Helios watched the interaction with a smile.
They had truly been through a lot. After entering the academy as freshmen, they joined the Cricket Society, balancing rigorous training with their academics. Some days, everything seemed to fall into place effortlessly, while on others, Poseidon's illness shook the very foundation of their progress.
There were moments when hope felt out of reach, yet they pushed forward and in their very first year, they defied expectations by winning the Inter-Academy Nationals. They had surpassed their seniors, with Helios taking on the role of Captain and Poseidon as Vice-captain. But their struggles didn't end there.
In the first semester of their second year, Poseidon's illness returned with even greater intensity, pushing him to his limits. Still, he fought through it, and Helios, along with the rest, stood firmly by his side. Their perseverance paid off, as they secured their second Inter-Academy Nationals victory and excelled academically.
Now, as they stood at the edge of their third challenge. Before the semester had even begun, Poseidon's health had already deteriorated, forcing him to miss the first two weeks. But now, he was back, determined to find his rhythm once again.
Helios let out a breath, his gaze fixed on Poseidon, who chuckled. "I just hope you never have to endure that kind of pain," he murmured, his tone light but sincere, "May it all just vanish, like it was never there to begin with." He then turned towards Haadi and Claude who laughed talking to others. "You all better get to your classes before the Council President catches you. Don't expect me to bail you out," Helios warned.
"Mean," Claude grumbled, "Honestly, Poseidon is way better than you. You've just turned heartless."
Settling into the seat beside Poseidon, Helios glanced out the window with an indifferent nod, "Yeah, yeah."
"Not that he's wrong, though," Mirza muttered.
Just then, a group of freshmen came sprinting down the corridor, panting heavily. Claude and Haadi exchanged confused glances.
"Freshmen?" Mirza peered outside.
"What's up, young ones? Where are you all rushing to?" Haadi asked.
"U-uh…" One of the boys hesitated, shifting nervously, "I-is… i-is…"
Claude and Haadi raised their brows, unimpressed.
"Well, we're not going to eat you, so just spit it out already," Mirza pressed.
That only seemed to make them more anxious. The pamphlets in their hands trembled.
"Great job, Mirza. You really have no tact," Claude sighed in disbelief.
"Huh? Then you do it," Mirza shot back, annoyed.
Helios glanced at Poseidon, who met his gaze. Helios made a small motion towards him.
"Me?" Poseidon pointed to himself.
Helios nodded, "Yeah. If they see me, they might just faint."
Laughter erupted from the students. "You've ruined your image by being so strict, Helios," a girl teased.
Helios merely exhaled in response.
Poseidon got up and headed outside the room, offering the group of freshmen a reassuring smile. "Please calm down. I'm Poseidon Ageil, a third year senior here. How may I help you?" His voice was gentle, easing the tension in the air.
The freshmen exchanged nervous glances before one of them finally spoke. "W-we were told the second-years' classrooms were on this floor. The teachers asked us to deliver these pamphlets to the first class on the corridor. Is this the second-years' floor?"
Mirza, Haadi, and Claude exchanged surprised glances.
"They actually spoke," Haadi muttered.
"Obviously. You lot just don't know how to hold a conversation," a girl remarked.
"Tch, maybe take a lesson in basic etiquettes from Poseidon," another added.
Poseidon's smile remained kind but firm, "I'm afraid you're mistaken. This is the third-year students floor. The second-year floor is just below this one."
"Huh? But we were told—" The freshmen looked at each other in confusion.
"But someone told us that it was here." One of them continued.
Poseidon glanced at the others confused.
"Tch. Looks like they were tricked," a student from the opposite class remarked.
"Tricked?" Claude's eyes widened.
"Oh, by that illusionist kid?! Again?" Mirza suddenly recalled.
"Yeah, that must be it!" The realization dawned on the entire class.
Poseidon turned to them, puzzled, "Illusionist…?"
"Yeah. A new freshman this year has the ability to create illusions of himself, imitating others. He's been tricking even the teachers," Haadi explained, shaking his head, "What a brat."
"He's all over the school chat group," a girl remarked thoughtfully. "What was his name again…?" "Oh, right! Ezekiel! Ezekiel Vincente," she suddenly exclaimed.
"Apparently, he's quite the troublemaker," another student chimed in, "And not just that—he seems to be targeting students who have some connection to the cricket society, one way or another."
"Not just targeting," a boy from the class across the hall interjected, "He outright says he hates them and cricket itself."
Poseidon exchanged a glance with Helios, whose gaze sharpened.
Helios studied the freshmen, in thought, "They are no doubt the boys who joined the society this year…"
Mirza sighed, adding, "Ebraham got tricked by him too. He's been fuming over it ever since."
"Annoying to the core," Claude muttered, clicking his tongue, "But why us? Did we do something to hurt his pride or something?"
Poseidon took a moment to absorb the information before turning back to the freshmen. "I'm sorry you got caught up in this, but the second-year classrooms are downstairs," he told them.
The freshmen nodded, still visibly unsettled. "T-thank you," they murmured before hurrying away.
"No problem. Stay safe," Poseidon called after them, offering a reassuring wave.
Standing beside him, Helios murmured, "Ezekiel Vincente, huh?"
Poseidon chuckled, "Sounds interesting, doesn't he?"
"Interesting, indeed," Helios agreed.
Claude immediately rolled his eyes, leaving, "Here we go. Two guys who are barely a part of this world, are calling the weirdest people 'interesting.'"
The rest of the class busted into laughter.
"We'll meet you at the Cricket Society later, boss, Vice-boss. Take care!" Haadi added as they left.
After recess, Poseidon, Helios, Claude, Haadi, Ebraham, and Mirza made their way to the Cricket Society. The third years joined them, while the freshmen and sophomores were already preparing, just as expected.
As they stepped inside, the lively chatter died down, replaced by hushed whispers of admiration and alarm. Poseidon exchanged a glance with Helios, who surveyed the ground with his usual stern expression.
"Ah~ I was wondering why the air suddenly turned so cold. Looks like the reason just arrived, Captain Helios Zadeh," a familiar voice remarked.
Helios acknowledged the speaker with a nod, taking his seat beside a man dressed in sports gear. A whistle hung from his neck, and his black cap concealed his blonde hair.
"Hello, Coach Zavian," Helios greeted. Zavian nodded, but the moment his eyes landed on Poseidon, he immediately stood and strode toward him. "Poseidon…!" he breathed, gripping Poseidon's arms as if to confirm he was really there. A flicker of relief passed across his face, "How are you?"
Poseidon offered a small smile, "Much better. I apologize for missing lessons and neglecting my duties."
Zavian scoffed, "Silly boy. Nothing comes before your health. Work can wait, and missed lessons can be made up. Don't stress yourself over it."
"Thank you," Poseidon replied sincerely.
Zavian turned toward the students who had now gathered before them, smiling and anticipating. "Look. They've been waiting for you. The Vice-Captain of the Cricket Society, who helped secure two consecutive wins at the inter-academy nationals, even as a freshman and sophomore. Go on, introduce yourself." he patted Poseidon's back encouragingly.
Poseidon stepped forward. "Hello, everyone. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Poseidon Ageil, Vice-Captain of the Cricket Society. I was away due to personal reasons, but now that I'm here, I hope we can work well together."
A collective "Yes!" rang out in response.
But soon, murmurs followed. Whispers, mixed opinions.
"So he's the vice-captain who's sick?"
"To think he played in that condition… that's impressive."
"Tch. I don't buy it. It was Helios Zadeh who won us the nationals."
"Wasn't he sick for two weeks? As fragile as he looks, I doubt he plays well."
"How can you say that? Have you seen his bowling? He's a masterclass!"
"I bet he only got the title because he's Helios's friend. Nepotism at its finest."
"Hey, hey, how about we challenge him? Seems like the last two years, he was challenged to prove himself."
"What were the results?"
"Who knows? Barely Plausible, I guess."
"Hey, that's rude."
Poseidon listened, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. He had heard it all before. Facing doubt and judgment was nothing new to him. And, just as always, he was prepared to prove himself. But before he could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Are you all done?" Helios's voice, sharp and impatient, silenced the murmurs instantly.
Poseidon's eyes flickered toward him, "Heli…?" he whispered.
"If you have time for pointless gossip, you have time to warm up," Helios declared, his violet gaze glowing with authority.
"Y-Yes, Captain!" the players responded in unison.
"All third years selected for the team will face the nominees for sophomore team selection for the 'Clash' practice matches and report the results to me. Freshmen, follow the exercise manual and practice drills to prepare for the upcoming fitness tests. Those who fail will not qualify for team selections this year," his voice was cold, uncompromising.
"Yes!" the group echoed again.
"Claude, I want you on the first net with me. The rest of you are dispersed!" Helios ordered.
Zavian sighed as the players dispersed.