The sun hung low, painting the academy grounds in gold and shadow. Kairo had left to meet Igron, leaving Riven and Lily alone. The quiet of the forest was deceptive—whispers and rustling leaves betrayed the approach of a small team of Earth Faction assailants, backed subtly by Ice Faction observers.
Lily's Heat Spatial Magic flared, scanning the forest. She couldn't attack—only observe and warn. "Right side… two assailants coming!" she called, pointing frantically, her voice tight with tension.
Riven gritted his teeth, drawing his sword. "Then we deal with it," he said, but even his confidence wavered as the first wave struck.
The assault was swift and merciless. Riven parried and dodged, but the numbers pressed hard. One strike landed on his shoulder, another cut across his side. Lily, helpless to defend herself, stumbled backward, tears stinging her eyes as she scanned desperately, trying to guide him.
They were forced back, every move calculated but punishing. Riven's breathing grew ragged; a final, heavy blow knocked him to the ground, and he couldn't rise immediately. Lily screamed his name, her heat magic flaring wildly, but she could do nothing to physically aid him.
The assailants, satisfied with their small victory, retreated quietly, leaving the two battered and shaken.
Riven was unconscious by the time they were found, carried to the infirmary by Sukai and other students.
Lily collapsed beside him, clutching his hand, her small frame shaking. "Riven… Riven! Don't… don't leave me!" Her voice cracked, raw with fear and frustration. She had always been confident, but now, seeing her childhood friend beaten, she felt helpless, mentally battered as much as her body had been spared.
Hours passed. Riven lay unconscious, his body patched and bruised, while Lily stayed by his side, heat magic faintly illuminating the room as she silently monitored his breathing. Every rise and fall of his chest was a relief, every groan a small terror.
Sukai sat nearby, arms crossed but silent. "You both took a beating," he said carefully. "But it could've been worse."
Lily shook her head, tears falling freely. "No… it's not just that. I couldn't fight. I couldn't protect him. I… I hate feeling so weak."
Sukai glanced at her sharply. "This isn't weakness. You've never had the ability to strike back with your magic. But you were there. You guided him, and that matters. Don't forget it."
Lily looked down, pressing her hand against her chest. "I… I just feel like I failed him. We've been together since we were kids… I can't lose him. I can't… let anything happen to him."
Kairo returned later, sensing the tension from a distance. He stepped quietly into the infirmary, eyes scanning Lily's trembling figure and Riven lying bandaged. Crimson eyes softened slightly, though his usual calm presence remained commanding.
"He's alive," Kairo said quietly. "That's what matters. You both need to remember—survival comes first. And you're not alone."
Lily looked up at him, the heat in her magic flickering weakly. "But… he was hurt because I couldn't do anything. I can't… I just can't stand by again."
Kairo knelt slightly beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Then train. Grow stronger. Protect him, yourself, and the others. That's what matters."
Outside the infirmary, murmurs of rival factions continued. Eclipse Faction had survived, but the small beatdown had left scars—both physical and mental. The forest and academy halls would remember this day, and so would Riven and Lily.
This was a warning: the challenges ahead were far from over, and the bond between the two childhood friends had now become as much about survival as it was about trust and resilience.