Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Ross clenched his fists, the cool breeze doing little to dispel the growing frustration building inside him. His thoughts lingered on the Majesty Club: his so-called "elite group." They were supposed to be the best, a representation of power and influence, but without his guidance, they were making reckless decisions.

Decisions like excluding someone as valuable as Jett Grift, a strategic mistake that still gnawed at him.

"Idiots," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. "They think they know everything, but without me, they're nothing."

He turned his gaze back toward the lavish room behind him, the luxury and privilege it represented only serving to deepen his sense of isolation. 'Why do I even bother?' The question hung in his mind, heavy and bitter. He was the leader in title, but in reality, he felt more like a figurehead, constantly dealing with the consequences of other people's poor choices.

A flicker of movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He glanced down into the courtyard below, where shadows danced beneath the moonlight. The Academy was quiet at this hour, save for the occasional patrol or student sneaking about. For a moment, Ross considered making a move himself: perhaps visiting the lower dorms, reminding a few of his club members why he was their leader.

But his mind kept drifting back to Jett. He knew the guy's reputation, his skill. Jett had a sharpness to him, something Ross respected and now envied, even if the others couldn't see it. 'If they're too blind to recognize talent, I might have to do something about it myself,' Ross thought, his lips curving into a calculating smile.

Pushing off the railing, he returned to his room and crossed to a large mahogany desk, its surface covered with various papers and reports. He sat down, staring at a map of the Academy grounds and surrounding areas, his mind already working through the possibilities. Ross wasn't one to wait for others to act.

If Jett was going to be valuable to anyone, it would be him, and he would make sure of that, Majesty Club or not.

"Fine," he muttered to himself, a new determination in his eyes. "If they won't listen, I'll show them just how wrong they are."

His hand clenched the armrest of the chair as he leaned back, plotting his next steps, the gears of ambition turning once more. Ross had always played the long game, and this time would be no different.

Ross slowly made his way to a full-length mirror in his room. The dim candlelight cast his reflection in shadow, and for a moment, he simply stared at himself: deeply, as if searching for answers that eluded him. His brow furrowed, and he spoke softly, almost as though confiding in his reflection.

"What should I do?" Ross's voice was low, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He waited for some kind of answer, for the mirror to give him clarity, but nothing happened. The silence mocked him, and his irritation flared. Without thinking, he drew his fist back, ready to punch the unresponsive glass.

But before he could make contact, his reflection began to move on its own. Ross froze, his heart skipping a beat as the reflection smirked. It wasn't just mimicking his movements anymore, it was speaking, with a voice that sounded like his, but colder, more sinister.

"Forget what they say," the reflection urged. "Bring him to our side. We'll need him."

'I really hate talking to you,' Ross recoiled slightly, surprised but not shocked, this wasn't the first time this had happened. Still, he hesitated. "I can't do that. I'll be risking internal strife," he replied, his voice less confident now, as doubt crept into his thoughts.

"So what?" the reflection sneered, its tone filled with contempt. "All this won't matter if you lose it all."

"But…" Ross started, trying to find a reasonable excuse, something to justify his hesitation.

"No buts," the reflection cut him off sharply, its eyes narrowing in challenge. "If you won't do it, I will."

A chill ran down Ross's spine. His hand, still hovering in front of the mirror, tensed. "Don't you dare," he muttered, his voice low and threatening. There was a palpable tension in the air, like a coiled spring ready to snap. The very atmosphere in the room felt heavy, thick with something unnatural, something dark. It pressed down on Ross, making the air harder to breathe.

The reflection, however, seemed unfazed, its grin widening as it leaned in closer, the glass warping slightly around its form. "Don't forget," it added, its tone soft but insistent. "We need him if we're going to survive this. The fact that we found someone like him this early is a miracle on its own."

The words hung in the air, lingering like a warning. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the reflection stopped talking. It straightened, and the glass surface returned to normal. Ross was left staring at himself, his own expression hardened, unreadable.

He let out a slow breath, dropping his fist and turning away from the mirror, walking back into the room as if nothing had happened. It was now like a routine, these conversations with his reflection, these unsettling exchanges. He had long accepted that this part of him, the voice within, had a mind of its own.

Ross glanced back at the mirror one last time before leaving the room, his face betraying no emotion. He had decisions to make, and no matter how had been suggested, the reflection had a point. Time was running out, and soon enough, he'd have to act.

*****

Jett rubbed his nose and sneezed, the sudden sound echoing in the otherwise quiet room. He blinked in surprise, then smirked to himself. "Someone's probably talking about me," he muttered, the faint amusement in his voice breaking the silence. He lay back down on his bed, hands folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting.

Across the room, Freya turned over in her bed, catching his words. "You think?" she asked, her voice light but slightly muffled by her pillow.

"Yeah," Jett replied, half-joking. "Must be some poor soul I've left in awe today."

Freya rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Or maybe it's someone plotting your demise after all the stunts you pulled up till now," she teased, shifting to sit up in her bed.

"Could be," Jett agreed, chuckling softly. "Wouldn't be the first time." He glanced toward Freya's bed, his tone shifting slightly. "You still worried about tomorrow?"

Freya sighed, leaning back against her pillow. "A little. It's not like we haven't done trials before, but this one feels different. More intense."

Jett nodded in the dark, even though she couldn't see him. "Yeah, I get that. Things have been escalating fast. But we've handled worse, haven't we?"

Freya hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "True, but..." She trailed off, her voice quieter now. "This whole situation… it's just... I feel like we're being watched more closely. Like the stakes are higher this time."

Jett was silent for a moment, processing her words. "You might be right," he admitted. "But that just means we've got to stay sharp. Whatever they… that thing throws at us, we'll handle it."

Freya exhaled softly, comforted by his confidence, even if she didn't fully share it. "You're always so sure of yourself, Jett."

"It's called being prepared." He shrugged, though she could hear the grin in his voice. "And besides, I'm not about to let anything catch us off guard."

Freya smiled faintly, staring up at the ceiling. "We've got another trial tomorrow, right?"

"Yep," Jett confirmed, turning on his side. "So get some rest. We're going to need it."

"Yeah… goodnight, Jett."

"Night, Freya."

The room fell quiet again, both of them settling into their beds, their minds already on the challenges the next day would bring.

*****

The soft golden light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Jett stirred first, blinking his eyes open. He stretched, feeling the early stiffness of morning ease as he glanced over at Freya's bed. She was still sound asleep, curled up under her blanket, completely unaware of the new day.

Jett grinned to himself. "Wake up, sleepyhead," he called, getting no response. He stood up, walked over, and shook her shoulder gently. "Come on, Freya. Morning already."

Freya groaned and buried her face deeper into the pillow. "Morning already?" she whined, her voice muffled by the blanket. She peeked out from under it, squinting at the morning light.

"Yep. Get up, or I'll leave you behind," Jett teased, tugging the blanket off her. "We've got a trial to get ready for."

Freya sighed heavily but finally sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I swear, I could sleep for another hour."

"Not today," Jett said, tossing her boots over. "We've got work to do."

The two of them began getting ready, the familiar routine of preparing for another trial grounding them. Jett strapped on his gear methodically, checking every weapon and tool. Freya moved a bit slower but soon found her rhythm, slipping into her own equipment and ensuring she was ready to go.

By noon, they were all set. Everyone gathered, exchanging brief nods of acknowledgment as they waited for the next step. Just as they were preparing, a notification flashed before them.

[Continue the Trial? Y/N]

Without hesitation, they all clicked [Yes], and in an instant, the world around them shifted. They were back in the trial, standing in the same stone chamber as before. The air buzzed with tension as they glanced at each other, wondering what new challenge awaited them.

"So, what do you think the next trial will be?" Aiden asked, his eyes scanning the room. Evelina and Morrigan seemed equally curious, their brows furrowed in thought.

But Marcella, in contrast, stood quietly, looking almost indifferent. She didn't seem particularly concerned with what was coming next.

"Has anyone seen Ajax?" Aiden asked, frowning. "He's usually here to meet us right?"

"He's right behind you," Elora replied, barely suppressing a grin.

Aiden jumped in surprise as Ajax's glowing, ethereal form suddenly appeared right behind him. "Hello," Ajax greeted in his calm, monotone voice.

"Dude! Don't do that!" Aiden exclaimed, catching his breath. "Get your menacing glowing body away from me."

The others chuckled softly, finding Aiden's reaction amusing. Even Jett smirked at the situation.

"My apologies for scaring you like that, Master Aiden," Ajax said, bowing slightly before standing motionless once again, as if waiting for further instruction.

A brief silence followed, the mood shifting slightly as they all processed the moment. Finn was the first to break it. "I'm not the only one who thought that was weird, right?"

"Seems like he's more talkative today," Morrigan added, crossing her arms thoughtfully.

Jett, intrigued, stepped forward and faced Ajax directly. "Let me try something," he said. "Ajax, who created this place?"

For a brief moment, Ajax's glow flickered. "Sorry, I'm not at liberty to answer that," he replied, his voice returning to its usual robotic, programmed tone.

Jett frowned, but something about the exchange didn't sit right with him. "Figures," he muttered, glancing at the others. There was definitely something different about Ajax today, but for now, it remained a mystery they would have to unravel later.

Before they could delve further into the strange behavior of Ajax, a new notification flashed before them, demanding their attention.

[Trial Completion 8/14]

[Mission: Castle Defense]

[Duration: 7 Days]

[Reward: ???]

The group exchanged puzzled glances, clearly not expecting such a trial.

"Defending a castle for a whole week?" Seraphina spoke up, her reluctance evident. "Isn't that too much?"

Finn shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "As long as it's not that castle from last time, we'll be fine." His words, however, earned him a swift smack to the back of the head from Evelina.

"What did you do that for?" Finn grumbled, wincing from the unexpected hit.

"Don't jinx it," Evelina replied, her gaze sharp. She wasn't taking any chances after their last castle-related fiasco.

Despite their reluctance and confusion, each of them accepted the trial. The moment they did, the world around them shifted once again, pulling them into the new trial location.

When the scene solidified, they found themselves standing before an enormous, crumbling fortress. The towering walls of the castle loomed ominously, their stone weathered and cracked, like it hadn't seen a proper defense in decades. The surrounding landscape was bleak—shattered trees and scorched earth as far as the eye could see, with dark clouds swirling ominously above.

"You have got to be kidding me," Morrigan muttered, staring at the ruins in disbelief. It was far worse than any of them had anticipated.

"This looks like it's barely holding together," Rey observed, his eyes scanning the dilapidated structure. "And we have to defend this for seven days?"

"That's not all," Jett replied as pointed upwards, "Look…"

*

*

*

What's he pointing at?