Underneath the Silhouette
Chapter 109: The Unlikely Alliance

Chapter 109: The Unlikely Alliance

Shade wrapped an arm around Eirin’s waist, his grip firm and possessive, and stole her from her team’s protective formation. Eirin’s surprised screams filled the air, a mixture of shock and annoyance, as Shade laughed, a triumphant, almost wild sound, while effortlessly dragging Eirin away in the air, a captive, yet strangely exhilarating ride.

The game had truly begun, and it was far from what Eirin or her team had anticipated.

Eirin struggled in Shade’s grasp, her limbs flailing, trying to break free of his strong hold. The wind whipped past them, carrying their voices across the vast field. "Stop struggling," he commanded, his voice firm but not angry, a hint of amusement in its depths.

"Why are you doing this?" Eirin gave up, her resistance crumbling, letting the young man carry her away. "Wouldn’t doing this make this game boring? You’re supposed to be hiding!"

Shade shifted his hold, releasing her waist and instead seizing her hand, intertwining their fingers, his touch surprisingly gentle. "What? Don’t you think it’ll be fun to run away like this?" A rare, genuine smile flashed across his face, lighting up his usually brooding features. His dark eyes glinted with a wild, exhilarating energy.

"No! Were on a different team!" Eirin protested, the wind catching her words, her voice laced with disbelief.

Shade laughed, a carefree sound that astonished Eirin. "So what? Don’t worry too much. I’ll protect you." His words, usually delivered with a sneer, now held a strange, confident assurance.

Eirin’s forehead creased, her gaze fixed on him. "Who are you?" The question was sincere, born of genuine confusion. This Shade, playful and almost reckless, was a stranger.

During their unbelievable airborne exchange, Calixta appeared, a determined expression on her face. She chased after them, throwing sharp, pointed shards ice right at Shade’s back. He deftly dodged them, twisting in the air, using wind to deflect the icy projectiles while instinctively shielding Eirin with his body, his movements fluid and precise.

"What are you doing, Shade? You’re supposed to be hiding!" Link’s exasperated scream followed, his voice echoing across the field, a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

A hearty laugh permeated the air as Trixtan followed them all from behind, a wide, joyful grin plastered across his face. "What is this? It’s so fun!" he shouted, carrying Coleen on his back, who bounced with every loping stride.

"Hey, Shade! You jerk! Where are you taking Eirin? Put her down!" Coleen screamed, her voice hoarse with anger as she pointed a furious finger at Shade, her face red with exertion and wrath.

Their pursuit of Shade and Eirin became the main event, so captivating that Mr. Blade couldn’t stop laughing from the stage, his commentary becoming a series of delighted chortles, while the other students on the field were battling each other in the background, mostly forgotten.

"You cheat! I’ll be eliminating you myself!" Coleen’s continued screams made Trixtan cover his ears, but he didn’t stop laughing, relishing the chaos.

Everything seemed so fun for him, for Shade, for Trixtan. It had been so long since Shade had felt genuine excitement like this, an unfiltered thrill that brought a lightness to his usually heavy presence. Eirin watched him, a strange curiosity blossoming within her. His face, usually mask of stoicism, was alight with a rare, genuine joy.

Eirin sighed, the wind of their ascent rustling her hair. "What are we even doing?" Her eyes landed on Shade’s face again, and she was taken aback. He was smiling, from ear to ear, openly, even laughing. Seeing him like that, so free, so unburdened, made Eirin smile herself.

The emotional walls he built so meticulously seemed to have dissolved in the thrill of the chase. And even though she thought of that, thought of his sudden, baffling change, Eirin decided to let it go, to simply experience the moment.

Shade extended his hand, and a jet of water blasted from his palm, splashing everyone behind them—Calixta, Link, Trixtan, and Coleen—catching Eirin off-guard. She never expected him to use another element, especially water.

After dousing them, Shade blasted fire everywhere, the heat rapidly turning the water into a thick steam, hindering the vision of those chasing them, creating an effective smokescreen.

Eirin realized, with a sudden surge of practicality, that it would be fine to be with Shade as long as he didn’t put paint on her white shirt. ’You know what, everyone fears him so it’s easier to win if I stay with him,’ she thought, a strategic decision forming. She tightened her grip on Shade’s hand, a silent alliance forged in the chaos of the game.

The two arrived in the second building, landing lightly through an open window. Other students were already there, hiding, trying to find a safe place from the paint attacks. Eirin stealthily followed Shade, still holding his hand, and only then realized that he was again wearing his black leather gloves, covering his hands.

That explained why he held Eirin’s hand, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if the contact didn’t bother him at all.

Shade led Eirin to another hidden place only he knew, a secluded alcove beneath a grand staircase, tucked away from plain sight. They slipped in, the sounds of the frantic game outside fading to a dull hum.

"Why did you do that?" Eirin asked, panting softly as she sat on the ground, leaning her back against the cool stone wall. "Didn’t you hear the rules? We’re supposed to be fighting each other."

The young man raised his brow, a smirk forming on his lips. "You don’t get it because you’re new to this. This isn’t the fun part." His smile grew, a sly almost predatory expression. "If I let you pass this game; you’ll be able to participate in the cavalry battle. Then, if I let you pass through the cavalry game, you’ll be able to participate in the final event of the day."

Eirin’s forehead creased, a dawning suspicion growing. "What are you up to?"

Shade leaned closer to Eirin, his voice dropping, almost a whisper. "As your training partner, we have to test you if you’re really improving." He rested his back on the wall, his dark eyes fixed on her. "For that to happen, I have to keep you safe, right now, through all these rounds."

His eyes beamed with an intense, almost feverish excitement, a dangerous glint that sent a shiver down Eirin’s spine. ’This is scaring me’ she thought, a cold knot forming in her stomach.

"What’s that supposed to mean? What kind of battle is that?" Eirin questioned, but the young man only chuckled, as if planning something hideous. "You’re scaring me, you know that? Whatever you’re planning, just know that I’ll still try to beat you—although impossible." Eirin said, shaking her head as she sat beside Shade.

The young man raised a brow and looked at her, a hint of his usual annoyance returning. "Why are you sitting beside me? There’s enough space in this room. Give me some room to breathe." His annoyance, however, only urged Eirin to tease him. She moved closer, deliberately closing the distance until their shoulders touched, a playful challenge in her eyes.

Why? I thought you’ll protect me?" Eirin stared at Shade, her gaze unwavering. "We can’t let my shirt get dirty if you want our team to pass this game. You have to keep me close, don’t you?" She smiled, a triumphant, knowing grin, watching his face. A flush of deep red crept up Shade’s neck and spread across his cheeks, making her think he was fuming in anger.

Eirin ignored Shade’s frustrated scoff as she hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. "This is kind of boring," she yawned, feigning boredom. The silence stretched, filled only by the muffled sounds of the distant game.

Shade closed his eyes, a faint sigh escaping him. "I’m giving you enough time to conserve your energy for the next game. Be thankful. You’ll need it."

Eirin shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. "Yeah, right." But beneath her playful sarcasm, a flicker of anticipation ignited. The thought of what kind of battle Shade was talking about, a test of her newly refined Flair against his formidable power, was a daunting, yet strangely exciting, prospect.

Eirin glanced at Shade, he still had his eyes closed. ’Who would ever expect for us to be like this? Sitting side by side with just silent all over us,’ she thought, staring at the young man’s pale white face.

"I won’t melt no matter how much you stare at me," Shade said, with his eyes still close.

Eirin flinched, her heart skipped a beat as she averted her gaze. "I’m not staring at you," she lied. "Is this your way of showing me kindness? It’s not working."

Shade chuckled, causing the teenage girl to glance in his way, her eyes wide. ’Why does he keep laughing like that? It’s scaring me,’ she thought.

"You might fall for me if I become kind to you," he said.

Eirin scoffed. "As if."