Ashes of the Elite

The Askert brat just stares at me, her yellow eyes wide for a heartbeat—and then she doubles over, laughter bursting out of her like she can't help herself. The sound echoes weirdly in the ruined corridor, a little too loud, a little too close to hysteria. Elijah and the shorter boy both shuffle back a step, glancing at each other like they're not sure whether to join in or run for cover. She keeps laughing, wiping at her eyes, until she finally looks up and realizes I'm not joking.

"Wait, wait—" she gasps, catching her breath wiping tears from her eyes, "you're deadass?"

I shrug, the smile never leaving my face. "Why wouldn't I be? The bastard needs to die. And the proctors are either mia or busy with his accomplice on the lower floors." My voice is casual as if I'm discussing the weather. "If no one else is going to do something, it's on us."

The shorter boy with black hair and auburn eyes stares at me like I've grown a second head. "I saw most of your duel with Alaster," he says, voice small but steady. "You're strong, but... don't you think this is crazy? There's only four of us."

I flash him a grin, sharp and reckless. "Yeah, and do you think this killer's expecting a bunch of terrified first years to come after him? We have the element of surprise. That's all we need." I meet each of their eyes in turn, letting them see I mean it. I'm not giving them a choice, not really. If we're going down, we're going down fighting.

The short boy just nods, jaw tight and hands trembling a little as he weighs what I've said. He looks like he wants to protest, to run the other way, but something—fear, or maybe just the lack of any better option keeps him rooted in place. Elijah watches me with a wary, analytical stare, like he's already measuring the risk of following someone as reckless as me.

Elijah finally breaks the silence, lifting his chin. "Okay, what's your plan then?" His voice is steady, but the way his gaze flicks to the broken doors next to us suggests he's just as desperate for direction as I assumed them to be. Fantastic.

I flash a wolfish grin again, letting a bit of bravado settle my nerves, and lean against the nearest section of wall, making sure to keep my back to the stone and not the plants weaving through them. "First things first: what are your names?" I nod at the short boy and the Askert girl in turn. "And I need to know what your marks are. No point making moves if I don't know what cards we're holding."

The Askert girl snorts, crossing her arms, chin raised in defiance. "Asking for that information without giving it yourself is pretty damn rude, you know."