Gray woke to the pale rays of morning pressing against the window. For the first time since Glacierfang, the weather had cleared. The cracked sun shone weakly through a patchwork of rolling clouds, spilling uneven light across his small room. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, before groaning and pushing himself upright. His muscles felt heavy but not painful, as though he had spent the night wrestling invisible weights.
He scratched his head, yawning, then froze. A door he hadn't noticed before stood to his right, tucked into the corner wall.
"…Huh?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
Curious, he stumbled over and pulled it open. A toilet. Compact, tiled, and deceptively clean. To Gray, it felt strangely advanced—though in reality, it was nothing more than a standard bathroom. A sink. A mirror. A shower stall. All mundane, yet somehow alien to him.
He brushed his teeth with the supplied kit, studying his reflection. His pale gray eyes stared back, weary yet sharper than he remembered. After Glacierfang, he looked… older. Stronger, maybe. Or just more worn down.
The water in the shower was scalding hot, but it felt good. When he finally stepped out, steam followed him into the bedroom.
Only then did he notice the glow. His computer had turned itself on.
The screen displayed a message in neat lettering:
Please scan your wristband.
Gray frowned, holding up his sleek black band. It pulsed faintly as if aware. Slowly, he brought it close to the machine.
Beep.
A soft chime echoed, and a holographic projection unfolded from the computer screen, expanding across the desk. His wrist vibrated, and lines of glowing text filled the display.
A map.
Gray's mouth fell slightly open.
The Royal Kaelith Academy stretched out before his eyes like a labyrinth. Corridors spiraled into wings, wings into towers, towers into sprawling grounds. Entire sectors were labeled—training arenas, lecture halls, dormitories, even what looked like gardens.
"This place is… massive," Gray whispered. "I would've been lost in five minutes."
He shook his head and muttered a thanks to the wristband, though his lips twisted in unease. It wasn't sentient… right? At least, he hoped not.
He tossed the coat he'd worn to bed onto the chair and spotted the neatly folded uniform draped over the backrest. The fabric was crisp, faintly scented of something sterile. On the front of the uniform was the crest again. The one resembling a hawk.
He slid into it, Gray adjusted the collar, then tugged on his boots.
Gray paused with his hand on the door handle, his eyes drifting once more to the pod resting silently against the wall. Its surface gleamed faintly in the morning light, the metal sleek and unfamiliar, pulsing with a faint hum that seemed almost alive. Something about the way it just sat there, waiting, unsettled him but also intrigued him. He lingered a moment longer, unease crawling up his spine, before shaking his head and stepping out.
The hallway was empty, his footsteps echoing sharply against the floor. Pale light poured in through tall glass panes lining one side, spilling soft reflections across the polished stone. Outside, the grounds glistened with rainwater, the storm finally washed away.
The holographic map shimmered above his wrist, marking his position with a pulsing dot. He followed it down a flight of stairs, his gaze catching on an outdoor training yard beyond one window. Broad stretches of stone, sparring rings, strange contraptions littered with weapons, it looked dangerous, but also inviting. His stomach churned with anticipation.
'Oh man, I hope they have something good.'
He kept walking until the map directed him toward a broad, open hall. The scent hit him first—warm bread, spices, roasted meat.
The canteen.
The room stretched wide with rows of long tables, though only a few were occupied. The chatter was muted, low and uncertain.
And at one of the nearest tables were some familiar faces.
"Gray!" Renn waved wildly, his mouth stuffed with bread. His cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel's. "Over here!"
Gray shook his head, smirking faintly despite himself, and walked over. Stares followed him, curious, wary, lingering. But he ignored them, sliding into the empty seat beside Renn.
The table was crowded with food. Plates of steaming noodles, slabs of grilled meat glistening with sauce, fruits he didn't recognize, and a peculiar bubbling drink that fizzed violently in its cup.
Adel noticed his stare. She giggled, lifting the glass. "It's just a drink. Try it, it's good."
Gray narrowed his eyes. "Looks like poison."
She laughed harder, nearly spilling some down her chin. "Suit yourself."
Korr sat stiffly across from them, arms crossed. Adel grinned wickedly, scooping up a spoonful of something creamy and holding it toward his mouth.
"No," Korr said flatly.
"Come on, just a bite."
"I said no."
She leaned closer. He turned his head away. She chased him, spoon still aimed like a weapon. It turned into a small struggle, Korr pushing her wrist while she insisted.
Gray watched, shaking his head. He leaned toward Renn. "Don't you think all this is a bit… weird? They tried to slaughter us, and now they're feeding us like kings."
Renn slowed his chewing, eyes flicking around the canteen. "…Yeah. It does seem strange." He swallowed. "But maybe that's the point. To confuse us. Keep us off balance."
Gray muttered, "Doesn't mean I like it."
Sighing, he reached across and grabbed the spoon Adel had been trying to force into Korr's mouth. Before either could react, he decided to take a bite. The flavor burst across his tongue, savory, rich, unexpectedly pleasant.
"It's...surprisingly good," Gray admitted.
Adel beamed. "See? Told you!" She spun back toward Korr, redoubling her efforts.
Renn snorted. "You're hopeless."
Gray ignored the chaos, eyes drifting across the hall. "Where's Lira?"
Adel's smile faltered. She lowered the spoon. "…I don't know. Haven't seen her since yesterday. She was nearby, but…" She trailed off, frowning.
Gray clenched his jaw. He had a feeling why. But he didn't say it.
At the same time he almost asked about relics—if any of them had seen something new on their bands. But before the words formed, the canteen doors slammed open.
Three figures stepped inside.
Gray's heart jolted.
At the center was the boy with white hair. The same boy from last night. Only now, his eyes were—brown? Gray blinked, unsettled. Had he really imagined it?
To the boy's right walked another male, tall, with dark purple hair and deep black eyes that avoided everyone's gaze. On the left was a girl with golden braids, a lollipop dangling lazily from her lips.
The air shifted instantly.
Conversations died. Heads turned. The canteen fell into tense silence as the trio crossed the hall.
Gray's eyes locked with the boy's. For a moment, neither moved. Then, slowly, the boy looked away, leading his group to the farthest table.
"…What's their problem?" Renn muttered.
Adel squinted. "That girl looks like a total asshole."
Korr, meanwhile, hadn't looked away from the dark-haired boy. His jaw tightened, arms still crossed.
Gray leaned closer to Renn. "Is there a library here?"
"Probably," Renn said with a shrug. "Why?"
"Need answers."
"To what?" Renn raised an eyebrow.
Gray leaned closer and lowered his voice. "The pods, I've got one in my room. Big, metallic, humming."
Adel tilted her head, a spoon hanging from her lips. "Pods? You mean like the ones we slept in on the ship?"
Gray shook his head. "Similar. But this one's… different. Feels wrong somehow."
Renn frowned, glancing at Korr. "Never seen one. They didn't mention anything about that during orientation."
Korr crossed his arms, his expression as unreadable as ever. "If they put it there, it serves a purpose. Maybe for tests. Or containment."
Adel gave a nervous laugh, waving her spoon. "Containment? Don't say it like that. Now you're making it sound like it's meant to keep us inside."
Gray stayed quiet, the thought echoing in his head. He hadn't dared to touch the pod, and by the looks of it, neither had anyone else. Whatever its use was, none of them seemed to know. And that fact alone made him even more uneasy.
Renn took it all in and sat back, relaxing a little."Well, either way we can't go searching for a library. Classes are about to start."
Gray blinked. "Classes…?"
He remembered, suddenly, the subjects he had chosen last night.
Adel perked up. "What did you pick?"
"Combat—close range and affinity. Monster analogies. History. Survivalist skills. And… Corruption theory."
Adel's eyes widened. "We've got some in common!" She grinned.
Renn nodded. "Same. Except survivalist."
Korr smirked faintly. "Same here."
Then, together, all three asked: "Why'd you pick the survivalist one?"
Gray shifted in his seat. "…Thought it'd be useful."
They exchanged looks, then burst out laughing.
Adel wiped her eyes. "That's the most useless class here."
"Not it's not! What is geography and Myths about? How would that help you?" Gray retorted.
Korr revealed a moment of realisation.
"I...picked both of those..."
Renn groaned. "Oh, you're screwed."
Gray sighed, muttering, "Ahh, crap." He pushed himself up, grabbing a piece of bread from the table.
Renn stood too. "First class is history. We'll stick together."
Adel waved, still laughing. "We'll catch you later."
Korr gave a curt nod. "Try not to fall asleep."
As they made their way to the doors, Gray felt it again. That stare.
He stopped. Turned.
The white-haired boy was watching him.
Their gazes locked.
And then the boy smiled. A thin, unsettling curl of the lips.
Gray's skin crawled.
"Gray?" Renn asked quietly.
"…Yeah," Gray said at last, tearing his eyes away. "I'm fine."
He wasn't.
And together, they stepped through the doors.