It begins

Alice's Point of view
Three months in and its the first round.  Things have already gone to hell. "They've shut off all exits and the First House have turned against us. They're on Blood Red and won't listen to a thing we say. Fayard is out and orchestrating the whole thing, he's being controlled. The team is stranded in a building and only time will tell if we make it out alright!" I yelled into my earpiece.  I hope Jason is alright. I thought as I stayed in cover behind a building with the rest of the team. All of the other clans are trying to break into the tournament done but it's no use in lockdown mode.

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"Higher aim! Back straight Calum, we don't want the First House getting the upper hand." Zack shouted. Calum, a short but flexible young guy, whipped through the air and shot at other trainees who ran through trees and foliage to dodge his and other's arrows. Grace shouted at the barrier summoners to keep the fields strong otherwise they might die in the real world. I was fighting off a group of trainees who used their weapons, that they forged, against me. Alice came in from behind and the others from the front with the weapons raised for the slaughter. I sidestepped and swept my foot into Sarah's nose and knocked everyone else down with a telekinetic shockwave.

"Alice, Sarah, and Felix. You must attack from different angles and coordinate. Felix from the top, Sarah go for my feet, and Alice for my stomach. Guards ready on your weapons? Again!" Felix swung at my neck while at the same time, Sarah almost knocked me off balance, and Alice hit me hard in the stomach but I recovered and threw Alice's weapon back into her abdomen and I stepped on Sarah's weapon then kicked her. I headbutted Felix and threw him onto the ground. "Excellent! Now, practice is dismissed for group one." Zack called for his group to rally to be dismissed and Grace followed suit.  Alice and the team formed up at a picnic table and sat down. "How's everyone?" I asked, sweating a little.

"My group seems to be ready for the final test before we head into the first round of the tournament." Zack leaned on the table and fiddled with his thumbs. I looked at him concerned and sat in front of him. "What's wrong?" Zack stiffened like a board and sighed. "This system isn't used in the tournament, they're matching up Clanhouses to fight and seeing which two will end up on top then they'll make those two fight. I...I just have a bad feeling about this." Grace nodded and started playing with a vine that grew from a tree. "This feels more or less like squad forming than a tournament."

I crossed my arms. "No, it feels like a trap. Not even Thompson knows what's wrong or the other Councilmen, even the First House stopped reporting in." Alice pointed at me. "Like there's traitors in Guardian again, like the cafe' down on North street." I nodded and played with a ball of fire in my hand.

"It's unusual for a seemingly sound organization like this to change up plans so quick and without warning." I started to reason. Then I looked at the sky and grumbled. "Dorms people! Let's move it!"

All of the students got in the bus we took. I got in the driver's seat and drove back to the academy. "Jason, what if the next move is to strike at The Republic? What if they're choosing you to lead?" Zack asked me quietly. "If that's the case, then I'll try to prepare everyone the best I can." I stared forward into the sunset. These other kids are all concerned with tests and practice, along with drama and gossip. They have no idea what war is like.
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"Alright! Everyone, we have an announcement. Tomorrow we'll be going to Georgia, on a trip across the state to help them rebuild for the next few days. At Three a.m precisely, September 12th, 2023 The Republic revived it's grasp of fear on the world by ravaging the state of Georgia. They started in Atlanta and from there they detonated a thermal nuclear nuke, dropped in hazmats, and slaughtered seventy percent of the population in Atlanta. Then they marched to Savannah, Augusta, Athens, and so on with brainwashed Humans and Gifted alike. They used guns, powers, missles, human bombs, and just about every vile and horrid method to erradicate those who wouldn't follow and now the Humans blame us Gifted." General Anthony had a grim expression on his face. He pounded his fist on the podium and a small bit of blue energy pulsated through it.

"So to show the world and our allies that we're not the threat and The Republic itself is, we're going to help refugees, set up camps, build homes, and make food for them." He nodded and saluted. "Dismissed!" Me and the thirty of us got up and went to our mansion. I sat down with them in the living room and stood while they sat in beanbags or on the floor.

"I want everyone to be packed and ready to go by morning. Only bring the essentials and dress humbly, word is that mostly Gifted and a few humans are alive and we don't wanna show up in expensive looking clothes and makeup, they'll think we're going to do this for publicity matters or for a political stunt. Make up to a minimum, guys bring deodorant and go buy some workboots from the stores if you have to. If you are met by disrespectful comments are racists insults, be passive, calm, and show peace. We don't want a fight breaking out. If we are attacked, form up on me and await my orders. That's all." Herald Angels raised a hand. "But why should we have to take their bullcrap? We're there to help them out and if they're going to be disrespectful why should we put up with it?"

I laced my fingers together. "Because, they've just been attacked by extremists and their own. They barely trust anyone and have seen death, destruction, and tradgedy fold out right around them. I'd kill you if I was fresh out of the torture room in The Republic because of the pain, misery, and what they've done in front of me." I had moved slowly towards him as I spoke and now sat two inches from him. "Tell me Herald, would you have done the same if you're girlfriend was freshly murdered?" His face tensed and he clenched his teeth."Yes, I would have."

I stood up and waved off everyone. I got on the nearest couch and plopped on it. I had a pounding headache from the pressure of today. Why me? Why not somebody else?! I thought anxiously. I got up and went to the backyard and punched a training dummy so hard it flew through the fence around the place and broke on a tree.

"AAAH!!" I shouted at the sky and threw a ginger ale can into the sky, which shook the barrier around the academy and it's property. I was angry at the fact that I had so much on my plate and at the fact that I was the most powerful. I slammed a nearby cooler into the ground and melted it.

"Jason!Stop it!" I felt someone hold my arms back and somebody else hug me. "Jason what in the hell?!" I heard Zack ask me. I sighed and calmly removed the person holding my arms, it was Grace. I hugged Alice and shook. "I'm sorry guys, just go back to sleep. I'll be ok." Grace scoffed and gestured to the backyard which I destroyed.

"Bullcrap! You wrecked this place, what's the matter Jason?" Grace put a hand on my arm and looked utterly scared. I kissed Alice's forehead and sat down. "I'm angry at the fact that I have so much on my shoulders, so scared that I'm probably going to have to to lead in battle or be the main pawn in this stupid war!" I sighed and sat down. "It scares me to death that I'm gonna be prepping these guys for war for the next few years  and fighting the battle I've tried to get away from for so long. This war just breeds racism and hate, that is all  The Republic wants!" I took my sword out of its sheath and walked out to a tree and charged up an attack and slice the tree. A blinding light came from the tree and it exploded with enough force to knock over the others. "I didn't ask for this power!" I stabbed the trunk and sat on it. Alice slowly walked to me and hugged me.

"I know, sweets. I know it's unfair but like isn't fair, its brutal and picks its champions, villians, who lives or dies, where the dice roll and what our chances of success or failure is. But its life, life chose you to lead on as a leader to fight those who'd destroy us because of your powers, your good heart, will, courage, and resistance to give in to the darkness. We need you."

"So, It Begins."

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