Dusk to Dawn

Morning came with a cruel kind of softness.

The light brushed against my bruised skin like an apology that had come too late. I laid in bed, eyes open, chest still, letting the warmth bleed into me as if that could chase away the storm of thoughts that had kept me awake all night.

I hadn’t slept. Not really. My body had begged for rest, but my mind had been louder—reliving the battle, replaying every moment of it.

And now, the sun had risen, the world was moving on, and I… I simply closed my eyes.

Just for a moment.

Just long enough to forget.

When I opened my eyes again, the sun was gone.

Dusk had poured itself into the sky, soft and deep. The world had exhaled and settled down for the night. My room was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt deliberate, like something had been paused.

I sat up slowly. The stiffness had faded from my limbs.

But the silence lingered.

There were no footsteps in the halls. No rustle of maids changing linens or the clatter of trays being set down. Even the courtyard beyond my window, usually flooded with the shouts of training soldiers, was still.

I swung my legs off the bed and stood. The cold tiles kissed my bare feet as I crossed to the door. Something in my chest fluttered. A strange unease, like I'd woken in a world where time had skipped forward without me.

The corridors felt hollow. I passed the long gallery of tapestries. It was empty. The training ground felt abandoned. The scent of herbs lingered faintly near the infirmary doors, but even there, the lanterns were unlit.

My heart began to pound. Not out of fear. Just… loneliness.

Are they avoiding me?
They’d seen me yesterday. All of them.

Then I reached the roof to spend the night with the stars, distant yet lively.

The moment I opened the gate of the roof—

"Surprise!"

I blinked.

For a second, I thought I was dreaming again.

The place had been transformed. No formal banners or grand displays, but it was warm and bright. Paper lanterns floated above, glowing like oversized fireflies, casting soft shadows over the white-clothed table at the center of the room. Simple dishes were arranged neatly, and at the far end stood a modest cake, swirled with cream and decorated with fresh fruit.

And standing around the table smiling, clapping, waiting—

My family.

Mother, father, uncle and aunt. Brother too. Even Lady Tamina. And all the maids and butlers.

Everyone.

Mother came forward. Like always, her voice gentle and calming, "Happy birthday, dear."

I stared at her, then at the others, unsure if I should feel touched or exposed.
My eyes were trembling, my voice caught in my throat. I couldn't speak.

"You were supposed to wake at noon," Brother said gently, walking forward. "We were going to surprise you before sunset, but I suppose… you surprised us instead."

I just kept hovering my vision here and there.

No one spoke about the battle.
No one whispered about the Beast Form.
Not even once.

Then the King and Queen reached me. Uncle handed me a small box.
"This," Aunt stated, "Is from all of us."

I opened it carefully.

Inside laid a simple crest—glowing golden, shaped like a curved flame within a lion’s mane. I knew it well. It was the mark of our house, worn only by those considered ready to carry it.

Brother got it on his tenth birthday, four years ago.

I stared at every one of them, with surprise or rather, confusion over getting the wrong idea.

They nodded back to me in response. With bright smiles.

I held back my tears... tears of pride and fragile glory, came from that moment. I had been acknowledged by them. But...

Am I even worthy?!

Lady Temina finally spoke, "I have nothing more to give you. I have given you your most precious gift for Life—Vulcan. Also the chance to be my apprentice. So now cheer up lad, and become able to use my present. How long are you gonna make me wait to see that?!" Her voice was sharp and cold yet this time it had its own warmth.

"This is not just your Birthday, but a new beginning of your journey. Hope you do well in the entrance examination." Father rested a hand on my shoulder. "So eat well, for tomorrow is going to be a long day for you."

It wasn’t a grand banquet, just enough. Warm bread, roasted fish, honeyed fruits. The kind of food that tasted like home, not ceremony.

But beneath the laughter, I could feel it. An unspoken thread running through the room. Not fear. Not yet. Just... a caution. A quiet kind of watching.

Lady Temina didn’t say much after that. She simply observed, her goblet untouched after the first sip. But every now and then, I felt her eyes on me. Not harsh. Just unreadable.

The celebration ended without fanfare. People trickled out slowly, one by one, leaving me alone near the table as the final lanterns dimmed.

I stepped out onto the balcony, letting the night air fill my lungs.

The stars above were the same as always. Steady, cold and... far.

Tomorrow, I shall leave for Mc.Lain Academy.
Tomorrow, I’d walk among strangers who didn’t know my blood, my past, or what lurked behind my eyes.
And maybe… maybe that would be easier.

But tonight,

I looked down at the crest in my hand, its cool weight against my palm.

Tonight, I allowed myself to hope that I could still control the monster I glimpsed yesterday.

That this… third chance… wouldn’t be wasted.