which we all glanced at her for making such a weird noise.

She pushed her glasses back up her nose, "What? Look at him" she huffed, "who wouldn't purr all over that?" she asked and David rolled his eyes as Lira and I laughed.

"Oooh, orange center!" Claire called and our eyes latched onto the blond-locked boy-

I cared nothing for sport, but I wouldn't mind hanging out for just a little bit longer.

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