----Chapter 2----
Her eyes locked onto mine. Calm. Piercing.
"It's all written on your face," she said.
Time froze.
My heart slammed in my chest. My body went rigid. My mind blank.
How could she know?
Every flicker of shock, every tremor of confusion, it was there. Written plain as day, betraying everything I felt.
"I… I also had the exact same dream as you," she said.
My stomach twisted. That couldn't be real.
Before I could stop myself, my hands shot out and accidentally grabbed both her shoulders.
Her eyes widened and I felt my face heat up instantly.
"Oh! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean it," I stammered.
Then a faint chuckle cut through.
"Ufufu, doing that in broad daylight."
I whipped my head to see Keela smirking from nearby, clearly enjoying herself.
My face went red hot. Instantly, I removed my hands from her shoulders and bowed slightly.
"S-Sorry! I really didn't mean to!"
The girl's eyes flicked toward me briefly, calm as ever, though I could swear there was the tiniest spark of amusement.
Keela, of course, just laughed louder. "See? I told you, big bro! You're hopeless!"
"Hey, both of you! I thought you were in a hurry for school. Instead you are making loveydovey in the middle of the streets!"
"Huh!?"
We said it in unison, glaring at each other, faces red.
She's right. Her voice carried a calm, collected elegance, like she was trying to sound mature and composed. "I think we should hurry up to school or we will be late," she said.
But somehow I could sense it. That air of perfection, the poised posture, the calm steps, it was just a front. Beneath it, she was still a sensitive girl, shy and a little clumsy, trying very hard not to stumble or reveal herself.
Without another word, she walked ahead, catching up to Keela with ease, though her fingers twitched slightly as she adjusted her bag, betraying her nervousness.
I hesitated for a moment, then blurted out again, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Wait, about the dream, what does it mean?"
She paused for just a fraction of a second and looked back at me. Her eyes were calm and sharp.
"Me, meet me after school," she said softly. "I'll tell you what I know."
Then she walked on, joining Keela.
My chest tightened. That was it. No explanation, no hint, just a promise I couldn't ignore.
Keela, of course, didn't help. "See? She's mysterious. You're in deep, big bro!"
I buried my face in my hands. Just my luck.
As we continued walking, I finally managed to muster up a little courage. My hand went to the back of my head, scratching nervously.
"By the way, I'm Hikkie. How about yours?" I asked quietly.
She glanced at me briefly, her calm, piercing eyes meeting mine.
"It's… Nicaea," she replied softly.
Her voice was smooth, elegant, and collected, but there was a gentle warmth beneath it, something almost shy.
"It's hard to talk if we don't know each other's names," I added, still keeping my hand awkwardly on the back of my head, trying to appear casual while my heart pounded like crazy.
She gave the faintest nod, a small smile brushing her lips. That tiny gesture, so subtle yet so human, made my chest tighten even more.
As I walked, still reeling from the promise, we soon saw a bunch of other students heading toward the school gate.
Keela on the other hand bids her farewell after she sees a classmate she knows. Her hair was tied sideways in a playful knot, a bright red bag bouncing on her shoulder.
Then I turned my attention back to Nicaea, silent, poised, a little distant now as she walked across the street with ease toward her own school.
My chest tightened. That promise after school, I couldn't get it out of my head.
And then I don't know if it was instinct or what, but I felt a sharp gaze on my back like someone was watching us. I looked around and saw nothing but a bunch of students walking behind us.
That was kind of weird.
And then time seemed to freeze.
But this time, it was real.
Everyone stopped moving aside from me and Nicaea.
What's happening? Even the leaves, the man riding a bicycle, and the cat scratching the back of its ears.
No, no, this isn't happening. It's like something I've read in a manga, I thought, panicking.
Then Nicaea grabbed my arm and tossed me toward the tree on the sidewalk like I was garbage.
"What?!" I yelped, flailing in midair.
Black chains shot toward us like living shadows.
I froze, heart in my throat.
Nicaea didn't flinch.
She swung her bag in front of us. The chains hit it with sparks flying, but they didn't get past her.
I landed, chest hammering.
"Y-you, what, how did you do that?"
I stammered.
Her eyes were sharp and calm.
"Stay behind me," she said.
My mind went blank.
Hiding behind the tree, I squinted, trying to catch my breath.
That's when a shadow emerged.
A girl.
Chewing gum lazily, green bandanna on her head, ripped punk clothes, like a gang leader.
"Finally, I found you!!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the eerie silence like a blade.
I stumbled back instinctively, heart hammering.
Nicaea's grip on her bag tightened. "Stay behind me," she said again, calm but resolute.
This wasn't just strange anymore. This was dangerous.
The girl pulled her chain back, rolling it with a practiced flick of her wrist.
It spun around like a deadly helicopter blade, slicing through the frozen air.
I yelped, diving instinctively behind the tree. My heart felt like it was going to burst.
"Lucky me! I found the King and Queen!" the girl shouted, her grin wide and feral.
My stomach dropped.
King and Queen?
I froze mid-thought, realizing with horror that she wasn't joking.
Nicaea stepped forward, her bag raised like a shield once more. Sparks flew as the chain collided with it, clanging with a deafening screech.
"Stay behind me, Hikkie," she warned, voice calm but deadly.
I gulped, gripping the tree for support. My mind screamed. What the hell is going on? Why am I caught in some insane battle straight out of a nightmare?
"What is she talking about?"
Nicaea just stood there, holding her almost-torn bag, calm but tense.
Suddenly, a red-cloaked, hooded figure appeared in the middle of them. It held a golden spear that gleamed even in the dull light.
"Whoever wins will possess the spear," the figure said. Its voice was deep and unsettling, sending chills down my entire spine.
The punk girl on the other side whistled.
"I really hit the jackpot!" she said, eyes wide with excitement.
It was one of the sacred relics, a specialized weapon.
"You must get it back,"
"Hey, whose voice was that?" I asked, turning toward Nicaea.
She didn't answer. She just nodded slightly, as if she understood, giving no other hint.
I tried again. "Nicaea? Who are you talking to?"
She ignored me.
And then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
Her black hair shimmered, then turned silver.
It wasn't Nicaea anymore.
It was someone else. Someone familiar.
Someone I had seen before.
The girl from my dream.