[Vol 2] Chapter 5: Visions be Told

The hallway outside the infirmary was unnervingly quiet, moonlight filtering softly through the tall windows and casting pale patterns across the floor. The faint hum of enchanted wards echoed from behind the doors, a constant reminder of Yuki inside, unconscious and recovering from a fight that should have left her broken. Kaia sat on the edge of a long bench, her elbows on her knees, fingers restlessly tugging at the laces of her gloves. Across from her, Ren leaned against the wall, arms crossed tightly, staring blankly down the hallway. “She should’ve never fought him,” Kaia finally muttered, breaking the silence. “A Full Moon Lunarch? What the hell was she thinking?” Ren didn't look over. “She was thinking about pride. And proving she wasn’t weak.” Kaia scoffed. “Great. And now she’s nearly in a coma.” Ren’s jaw clenched. “You saw it, Kaia. She held her own. She may have gone down, but she didn’t break. That guy was pushing Full Moon output. No restraint.” Kaia stood and began pacing, frustration etched on her face. “Yeah. And now she’s lying in there with bruised lungs and cracked ribs, because she didn’t want to look weak.” Ren finally looked at her. “Yuki’s never wanted anyone’s pity. Not even when she deserves it.” Kaia stopped pacing, her voice softening. “I don’t pity her.” Silence stretched between them, long and heavy. “I just… I hate that she feels like she has to fight everything alone.” Ren let her head lean back against the wall. “Maybe that’s what makes her strong.” Kaia looked over at the door, her voice dropping. “Or maybe that’s what’s gonna break her someday.” Kaia sat back down slowly, her arms folded tight over her chest. “You know… I used to think she was just angry all the time. Like she didn’t care about anyone. But now I’m starting to think she’s just scared.” Ren glanced over. “Scared of what?” Kaia paused, then shrugged. “Of being left behind. Of not being enough in a world where everyone else is glowing with magic or blessed by the moon.” Ren looked back at the infirmary doors, her voice low. “She’s not glowing… but she still stands in front of people like she is.” “Exactly.” Kaia leaned forward again, eyes flicking to the floor. “She charges into fights like she has something to prove—but I think deep down, she just doesn’t want to be forgotten. Like if she hits hard enough, people will remember her.” Ren said nothing for a while, then, almost under her breath: “I remember her.” Kaia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Same.” They sat like that for a while, with only the soft ticking of wall clocks and the faint hum of medical runes behind the door. Then Kaia said, “You ever think she’s gonna burn herself out? Like… if she keeps doing this… will there be anything left of her by the end of the year?” Ren nodded once, grimly. “Yeah. All the time.” Kaia gave a bitter smile. “And we’re just watching it happen.” Ren finally pushed off the wall and sat down beside her. “We’re not just watching. We’re here. That counts for something.” Kaia gave a weak nod. “I hope it does.” Ren stood up slowly, glancing again at the closed infirmary doors. Kaia raised an eyebrow. “You going in?” “She’s not gonna like it,” Ren said, almost to herself. “But yeah. I just… need to see her.” Kaia didn’t stop her—just nodded silently as Ren stepped forward and gently pushed open one of the doors. The room inside was still and dim. Lunar stabilizers cast a faint silvery glow across the pale walls, and the soft beep-beep of enchanted monitors echoed faintly. Yuki lay on the bed at the far end of the room, propped slightly up by pillows. Her jacket had been removed, clean bandages wrapped tight across her ribs and shoulder. She looked... smaller somehow. Still. Pale. But even asleep, there was a tension in her jaw—like she was bracing for something, even now. Ren approached slowly, her boots silent on the polished floor. “Hey,” she whispered. “I know you’d probably growl at me for coming in here, but I figured… if anyone’s stubborn enough to wake up just to yell at me, it’s you.” No response, of course. Ren pulled the chair closer and sat beside her, resting her elbows on the bed’s edge. “You scared the hell out of us,” she said softly. “You fought a Full Moon like it was nothing. No hesitation. Just fists and fire and fury. I’ve never seen anyone do something so stupid and… so brave at the same time.” She looked down at Yuki’s hand resting by her side—bruised and calloused. “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove,” Ren murmured, “but you’ve already done it. You're stronger than any of us. Even if you're broken right now.” Yuki shifted slightly—barely more than a twitch. Ren’s breath caught. She leaned in. “Yuki?” But the girl didn’t wake. She just furrowed her brow in her sleep, her lips parting slightly as if trying to speak… but no words came. Ren sat back and sighed quietly. “Yeah. That figures.” Still… she didn’t move from the chair. Not yet. Ren stayed by Yuki’s side, the silence of the infirmary pressing in around them. The soft rhythmic beep of the monitors was the only sound that filled the space between them. Her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the blanket covering Yuki, as if the simple touch could bridge the distance between them. After a long moment, Kaia’s voice broke the stillness from just outside the door. “Ren?” Ren looked up, then toward the doorway as Kaia stepped inside, closing the door behind her softly. “She’s still out,” Ren whispered. Kaia moved to stand beside Ren, her eyes fixed on Yuki. “I hate this waiting. Like something’s happening beneath the surface, but we can’t reach her.” Ren nodded, her gaze never leaving Yuki’s peaceful yet strained face. “Do you think she remembers the fight?” Kaia asked quietly. Ren considered this. “Maybe. But not in a way we understand. Like a shadow in her mind.” Kaia sighed, crossing her arms. “She’s fighting a battle we can’t see yet.” Ren’s eyes darkened. “And we’re running out of time.” Just then, the infirmary door creaked open again, and Zack stepped inside hesitantly, his expression heavy. Zack stepped cautiously into the infirmary, his eyes shifting between Yuki’s still form and the two girls sitting quietly beside her. His usual easygoing demeanor was replaced by something heavier—an unspoken urgency that made both Ren and Kaia look up at him immediately. “Ren, Kaia,” he said, his voice low and serious, “can I talk to you both? It’s important. In your dorm room.” Ren straightened, a flicker of concern crossing her face. She exchanged a quick glance with Kaia, who nodded slowly, the worry in her eyes deepening. “Sure,” Kaia replied softly. “What’s going on?” Zack hesitated for a moment, as if struggling to find the right words. Finally, he exhaled and said, “I’ve been having visions… of Yuki.” The weight of his statement hung heavy in the room, more tangible than the faint hum of the lunar wards around them. Ren pushed herself up from the chair, smoothing out the sleeves of her jacket. “Visions? What kind of visions?” Zack didn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped to the floor, then back up, as if seeing something only he could perceive. “I don’t know exactly,” he admitted. “But they keep showing me things… things about her. Things I can’t explain.” Kaia crossed her arms, her brows furrowing in thought. “Are they warnings? Or… memories?” Zack shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. But it feels like they’re about what’s coming—about what Yuki might become.” Ren’s expression hardened. “Then we need to talk. Now.” Without another word, the three of them rose and quietly left the infirmary. The faint glow of moonlight outside bathed the silent corridor as they made their way down the hallway toward the dormitories, each lost in their own thoughts, the tension thick between them. The hallway outside the dorms felt colder, the shadows stretching longer as they walked side by side in silence. The soft click of their footsteps echoed against the stone walls, each step carrying the weight of Zack’s unspoken fears. Ren reached the door to their dorm room and pushed it open, the familiar space inside suddenly feeling smaller and heavier. Kaia slipped in first, glancing back to make sure Zack followed. Once the door shut behind them, Zack took a deep breath, his eyes flickering between the two girls. “I need to tell you both about the visions I’ve been having.” Ren folded her arms, waiting patiently, while Kaia leaned forward slightly, urgency in her posture. Zack began, voice low and steady. “The first time, I saw Yuki sitting on a ruined building—her jacket was torn, bloodstained. Her eyes were darker, sharper. She was wearing a strange half-mask, pale silver, jagged like a broken crescent moon. The moon in the sky was blood red, casting an eerie glow over everything.” Kaia swallowed hard, exchanging a worried glance with Ren. Zack continued, “The place was a battlefield, shattered moonsteel and debris everywhere. She looked calm… but not like herself. It felt like she’d lost something important—maybe even herself.” Ren’s jaw tightened. “That sounds like a nightmare.” “It gets worse,” Zack said, swallowing hard. “The second vision… it was the same mask, the same outfit. But this time, she was holding me by the neck on top of a broken building, lifting me off the ground like I weighed nothing.” His voice faltered for a moment. “She was saying something, but I couldn’t hear it. Like her voice was swallowed by the wind. There was no anger in her eyes. No hate. Just… emptiness.” Kaia’s voice was barely a whisper. “Empty? That’s worse than angry.” Zack nodded slowly. “Exactly. It scared me. Because it didn’t feel like Yuki. But I know it was.” Ren took a breath and looked at both of them. “We have to prepare. Whatever that vision is, it’s coming.” Kaia clenched her fists. “And we’ll be there with her. No matter what.” Zack met their determined expressions, hope flickering faintly in his eyes. “Yeah. Together.” The air in the dorm room felt thick, charged with tension and uncertainty. Zack sank onto the edge of a bed, rubbing his temples as Ren and Kaia remained standing, their faces serious and expectant. “So,” Ren said finally, crossing her arms, “what do we do with this? These visions… they don’t sound like just warnings. They sound like a path Yuki might walk.” Kaia’s eyes darkened. “A path we have to stop her from walking alone. If she’s going to change into that… whatever that is… we need to be ready.” Zack looked up, voice steady but grim. “I don’t know how much time we have. Or if we can even change it. But I’m not going to just wait and watch her become… empty.” Ren took a breath. “Then we train. We watch. We protect. And we make sure she knows she’s not alone.” Kaia nodded firmly. “We’ll do whatever it takes.” A beat passed in silence. Then Zack spoke quietly, “I just hope she wakes up soon. Because whatever’s coming—she’s going to need us.” After a heavy silence, Kaia rubbed her arms, trying to lighten the mood. “Enough doom and gloom for one night. We should figure out what Yuki actually wants once she wakes up. She’s stubborn as hell—probably won’t take any of this seriously.” Ren cracked a small, reluctant smile. “Yeah, she’ll probably roll her eyes and tell us to back off. But maybe that’s what she needs—to know we’re here, no matter what.” Zack nodded, looking between the two. “We’ll get through this. One step at a time.” Just then, the faint chime of the inner comm system interrupted them. Ren tapped her wrist, activating the device embedded there. A familiar voice crackled through the speaker: “Ren, Kaia, Zack—this is Councilor Rya. Report to my office immediately. We have urgent matters to discuss concerning recent academy events. I expect you three there within the hour. Rya out.” The three exchanged quick looks, the weight of the evening pressing back on their shoulders. Ren exhaled and stood. “Looks like our night’s not over yet.” Kaia gave a determined nod. “Let’s go.” Zack followed, the visions still heavy in his mind as they headed out into the darkened halls of the academy. The three of them moved through the dimly lit halls of the academy, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. The moonlight spilling through the tall windows cast long shadows, flickering like silent watchers as they passed. Ren glanced sideways at Kaia. “What do you think Councilor Rya wants? She usually only calls us for serious stuff.” Kaia shrugged, biting her lip. “Could be anything. Maybe something about the duel yesterday… or maybe it’s about the Lunarchs.” Zack ran a hand through his hair, eyes scanning the empty corridor ahead. “Or maybe it’s about those visions I’ve been having. I don’t think they’d just call us out of the blue for nothing.” Ren frowned. “Whatever it is, it can’t wait.” Kaia kicked at a loose pebble on the floor. “You know, I just want a normal day for once.” A brief silence settled among them before Zack broke it, voice low. “Normal’s overrated.” They exchanged tired smiles but kept walking, the weight of what lay ahead pressing down on them as they neared Councilor Rya’s office. The heavy wooden door to Councilor Rya’s office creaked open as Ren pushed it, and the three stepped inside. The room was spacious but austere, lit by a single glowing orb that cast a cool, steady light over the polished stone floor and the imposing desk at the far end. Councilor Rya sat behind the desk, her sharp eyes lifting as they entered. Her expression was calm but unreadable. “Please, have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the chairs in front of her. Ren, Kaia, and Zack exchanged glances before settling into the seats, the weight of the moment settling heavily on them. Councilor Rya folded her hands on the desk. “I’ve been monitoring your interactions with Yuki Takahashi closely.” Her gaze flicked between the three. “Your ties to her are… unusual. Stronger than most would expect for someone with her status.” She leaned forward slightly. “I understand she is a null, and that she has been pushed into dangerous situations—such as her recent duel. Yet, despite this, you have all shown unwavering loyalty and concern.” Rya’s voice softened just a fraction. “This is not something I overlook.” She paused, then continued, “Yuki’s path is uncertain, and the trials ahead will test more than her strength. Your roles in her life may prove crucial.” Ren shifted in her seat, eyes narrowing. “What exactly are you asking from us, Councilor?” Rya’s gaze sharpened. “I am asking you to remain vigilant. To protect her—not just from external threats, but from herself. The coming trials will demand it.” Kaia’s jaw tightened. “And if she refuses help?” “Then you must find a way to reach her anyway. Because the academy’s future—and perhaps more—may depend on it.” Zack said nothing, his expression unreadable, keeping his visions to himself for now. Councilor Rya concluded, “Dismissed. I expect updates. Stay ready.” Before they could say another word, soft footsteps echoed down the hallway outside Councilor Rya’s office, followed by a gentle knock on the door. Councilor Rya’s voice, calm but authoritative, carried through the room. “That will be all for now. Return to your dorms and get some rest. We will convene again soon. Stay vigilant.” Ren, Kaia, and Zack rose slowly from their seats, the weight of the councilor’s words still settling heavily over them. The room felt colder somehow, as if the gravity of what lay ahead had drained the warmth from the air. They filed out of the office in silence, the heavy wooden door closing behind them with a soft thud that echoed through the quiet halls. As they stepped into the dim corridor, the moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long, wavering shadows on the stone floor. The academy was eerily still—empty but for their footsteps and the distant hum of magical wards. At the fork in the corridor, the three paused, exchanging brief but meaningful glances. Ren spoke first, her voice low but steady. “I’ll see you later, Zack.” Kaia gave a small nod. “Be careful.” Zack simply nodded in response, his gaze distant and unreadable. Ren and Kaia turned together, walking side by side toward their shared dormitory. The familiar path felt heavier now, burdened by the weight of what they had learned and the unknown future that awaited Yuki. Their footsteps echoed softly, and silence hung between them—comfortable yet tense. Ren finally broke the quiet. “We’ll need to watch her even more closely now. Whatever’s coming, Yuki’s not going to face it alone.” Kaia glanced over, eyes steady. “Together.” They reached the door to their dorm and stepped inside, the familiar surroundings offering a small measure of comfort amidst the uncertainty. Meanwhile, Zack continued alone down the opposite corridor, his thoughts swirling with the visions he’d kept to himself. The quiet halls seemed to close in around him, but he pushed forward—determined, vigilant, and ready for whatever might come next. The moon shone bright overhead, casting its pale light across the academy—a silent witness to the burdens carried by three friends bound by fate.