The scene continues with a montage of Nephis and Cassie talking, their expressions relaxed and open, while Sunny watches them with quiet intensity. The atmosphere is undeniably comforting, supported by a musical score that shifts away from the cold, rhythmic industrial drones of the hall, transitioning into a softer, melodic theme that hints at bonds forming.
Eventually, the heavy, metallic resonance of the industrial chime is heard again through the speakers, signaling the end of the lunch period. On-screen, the hall begins to empty as students in the background stand up and stream toward the exits. The frame focuses on Nephis, who is turned slightly toward the door, watching the mass of Sleepers heading toward their next class.
The frame changes, showing both Cassie and Nephis on-screen. As Cassie starts to stand up, her hand searching for her tray, Nephis moves with instinctive grace. She gently brushes Cassie's arm to let her know she's there, preventing her from being startled, and then quickly picks up the tray for her.
From the speakers, we hear Nephis's voice, sounding lighter than we've ever heard it:
"Hey, it's okay. I'll put them back. Also, how about we walk together? What's your next class?"
The frame changes, capturing Cassie's face in a tight shot. Her initial look of startled surprise at Nephis suddenly taking her tray melts into a radiant expression of pure happiness at the offer. Her voice drifts through the speakers:
"Thank you, Nephis. Let me think... I believe my next class is 'Essence Control and Detection.'"
The screen changes, and we see Nephis swell with excitement. The lighting in this corner of the hall seems to shift, hitting Nephis's face with a warmer, brighter glow that highlight her teenage youth. Her voice rushes out:
"That's perfect! My next class is 'Team Composition Theory.' That's perfect since, if I remember correctly, my class is right across the hall from yours!"
On-screen, the two girls clasp hands, their fingers interlocking as they make excited, squeaky noises. Cassie's happiness is tactile; she holds Nephis's hand firmly, as if finding a physical anchor in this new friendship. This scene of shared excitement continues for a few seconds, a bubble of warmth in the middle of the industrial hall.
The frame shifts to Sunny. He stands a few feet away, looking like the ultimate "third wheel." He shifts his weight awkwardly and looks toward the ceiling, his face reflecting a mix of dry amusement and confusion, clearly unsure how to participate in such a high-energy celebration.
The frame cuts back to Nephis's face, which is slightly flushed and glowing from the moment. She turns toward him, and her voice carries a distinct, hopeful note:
"What about you, Sunless? Where's your next class?"
On-screen, Sunny cocks his head, a somewhat curious expression on his face as he notices Nephis's excited tone. Sunny's voice comes through the speakers a couple of long seconds later as he continues to look at Nephis curiously:
"I'm going to Wilderness Survival. I believe that's in the opposite direction from your classes, isn't it?" On-screen, Sunny visibly raises an eyebrow after asking the question.
The frame changes, and we see Nephis deflate a little, though she still carries a smile. Her voice comes through the speakers:
"Yeah, you're right."
The frame stays on Nephis as her deflated expression shifts to one of curiosity. Hesitating for only a second, Nephis's voice comes out of the speakers:
"So, Sunless... you asked about that class before, and the instructor said that it wasn't too popular. What exactly are you learning there?"
While Nephis asks the question, the frame expands to show both her and Cassie. Cassie, suddenly curious about Sunny's answer, turns her head slightly in his direction. The frame changes to Sunny, who straightens and stretches his arms over his head. Letting out a sigh, Sunny's arms fall to his sides, and his relaxed voice comes out of the speakers:
"Well, Teacher Julius spent most of the morning teaching me how to survive in arctic environments. That includes how to find suitable shelter and how to find materials to build a fire. Supposedly, when I go back now, he will explain swimming theory and edible Dream Realm flora."
After saying this, Sunny stands up and picks up his tray. The frame changes to Nephis and Cassie's quiet faces.
The scene expands, and on-screen, we see Nephis picking up her and Cassie's trays, stacking them with clinical efficiency. The frame changes, and Nephis links arms with Cassie, the two of them walking behind Sunny toward the trash area. After clearing their trays, the three of them head toward the entrance.
While walking side by side, Cassie turns her head toward Sunny, her voice hesitant as she breaks the silence:
"So, umm, Sunless... what other classes are you taking apart from Wilderness Survival?"
The frame changes to Sunny. He briefly looks down at Cassie from his height, his expression unreadable, before looking straight ahead again. A heavy silence follows, filled only by the rhythmic, metallic echo of their footsteps against the floor—Sunny's boots striking with a heavy, deliberate thud compared to the lighter steps of the girls. Finally, Sunny's voice comes through the speakers:
"Just Wilderness Survival and occasionally combat practice at the gymnasium. Nothing else."
The frame changes, and we see Nephis and Cassie share a concerned look. Nephis's grip on Cassie's arm tightens instinctively, a small physical sign of her protective worry. She looks back at Sunny, her voice sounding both concerned and analytical:
"Sunless, why are you only going to that class? You know that learning how to fight and teamwork are also important, right?"
As Nephis finishes her question, they reach the hallway intersection. Moving to the side to avoid the flow of other students, they stop in a corner, forming a perfect triangle. The overhead industrial lighting casts long, sharp shadows that stretch between them, meeting in the center of their circle and highlighting the divide in their perspectives.
The scene changes to a landscape view where Nephis, Cassie, and Sunny are positioned in their triangle. Sunny leans against the cold industrial wall, his face partially falling into shadow as he speaks of his past. His voice comes through the speakers with a blunt, weathered edge:
"I don't see a need for any of the other classes. The streets of the outskirts taught me how to fight, and I don't expect to be making any friends here who would want to join me. After all, most of the people here are middle class or above. Why would they want to work with someone from the outskirts?"
Sunny's voice is harsh, but strangely enough, no malice can be found in it—only a tired, factual acceptance of his reality.
The frame changes, showing Nephis and Cassie standing completely still. In the frame, Cassie's lip trembles slightly, and she visibly tightens her arm around Nephis's. The vulnerability in her posture makes it clear that Sunny's words about being "different" or "unwanted" have hit home for her as well. Nephis, noticing the sudden change in pressure, looks down at Cassie, whose head is bowed toward the floor.
Through the speakers, we hear Nephis's inner thoughts:
"Oh... it never crossed my mind that Cassie might feel the same way because she is blind."
On-screen, Nephis takes a deep, grounding breath and straightens her spine. Inspirational music begins to swell, transitioning from the previous melodic theme into something more resolute and grand. The camera moves into a low-angle medium shot, framing Nephis against the overhead lights so she looks heroic and immovable. Her voice rings out:
"I'll work with you, Sunless. You, Cassie, and me. We are going to form a cohort."
The words come out with absolute confidence, leaving no room for argument.
The frame expands, showing Cassie looking up toward Nephis with an expression of pure, unbridled excitement. Beside her, Nephis has her chin raised, standing as tall and regal as possible as if trying to physically match Sunny's presence. Lastly, in the expanded frame, Sunny is seen with an expression of dry amusement, watching Nephis in a heavy silence that suggests he is weighing the absurdity of her conviction.
A moment later, Sunny lets out a sharp snort, and a genuine smile breaks across his face. Shaking his head, Sunny's voice comes through the speakers:
"Sure, why not? After hearing such confidence, how could I waste time arguing?" His voice is light, clearly finding it hilarious that Nephis put so much solemn weight into her declaration.
On-screen, Sunny straightens up, no longer leaning against the wall. He begins to walk backward, maintaining eye contact with the two girls as he recedes. As he moves away, he seems to literally melt into the shadows of the intersecting hallway, his silhouette growing darker. With a sly, mocking smile, his voice comes through the speakers one last time:
"Well, fearless leader, I'm going back to class. Try not to recruit any more people with that amazing speech."
On-screen, Nephis's face turns a shade of indignant red. She quickly looks away, adjusting her collar in a flustered attempt to regain her composure, and raises a finger as if to deliver a cutting retort—but she is too late. Sunny has already vanished into the darkness.
As Nephis lets her hand fall with a tired, defeated sigh, a bright, melodic giggling breaks the silence. The frame expands to include Cassie, who has a hand over her mouth, unsuccessfully trying to stifle her laughter. The sound is a sharp, sweet contrast to the heavy, industrial atmosphere of the Academy. Noticing Nephis's gaze, Cassie looks up, her voice dancing with mischief:
"Well, that went well. Now we have an established cohort... though I have to agree with Sunny. You might want to hold off on the 'amazing speech.' We wouldn't want anyone else joining us."
Nephis rolls her eyes, a small, hidden smile tugging at her own lips, and starts leading the girl down the hallway toward their classes.
The frame changes to a long shot, capturing only Nephis's and Cassie's backs as they retreat down the corridor. As they walk, they grow smaller and smaller, and their voices begin to take on a muffled, "echoey" quality that matches the vastness of the hallway.
"You must really like Sunless, huh? 'I'll work with you, Sunless! I don't care where you came from!' Such a bold statement. It almost made me blush." Cassie's voice is sing-song and playful, followed by a bright giggle.
"Cassie! I did not say all that!" Nephis's voice comes out frustrated, her neck and ears tinged with a visible hint of embarrassment.
"Tell me, Nephis... Sunless must be really handsome, eh?"
"Shush it, you!"
"Wait! Hold up, Nephis—don't walk so fast! Be a little kinder to the visually impaired girl!"
At the exchange, a few laughs and "oohs" can be heard from the audience, finding the blossoming romance endearing.
After the montage, we see a compilation of fights. Some feature Caster, some are of Nephis or Cassie, but most showcase background characters. Curiously, Sunny never appears in any of the fighting montages—a detail that the real Nephis, along with several members of the audience, notices.
During a quick scroll of the ranking list, the camera moves past the middle ranks. While Nephis and Caster sit at the top, a brief glimpse of the bottom of the list shows "Rank: N/A" next to Sunless's name.
On the screen, the official ranking list of the Sleepers in the combat class is displayed. The top two names glow with a slight prominence: Nephis in first place and Caster in second.
The frame changes, and a male instructor appears on the screen with a serious expression. Through the speakers, his voice can be heard:
"Listen up! We have two more fights to finish the official rankings. Next up is Nephis, ranked first, against Caster in second place. Please make space for the ring! Hey—hey, you! Yeah, you! Move out of the way before I kick your ass!"
As the instructor's voice booms through the speakers, Nephis enters the ring, her presence calm and immovable. The frame expands, and Caster enters from the right. The two elites ignore the instructor's shouting, their eyes locked on each other with such intensity that the very air in the gym seems to hum with a static charge.
With a long breath, the instructor gets into position. He suddenly drops his aggressive persona, giving a respectful, almost apologetic smile to the two young masters—a courtesy he hasn't shown anyone else.
As he speaks the final command, all background noise—the murmuring students and the shuffling of feet—cuts to an absolute, suffocating silence. The only sound remaining is the steady, rhythmic breathing of the two combatants. His voice comes through the speakers:
"Prepare to fight!"
The frame changes to a split-screen showing Nephis and Caster raising their practice longswords. Tense, percussive music swells through the speakers as the frame captures Nephis, the instructor, and Caster standing perfectly still. The music keeps building, making the theater audience hang off the edge of their seats. Finally, the instructor gives the signal, and with a flash on the screen, the fight begins.
Nephis lunges forward with a slight motion blur trailing her silhouette, reaching Caster in a single, impossible stride. On-screen, Nephis performs an upward arc from the right with her sword, aiming for Caster's ribs. Caster intercepts the strike with a violent crack before it can reach him. He spins to the left, using the momentum to swing his sword in a horizontal line toward Nephis's head.
Nephis leans backward, performing an elegant backflip to escape the blade. Just as she lands, Caster is already on her, his face a mask of cold, smug focus. He performs an overhead downward swing aiming for Nephis's collarbone. Nephis blocks the attack, and the screen vibrates as a visible shudder passes through both of their arms from the impact.
On-screen, the two fighters exchange a flurry of blows in close quarters. Neither takes a step backward. Above the music, sharp, jarring splintering noises begin to cut through the speakers. The screen cuts to a close-up of the clash, showing that Nephis's sword is fracturing under the sheer force of Caster's relentless onslaught.
The frame expands, and we see Nephis duck under an attack. Without wasting a single movement, she performs an upward arc that is intercepted by Caster, the force pushing him back a couple of meters. Caster lands on his feet, the momentum making him slide across the artificial hardwood floor. The screen splits, showing both fighters regain their stances. The music enhances the tense moment as the two measure each other until, suddenly, Caster explodes forward.
On-screen, a slight visual distortion ripples through the air behind Caster as he moves. Nephis's eyes widen slightly, and her thoughts come through the speakers:
"He's using his Aspect Ability!"
Just as Nephis finishes her thought, Caster reaches her. Nephis positions her sword to block the incoming thrust, but suddenly, Caster is no longer on the screen. The frame expands, and we see Caster performing a downward swing, aiming for Nephis's open back.
With the speed and grace of a seasoned fighter, Nephis spins around while performing an upward swing, opting to meet Caster's attack with force instead of blocking it. The swords meet, and the shredding sound of the wood splintering is the loudest noise in the scene. The music drops out instantly as Nephis's sword breaks into pieces.
Reacting quickly, Nephis lets the momentum carry her forward, passing under Caster's sword and performing a shoulder roll. As she falls to the floor and lands on her knees, her hand hovers near her waist, her fingers curled as if ready to continue the fight unarmed.
"Stop!"
The voice of the instructor booms through the speakers as he quickly enters the scene, putting himself between Caster and Nephis.
"Winner by disqualification: Caster!"
"What! Fuck that guy!" A literal wave of sound—boos and biting insults—ripples through the theater. The audience is visibly displeased, annoyed that the female lead lost a fight simply because her practice weapon failed.
The real Nephis can only smile, watching the theater's collective rage. Taking advantage of the chaotic cacophony to mask her own voice, she lets out a breath and starts throwing some insults of her own. "You backstabbing bastard! You honorless rat! Rest in piss! I hope the worms have a feast with your corpse!"
As the insults leave her lips, Nephis feels a physical shift; her shoulders finally drop, and a massive weight is lifted off her chest. She hadn't realized how much resentment she was carrying, but shouting it into the dark makes her feel lighter than she has in weeks.
The contrast is stark: on the screen, the "Changing Star" is a pillar of stoic grace even in defeat, but in the theater seat, the real Nephis is flushing a deep crimson, her chest heaving from the outburst.
Suddenly, Nephis feels a sharp, playful poke between her ribs. Involuntarily, she jolts in her seat, her heart skipping a beat. Still red-faced, she looks toward the source of the touch and finds Cassie. The blind girl has a hand clamped over her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she tries to stifle a massive giggle.
"Oh my, Neph. 'Rest in piss'... I didn't know you had such a vocabulary in your arsenal," Cassie said in a low voice, a slight smile on her face while poking Nephis's ribs one last time.
Nephis swatted Cassie's hand playfully and looked at her with a wry, bittersweet smile. "Yeah... I once heard Sunny say that to a Carapace Scavenger."
The moment the name left her lips, the air in the theater seemed to grow suddenly cold. Cassie's smile didn't just fade; it vanished. The light, contained laughter that had filled the space between them an instant ago was replaced by a hollow, suffocating silence.
The silence stretched painfully between the two women. Cassie tilted her head away, looking down toward the left as her hair fell like a heavy curtain, hiding her expression from Nephis's view. Nephis stole a sideways glance, noticing that Cassie had begun to nervously twist her thumbs, her knuckles turning white under the strain.
With a regretful expression, Nephis turned her eyes back to the screen. The bright, artificial light of the film reflected in her pupils, a stark, flickering contrast to the heavy darkness now settled between the two friends. On the screen, the referee was still talking, oblivious to the wound Nephis had just reopened in the real world.
"This will be the last fight to determine the raw battle prowess of this year's Sleepers. Now, let me see…" On the screen, the referee spends a couple of seconds going through the papers on his clipboard, a deep frown appearing on his face. "Well, it seems we have a situation. Would Sleeper Sunless please step forward?"
On-screen, the crowd of Sleepers looks around, murmuring and searching for the person called Sunless, but they find only empty space. The frame changes, showing Nephis, who—like the others—is scanning the room with a curious expression. Nephis's thoughts can be heard through the speakers:
"Why would the instructor call Sunless? No, wait—it's obvious. But why would he say there's a situation? More importantly... where is Sunless?"
The background noise remains perfectly normal—students whispering and the shuffling of feet—with no sound of approaching footsteps. Suddenly, a hand lands on the instructor's shoulder. The man jumps forward, visibly startled, as if touched by a ghost.
The frame changes to the perspective of the instructor as he slowly looks up. He follows a pair of legs up, and up, until he finally reaches Sunny's face. The instructor scrunches his eyebrows, looking as though he is staring up at a skyscraper. An unnaturally deep, heavy shadow suddenly stretches out from Sunny, completely swallowing the instructor and causing the man to give a small, involuntary shiver.
On the screen, the instructor's mouth opens and closes as he struggles to find his voice:
"How?—When did you?—But you're so big—you know what, never mind." With a sigh, the instructor takes a deep breath, composing himself, and clears his throat. "Sleeper Sunless, from the information I have here, it says that you haven't participated once in any of the combat practices. Would you mind telling me what it is you have been doing all this time?"
The frame changes, showing Sunless staying quiet for a couple of seconds. When he finally answers, his voice is calm and deceptively polite, cutting through the silence of the gym.
"I don't mind. All this time, I have been taking Wilderness Survival with Teacher Julius and watching the sword classes from the bleachers."
As Sunless's answer came through the speakers, the real Nephis gave a strange look at the screen, seeing how the movie-version of Sunny was acting. Of course, Nephis knew of Sunny's Flaw since she had access to his runes, but what she didn't know was how the movie knew how to emulate it so perfectly. Turning away from the screen, Nephis looked at Kai for answers, trying to hide the concern on her face. It took a couple of seconds, but finally, Kai noticed her and raised an eyebrow.
Nephis leaned closer so that only Kai could hear her.
"Kai, what's up with Sunny answering questions like that?" Nephis tried to frame the question as a critique of the acting. She hoped to keep the conversation away from discussing possible reasons like Flaws; if Kai were to ask about Sunny's Flaw, she wouldn't be able to lie to him.
Surprise appeared on Kai's face, and he leaned in, his eyes seeming to search hers with a gentle, yet terrifyingly perceptive clarity.
"Well, you see, Nephis, the director actually talked to some of the Firekeepers about their interactions with Sunny. All of them said that Sunny would hesitate or look like he was thinking really deeply before answering. They felt like he was constantly calculating. I mean, he did that all the time with us, too. Did you not notice?"
"Of course I did! But I can't say that. If I did, it would probably lead to a discussion about theories of why Sunny acted like that. Which would lead to Kai asking me what I know. That would be a disaster since I can't lie to Kai! Nobody can!"
Nephis felt her heart rate spike, her grip tightening on the theater armrest until her knuckles were white. Trying not to panic over the disaster she had just imagined, she used the only escape she had left. She physically pulled her stoic mask into place, her jaw tightening and her gaze turning icy. Without a word, she ignored his question and turned back to the screen, cutting the conversation off entirely.
A few seconds later, Nephis heard light, airy snickering coming from Kai's direction and looked at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Lady Nephis, your social skills are really bad," Kai said, smiling and shaking his head from side to side in amusement.
"I'm getting better! I know I am!" Nephis screamed in her thoughts. Her face turned a deep crimson at the prospect of her friend making fun of her. Trying to distract herself so she wouldn't get more flustered, Nephis focused back on the screen, where Sunless had finished giving his answer.
The instructor was shown with a complicated, almost mischievous expression on his face. "I see. Well, Sleeper Sunless, I have news for you." On the screen, the instructor gave a smile that was half apologetic and half amused, looking as if he were purposefully throwing a lamb to the wolves just to see what would happen. "Whether it's good or bad is for you to decide. Since you didn't participate once, you don't have a rank—and here in the Academy, we can't have that."
The instructor put the clipboard down and placed a hand on his hip, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "Since all the other Sleepers are already ranked, that leaves us only one option. You will have to fight the highest rank. Your opponent will be Caster."
A deep, rhythmic drumbeat begins to swell through the speakers, building into a rising orchestral tension that makes the air in the theater feel heavy. The camera cuts to a tight close-up of Sunny's face. He doesn't look scared or annoyed; instead, his eyes narrow into a cold, calculating look, as if he is mentally taking Caster apart before the fight even begins.
On the screen, the crowd of Sleepers starts whispering among themselves, their voices blending into a constant, buzzing hive of sound. Through the speakers, some voices question the fairness of the duel, while others talk about how a person from the Outskirts could never hope to beat a Legacy Clan member. Lastly, there are the whispers of those who just want to see the fight unfold.
The frame changes from the crowd of Sleepers to Nephis and Cassie. As the music subsides, leaving a heavy silence, Cassie's voice comes through the speakers:
"Nephis, I don't know about this. Can't we do anything?" Concern and uncertainty are clear in Cassie's voice.
Nephis looks down at Cassie, her mouth opening to respond, but she stops as a figure emerges from the crowd. The frame changes, and Nephis sees it is Sunless. The instructor has given the combatants a few moments to prepare in their respective corners. Grabbing Cassie and pressing her protectively to her side, Nephis's voice comes through the speakers:
"Cassie, it's Sunless. He's coming this way."
As Sunless walks toward them, Nephis waves to get his attention. He changes his course slightly and heads toward the two girls. As he gets closer, Nephis's voice can be heard from the speakers:
"Sunless, what are you going to do?"
Sunless finally reaches them and cocks his head slightly, as if the question itself is a riddle.
"I'm going to fight him. Obviously."
At the sound of his words, Cassie shakes her head. On-screen, the camera zooms in on her face, capturing her hesitation as she swallows hard. "Sunless, I—" Her voice carries a weight that feels like a premonition. "I—I think you should tap out. Caster... he's too strong."
The frame changes, showing Sunless's eyes darkening as he gives the blind girl a hard, unreadable look. Seeing the tension, Nephis intervenes, drawing his attention back toward her.
"Sunless, don't take it the wrong way. We just don't want to see you hurt."
On-screen, Nephis's words seem to reach him. Sunless lets out a slow breath, closing his eyes and putting his hands on his hips. Seeing Sunless's irritation fade, Nephis speaks again, her voice low. The camera pulls back, showing Sunless's massive frame looming over the two girls.
"Caster is from a Legacy Clan, Sunless. I don't want to belittle you, but how could you ever defeat him?"
The frame changes, showing Sunless giving Nephis a neutral look before he turns around. As he does, Sunless speaks, his voice steady.
"Have some faith, Nephis." With those words, Sunless walks back toward the center of the dueling ring. The frame changes to a split screen of Sunless and Caster as the music swells, the orchestral tension rising to a fever pitch.
The two fighters reach their positions. The frame changes, focusing on Caster's face. The aristocratic mask he had worn all semester doesn't just slip—it shatters. His eyes narrow with a venomous heat, and a vein pulses in his forehead, ruining his "noble" composure. His voice, once refined, now drips with raw malice.
"So, we finally meet, you gutter rat! Tell me... how is it that the Changing Star always chooses to be in your company? I understand the blind girl, she has status. But you? A clanless, nameless, Outskirt rat—how was it that she chose to spend time with you instead of people of her own status, like me?"
As Caster's rant finishes, a wave of whispers ripples through the theater, sounding like a modern social media feed brought to life.
"Do you think there was a love triangle in real life? I'm totally shipping Caster and Neph," someone whispers nearby.
"I don't know, I think she liked Caster more and Sunless was just her second option. It's so toxic," another voice adds.
"You're both wrong! It's obvious she was only interested in Sunless. Why else would they call him The Star's Dark Half?"
In the dark of the theater, the real Nephis is fuming. Her knuckles turn bone-white as she grips the armrests, and for a split second, a flicker of white flame dances in her eyes. she has to force a ragged breath to suppress her Aspect before she melts the chair.
"A triangle with that vermin! How could they ever think of such a thing? And Sunny being my second option! Are these people mad?!"
On the screen, the contrast is absolute. While Caster continues his desperate, jealous tirade, Sunless remains dead silent. He doesn't offer a single word in his defense; he simply watches Caster with the cold, detached focus of a predator waiting for the bell to ring.
Getting a grip on her thoughts, Nephis tried to calm down, especially since she had started noticing a transparent, almost imperceptible line of smoke rising from her armrest, accompanied by the sharp, metallic tang of ozone. Taking a deep breath, Nephis reached into a hidden pocket in her dress and lightly brushed her finger against what she had hidden there.
As the feeling of soft, silk-like strings lightly tickled her fingertips, Nephis was glad she had not left the strand of Sunny's hair at home. Now that she was touching it, a sudden but gentle need rose inside her to smell it. She craved that faint, comforting aroma of roasted coffee that always seemed to cling to him—a scent that made her feel, if only for a second, that Sunny was truly here. It had only been a few hours since she had last smelled the strands, yet the desire was a "hunger" that made itself present as strong as ever. Reluctantly, and with much effort, Nephis managed to pull her hand away.
"Not here. Cassie and Kai don't know. Later, when I get home... I'll be able to smell it. I'll be able to let go."
It was very difficult; the need didn't want to go away. She noticed her thighs had involuntarily started rubbing together. The friction felt good—too good. She was on the edge of bliss, her face heated and her eyes half-lidded. Suddenly snapping back to reality, Nephis rapidly put a hand between her thighs, stopping the motion and willing her legs to be still.
"My own body is betraying me now."
The thought came along with a deep shiver of white fire under her skin—an electrical shock of denial that made her whole body tremble. The shocks racked her body for long seconds; she leaned her head back, letting out a jagged breath.
"Distraction! I need a distraction! Focus on the movie!"
She used the screen as a lifeline. As the harsh, cold white light of the theater washed over her face, it seemed to visually cool her down. She straightened and opened her eyes to see the instructor finishing his speech: if Sunless lost, he would be at the bottom; if he won, Caster's first-place rank was his. On the screen, the frame split, showing both Caster's and Sunless's faces as the instructor asked if they were ready. A few seconds passed, the music making the anticipation of the incoming fight feel like a physical weight.
With a rapid movement of his hand, the instructor gave the signal, and a blur of motion shot forward as Caster made the first move. Not caring what his opponent's abilities might be, Caster used his Aspect, looking to overwhelm and humiliate Sunless with his speed. The frame expanded, showing Caster positioning himself to deliver a horizontal swing. The high-pitched whistle of his blade cutting the air was the only sound—until it was abruptly cut short.
The frame changed to Caster's disgusting, evil smirk—but suddenly, the smirk disappeared as his head slowly turned upside down on the screen. The frame expanded to show a slow-motion scene of Caster being flung through the air as Sunless performed a one-armed judo shoulder throw.
Through the speakers, a terrible, ground-shattering impact followed by a gasping cry could be heard as Caster's body hit the solid stone floor. The move used all of Caster's tremendous speed against him; the floor beneath him spider-webbed with deep cracks from the force of the collision. The instructor moved rapidly to Caster's side, his professional composure gone as he didn't even bother to give the signal to end the match.
A moment of absolute, shocked silence reverberated both in the movie and in the theater. On the screen, Sunny stood perfectly still, his posture relaxed and his breathing even, looking down at the fallen Legacy as if he had barely exerted himself.
A second passed, and then, almost in unison, both on the screen and in the theater, the room exploded with cheers and absolute astonishment. Not even the cohort could suppress their surprise. Kai shook his head with a wide smile. Effie, her mouth full of a mix of popcorn and candy, had a stunned expression. She poked Nephis hard on the arm.
"Why didn't you tell me the pipsqueak was a secret wrestling champion?" she whispered loudly. "Did that really happen at the Academy?!"
Cassie just ate her popcorn, but her legs were tapping the floor rapidly, her body clearly riding the adrenaline rush of the reveal.
As for Nephis, she was just looking at the screen with a slight smile, but her eyes shone with an expression of longing.
"Yeah, he would probably do something like that, or look for a way to disqualify him—like he did to me when we fought."
As Nephis finished thinking, her gaze somewhat lost in the past, the scene on the screen changed, showing Sunless walking back toward Nephis and Cassie. The crowd of Sleepers was still cheering and making excited noises around the fighting platform. When Sunless finally reached the two girls, he looked at them with a neutral expression before a grin slipped out, followed by his voice:
"Told you to have a little faith, didn't I?"
On the screen, Nephis's face flushed slightly as she looked to the side, trying to avoid eye contact. Meanwhile, Cassie smiled and raised her hand in front of her, looking to grab Sunless's hand. In the end, Cassie ended up grabbing his bicep, which she shook vigorously while praising him for his performance. She even made a joke about how, even being blind, she could "see" that last move Sunless made just from the vibrations of Caster hitting the floor.
After recovering some of her wits, Nephis congratulated Sunless on his victory and made a joke about how, if the slums teach people to fight like that, she might want to pay the place a visit. On the screen, the mood shifts instantly. Sunless's smile dims, and his eyes turn distant and haunted, as if he is looking past the Academy and back into the cold reality of his childhood.
Placing a hand on both Nephis's and Cassie's shoulders, Sunless speaks to them in a slightly sad, somber tone:
"If you want to learn, there's no need to go there. I can teach you."
At the sound of his voice and the sudden, heavy change in the atmosphere, Nephis's eyes widen. She begins fumbling her words, a panicked expression appearing on her face as she realizes she has stepped on a painful memory.
"Wait! Sunless, I didn't mean to make light of—"
"It's okay, Nephis. I know you meant no harm." Sunless shook his head, trying to dispel her worries. As he looked at her, the two of them stared into each other's eyes, the music swelling into an intimate, lingering melody.
The scene continued for several long seconds before coming to an abrupt stop as someone cleared their throat. Both Nephis and Sunless looked to the side, breaking their moment to see a smiling Cassie. She made a deliberate, theatrical gesture, pointing toward her sightless eyes with a mischievous grin.
"So, to celebrate Sunless's status as number one, how about we go to the cafeteria and get something sweet? Normally, I would have let you guys have your moment and gone by myself, but recently, I've found myself in quite a pickle." Her princess-like smile remained perfectly poised.
On the screen, Sunless let out a snort and shook his head, the somber mood broken by the absurdity of her comment.
"Sure, let's go get something to celebrate." Sunny smiled and let go of the girls' shoulders so that Nephis could lead the way.
The final shot shows the three of them turning their backs to the camera, walking toward a bright, sun-drenched hallway. They slowly walked off-frame, leaving the empty training floor behind.
"Well, Princess, I see they have gotten the gist of your social awkwardness perfectly!" Effie let out a boisterous, infectious laugh that she only partially tried to contain. "Really! Making a joke about visiting the Outskirts! Man, how do they know you so well?!" At this last joke, even Kai and Cassie could not hide the wide smiles on their faces.
"Effie, that's outlandish! Even I am not that socially inept. Come on, guys, back me up!" Nephis looked at Kai and Cassie, desperately trying to find an ally.
As she looked at them, she saw their shoulders shaking with contained laughter, and her stoic mask began to slip. Without the cold distance of the "Changing Star" to protect her, she could only sulk, her face turning a light crimson that glowed faintly in the theater's dim light.
"I'm really regretting having helped Effie out right now!" Nephis shouted in her mind as she continued to hear Effie's muffled chuckling.
Letting out a breath, Nephis's body relaxed, the irritation melting away. She gave a sideways glance toward the huntress. In the flickering blue light reflecting from the screen, she saw Effie and Kai smiling like little children. Effie was leaning forward, her eyes bright and focused entirely on the joy of the moment, completely oblivious to the wheelchair or the judgmental world outside. Something warm rose in Nephis's chest.
"No. This is fine. I prefer seeing her smile. I'll gladly take her teasing if it means she's this engaged—if she isn't thinking for one second about people judging her."
With that thought in her mind, a serene peace came over Nephis. She settled back into her seat, a soft, genuine smile touching her lips as she returned to watching the movie.
On the screen, the scene changes from the three figures walking off-screen to black, and then to a pair of hands tying shoelaces. The camera rises as the hands finish, and we see Nephis standing up from her bed.
The camera follows Nephis to the window. The room is bathed in the golden hour of the sunrise, the warm light illuminating the soft lines of her face with a fleeting, gentle beauty. A breeze comes in from the window, caressing Nephis's hair and making it sway.
"Today is the day. The last step to becoming an Awakened," Nephis murmurs to herself in a contemplative tone as she continues looking out at the waking world.
The silence is shattered by a heavy, industrial chime that echoes through the school's speakers. It isn't a simple bell; it is a deep, metallic sound that feels like the start of a military operation, vibrating through the walls. A voice follows, instructing every Sleeper to head to the lower levels of the academy immediately.
Giving a sideways glance at the intercom, Nephis closes the window softly and heads out of her room into the crowded hallway. On the screen, we see Nephis walking in the same direction as everyone else. The camera lingers for a moment on the faces of other students—people she has seen in passing for months but never spoken to. They are all strangers, yet today they share the same grim destination. Nephis turns the corners of the academy, a solitary figure moving within a sea of people, her expression unreadable as she prepares for the descent.
As Nephis walked, she suddenly saw a figure that stood out like a sore thumb because of his height. Standing near the wall so as not to obstruct the way, Sunny loomed over the other Sleepers, his tall frame acting like a silent guardian amidst the chaotic flow of students. The closer she got, the more clearly she could see him, and she noticed that Cassie was also there, standing tucked securely next to him.
"What are you two doing just standing here?" Nephis asked in a curious tone, stepping out of the flow of gray and white uniforms to join them by the wall.
Hearing her voice, Cassie looked her way and smiled. "We were waiting for you. Since we don't know when we will see each other again, I wanted to at least walk together... just in case."
As she said those words, the adventurous music dropped out for a heartbeat, leaving a heavy, ringing silence. The "just in case" carried a Seer's weight that made the hallway feel suddenly colder.
Sunless let out a scoff and looked down at Cassie, raising an eyebrow to break the tension. "Well, that's not ominous at all. What, did you see something? Or was it just you putting your shirt on backward again?"
The blind girl looked to the side, her indignation clear, and reached out toward Nephis. Finally, Cassie and Nephis linked arms, and the three of them started to walk with the group.
"That only happened once! And if I remember correctly, you agreed rather rapidly to wait for Nephis here when I suggested the idea."
"What was I supposed to do? Leave a blind girl alone in the middle of a sea of people?" Sunless shook his head as if he couldn't believe Cassie would bring that up.
But on the screen, the camera caught what Sunless was trying to hide: a visible flush creeping up his neck and onto his pale face. Despite his sarcastic tone, his embarrassment was impossible to mask. On the screen, the three of them continued walking together, the music picking back up into an adventurous theme as they moved through the blur of their peers.
Eventually, Sunless reached a door and stopped in front of it.
"This is my sleeping pod room." Sunless turned around to look at Nephis and Cassie. "I know the instructors said there's nothing to worry about, but still... I wish you two luck." At his words, Cassie and Nephis nodded and wished him luck back. With the exchange done, Sunless entered the room and disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Nephis walked Cassie to her room, and they shared a similar exchange. Leaving Cassie in her room, Nephis headed to her own and opened the door. Upon entering, the low hum of the sleeping pod greeted her—a deep, mechanical vibration that she could feel thrumming in her chest. The room was dimly lit by a cold, bluish light emanating from the machine, the glow reflecting sharply off her silver hair.
Walking calmly to the center of the room, Nephis ran her fingertips over the glass of the sleeping pod before opening it, revealing the white cushioning inside. Not wasting any more time, Nephis took off her shoes and climbed inside.
Shifting slightly to make herself comfortable, Nephis took one last, deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she prepared to leave the waking world behind. She closed her eyes. On the screen, the glass slowly closed, sealing her in. The frame faded to black, the industrial hum of the pod being the last sound to linger before the scene was swallowed by total silence.