The silence that settled wasn't uncomfortable, at least, not in the way Zeke expected.
They sat for a while longer beneath the open sky. The ghost of Kaito's broken laugh, like a distant echo, lingered. A soft breeze rustled the grass nearby, stirring loose petals from a flowering tree that arched over the field. No one spoke, no one needed to.
When they finally stood up to leave, it was with a quiet agreement.
The solemn atmosphere lingered behind them as they left the plaza, the statue of Orion looming behind them, a silent observer, witnessing the beggining of a story that would one day echo across worlds. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the stone floor. No one spoke at first, not out of awkwardness something else, something unspoken, had settled between them.
Zeke walked slightly behind the others, hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting between the shifting clouds overhead and the backs of the three who walked ahead.
Something had changed. It wasn't just the heaviness in the air. It was the way Rian had glanced back at him twice, a subtle check-in Zeke might've missed before. The way Tala stayed close to Kaito's side, but didn't flinch when Zeke neared. The way Kaito, though quieter now, didn't radiate hostility.
There was a tension that had unraveled, even if only a little. Zeke didn't know how to name it. Was it trust? Comfort? Familiarity?
He wasn't used to either, the only friend he ever had was Ethan, and he did most of the work. They walked out of the plaza and back on to a footpath to who knows where, Rian threw an arm over Zeke's shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. Zeke flinched. "What, this new to you?" Rian chuckled, totally unfazed. "You've got that brooding protagonist energy down pat."
Thankfully, Rian pulled back his arm on his own with a grin. "Chill, bro. Just messing with you." Tala turned back with a smile, eyes still a little red but brighter than before. "You'll get used to it, he lacks physical boundaries."
Zeke wondered if anyone else felt something weird about that sentence but didn't push.
Kaito snorted, a hint of a smile on his face. "Yeah he's a bit of a weirdo." They laughed. Not loud, but genuinely, for a moment, Zeke just let himself listen to it. Let it sink in.
He didn't laugh with them. He wasn't there yet. But the corner of his mouth curled just slightly. They weren't just traveling together anymore. They were walking as friends. Zeke still didn't fully understand what that meant or how to act but something told him that was okay. Maybe he would learn from them at his own pace.
The academy path opened into a wide arch, a sliver of afternoon light filtering through vines crawling across the stonework. Up ahead stood a low, circular building, metallic panels and smooth white stone forming an arena shape. Zeke could feel the mana thrumming faintly in the air, density rising as they got closer.
"That must be the training hall" Tala said, her voice steadier now, but still gentle. "We should get familiar with the facilities before orientation."
Zeke followed their lead as they walked down the path lined with little shining lights and stepped through the door of the building.
The air inside was cooler, charged with mana. The walls shimmered slightly, laced with protective enchantments. Rows of combat dummies lined one side of the room. On the other, platforms floated midair, designed for aerial sparring.
A few students were already sparring with eachother, some with weapons, others practicing sword techniques, all under the watchful eye of a floating orb that pulsed whenever it detected unsafe mana fluctuations.
Zeke's eyes widened. "This place is... insane."
Rian smirked and spread his arms open. "Welcome to instut-whatever Virtutes Arcanae."
"Please..." Tala rolled her eyes. "Stop repeating what Professor Lira said. It's your first time here too."
"Think they'll let us test anything out?" Kaito asked, already cracking his knuckles, eyes darting between the weapons rack and the training equipment.
"Probably. They said it's open-access, we just have to stay in the area for first and second years." Zeke nodded toward a board listing usage rules near the entrance.
Before they could test anything out, a sudden cheer rang out across the training hall, loud, unified, and full of awe.
Zeke turned toward the source just as another round of shouting followed. The sound drew them in like a magnet, the heavy atmosphere that had clung to them now thinning, replaced by curiosity.
They made their way across the training hall, past the students who were sparring and finally saw where the cheers came from, a group of students near the far side of the hall all bunched together watching something, curious the group moved forward, weaving through clusters of students until they reached the edge of a growing crowd. In the center stood a massive machine, sleek and metallic, with a glowing panel and a large, reinforced pad at the front, the impact sensor.
Zeke and his crew watched as a student stepped up towards the machine, cracking his knuckles before launching a punch towards the sensor. The force triggered a burst of light across the display: 742. A ripple of impressed murmurs rolled through the crowd.
"That's…" Tala whispered curiously, brows raised.
Before anyone could say anything else, Rian muttered under his breath, "I could do better."
He clearly hadn't meant for anyone to hear it but of course, but they all did. The whole crowd of students went silent, expressions of suprise and amusement spreading.
"What is this idiot doing." Zeke stepped to the side in an attempt to look like he wasn't in Rians group. Kaito let out a chuckle. Tala rolled her eyes as she sighed.
Then they all turned to Rian who was at this point oblivious to the fact that everyone heard him, noticing that everyone went silent he looks around to see the group of students smiling at him mockingly, the grin on his face fading away, a red blush floods onto his face.
The student who'd just thrown the punch a tall guy with hair tied up in a bun and a cocky grin, turned toward the Rian and the group.
"Didn't quite catch that," he said, voice dripping with disdain. "You said you could do better?"
Rian crossed his arms, feigning disinterest. "Yeah I did. So what."
A second of tension passed. Someone in the crowd whistled provocatively, a few chuckles could be heard. "Alright then, let's see it, tough guy."
With a shrug that was more bravado than confidence, Rian stepped up to the pad. He rolled his shoulders, took a breath, and launched a punch. 403. The machine beeped with a sad little noise.
The crowd exploded with laughter. Zeke moved another step away from the group trying to distance himself. Tala covered her mouth, and Kaito outright snorted.
Rian's face flushed red, but he lifted his chin with a forced sneer. "Whatever. I'm not a front line fighter anyways," he said. Then in a louder voice while pointing at Zeke "Wait, he'll do it. Let him give it a go."
Before Zeke could object, Kaito gave him a playful shove, giggling like a little kid. "C'mon, show us what you got."
More laughter followed as the students turned to look at Zeke who was lean, unassuming, clearly not the muscleheaded, strong type.
Zeke sighed internally "Shit, Rian you idiot, you keep dragging me into bullshit situations ughhh, Ahh fuck this, I might as well play along, hmm what should I say this time."
If breaking jakes arm back in the market had only taken 30% of his energy, then this punch used at least 70%.
He stepped up to the pad, and raised a fist. His hand coiled back, the mysterious energy rushing towards his hand as he swung forward with suprising speed leaving behind a little crack! as it whipped through the air. The crowd went silent, waiting to see his score but the machine showed no number. The screen stayed dark.
Someone in the back started laughing. Everyone looks towards Rian who was now red as a tomato. Tala furrowed her brow, glancing between Kaito and Rian. "Wait… what just happ-?"
Rian hoping to see if Zeke was joking turned to him "Hey, Zeke-"
BOOOOM!
A massive gust of wind spread out, starting from the sensor and slowly moving back. The machine as if made from dust slowly faded away leaving behind a few chunks of metal.
The leftover forced rippled out, smashing into the enchanted safety wall that lined the inside of the building. Runes flared, then flickered, the enchanted barrier shimmering as if it might collapse or atleast thats what Zeke thought, little did he know he wouldnt be able to break it even if he wanted to.
The hall went dead silent.
Everyone stared at Zeke in horrow, while he still had his hand outstretched, a contemplative look on his face seemingly pondering something important.
Zeke looked at the pulverized remains of the machine drifting into the air, flexed his fingers slightly and muttered.
"…I think I hit the off switch."