Tumbling to a stop on the ground floor, Eunha groaned as she regained her sense of balance. Sowon had managed a combat roll and was already running in a direction that Eunha could only hope was the right one.

“Eunha unnie? Where are you going?”

“Umji yah, not now, for now stay with the rest of the team!”

               Rushing after her mentor, Eunha tried to keep up with her longer strides. They made it to the forcefield and Sowon began to run the full circle around the school, Eunha had to stop because her energy ran out. Seated on a rock, she panted as she tried to in the precious oxygen into her lungs, she was radiating a heat so hot that the plants around her seemed dry.

“I told you that she found out!”

“Shut up, we’ll just take care of this one.”

“Wha-“

               Dodging a blast of water, Eunha flinched when a droplet hit her skin, burning her instantly. Acid? Keeping a careful distance from the water user who had probably taken the illegal supplements that allowed changes to your magic, Eunha carefully pressed the call button on her phone in her pocket, pretending she was holding her weapon behind her.

“Who are you!?”

“Us? You don’t need to know girly, we’ll just end you and be on our merry way, why waste my breath on a dead person?”

“How sure of yourself that I’ll really be dead?”

“Quite certain, hurry and do it you imbecile.”

               Drawing up a block of earth from beneath her to block the acid bomb, she backflipped away from the small boulder as it melted away. That stuff that burned through earth and rock had been on her skin? She was relieved that her skin was just lightly burned, most likely the reason why her arm didn’t have a hole in it was her magic aura, which actively healed the user when in danger. Huffing as she dodged again, she winced as she heard the sizzling of the heel of her boot disappearing. Shaking off her shoes to make it even on her feet, she pushed a gust of air to try and knock the intruders off their feet.

“Eunha!”

               Ducking as Sowon vaulted over her, Eunha watched as her mentor pulled up the earth in the shape of a fist and knock the intruders into the air, a fireball bloomed around them and she winced as they screamed. But when the fire disappeared, they appeared just lightly singed.

“You’ll pay for this!”

“I told you that she knew!”

“Shut up and put that energy towards running you dolt!”

               Sowon made to chase after them but turned back around to make sure that Eunha was alright. Calling the school to tell them about the breach and their encounter, she lifted Eunha up princess style and started walking back to the main campus.

“Why didn’t you go after them? I know you are more than strong enough to catch them.”

“They’re not my priority right now.”

“What? But they’re the ones who cursed you and sealed your abilities.”

“My priority is first, my own safety, my sister’s safety, then it’s your safety. My job isn’t part of the top three.”

               That was irresponsible, but it warmed Eunha’s heart that Sowon would protect her. Sure, it was her job as the mentor and senior student, but to hear her say it after her little sister made her heart flutter just a little.

“Will you get in trouble?”

“No, choosing to make sure someone is alright is never the wrong choice.”

“What if you could’ve caught the boss?”

“Then surely I’d get him next time, never forget that safety is first.”

               Eunha nodded and remained quiet in Sowon’s arms, the students that passed by gave her long looks of confusion, why was their star student carrying her partner in dirtied clothes and lacking shoes? But they remained quiet for the duration they were in Sowon’s presence.

“Eunha?”

               Yuju hurried over when the door to the dorm opened and Eunha’s arm was extended to unlock it, still in Sowon’s hold. She had tried to struggle to get out but Sowon insisted to stay with her and keep her feet off the ground.

“I already told you that it only singed my clothes and boots.”

“But the floor may have sharp objects.”

“I’d like to clarify that I’m a neat freak and that our dorm floor has to be vacuumed once a week.”

               Yerin greeted them finally as she had exited the small kitchen after Yuju hadn’t come back for a while. Yuju grabbed her bottle of water and stepped close to Sowon uncapping it and drawing it out. Eunha watched as the water began to glow and touch her skin softly where the droplets of acid had touched her.

“I’ll go draw you a bath.”

“But I-“

“She’s right, you should relax and wash up.”

               Eunha protested but Sowon put her down and pushed her into her room to get clothes. Walking back to the living room, Sowon sat down on the couch with a contemplating look, Yerin saw this and went to turn off her burner before coming to sit across from her.

“What was it? I doubt you did that to her in training.”

“Of course, I didn’t.”

“Then why was she all banged up?”

“I….shouldn’t be telling you this, but…here’s to hoping that you guys were put into team one for a reason.”

               Sowon explained carefully to the younger leader and her partner how Eunha had ended up that way, how the school was under attack, or ‘test attacks’ as the headmaster once said. The barrier at the academy was used worldwide to keep major cities safe, perhaps they were using the school as a test subject, seeing as it was one of the smaller force fields.

“We’re not safe here then.”

“No, I’d say we are among the best protection however.”

“What?”

“Even if the barrier doesn’t keep out the villains, we have each other to protect ourselves. Which is why I’m telling you guys. Seeing what happened today, I don’t think I should still be going at it alone. If headmaster doesn’t want me to have helpers, or give me any helpers, then I’ll just recruit you. Are you in?”

“I….”

               Yerin ran a hand through her hair, this was dangerous. Way beyond everything that she had ever dealt with before. Despite being known as the Ace of the junior year, despite knowing her own prowess over her abilities, it still scared her, and it was perfectly normal.

“I understand if you’re afraid, she was too.”

“Wha-who?”

Sowon rubbed her shoulders awkwardly.

“The girl who had lie detector.”

=============

late because I'm not feeling well ;-;