Evening After Day Two
The corridors of the dormitory were alive with noise — laughter spilling out of the lounges, the faint crackle of mana-light lanterns hung in the common spaces, the smell of roasted chestnuts sneaking in from the courtyard stalls that still hadn't been packed away.
Kael passed a group of students arm-wrestling on a common room table, their friends egging them on like it was the finals of the Trials themselves. He waved, offered a smile, and kept moving down the hallway until he reached the quieter corner where his dorm room sat.
Liora was leaning against the doorframe when he arrived, a book tucked under her arm.
"Thought you'd be out there with them," Kael said, jerking his thumb toward the noise.
She shook her head. "Too much energy. I'd rather read."
"You and books," Kael muttered with a grin. "What are you reading this time?"
"Records of past champions. Seeing how they fought, what mistakes they made." Her tone was matter-of-fact, but her eyes betrayed the spark of excitement she felt.
Kael stretched, rolling his shoulders. "And what mistake am I making?"
"You talk too much in fights," she said instantly. "Ravi told me you yelled at your partner."
Kael groaned. "That water mage was practically throwing waves in my face. I saved the match."
"Mm," Liora hummed, unconvinced.
They lingered outside the dorm a moment longer, listening to the muffled hum of voices through the walls. Then Kael noticed movement at the far end of the hallway.
Anand.
He walked slowly, hands in his pockets, posture casual but his expression unreadable. While everyone else buzzed with the post-match glow, he looked like someone coming back from a long patrol in silence.
Kael called out before he could stop himself. "Hey. Anand."
The boy stopped, half-turned. His dark eyes met Kael's for the briefest of moments.
"You fought well today," Kael added, tone awkward but genuine.
A pause stretched long enough that Kael thought he wouldn't answer. Then Anand simply said, "You too," before disappearing into his room.
Liora raised an eyebrow. "He's… polite, at least."
Kael frowned. "Polite? That was the bare minimum."
"Sometimes the bare minimum is the most honest," she said, and pushed open her door.
Kael lingered in the hallway a little longer, the distant sound of students celebrating drifting through the academy windows. Something about Anand stuck in his head, like a song he couldn't place.
Late Night — Kael and the Sky
When the dorms finally quieted, Kael slipped outside. The courtyard was mostly empty now, lanterns flickering low, the festival stalls shuttered for the night. Above, the stars stretched endless and bright, unbothered by the weight of the Trials below.
He sat on the edge of the fountain, tossing a coin in absent thought. The water rippled outward.
For a moment, Kael almost felt like a kid again, sneaking out past curfew, daring the night to catch him.
Then he heard soft footsteps. He didn't even need to turn to know who it was.
"Couldn't sleep either?" Liora's voice was quiet. She sat beside him, book now absent, her expression lighter.
"Something like that," Kael said. "Too much noise in my head."
"Tomorrow's another stage. It makes sense."
Kael shook his head. "It's not that."
He didn't explain. And she didn't ask. They just sat together, two students on the edge of something bigger, with the water lapping gently beside them.
From the shadow of a nearby wall, unseen but not unnoticed, Anand passed through the courtyard on his way to the training grounds. His steps made no sound, his eyes flicking briefly to the two at the fountain before turning away.
Kael never saw him. But Liora did.
She said nothing.