Chapter 40: Arena Nexus

Jelo and Mira entered the empty classroom, and Jelo quickly closed the door behind them, clicking the lock into place. The last thing they needed was someone wandering in while they were examining stolen classified materials.

The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of emergency lighting strips along the baseboards. Mira didn’t bother turning on the main lights—the less attention they drew to this classroom, the better.

She moved to one of the desks near the center of the room and carefully set her messenger bag down. With deliberate movements, she unzipped it and reached inside, pulling out the massive dragon book.

Even in the low light, the book was impressive. The dark red cover seemed to shimmer slightly, and the gold lettering caught what little illumination there was, making it gleam. Mira placed it on the desk with a soft thump, and both of them stared at it for a moment.

“Here goes nothing,” Mira muttered.

She opened the cover.

Instead of pages filled with text, the book immediately began to glow. A soft blue light emanated from the center, growing brighter and more focused. Then, suddenly, a three-dimensional hologram projected upward from the book’s surface.

Both Jelo and Mira took an instinctive step back, startled.

The hologram coalesced into the form of a middle-aged man. He had a weathered face with deep-set eyes and a full, graying beard that reached down to his chest. His head was bowed slightly, as if in contemplation or reverence, and he wore robes that looked ancient—flowing garments that seemed to shift and move even though the hologram itself was static.

When the image fully stabilized, the man’s eyes opened, and he began to speak. His voice was deep and resonant, filling the classroom with an authority that commanded attention.

“Greetings, seeker of knowledge,” the holographic man said formally. “You have accessed the restricted archives concerning Dragon Lore. What follows is classified information, sanctioned only for those with proper clearance. If you are viewing this without authorization, be aware that consequences will follow.”

Jelo and Mira exchanged a quick, nervous glance, but neither of them moved to close the book. They’d come too far to back down now.

The hologram continued, seemingly unaware of or unconcerned with whether its warning had been heeded.

“The dragon race,” he began, his tone shifting to something more educational, “exists separate from humanity. While humans have built their civilizations on the surface of this world, the dragons have constructed something far more ancient and far more enduring beneath it.”

Images began to appear around the holographic man—illustrations and moving pictures showing vast underground spaces.

“The dragon civilization is enormous,” the man continued. “An entire world exists below the surface—magnificent castles carved from living stone, cities that burn with eternal flame, noble houses that have endured for millennia. It is a realm of fire and shadow, of power and ancient tradition.”

The images showed exactly what he described: towering castles with spires that seemed to reach toward underground caverns’ ceilings, cities where buildings were constructed from what looked like solidified lava that still glowed with internal heat, grand halls filled with draconic figures.

“This civilization is ruled by the Ten Dragon Families,” the hologram explained. “Each family is descended from a Progenitor—an original dragon of immense power whose bloodline continues through their descendants. Each family possesses a distinct bloodline ability, unique to their lineage and passed down through generations.”

New images appeared, showing symbols and crests—presumably representing the ten families, though the hologram didn’t elaborate on what specific abilities each family possessed.

Jelo leaned forward, hoping for more details, but the hologram moved on without providing them.

“The dragon race possesses remarkable regenerative capabilities,” the man said. “They can heal from almost any wound by channeling fire energy—the fundamental force that powers their existence. This makes them extraordinarily difficult to kill and contributes to their longevity. Many dragons live for centuries, some for millennia.”

The hologram showed images of dragons healing from grievous injuries, wounds closing and bones knitting back together as fire-like energy flowed through their bodies.

“There is much more to know about the dragon race,” the holographic man said, his voice beginning to fade. “But this introductory information represents the extent of what is available at this access level. For more detailed knowledge, higher clearance is required.”

And with that, the hologram flickered and disappeared. The blue light faded, leaving the book open to blank pages that seemed to shimmer slightly, as if waiting for proper authorization to reveal their contents.

Silence filled the classroom.

Jelo and Mira stood there, processing what they’d just learned.

After a long moment, Mira spoke first. “Well,” she said slowly, “that was… something.”

“Yeah,” Jelo agreed, though his tone carried a note of disappointment.

They were pleased with the new knowledge—it was certainly more than they’d known before, and it confirmed some of Jelo’s suspicions about what he was becoming. The underground civilization, the noble families, the healing abilities—all of it painted a picture of a race far more complex and powerful than he’d imagined.

But they also felt underwhelmed by how little information the supposedly classified book had actually provided.

“That’s it?” Jelo said, voicing his frustration. “That’s all it tells us? Basic overview information that barely scratches the surface?”

Mira closed the book carefully and looked at it with a mixture of disappointment and resignation. “Apparently, this is just the introductory level. The real information is locked behind clearance requirements we don’t have.”

“Why can’t we find something comprehensive?” Jelo’s voice carried an edge of bitterness.

“It’s better than nothing,” Mira pointed out, though she didn’t sound particularly convinced herself. “At least now you know the dragon civilization exists, that there are ten families with different abilities, that you can heal using fire energy. That’s actionable information.”

“True.” Jelo replied and ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “Are there other books I could read? Something more detailed?”

Mira considered the question. “There could be,” she admitted. “But I doubt it would be anywhere we can find or access it. If this is the entry-level book kept in the teachers’ quarters, then the more detailed information is probably kept somewhere far more secure.”

They both fell silent again, the weight of that realization settling over them.

“It seems,” Jelo said slowly, “like the dragon subject is a heavily classified topic in this world. Which means the people in power—the academy administration, the government, maybe others—they know the truth behind it. They know about the underground civilization, about the families, about everything. And they’re deliberately keeping it secret.”

“The question is why,” Mira added. “Why keep dragons classified? What do they gain from hiding this information?”

“Control, probably,” Jelo said darkly. “Knowledge is power. If people don’t know dragons exist, they can’t prepare for them, can’t understand them, can’t potentially join them or ally with them.”

Mira nodded thoughtfully. “Makes sense. Fear of the unknown is a powerful tool.”

A few moments later, they left the classroom, making sure to turn off any lights they’d turned on and lock the door behind them. As they walked through the corridors toward the common room, both of them were lost in thought, processing the information they’d gained and the questions that remained unanswered.

They were about halfway to the common room when a boy suddenly came barreling around the corner at full speed.

“Move! Out of the way!” the boy shouted, not slowing down even slightly. “I’ve got to play Arena Nexus”

He crashed directly into Jelo, nearly knocking him off his feet. The boy bounced off, stumbled, caught his balance, and kept running without even pausing to apologize.

“Watch where you’re going!” Mira called after him angrily.

The boy didn’t respond, just kept sprinting down the corridor and disappeared around another corner.

Jelo steadied himself, rubbing his shoulder where the boy had collided with him. “What the hell was that about?” he muttered.

“Arena Nexus,” Mira said with a sigh, as if that explained everything.

“Arena what?” Jelo asked, confused.

“Arena Nexus,” Mira repeated. “It’s a virtual reality game. Players log in as characters and fight each other in various arenas. It’s really popular with the students here.”

Jelo stared at her blankly. “A game,” he said flatly. “That boy was running like his life depended on it… for a game?”

Mira shrugged. “Some people take it really seriously. There are rankings, tournaments, prizes. And it’s not just entertainment—the combat mechanics are sophisticated enough that it can actually help you hone your real fighting skills.”

“A video game that helps you fight better in real life?” Jelo’s tone was now curious.

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