The herd of Rattaclaws, nearly twenty-five of them, clashed head-on with the students. Vorden stood at the front, acting as the line of defense. He unleashed a storm of scorching flames from his palms, setting many of the creatures ablaze. Still, a few slipped past the fire and broke into the group.
Erin swung her long metal rod and struck one Rattaclaw cleanly, but the impact only sent it skidding a few feet away—not enough to kill it. Before it had even fully recovered, three more Rattaclaws lunged at her.
All around, students fought desperately, swinging broken metal parts to drive the beasts back. But the Rattaclaws were relentless. They kept attacking despite the blows, some wounded ones even recovering and rejoining the herd.
A few even reached the entrance to the dome where Quinn was trying to open the door.
He slammed his foot down and turned the ground beneath one of them into quicksand, trapping it instantly. Taking a deep breath, he forced his shaking hands steady and punched in the code again.
Katchuck.
The lock disengaged.
"Guys, it's open!" Quinn shouted as he rushed forward to cover them.
He activated his fire attribute and launched five blazing blasts toward the herd. The heat forced the Rattaclaws to scatter, opening a narrow path.
"Amy, Sarah—go!"
The two most injured students hurried inside and waited near the entrance.
Ray and Michael stayed behind, wielding spare metal pieces without pause, fighting back the relentless beasts.
Then—
"Ahh!"
Erin screamed.
One of the Rattaclaws had sunk its teeth into her leg. She jammed the metal rod between its jaws and her flesh, stopping it from biting deeper—but two more Rattaclaws leapt toward her.
Quinn reacted instantly.
Five sharp earth spikes formed midair and shot past Ray and Michael, piercing five Rattaclaws clean through. Their bodies dropped lifelessly to the ground.
"You two—get inside!" Quinn shouted. "Me and Vorden will handle this!"
Ray didn't hesitate. He grabbed Michael and dragged him toward the entrance, pulling both inside and slamming the door shut behind them.
Quinn sprinted back to Erin.
Earth surged beneath the attackers as spikes erupted upward, skewering the Rattaclaws and freeing her. Without stopping, Quinn switched attributes—streams of water blasted from his hands, knocking several beasts back. A heartbeat later, ice spread through the water, freezing them in place and trapping even more Rattaclaws.
"Let's go", Quinn shouted at Vorden grabbing his attention,
Quinn then quickly lifted Erin from the ground, and ran fast to the door, opening it he entered fast and Vorden quickly followed suit and then finally they entered the building, closing the door behind.
"Put me down!" Erin yelled.
"Huhh, what happened", Quinnsaud puzzled.
She struck Quinn's chest hard with both hands, fury carved into her expression.
"You—!"
Her voice trembled. "You stole it."
"What?" Quinn frowned and carefully set her down on the ground.
"What are you talking about? I just saved you."
"How dare you?" Erin snapped, tears streaming down her face,
"How dare you speak to me after stealing my ability!"
The room went silent.
All eyes turned to Quinn. Faces stiffened with shock, suspicion and betrayal written all over.
Erin holding her pain forced herself to stand on one leg, her hands clenched.
"At school, you could only use the earth ability. That's what everyone knew." Her voice rose. "And now? All of a sudden you can use Fire, Ice, Water. All of it."
She laughed bitterly.
"You played all of us. You were scheming from the start—with that Truedream. Wasn't that your plan?"
"Erin, wait—" Quinn said quickly. "That's not what happened."
"Then what is the truth?" Erin shouted.
Her eyes burned, sharp and accusing, like a blade held to the throat of the room.
"Tell us, Quinn."
"What is she talking about, Quinn?"
Ray stepped forward, an edge of suspicion in his voice, genuine concern written across his face.
Quinn froze.
This—this—was the fear that had haunted him from the very beginning. He opened his mouth, but no words came.
Low murmurs rippled through the room.
Then realization struck Ray like a blow.
Erin had ice.
Now Quinn did too.
Amy had healing and then surprisingly Quinn had healed him.
Quinn had shown impossible strength and endurance—traits that screamed of his own Hardening ability.
Ray's voice cracked.
"Quinn… how could you do this? I thought you were my savior." His fists clenched. "But you turned out to be the worst person in this room."
"Traitor!" Michael shouted. "Get out of here! Leave us, you traitor—"
As the atmosphere shifted, accusations pressing in from every side, one individual's hand began to tremble—rage boiling over.
"Shut up, you wench!"
Vorden's voice cut through the chaos like a blade towards Michael.
"Are you all out of your damn minds?" he snarled. "If Quinn was scheming with TrueDream, then why the hell do you think he's here with us?"
No one answered.
"He helped you. All of you." Vorden's eyes burned. "And when everyone voted to let Ray die, Quinn was the only one who risked himself to save him."
"But if he had these powers," Michael argued, "why didn't he save us earlier? If not for him, Howard and Wilfred would still be alive!"
Vorden was on him in an instant, grabbing Michael by the collar and lifting him off the ground.
"Don't you dare," Vorden growled. "Don't you ever say that."
He shoved him back.
"If not for Quinn, I wouldn't even be here. And if we weren't here—" His voice lowered, lethal. "Every single one of you would already be dead."
"Vorden, put him down," Quinn said quickly, worry edging his voice.
Silence followed.
"Then explain this," Sarah finally said. "Why did we lose our abilities?"
Vorden snapped his head toward her.
"Are you seriously that blind?" he snapped. "Did you even think why Truedream wanted to meet you in the first place? You were candidates. He wanted your powers."
Amy stepped forward slowly.
"Vorden's right," she said. "Every year, there are rumors—students losing their abilities. Some are never even seen again."
"Then why does Quinn get to keep them?" Erin screamed.
"Why him?!"Erin cried.
The shouting blurred together.
And the accusations piled up. Quinn felt himself shrinking beneath the weight of it all.
Whose fault was it?
His—or fate's?
Had he chosen this?
Quinn took a shaky breath and stepped forward.
"Truedream stole all of your abilities, and I just ... It happened... And somehow I have your abilities," he said quietly. "That's the truth."
He looked around the room.
"I can't explain more than that. Maybe it is my fault." His voice steadied. "And if you need someone to blame… then blame me."
He spread his hands, open.
"If you want to let your anger out—do it. I'm here."
"I'll hear all of it."
Because I deserve it.