Chapter 406:Meeting.

Chapter 406: 406:Meeting.

His widened in surprise before he smiled and casually raised one hand.

Antony stared, mouth opened. He closed it, then opened again.

Ravenna followed Silver’s gaze, a calm smile on her lips.

Antony finally found his voice.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," he shouted outloud.

Several students turned.

An older academy student near the aisle immediately looked toward him.

"First Year. Language."

Antony pointed at Silver.

"He was under a mountain!"

The older student stared completely unimpressed.

He realized that explanation had not improved anything.

Silver was already laughing.

Ravenna covered her face.

Antony pushed past Gareth and started down the aisle.

Silver stood the moment Antony reached him. For half a second, neither spoke, then Antony punched him in the shoulder. It was not hard but he winced anyway.

Antony’s expression immediately changed.

"You’re still injured."

"Good observation."

He stared at him.

"You actually escaped."

He smiled.

"I did tell you I was almost out."

"That was nearly a week ago!"

"Things happened."

"Things happened?"

Antony looked toward Ravenna.

"Is that what he’s calling it?"

Ravenna shook her head.

"He hasn’t told me everything yet."

Antony looked offended on her behalf.

"You haven’t told her?"

"I arrived yesterday."

"And what were you doing all evening?"

Antony stared at the both of them it became clear what was going on.

After teasing them, he went into another target complaining about anything that came to his mind.

"I’ve been trapped inside this academy since last night!" He said the first thing in his mind.

"I heard."

"You heard?"

Ravenna looked up.

"I received the qualification notice."

He turned toward her.

"You could’ve told me!"

"You weren’t allowed messages."

Antony pointed toward the academy ceiling.

"I hate this place."

Rebecca finally reached them. She looked between Antony, Ravenna and Silver.

"So this is your friend?"

Antony turned.

"Yeah, this guy almost gave me a heart attack. He was supposed to be somewhere quiet dangerous."

Silver raised an eyebrow.

"Supposed to be?"

"You know what I mean."

Silver smiled.

Antony looked at him again. He was actually alive standing here, wearing the same First Year uniform.

Antony exhaled, then grabbed Silver and hugged him.

Silver froze.

Antony squeezed carefully when he remembered the injuries.

"You absolute bastard."

Silver laughed quietly.

"Good to see you too."

He pulled back.

"I spent two days wondering whether you were dead while people shot things at me, crushed my core with pressure, chased me with beasts, trapped me in a wilderness and interviewed me without letting me shower," he complained.

Silver blankly stared but couldn’t hide the smile.

"Sounds productive."

Antony looked toward Ravenna.

"How have you not killed him?"

Ravenna smiled.

"I considered it."

Silver looked offended.

"You never said that."

"I was busy being happy you were alive."

Antony pointed at her.

"Exactly. Now that he’s alive, we can be angry."

Silver sighed.

Gareth, Rebecca, Mira and Leon watched the exchange with varying levels of confusion.

Antony suddenly remembered them.

"Oh." He turned. "This is Silver Ruddington. This is Ravenna Arkland. They’re the reason my life became complicated."

Ravenna raised an eyebrow.

"That’s an interesting introduction."

Antony pointed toward his squad.

"Gareth Holler, Rebecca Vale, Mira Voss and Leon Harrow. We survived Day Two together."

Silver nodded.

"Congratulations."

Gareth looked at Silver.

"You’re direct admission?"

"Yes."

Antony immediately pointed.

"Don’t remind me. While we were being tortured, these two walked into an office and signed paperwork."

Ravenna smiled sweetly.

"You chose the examination."

"I regret having principles."

A bell sounded.

The hall began settling when an academy officer stepped onto the main stage.

Silver sat.

Ravenna sat beside him.

Antony looked at the empty seat on Silver’s other side, then at his squad.

Rebecca waved him away.

"Go. We’ll sit behind you."

Antony immediately took the seat and leaned toward Silver.

"You are telling me everything later."

Silver looked toward Ravenna.

She smiled.

"I already told him the same thing."

Antony settled back.

"Good. We can interrogate him together."

Silver sighed.

The lights dimmed and conversation died.

Hundreds of new first-years faced the stage. Students who had arrived through direct admission. Students selected through special pathways. Students who had survived the two-day general examination.

Different abilities. Different Soul Capacities. Different ranks. Now wearing the same brown-and-green uniform.

The officer at the podium looked across them.

"Welcome to Alpha Three Academy." The enormous academy insignia appeared behind him. "This institution does not exist merely to produce stronger Contractors."

Antony glanced toward Silver who was listening. Ravenna sat straight beside him.

The officer continued.

"We train Contractors capable of operating within units, protecting sanctuary populations, responding to outbreaks, conducting field operations and, when necessary, serving alongside the military forces responsible for keeping Alpha Three and its surrounding territories secure."

The room remained silent.

"You have entered as individuals."

The screen changed.

FIRST-YEAR ORIENTATION

CLASSIFICATION - SPECIALIZATION - UNIT STRUCTURE

"That ends today."

Antony smiled slightly.

The officer looked across the first-year class.

"Beginning tomorrow, your individual evaluations will be used to determine your initial class placements, training groups, specialization tracks and leadership structure."

Antony’s smile faded.

Beside him, Silver leaned back slightly. Ravenna narrowed her eyes toward the screen. Behind them, Gareth whispered something to Rebecca.

The officer continued.

"Some of you entered this academy because your abilities were considered exceptional. Some because your families or organizations sponsored your admission. Others fought through two days of examinations for the seat you’re currently occupying."

Antony liked that part.

"None of those pathways grant superiority once training begins." The officer paused. "From this point forward, what matters is what you do here."

Antony looked around the hall.

His eyes passed across unfamiliar faces, then stopped briefly on one he recognized. The young man from Day One.

Dillian.

Antony blinked.

There he was, seatedseveral sections away.

He’d passed too.

Antony wasn’t surprised.

He leaned slightly toward Silver.

"See that guy over there?"

Silver followed his gaze and became still. Antony didn’t notice the subtle change.

"The one with the blonde hair. Dillian, I think. Soul Capacity seventeen, Rank Two. He performed ridiculously well on Day One."

Silver continued looking.

Ravenna heard the name. Her eyes moved immediately toward Dillian.

Antony looked between them, then frowned.

"Why are both of you making that face?"

Silver finally looked at him.

"What face?"

"That face."

Ravenna calmly faced forward.

"We’ll explain later."

Antony stared.

His eyes moved from Ravenna to Silver, then toward Dillian, then back.

"You know him."

Silver sighed.

"Yes."

Antony slowly leaned back in his seat.

"Of course you do."

Silver almost smiled.

Antony shook his head.

"I’ve been here for two days, and somehow your life is still more complicated than mine."

The officer on stage continued speaking about first-year structure, placement procedures and the leadership evaluations that would begin after orientation.

Antony folded his arms.

He was exhausted. His body still hurt and his core needed proper rest.

He had somehow gained four new acquaintances he suspected would become friends whether they intended to or not.

Silver was alive.

Ravenna looked happier than Antony had seen her since Death Row Valley.

He smiled to himself.