Nonexistent

THREE- Rogue

AS Mason, Celeste and I amble towards the Battle Rounds Arena, I take a deep breath. I've never been into this facility before. It is reserved for the Battle Rounds of the graduating batch.

"Please subdivide yourselves according to your Deviant Category and enter the Battle Rounds Arena. Again, please subdivide yourselves according..." the voice repeats from all over the government facility, ensuring no one misses it.

We walk on the glass pavement under hundreds of golden arches and finally reach a humungous structure. The architecture makes it look like it was built ages ago. It looks heavily armed, as if it were a fortress. Gushing water springs from a hidden fountain on top of it, creating an illusion of crystallized matter.

I've seen batches before us who had entered this arena plenty of times when it was the year of their Finals. Now it's our turn. I was just too slow to realise that time flew so fast.

This is one of the biggest practice battles before our Finals, so getting a good score here plays an important role on whether we pass or fail our Exam. Even with the silence in the air, I know we are all thinking the same thing. Losing isn't an option.

Our Final Exams are in two days. If there's any time to prove to the instructors I'm fit for the military, it's now.

We part ways in front of the four silver doors.

Mason enters the door to the left labeled PHYSICAL DEVIANTS. It is bustling with Regenerators, Shapeshifters, Crystallisers, and other Physical Deviants all getting their numbers stamped on their wrists as they enter.

Same goes for Celeste as she finds her place outside the door labeled MENTAL DEVIANTS. Whisperers, Teleporters, Seers, all waiting in line for their numbers as well.

As for me, I find myself standing in front of the ELEMENTAL DEVIANTS door. Flamecasters, Hydrodrifters, Cloudriders, Groundshifters, and Silvercrests like myself are all discussing who they want to battle.

Isolated from the bustling activity, I can't help but notice the door beside mine. The SPECIAL DEVIANTS.

It is empty and disregarded. Special Deviants are so rare, everyone considered them a myth after Tiberius-- until many years ago when one was found. The find was so remarkable that they confined the Special Deviant somewhere confidential, and we've never heard of him since then.

Nevertheless, the citizens of Valburn are proud to have had a Special on our side of the Immortal War. There hasn't been a Special Deviant in so long that almost everyone has forgotten them completely. I never have, though. They are said to be the strongest among all the other Deviants of every type, having unfathomable powers.

I've always wondered what it would feel like to walk through that door.

"Excuse me, Miss. Your hand."

My mind snaps back into reality. I stick out my hand, ready to be stamped. I look at my wrist and see two big, bold numbers.

22.

The magic of the stamped number seals into place. It won't be able to come off until the end of the day. I then wonder which pair in this whole arena has looked at the same number I have on my wrist.

Whoever they are, I don't plan on losing to.

As I walk in, I take in the whole scene. The circular grand arena has been divided into four sections. All of them are surrounding an enormous cylinder battle area with thick glass walls. Just like the entrance, every Deviant Category is full of chattering crowds, ready to cheer for their Category Representative, except the Special Deviant section that has been abandoned and forgotten long ago...

"All number fifties, please get ready," the hidden speakers around announce all at once. The monotone voice echoes it out once more. "Welcome to the Battles Rounds Arena, Deviants. Now, for the first Representative of the Physical Deviants, we have a Shapeshifter. From the class of the Peasants, please welcome Ryder 27."

The monotone voice contrasts with the wild cheers exploding from the Physical Deviants as Ryder pumps his fists high up in the air.

"As for the Representative of the Mental Deviants," the voice continues, "a Seer, from the class of the Nobles, we have Blair 57." Blair turns around to look at her fellow Mental Deviants and nods her head. They clap politely and nod back in respect.

"Last but not the least, we have Cypress 142 as the Representative of the Elemental Deviants, a Flamecaster coming from the class of the Merchants." Everyone around me bolts out of their seats and cheers. "Cypress! You show them what we're made of!" someone to my right shouts.

"Elementals!" another hollers.

When everyone's voices finally die down, each representative steps into their designated platforms, leaving one empty. The platforms all rise at once, and I see the three competitors appear in the cylinder battle area, confined by the thick glass.

The three of them put their right hand above their left chest. The audience stand and do the same.

"Separated by our class," the voice starts.

"United by our powers," the whole arena finishes.

The Deviant Affirmation has always been recited before the first and last battles of every Battle Rounds. Or any activity involving several battles for that matter.

As the crowd settles down and focuses on the battle area, the three representatives place their hands down and ready themselves. Ryder's fists are clenched, prepared to transform at any given moment. Blair closes her eyes for further concentration, ready to predict her opponents' first strikes. And Cypress's hands explodes with flames, ready to set the battle area on fire with a wild inferno.

All three wear confident smiles, each one convinced they would win. But only one is right.

"May the preeminent Deviant win!"

And with that, the battle area is spun into a clash of chaos, leaving me pondering on how I am going to win my match.