CHAPTER 60: EUPHORIA: ON THIS VERY DAY

Dawn broke over Euphoria Base in a slow wash of gold and silver light. The mist peeled back like a curtain revealing the mountains, and the cold air hummed with a quiet current of tension. Today wasn’t just another morning. Today was the final test.

Students gathered in formation across the training grounds, their breath fogging the air. The courtyard pulsed with restless energy— hundreds of uniforms glinting faintly beneath the light. The Angels lined the left side: in their normal perfect posture, clean lines and faces as still as carved marble.

To the right, the Devils stood— sharp-edged and unpredictable, like an army that looked more like a controlled chaos than discipline. The contrast was striking and deliberate.

Within minutes, a low horn echoed across the forest— deep and resonant, as if the earth itself had drawn a breath.

Puuuuurrrrr!

The murmurs died instantly. Every head turned toward the raised platform at the front of the field.

Principal Camila stood there, her coat trailing behind her like a blade of shadow against the morning sun. Her hair moved gently with the wind and her eyes cold and sharp... the kind that saw through more than words.

Beside her stood Principal Darren, silent, firm, his expression unreadable as always. He didn’t need to speak to command attention (Typical Darren) his mere presence did that.

Camila’s voice cut through the forest of Euphoria like polished steel.

"Everyone..." she said "...I’m happy to announce to you officially, that today marks the final day of your Euphoria training..."

No one moved. The silence was thick— the kind born from nerves, satisfaction, and reverence all at once.

"We’ve been in Euphoria for over a week now if not more than..." She said quietly, eyes scanning the horizon. "And I think we’ve already overstayed our welcome. It’s time we went back... back to the real world. Back to reality..."

The words struck like a cold wind— then the silence fractured, breaking into uneasy murmurs as everyone turned to one another, curiosity flickering behind their eyes.

"...Yesterday was combat. Strategy. Observation," she continued. "But today..." she paused, letting the moment stretch, "...today decides everything."

The air seemed to tighten around her words, and for a moment, everyone shifted...caught as if the sound itself had locked them in place.

"This is not just a test," she said. "It’s a measure of growth. Of unity. Of whether or not you understand what it means to survive beyond these walls."

She turned her head slightly— toward the Devils, then the Angels.

"You’ve been taught that one side is light and the other darkness. That Angels and Devils may not coexist. But the real world does not care for such lines."

Her gaze hardened. "Because your enemy does not care as well..."

A few of the younger students shifted, looking uncertain. Camila took a step forward, her tone colder now.

"There is something I must make clear before today’s challenge begins," she said pausing for a hot minute

****************

"Someone... tried to interfere with the pairing list for this test."

The reaction was instant. A ripple moved through the crowd, quiet gasps, exchanged looks, whispers breaking out before dying again under Darren’s glare.

Camila’s expression didn’t change. "Whoever attempted it thought the document in my office was genuine." A small smirk crossed her lips. "Unfortunately for them, that was the fake list."

A faint murmur followed: sharp, low, and dangerous. From the second row, Stephanie, the sneaky devil with the heart of a loser, glanced sideways, whispering something under her breath directly to Rosé.

"Damn, whoever that was?...I hope they don’t find them" The students beside her exchanged wary looks.

"Seriously Steph" Rosé laughed "I mean...look at Camila’s face, she look surprised...she thinks her walls and spells are untouchable...HAHA"

"One thing’s for sure, whoever that was...I must give it to them, breaking Camila’s barrier spells, entering her office and tempering with stuff like that? They must be very powerful, we need to find them and add them to our team..." Mona said.

"Huh? What if it was an angel?" Rosé asked, with curiosity in her voice.

"An Angel? Come on now Rosé, you know angels are too soft and innocent to pull such an act. I’m sure it was a devil, hundred percent..."

*******************

Camila noticed the shift but didn’t address it. She let suspicion do the work. Her eyes swept through the crowd like a blade.

"I will not repeat this again. Manipulation of academy property...especially one this delicate is an offense punishable by removal from rank. I trust we understand each other?"

"Yes, Principal Camila," the crowd echoed.

The silence that followed was taut and heavy— the kind that hummed before thunder.

Then Darren stepped forward, his boots hitting the platform with a deliberate thud. His deep voice rolled through the courtyard like distant thunder.

"Today’s challenge will decide whether your time here was worth it," he said. "You’ve fought. You’ve strategized. You’ve learned control." He paused, eyes scanning the students. "But none of that matters if you cannot cooperate."

Murmurs followed again— uneasy ones.

"Did he just say corporate?"

"What the fuck is he talking about right now?"

"What in the seven seas?..." Students whispered.

"I know damn well he does not mean corporate with a devil?" Jasmine asked any of her friends that was listening.

"Jaz, chill...let’s listen to what he has to say" Valkyrie murmured, voice low.

He continued, "Today, every Angel will be paired with a Devil."

The words struck like lightning.

"Oh fuck no!" Jasmine cursed.

"What the heck?" Soda followed "A devil? It’s a prank right?" She said tilting her head to observe other people’s reaction to the last comment dropped by Darren.

Gasps rippled through both sides. A few Devils exchanged smug grins, others sneered. The Angels stood stiff, their expressions flickering between disbelief and silent offense. The idea alone was enough to shake the air.

Darren didn’t blink. "You will work together. Not because you want to...but because you must. The battlefield doesn’t care what wings you wear or what realm you serve."

Camila nodded once, stepping beside him. "Some of you see this as silly, unfair, unbelievable..." she said. "...But It is not. This is a lesson... one written in the oldest laws of our world: survival favors unity."

She lifted her chin toward the sprawling forest beyond the base. The light didn’t touch its interior, the shadows shifted— almost watching them back.

"Inside that forest," Camila said pointing towards the direction, "are arc relics...ancient artifacts that emit faint magical signatures. Your task is simple: retrieve one and return before sundown."

The tension grew thicker.

"But understand," Darren added, "the forest of Euphoria is not a playground. It changes. It listens. And it does not forgive carelessness." His voice dropped lower. "You cross the boundary line, you’re on a great risk, stay within boundaries and stay safe."

He paused, letting the warning settle.

"Beyond that veil," he said, gesturing toward the tree line, "lies the restricted zone...This is not the first time I’m telling y’all to keep off that area, it is Off-limits."

Some students swallowed hard. Others tried to look brave.

Camila’s tone softened, but only slightly. "Your performance today will determine the outcome of your entire training cycle. The realm doesn’t need heroes. It needs survivors."

The words hit harder than any shout.

"For those of you hoping for individual glory," Darren said, crossing his arms, "forget it. There is none today. Your success depends entirely on the one standing beside you. If they fall, you fail. If you leave them behind, you’re done. If you betray your partner on purpose..." his voice grew colder, "...You’ve indirectly, told everyone that you have what it takes to betray the academy...."

"This is bull shit, no one asked for this..." Rain cursed looking pissed. Silence stretched across the grounds again. Then... a slow smirk curved on Camila’s lips.

"One last thing," she said, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "Keep your eyes open. Darren will be casting illusion spells across the field...manifestations that take the form of zombies. They’ll look real, and they’ll fight back. You’ll have to face each one to pass through the pathways.

Camila turned to Darren. "Shall we?"

He nodded in positive agreement.

Camila took a scroll from the podium— the real list and then unrolled it. The parchment shimmered faintly with runes that danced in the light. The moment her fingers touched the seal, the wind picked up— Magic... raw and alive rippled through the surrounding.

"Pairing begins now," she announced.

The crowd stirred, breaths held tight, tension mounting with every second. She glanced at the first line, lips parting.

"The first pair..." she began, her voice echoing clearly through the morning air.

The students leaned forward slightly, hearts hammering, knowing this list would decide alliances, rivalries and survival.The air around them thrummed. The wind whispered between the trees. And just as she spoke the first name— the forest stirred.

"Soda and...."