After the peaceful lunch, Mark and Aria headed to the western side of campus. Aria was on her way to another class, while Mark was on his way to the sparring club for some afternoon drills.

  They didn’t expect to find the street packed with shouting students. Hand-lettered signs and holo-posters floated in the air, denouncing the new ability regulation system. Several uniformed campus security officers watched from the sidelines, tension visible in the way they hovered at the edge of the crowd.

  Mark slowed down, eyeing the protest warily. “You think it has anything to do with that oversight program Chris mentioned?”

  Aria nodded, scanning the group. “Probably. People aren’t happy about being monitored for ‘potential’ threats.”

  As they inched past the chanting crowd, Aria stiffened suddenly. “That’s Alexander—by the benches.”

  Mark followed her gaze. Sure enough, Alexander, a classmate known for his sharp questions—like the one in their joint lecture about the connection between mana and ether—stood on the fringe of the protest. He looked conflicted, as if he wanted to join but hesitated, unsure whether to step forward or turn away.

  Aria and Mark approached cautiously. Before they could say anything, Alexander’s eyes darted from the protestors to them, a forced smile on his lips. “Hey,” he said, “crazy out here, right?”

  “Yeah,” Mark agreed. “You okay?”

  Alexander hesitated, glancing back at the protest before turning to them. “Are you here for the protest as well?”

  “No,” said Mark. “We’re just passing by. Aria has class, and I’m heading to the ability sparring club. What about you? Planning to come spar later?”

  Mark had met Alexander in the sparring club when he first joined. Alexander had been the one to teach him the fundamentals of ability control. Despite his skill, he rarely participated—he was deeply self-conscious about his power, beastification, which allowed him to grow more beast-like, developing claws and gaining immense agility, strength, and heightened instincts. His discomfort with his ability kept him from training as often as others, but Mark admired him for his control and always valued his insights. However, when he did spar, something changed—his movements became sharp, calculated, almost predatory. The hesitation that plagued him outside of battle disappeared, replaced by an eerie focus that made him a dangerous opponent, even if he never fully embraced it.

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  Alexander exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I might come with you now, then… I don’t know if I should join the protest. I believe in the cause, but I’m worried it might turn violent. If the ability regulation platoon gets involved…” He shook his head. “I don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.”

  Mark grinned, nudging him lightly. “Then come with us. No pressure, just sparring.”

  Alexander opened his mouth to reply when a high-pitched whine sliced through the noise. Aria’s brow furrowed—she sensed a sudden spike in frequencies, something unnatural slicing the air. Then Alexander flinched, slapping a hand against the side of his neck.

  Mark’s gaze followed Alexander’s movement. “Did you—”

  Alexander’s face contorted in pain. “Something… stung me…” He grimaced, fingertips coming away wet. A thin metal dart, lodged in his skin, blinked with a faint glow.

  In seconds, Alexander’s breathing turned ragged. Whatever was inside that dart, it was flooding his system—Mark could almost see the shimmer of ether turning his classmate’s eyes wild. His pupils dilated unnaturally, his posture shifting as his muscles tensed and expanded.

  A guttural, inhuman roar tore from Alexander’s throat, and his form twisted as his beastification ability activated at full force. His arms elongated, claws bursting from his fingertips, his spine arching as raw, unfiltered energy crackled around him. The air trembled with a presence that felt nothing like controlled ability use—this was instinct, overcharged and unchecked.

  The protestors scattered in alarm, some screaming as debris was flung off the ground. Alexander's once-controlled movements became erratic, each step carrying the weight of something no longer human.

  Mark stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. The sheer ferocity in Alexander’s gaze—wild, predatory, consumed by unrestrained bloodlust—made his limbs feel like lead. It wasn’t just uncontrolled power; it was pure, instinctual hunger for destruction.

  Aria acted before he could. She yanked Mark back, her grip vice-like as she propelled herself forward. "Move!" she hissed, generating distance between them and Alexander. In that instant, Alexander lunged—his claws slashing through the air where Mark had been just seconds before.

  “He’s losing control,” Aria said, voice tight. She tapped into her harmonic senses, wincing at the chaotic frequencies pulsing from Alexander’s body. "His resonance is spiking—it's like his instincts have completely taken over. We have to stop him before he hurts someone.”

  "Mark, are you listening?!" Aria’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and urgent.

  Mark stood paralyzed, his breath uneven. His mind struggled to process the sheer savagery in Alexander’s movements—the way his former classmate’s claws raked through the air with animalistic precision. This wasn’t training. This wasn’t controlled ability use. This was something primal, something terrifying.