Chapter: 34 - The Breaking Point
The academy halls felt colder than usual. Phyro walked through them with his head down, his steps slow and heavy. It had been 2 days since he and Klein returned, yet the world felt distant—like he was walking through a dream he couldn't wake up from.
Nico now stayed in the dorms with them, her once energetic presence now dulled. She hardly spoke unless spoken to. Klein carried himself with the same calculated composure, but Phyro could tell—he was just as shattered.
Only Lana and Yenta knew the truth. The weight of it pressed against Phyro's chest, suffocating him. Everyone else went about their lives as if nothing had changed, as if his world hadn't been ripped apart.
That night, Lana had come to him. She found him sitting in an empty corridor, staring blankly at the walls.
"Phyro…" she whispered, kneeling beside him.
He didn't answer. He couldn't.
Lana hesitated, then wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. For the first time since it happened, Phyro let himself lean into someone. He felt her warmth, her steady heartbeat. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep him from shattering completely.
They ended up in her dorm, lying on her bed in silence. She didn't ask him to talk. She didn't try to fill the silence with empty words. She just held him, and for the first time in days, Phyro closed his eyes without seeing the bodies of his family burned into his mind.
The next day in class, whispers followed him. He ignored them.
He was exhausted. He barely listened to the lecture, staring at his desk while his mind drifted. But then—
"Damn, what's with him?"
"Why's he look so dead?"
"Tch. Probably just mad he's not the center of attention."
Phyro's fingers twitched.
"Yo, Nishiki, you gonna cry or somethin'?"
A chair scraped against the floor.
Before anyone could react, Phyro was in front of the boy who spoke—a First-year named Edrin. His hand shot forward, seizing Edrin by the throat and lifting him off the ground. The classroom erupted into gasps.
Phyro's eyes burned tears fell down. His body trembled—not from sorrow, but rage. A deep, animalistic fury surged through him, drowning out every thought.
Edrin clawed at Phyro's grip, kicking wildly.
Someone screamed.
Kill him.
The thought rang through Phyro's mind, loud and undeniable.
A burst of force crashed into him from behind. Yenta and Jai Gashi had tackled him, prying him off the gasping Edrin.
"Phyro! Snap out of it!" Yenta shouted.
Phyro barely heard him. He struggled against their grip, but then—
"PHYRO NISHIKI!"
The roar of authority cut through his haze. Sir Aiato Ingai the head of the academy stood in the doorway, his presence alone enough to make the room fall silent. His piercing gaze locked onto Phyro.
"Come with me. Now."
Phyro stood in Aiato's office, hands clenched into fists. Across from him, Aiato's eyes bore into him with unwavering intensity.
"You nearly killed a fellow student today," Aiato said, voice cold. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Phyro remained silent. What could he say? That the rage had been suffocating? That he hadn't been thinking? That for a moment, he didn't care whether Edrin lived or died?
Aiato sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know what happened to your family."
Phyro's entire body went rigid.
"I also know you've told no one but a select few. I understand grief, Phyro. But this?" Aiato's eyes hardened. "This is not the way to deal with it."
The headmaster leaned back in his chair. "Your punishment is as follows—five days of suspension from attending class. Effective immediately."
Phyro's fists tightened.
"Additionally, you will lose all training opportunities at the academy until further notice."
Phyro's breath caught.
"Upon your return—you are required to take Anger Management Classes. No exceptions."
A heavy silence filled the room. Aiato's gaze softened, but his tone remained firm.
"You are strong, Phyro Nishiki. But unchecked strength without control is nothing but destruction. If you do not learn to master it, you will lose more than just training opportunities."
Phyro lowered his head, the weight of everything pressing down on him.
The detention room was empty when he arrived. He sat in the farthest corner, arms crossed, staring at nothing.
Then, one by one, they entered.
Lana. Jude. Yenta. Ronan.
Even Lucian—who stood by the door, arms crossed, like he wasn't sure why he was here.
And lastly—Jai Gashi.
They said nothing at first.
Then Lana sat beside him, placing a hand over his. "We're here."
Phyro didn't respond. But for the first time since the nightmare began, a part of him felt like he wasn't in a pit of despair.
End of Chapter