The fires had long since dimmed, their embers glowing softly beneath the darkened sky. A hush blanketed the valley, broken only by the distant sound of a river winding through the glade and the rustle of leaves above the students' makeshift camps.
The boys and girls had been separated into two sides of the magical field—temporary resting places made of woven vines, wood, and a bit of magic Eira had conjured to protect them. Inside the boys' camp, Haruto tossed and turned before finally slipping into a light sleep, his brow creased as if still troubled by dreams. Riku snored nearby, muttering something incoherent about curry bread.
But Kaito couldn't sleep.
He lay on his back staring at the fabric ceiling of the tent. The dream—the same one every night came in his world arriving in this strange world too—haunted him again. The cloaked man with eyes like polished obsidian, lips moving in silence, gestures that felt like warnings. Kaito would always try to reach him, but the dream would end just as a glowing light enveloped the scene.
He sighed, pushing himself up quietly so as not to wake the others. He stepped out into the cool night air barefoot, the grass damp with dew. The moon hung high above, a pale silver disc gazing down like an old god.
He walked until he found the river. The water reflected the starlight in gentle waves. A large boulder jutted from the bank, flat and welcoming. Kaito climbed it and sat down, hugging his knees, eyes locked on the slow-moving current.
He muttered, "Everyone keeps saying we're chosen. That we're special. But what if being special just means being the first to fall?"
A soft rustling in the grass made him glance back. The old woman appeared, her presence as calm and natural as the night itself. Eira held a small basket of herbs, freshly plucked from the forest.
"Can't sleep, kid?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Nope," Kaito replied without turning away. "I thought maybe the stars would have answers."
Eira chuckled. "They never do. They're just good at watching."
She walked to the river's edge and crouched to wash a leaf in the water. "Most students your age fear monsters, death, or failure. You… you fear something deeper, don't you?"
Kaito closed his eyes. "I'm scared of losing them. Haruto, Yuna… even the others I barely know. Every time something strange happens, I feel like it's connected to me. Like I'm the thread tying all the wrong things together."
The old woman stood, her robe swaying with the breeze. "You carry your heart like armor, and your guilt like a sword. But guilt is heavy, Kaito. And it clouds the path. You will lose people. Maybe not here, maybe not now. But it's part of life—and part of being a "....."
Kaito glanced down. "But I never asked to "...."
"No one ever does," she whispered. "The ones who do crave it… they rarely deserve it."
She stepped away and began walking back to the cave. "Try to sleep. The river remembers the first light of the world. Let it carry you tonight."
As her footsteps vanished into the darkness, Kaito leaned back against the stone, the river's soft murmur filling the silence. Eventually, his eyes closed, and he drifted into a dreamless, quiet sleep.
Dawn spilled golden light across the valley, soft and warm. The boys' camp began to stir as sunlight kissed their faces.
Haruto rubbed his eyes and yawned. As he turned to the side, he froze. Kaito's bedroll was empty.
"Kaito?" he said softly.
No response.
His heart began to race. "Kaito?" louder now.
Riku sat up, blinking. "What's going on?"
"Kaito's missing!"
The camp came alive with murmurs.
"Maybe he went to the bathroom?" one boy offered.
Haruto stood up sharply. "Not without telling me. Something's wrong."
The atmosphere grew tense. Haruto marched toward Riku, fury bubbling.
"You think this is a joke?!" he shouted, grabbing Riku by the collar.
"Hey—calm down!" Riku said, pushing him off. "I didn't say anything bad!"
"You don't even care that he might be in danger!"
"I do care, but shouting at everyone won't help!"
Haruto took a deep breath, letting go. His fists trembled.
Across the field, the girls' camp stirred too. Akari was combing her hair under a tree when one of her friends noticed her red face.
"You okay, Akari? You've been acting weird since yesterday."
"It's nothing," she replied too quickly.
Yuna, already awake, glanced in her direction. Her stare was sharp, heavy with distrust.
Before any confrontation could unfold, the panic from the boys' side reached them.
"Someone's missing?" a girl asked as both camps gathered.
"Kaito didn't return to camp last night," Haruto said. "We've searched everywhere."
Some students gasped. Others looked around nervously.
The trees rustled, and a pulse of warm magic rippled through the air. Eira stepped out from the forest path, her presence immediately calming the tension.
"I heard shouting," she said. "What's the matter?"
"Kaito is gone," Riku reported. "We think he wandered off."
Eira blinked, then smiled faintly. "Gone? No. He's sleeping. By the river. On a rock."
Everyone turned to her.
Haruto's eyes widened. "He's what?"
"He couldn't sleep," she explained. "I spoke with him. He's fine."
The group collectively exhaled in relief.
"That idiot," Haruto muttered, grinning. "He scared the crap out of me."
Eira raised her voice. "Let this be a lesson. No one leaves camp without telling someone. Even if you seek silence—never seek it alone."
A few students nodded solemnly.
Eira looked to the rising sun. "You'll need your energy. Today, we begin the evaluation. Your Lūmyn will awaken. Your ranks… will be revealed."
She walked back to her cave, the students left in stunned silence.
Whispers began to rise.
"What's the Lūmyn evaluation?" someone asked.
"I heard it reveals your inner power," another replied.
"I heard it can change your power depending on your will," someone else added.
Yuna's eyes lingered on Akari.
Akari looked away.
Back in the distance, Kaito stirred on the river rock, the sunlight warming his skin.
He didn't yet know that today, everything will change.
End of Chapter 15