Koya ran through a field of tall grass that whipped against her legs like blades. The sky burned crimson, heavy and low, pressing down on her chest. Her heart slammed so hard it hurt. She glanced back—once, twice—and saw it: a dark, formless shadow sliding across the ground, faster than any living thing should move. No face. No sound. Just cold, endless hunger.
She tripped on a root. Fell hard. Grass cut her palms. She scrambled onto her back, chest heaving, eyes wide.
The shadow rose, towering, rushing toward her—
Koya jolted awake.
Sweat soaked her shirt. Her heart refused to slow. She sat up in the dim dorm room, breathing ragged, hands clutching the sheets. Ikua's arm lay beside her bed, wrapped in cloth, silent.
Anna was already up, stretching. She glanced over. "You okay? You were thrashing."
Koya wiped her face. "Just… a dream."
Later...
The training grounds of Class 5 smelled of wet earth and sweat.
Anna swung her staff in a wide arc. Addin dodged, grinning—until she rolled the staff across the ground. Water surged from the soil in a whipping tendril, slamming him flat on his back.
"Anna wins," the teacher called.
"Next: Ra'an and Willy."
Anna jogged to where Koya leaned against the wall, eyes distant.
"Koya. Koya!"
Koya startled. "Sorry."
"I've been calling you for a while. You alright?"
Koya rubbed her arms. "Can't stop thinking about my dream."
"What was it about? You look shaken."
"I was running from… darkness. Scared. Confused. The presence was so cold, like it wanted to swallow everything. I can't really explain it."
Anna frowned. "Sounds heavy. You think it's connected to… you know."
Koya glanced at the wrapped weapon leaning against the wall. "Maybe."
Across the field, Ra'an moved like light itself—slash, teleport, slash again. Willy hit the ground in seconds.
Class 3.
Cal nocked an arrow, released. Meriosa twisted aside, closed the distance in a blur of beast-enhanced speed, and knocked him flat with a shoulder check.
"Winner: Meriosa."
Cal pushed up on his elbows, breathing hard. "Wow. You're really powerful, Meriosa."
She looked down at him, expression flat. "Keep your opinion to yourself."
Wind blew calm across the academy grounds.
In the Golden Tower, the Golden Guardian stood at the window, gazing out.
Two weeks already, she thought. I wonder how much she's improved.
Back in Class 5.
Mirra spun her hand fan. A blast of wind roared toward Koya.
Koya sidestepped, boots sliding on damp grass. She closed the gap in three quick strides, Ikua's arm unwrapped now—iron-black, runes faintly glowing. She swung low and clean. Mirra staggered, then dropped.
"Winner: Koya."
Koya froze, staring at her own hands. I really won.
The weapon grew warm against her palm—not hot, just… alive. A pulse of strength lingered in her arms, faint but real.
Ra'an snorted from the sidelines. "Seriously, Mirra? Losing to her? Wow. That's a new low."
"Ra'an, enough," the teacher snapped.
The others filed out. Koya lingered.
The teacher approached. "Really improved, Koya."
"Thanks. Just… followed your advice. Trained harder. Sharpened my senses. Not perfect yet, but—"
The teacher smiled—rare, genuine. "Keep going."
Koya smiled back, small but real.
She stepped out of the building.
Ra'an waited at the exit, arms crossed.
As she passed, he leaned in. "Don't let one victory get to your head. You're still just a powerless freak."
He walked away without looking back.
Koya's grip tightened on the haft. Her body went cold—anger, shame, resolve all twisting together.
Night fell. Rain hammered the academy roofs in sheets.
Anna sat alone in their dorm, lamp low, staring at the door.
"Why hasn't Koya returned? It's pouring too hard to be out there."
Outside, under the downpour, Koya trained alone on the empty field.
She swung Ikua's arm again and again—overhead, side, thrust, recover. Water streamed off her face, soaked her clothes, but she didn't stop.
"I'm not a weakling," she whispered between breaths. "Maybe before… but not anymore."
In his dorm, Cal lay awake. His roommate snored softly.
"Front line, huh…" He stared at the ceiling. "Can't force myself to like it. But it's my destiny. I can't run away from it."
Across the grounds, Meriosa trained in the rain too—fists and claws cutting through water, alone.
"Don't need anyone. Can only count on my strength."
In the dorm, Anna pulled her knees up.
"Got to get stronger. Can't let her down."
Ra'an lay on his bed, eyes open in the dark.
"No matter what it takes… someday I'll be stronger than him."
Back to koya.
Closes her eyes and looks up as the rain pours down.
To be continued...