Between Dreams and Discipline

A-Academy – Night

The Academy lay quiet, bathed in silver light from the crescent moon. Shadows from the surrounding towers stretched long across the garden. Inside, the rooms were calm, save for the faint, lingering hum of energy from the day’s training—like the building itself still breathed magic.

Aihana slept fitfully. Her brow furrowed, lips twitching, murmurs spilling from her chest. The dreams had returned, vivid and unrelenting.

On the balcony, Akihiro appeared, his presence almost imperceptible. His movements were silent, like a shadow melting into the night. Green eyes scanned the room, sensing the violent tremors of her aura. It flickered like a candle in a storm.

He stepped closer, kneeling beside her bed. Her hand twitched in sleep. He let his fingers brush hers lightly. The contact was electric and grounding. The nightmares faltered, then faded, leaving only a quiet warmth.

Aihana bolted upright, chest hammering, hair plastered to her damp face. Her blue eyes widened.

“You… you’re here,” she whispered.

“I am,” he said softly. “Tell me about your dreams.”

She hesitated, then described the visions. Akihiro listened, absorbing every word.

He remembered her art entry from the competition.

“Was that painting,” he asked cautiously, “a reflection of your dreams?”

Aihana nodded, cheeks warming.

Inside him, a sharp, cold realization struck—but he didn’t show it. Not now. Not when fear could grow if truth was revealed.

“I understand,” he murmured, hand resting gently over hers. “You’re safe. We’ll face them together. Try to rest now.”

Aihana closed her eyes, pulse slowly steadying. He withdrew, leaving a lingering warmth—a tether between reality and dreams.

By dawn, she awoke, unsure if it had been a dream—or if Akihiro had really been there.

A-Academy – Training Grounds – Morning

Sunlight barely kissed the rooftops as the girls assembled on the wide training grounds. Hurdles, ropes, walls, and low barriers stretched across the field like an intricate maze. The air smelled of dew and lingering magic, subtle sparks of energy dancing where the morning breeze stirred.

Rei’s figure loomed at the front, expression sharp and uncompromising.

“Good morning, girls. Today is different. No elements. No energy. Just you… and your bodies. To control your power, you must first control yourselves.”

Aihana groaned inwardly. Physical endurance had never been her strength.

“Begin with a light jog around the courtyard. Three laps.”

The girls set off. Aihana’s legs burned, lungs heaving. At the edge of the field, Akihiro’s shadowed form stood silently, arms crossed. When their eyes met, the faintest lift at the corner of his mouth reached her chest like a pulse of encouragement.

Her heartbeat synchronized with each stride. Behind her, the girls cheered.

“Come on, Aihana! You’ve got this!”

Obstacles awaited—hurdles to leap, ropes to climb, low bars to crawl beneath. Her arms shook on the rope; panic surged at the edges of her vision.

Don’t give up… the thought whispered in her mind. Akihiro.

She gritted her teeth, gripping the rope tighter. One final heave. She reached the top.

Cheers erupted. Rei’s gaze softened.

“Well done. Endurance is as much about will as it is muscle.”

Akihiro approached quietly, lingering longer than necessary—a silent commendation. Warmth spread through her chest, mingling with the lingering buzz of energy from the previous night.

The girls collapsed on the grass, laughing through exhaustion. Aihana’s gaze drifted to the two figures on the far edge—Akihiro and Rei. She caught his soft expression again: quiet pride, subtle encouragement.

Mizuki noticed first, smirking.

“See that? How he keeps looking at her?”

Kaori glanced over. “What about it?”

Sora and Hikari exchanged a quiet laugh.

“It’s not a coincidence that his eyes always find her,” Sora whispered.

Aihana, still catching her breath, felt only the pulse of something new—love, power, encouragement, and friendship—all connecting within her like threads of light.

A-Academy – Post-Training – Discussion

Later, Akihiro spoke with Rei in the shadows of the Control Hall.

“She dreamed again,” he said, voice low, measured. “Her nightmares… they’re intense.”

Rei’s eyes glinted, serious.

“I saw it. Every night, from the tree—I watched her struggle. They come consistently.”

Akihiro nodded.

“They’re more than dreams. I… don’t know their meaning yet. But they feel like something from the future.”

“So, we have to find out what they truly mean—before it’s too late,” Rei said.

Akihiro nodded, concern in his eyes.

A-Academy – Classroom – Late Morning

Sunlight streamed through high windows, dust motes swirling like tiny stars. Scrolls and diagrams of demons, sigils, and energy flows were spread across the desks.

Arion-sensei’s voice cut through the quiet.

“Today: demon classifications and behaviors. Understanding them is your first step in defending both yourselves and the world.”

The girls listened intently, absorbing the hierarchies, energy signatures, and weaknesses. Drawings of Ravukaru’s generals flickered on the board.

Mizuki raised a hand hesitantly.

“Sensei… is it theoretically possible for a human and an angel to form an emotional bond? Not trust, not respect… but feelings?”

A ripple of tension filled the room. Aihana’s pulse quickened.

Arion’s gaze softened, measured.

“In theory… yes. But an angel would have to fully become human. To do so,” he continued firmly, “means losing all supernatural abilities. No divine connection. No protection, no fight. Irreversible. In practice… it has never happened.”

Aihana’s stomach dropped. Her thoughts immediately tethered to Akihiro, to the warmth of his presence, the subtle pull she could not name.

Mizuki’s voice was soft, tinged with disappointment. “So… impossible?”

Arion nodded. “Correct. Humans and angels operate on fundamentally different planes. Attachments like love… are not part of the system. Know this for your focus, your protection.”

Aihana’s fingers clenched in her lap. Impossible—but thrilling. The pull, the devotion, the connection—like the element Rei had identified within her—was alive, a fire she couldn’t snuff, yet dared not feed.

A-Academy – Sword Training Hall – Late Morning

Sunlight gleamed on polished wood and swords lined neatly along the walls. The girls were paired with their mentors, each holding a training sword for the first time. Energy hummed faintly in the air, a quiet pulse of anticipation.

Akihiro stood beside Aihana, guiding her hands around the hilt.

“Relax,” he said softly. “The sword is an extension of your will, not just steel.”

Aihana nodded, heart hammering. She swung once, clumsily, and sparks flew where their blades met. Akihiro’s calm eyes held hers, steady and patient.

Across the hall, Ayame squared off with Kaori, her blade reflecting sunlight. Her eyes flickered repeatedly toward Aihana and Akihiro. Each perfect swing Aihana made, each gentle correction Akihiro offered, sent a spike of envy through her chest.

Why her? Why him? Ayame thought, jaw tightening. She’s just… glowing. Everything about her—her energy, focus, the way he looks at her—it’s impossible not to notice.

Her swings became sharper, more forceful, yet a subtle hesitation lingered. Kaori noticed, but Ayame’s focus remained on the other side of the hall.

Meanwhile, Daichi and Sora practiced swift, wind-driven parries. Kaito and Hikari’s flames flickered in sync with their strikes. Rei moved slowly with Mizuki, each touch of their swords precise, teaching her to sense flow over brute force.

Back with Aihana, sweat glistened on her forehead. She lunged forward, blade trembling, and Akihiro mirrored her movements, correcting gently. Breathe. Flow. Feel. His voice in her mind kept her steady.

Ayame’s gaze sharpened. Every time they look at each other, every word, every correction—it’s impossible not to feel it. I… I can’t let this distract me, yet I can’t help noticing.

Each glance toward the pair distracted her subtly. Her strikes became less fluid, Kaori adjusting her stance. Aihana, unaware, continued training, her blush and faint glow making her seem radiant.

Akihiro called a halt. “Good. Every movement counted.” His eyes held hers—warm encouragement threading through stern discipline.

Ayame’s chest tightened. She would train harder. She would not be left behind. But even as determination hardened, doubt and envy gnawed quietly at her resolve.

Aihana, panting and flushed, barely noticed. Her focus remained on the sword, on learning, on the warmth of Akihiro’s guidance.

The hall hummed with energy, tension, and unspoken rivalries—the perfect crucible for growth, power, and the complicated dance of hearts and duty.