CHAPTER 16: AND THE DICE FELL DARK

"And the winner of this trial is—Stephenie from the Devil’s Wing. Congratulations," Miss Vivian announced, her voice was firm but carrying a hint of disappointment as the magical glass around the battlefield dissolved.

The moment the words left her lips, the Devil’s side of the arena erupted.

"STEPHENIE! STEPHENIE!" they chanted in unison, stamping their feet and clapping their hands, with their voices rising like thunder.

The sound bounced through the temple walls, filling the air with triumphant echoes. Stephanie herself stood at the center of the battleground, tossing her long hair back with a victorious smirk. Her eyes gleamed with wicked pride as if she had already claimed a throne no one had given her.

On the Angel’s side, silence hung for a few moments. The sting of loss lingered like smoke, but then, one by one, Soda’s friends stood from their seats. Valkyrie, Jasmine, Rain, Lily, Suki, May and Tekna rushed toward her as she stepped down from the stance platform. Her shoulders slumped, her wings dragged slightly behind her, but her chin was held just high enough to show she wasn’t broken.

"Val, Jaz...don’t look at me like that," Soda muttered, forcing a crooked smile even as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I almost had her. You all saw it."

"You did more than almost," Valkyrie said firmly, her hand immediately steadying Soda by the arm. "If she hadn’t pulled that... trick at the end, you would’ve had her on her knees."

"Exactly," Jasmine added, her eyes narrowing toward Stephanie, who was now basking in the cheers of her fellow Devils. "Shape-shifting into your grandmother? That’s not a fair fight— it’s cruelty disguised as strategy."

Soda laughed softly, though the sound was brittle. "She’s a devil, Jaz. What else did I expect? Fair play?"

Rain crouched beside her, holding out a flask of water she always carried. Her gentle eyes shone with concern. "Here, drink. You need to get your energy back. Don’t let her see she rattled you."

Soda accepted it gratefully, taking a long sip before letting out a deep exhale. "Thanks, Rain. I’m fine. Just... a little annoyed that I didn’t finish what I started."

Behind them, the chanting of the Devils grew louder, Stephanie, now raising her hands like a queen receiving her crown. "Bow before your victor!" she declared dramatically, and her followers roared even louder, their laughter were echoing like firecrackers.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. "I can’t wait to wipe that smirk off her face."

"She feeds off reactions," Tekna said, her tone more thoughtful as she pushed her hair sideways from the bridge of her nose. "Ignore her, and you take half her power away. Besides, Soda— your techniques were brilliant. I’ve never seen wind magic used with that much precision before."

That brought the first genuine smile back to Soda’s face. She leaned against Valkyrie and sighed. "Thanks, Tekna. You always know how to put things in perspective."

Stephanie, noticing the little cluster of angels gathered around Soda, raised her voice so the entire arena could hear. "Aww, look at the little chick flocking back to her nest after being scorched. How adorable!" Her words dripped with mockery, and laughter rippled through the Devil’s wing.

Soda’s hand clenched into a fist, but Valkyrie gently caught it before she could snap back. "Not now," Val whispered. "Your fight’s over, but this war isn’t. Let her laugh while she can."

Soda nodded reluctantly, unclenching her fist. She lifted her chin, locking her eyes with Stephanie across the room. Instead of snarling back, she simply smirked. That small act, that refusal to break, only seemed to frustrate Stephanie more.

"You’ll get another chance," Jasmine said, her voice was low but full of promise. "And when you do, she won’t see it coming."

"I’ll make sure of it," Soda replied, her eyes hardening for just a moment before softening again as her friends huddled closer.

The Devils were still celebrating, but on the Angel’s side, something stronger than victory was growing— a bond. Soda hadn’t just fought for herself, she had fought for them all, and though she had fallen, none of her friends saw her as defeated.

As they walked her out of the trial grounds together, Soda glanced at each of them, her grin finally genuine. "Thanks for being here. Seriously. I think if I didn’t have you all, I might’ve believed Stephanie’s little mind games."

Valkyrie gave her a gentle nudge. "Good thing you’ve got us, then. We’re not going anywhere."

And as they disappeared down the hallway, the cheers of the Devils fading behind them, one thing was clear— Stephanie may have won this battle, but the war between Angels and Devils was only just beginning.

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[The Academy’s Guardian Quarters—]

The sun had dipped just beyond the academy walls, painting the skies with streaks of violet and orange. The stance trial was over, but the excitement it stirred hadn’t yet died. On the east training ground, six of the academy’s guardians sat together in their usual circle— a mixture of wooden benches and smooth rocks that had, over time, become their unofficial meeting spot.

Iyo leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head. "Man, that trial today... it had me on the edge. Soda really gave Stephanie a run for her money."

Tyson smirked, kicking at a pebble with his boot. "Yeah, for a moment I thought she had her. Until that little shapeshift trick. Classic devil move. They always gotta play dirty."

Klein shrugged. "To be fair, Stephanie did what she was supposed to. She’s a devil, and devils bend rules like they’re made of clay."

Randy, finally spoke. His deep voice carried more weight because of its rarity. "Still... I didn’t like it. Shit felt cheap."

Bryan chuckled, nudging him with an elbow. "You never like anything that involves the devils winning. It’s in your blood to brood, Randy."

The group laughed, and even Randy cracked a faint smile.

But Sky, with his golden hair catching the dying sunlight, had been unusually quiet. His mind wasn’t on Stephanie or the devils— it was elsewhere, lingering on the image of a certain orange-haired angel who had stood up to cheer for her friend even when the odds were stacked against her.

Iyo noticed the mood on his face and couldn’t help but ask. " ’You alright, Sky? you’ve been zoning out for the last ten minutes. Don’t tell me you’re still replaying Soda’s near victory in your head?"

Sky smirked, resting his chin in his hand. "Actually, no. I was thinking of someone else."

Bryan’s eyebrows shot up instantly. "Oh, here we go. The mighty Sky, breaker of hearts, finally caught daydreaming about a girl. Who’s the unlucky one?"

The group leaned in, curious.

Sky didn’t flinch one bit. Instead, he let the words fall casually, though his voice carried a touch of pride. "V—Valkyrie."

There was silence for half a beat before Tyson whistled. "Whoa. You mean...the Valkyrie? Soda’s... roommate? The one who just found out she’s the angel of light?"

Sky nodded, with a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Yeah... that’s the one."

Iyo sat up straighter, with his grin widening. "You’ve got taste bro, I’ll give you that. She’s different yeah!. Not like the others..."

"Different?" Klein raised a brow. "Try untouchable. Did you see how she didn’t even blink when Sky walked into the cafeteria the other day? Every other girl swooned but her."

That drew a round of laughter from the group.

"Hey," Sky said defensively, though amusement danced in his eyes. "Maybe that’s what makes her stand out. She’s not throwing herself at me like the rest. She’s real."

Randy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So what are you saying, Sky? You’re serious about this one?"

Sky shrugged, though his gaze turned thoughtful. "Serious enough to admit it to you guys. I don’t know... there’s something about her. The way she carries herself, even when she’s nervous. I can’t wrap my head around it. She’s... genuine..."

Bryan pretended to clutch his chest. "Oh no. Sky’s falling in love. Somebody write this down— we’re witnessing history."

Iyo laughed so hard he nearly toppled off the bench. "Next thing we know, he’ll be writing poems and sneaking flowers under her door."

Tyson joined in, deepening his voice dramatically. " ’Dear Valkyrie, your light blinds me more than the sun itself.’ "

The boys burst into uncontrollable laughter, some doubling over, others clapping each other on the back. Sky rolled his eyes but couldn’t help grinning.

"Laugh all you want," he said. "But when Valkyrie and I actually talk, you’ll see what I mean."

Klein raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, if you can get her to even notice you outside of class, I’ll buy everyone dinner for a week."

"That’s a dangerous promise," Iyo teased. "You’ve seen Sky’s determination. He’ll charm her just to bankrupt you."

Randy, still chuckling, shook his head. "Valkyrie doesn’t strike me as someone who’s easily charmed. You’ll have to work for it, Sky. And I’d love to see you sweat for once."

Bryan snapped his fingers. "That’s it! We should place bets. Will Sky actually win her over, or will Valkyrie be the first girl to put him in his place?"

The idea sent a ripple of excitement through the circle.

Iyo leaned forward eagerly. "I’m in. I bet Valkyrie makes him wait a long time before even considering him."

Tyson grinned. "I bet Sky won’t even make it past her cold stares. She’ll shut him down in less than a week."

Klein folded his arms with a smirk. "I’ll play devil’s advocate. Sky might actually pull it off. If anyone can, it’s him."

Randy chuckled. "I’m not betting. But I will enjoy watching."

"Bet" Sky replied.

The teasing continued, the group spiraling into playful banter about Sky writing sonnets, climbing towers, or fighting dragons for Valkyrie’s affection.

At one point, Bryan clapped Sky on the back. "So, tell us, what exactly do you like most about her? Is it her eyes? Her powers? Or..."

Sky hesitated for a moment, then answered honestly. "It’s all of that. But mostly... it’s the way she makes me feel like just another student, not some angel everyone’s drooling over. I like that...I need that."

The sincerity in his voice silenced the group for a beat, their teasing softening into something more respectful.

Iyo finally broke the pause with a grin. "Well, looks like Sky’s officially off the market. Valkyrie, whether she knows it or not, just caught herself a guardian."

Tyson laughed hard. "Only...If she doesn’t run away first."

The group roared with laughter again, the sound echoing across the training ground as the evening shadows deepened. Their camaraderie was unshakable, and while they joked and teased, there was no mistaking the truth— Sky had never spoken about anyone like this before.

And though the others would never admit it out loud, they were just as curious as Sky himself to see where this new Chapter would lead.