The next day passed quietly.
After the entrance exam, all students were granted a week-long break. For most, especially those with family ties to the academy, this was highly unusual. It didn't take much to guess why.
Students had died.
The academy now had to face parents, siblings, guardians—deliver news no one ever wanted to hear. Giving the survivors a break wasn't just for rest. It was to soften perception, to let grief settle before classes began, to make the academy look… human.
⸻
Riven woke slowly, eyes adjusting to the sunlight pouring through the window.
It was still new to him.
Warm. Bright. Real.
He stared at it longer than he should have, even as it began to sting his eyes. He didn't look away.
Around him, the others were completely knocked out, sleeping like rocks. It made sense. This was probably the first time any of them had slept on beds this soft. Back home, most of their beds felt like stone.
Pushing himself up, Riven glanced around.
Harkel and Leo were gone.
The room was split evenly—three beds on each side. Harkel, Leo, and Joey had taken the side near the door. Riven, Jordan, and Luka were by the window.
Riven stretched, then grabbed his bag.
I'm gonna have to ration these…
He didn't bring much. None of them did. It wasn't like they owned much to begin with. Maybe a week's worth of clothes at best.
At least the dorm had a laundry room.
As he pulled out a set of clothes, something caught his eye.
Folded neatly at the edge of his bed.
Riven picked it up.
It was a uniform—the same one Luka had been wearing when they left the hospital.
"…Guess this is what we'll be wearing to class."
There were five sets.
Enough to rotate through the week.
They really expect us to do laundry on weekends, huh…
Shaking his head, Riven headed to the showers.
⸻
The sound of running water filled the bathroom.
A moment later, the door to the dorm opened.
Harkel and Leo stepped inside, already dressed in their uniforms—but theirs were different. Instead of red as a secondary color, theirs was blue.
"I'm guessing Riven's in the shower," Harkel said, glancing toward the bathroom.
Leo nodded, dropping his bag.
Behind them, Harkel's Ironshade slipped through the doorway, dragging in a large whiteboard that barely fit. It placed it carefully in the center of the room before melting back into Harkel's shadow.
⸻
Meanwhile, Luka sat on his bed, half-asleep, stuffing food into his mouth.
Then—
A prompt appeared.
[System: Your hunger grows.]
Luka blinked.
"…Uh, yeah. Why do you think I'm eating?"
But then he froze.
Something felt wrong.
The food… wasn't doing anything.
It was like it never even entered his stomach.
His expression shifted.
"No…"
Another prompt.
[System: If you don't satisfy your hunger within one hour, your HP will drop by 1 every minute.]
The message vanished.
Luka's hands started shaking.
He grabbed more food, shoving it into his mouth faster—but it didn't matter. Nothing changed. No fullness. No satisfaction.
Just emptiness.
"No… no, no…"
His breathing quickened. Panic clawed its way up his chest.
Without a word, Luka shot to his feet and rushed out of the room.
The door slammed behind him.
⸻
"Wait—"
Leo stepped forward, but it was too late.
"…What's his problem?" Harkel asked flatly, eyes still on the door.
At that moment, the bathroom door opened.
Riven stepped out, hair still damp.
"Hey—" He paused, immediately sensing something off. "Where's Luka?"
"He ran out," Leo said. "Looked panicked."
Riven's expression tightened.
He didn't need to guess.
It's his ability…
Luka never wanted it.
Didn't even want to understand it.
And now…
Riven turned and headed for the door.
"Wait," Leo called.
Riven stopped this time.
"Harkel's coming up with a plan. We should all hear it first. Then you can go after Luka."
Riven frowned slightly.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to have Luka here too?" he said. "That way you don't have to repeat everything."
Leo hesitated.
"And besides… whatever you're planning," Riven added, "you can't assume he'll even agree."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo asked.
"It means—"
"It means it's all of them," Harkel cut in as he stepped forward, "or none of them."
Silence settled in the room.
Riven nodded slowly.
"…I'll try to convince him," he said. "But if he says no, that's it."
With that, he left.
⸻
Leo watched the door for a moment before exhaling.
"…You think we pushed too hard?"
Harkel shook his head.
"No. They'll come around."
"And if they don't?"
"Then we move forward without them," Harkel said calmly. "At least until we have enough units to recruit others."
Leo was quiet for a second.
"…I'm glad."
Harkel glanced at him. "About what?"
"That you didn't force them."
Harkel raised a brow.
"I haven't known your family long," Leo continued, "but something tells me if it were them… they'd have made it happen. Beating them down, threatening their families… something like that."
A small chuckle left Harkel.
"Good thing I'm not like them, huh?"
Riven stood outside on the academy campus, scanning the area as he searched for his friend. The main building—where their classes would eventually be held—was still closed. It wouldn't open until next week, so there was no way Luka would be there.
He exhaled slowly and walked toward the edge of the campus, looking down at the sprawling city below.
If I know Luka… which I do, he thought, he'll go somewhere quiet. Somewhere people don't usually go.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Sigil Gate City… yeah, that's what she called it. Too many people there. No way he went down there… and even if he did, that place is way too big to search.
Riven sighed and turned back toward the dorms.
"Hey."
A group of boys walked past him, talking among themselves.
"Maybe we should hit the library and learn something—like beast weaknesses or something," one suggested.
"Nah," another immediately replied. "Most of that stuff is outdated."
"If we want real info, we should go down to the city and ask people. Some of them used to go here. They'd know way more."
The group nodded as they stepped onto the small platform that would take them down into the city.
"But we can always go later and try to pick up some girls," one added with a grin.
A few of them laughed.
"No point going to the library anyway. No one even goes there. Pretty sure there's not even a librarian."
Riven didn't hesitate. He turned and headed straight for the library.
⸻
Not far away, a man in a lab coat stood quietly on the campus. A keycard hung from his waist, and a clipboard rested in his hands as he pretended to write something down.
But his thoughts were elsewhere.
Good thing I can still use my influence to move freely, he thought. Better than being stuck in that lab.
His grip tightened slightly around the pen.
I need to find the Lesserblood… and the fairy. Maybe more than one.
His eyes darkened.
The ring should handle the Lesserblood… assuming he doesn't break it. But if needed, I'll give it to the fairy instead.
A flicker of frustration crossed his face.
The king should've known about this… but then again, why hasn't he told the others?
His jaw clenched.
Darius is alive. That alone should've changed everything.
His thoughts grew sharper, colder.
We were allies with the fairies. They saved our lives… and now they're gone. Scattered. Missing.
He exhaled slowly, but the anger didn't fade.
A human raised by them… now leading this world's military. And the king says nothing?
His fingers curled into a fist.
He told us the treaty with the Force was temporary. A lie to buy time until we regained our strength. But days keep passing… and it's starting to feel like the lie isn't the treaty.
The man—posing as Kent—suddenly stilled.
A boy rushed past him.
Riven.
And with him…
A scent.
Kent's eyes sharpened.
Fairy…
⸻
Riven burst into the library.
The boys had been right. The place was completely empty. No staff, no students, not even someone at the front desk.
"Seriously…?" he muttered.
He walked further in, scanning the shelves.
"Not here either…"
He turned, ready to leave—
Then froze.
A low sound echoed through the quiet space.
Grunting.
Pain.
Riven followed the noise, moving carefully between the shelves until he found him.
"Luka…?"
The boy was crouched in the corner, trembling.
"Hey, Lu—"
Before he could finish, Luka lunged.
His teeth had changed—no, sharpened—into something closer to fangs. His crimson eyes burned with something feral, something hungry.
He wasn't thinking.
He was hunting.
Riven barely had time to react.
But before Luka could reach him—
A figure stepped in.
Kent.
With a single motion, he slammed Luka to the ground and pinned him effortlessly.
"Hey!" Riven shouted, rushing forward. Lightning crackled into his palm as he threw a punch.
Kent didn't even flinch.
He caught Riven's arm mid-strike and casually threw him aside.
Riven crashed into a bookshelf, sending it toppling over in a loud crash.
Books scattered across the floor.
"What are you doing?!" Riven yelled, pushing himself up as electricity surged in his hand.
Kent didn't look at him.
"I'm stopping both of you from getting killed, you idiot."
He pulled out a bottle filled with a thick red liquid and forced it into Luka's mouth.
"Drink."
Luka struggled at first, but instinct took over.
He swallowed.
Desperately.
The moment felt almost surreal—like watching a starving child being handed food for the first time.
Within seconds, the bottle was empty.
Kent stepped back, slipping it into a ring on his finger.
Luka staggered slightly as he stood, his breathing uneven.
"What… what happened?" he muttered, shaking his head.
"You were starving," Kent said calmly. "Another minute, and you would've killed your friend."
Luka blinked, then turned toward Riven.
Then he paused.
His nose twitched.
"…Who are you?" Luka asked slowly. "And why do you smell like that?"
His eyes narrowed.
"You smell like… me."
Kent smiled faintly.
"My name isn't Kent," he said. "My true name is Nyx."
Riven stepped forward, still tense.
"Alright… Nyx," he said carefully. "What did you just give him?"
Nyx glanced at Luka, then back at Riven.
"What do you think?"
.
"I gave him blood."