Riven followed behind the two guards, his thoughts spiraling as they walked.
He didn't know what they wanted.
He didn't know if he was in trouble.
His mind raced anyway.
Is it because of that second-year?
No—that couldn't be it. He'd seen fights everywhere since arriving at the academy. Second-years bullying first-years, first-years snapping back. That kind of thing barely earned a warning.
Could it be the Clinton Games?
No… that didn't make sense either. The academy wasn't allowed to interfere with the Games. Not officially.
Unless…
Unless someone inside was working with someone else.
The thought made his chest tighten.
The assassin. The pressure. The way the academy keeps losing control whenever the Clinton Games are involved.
In the old shows he'd seen—few as they were—institutions hated losing authority. The military especially. And the Games? They stripped that authority away.
"Kid, catch up."
One of the guards barked the order, snapping Riven out of his thoughts.
"Oh—sorry!" Riven called back, quickening his pace.
There's no point in theorizing, he told himself. I didn't do anything wrong. I'll be fine.
Still… the bad feeling he'd had all week crept back up his spine, cold and insistent.
After a few more minutes, the guards stopped in front of a door.
They didn't explain anything.
They simply stepped aside.
Riven's eyes drifted to the plaque mounted beside the door.
VICE PRINCIPAL OFFICE
The words alone made his throat dry.
Going to the principal's office—or worse, the vice principal's—was basically a universal sign that you were screwed.
The guards turned and walked away, clearly expecting him to go in alone.
Riven exhaled slowly, braced himself, and knocked.
"Hello," he said, forcing his voice steady. "I was escorted here by a guard."
"Please, come in," a feminine voice replied.
He opened the door.
Inside sat a woman with dark purplish-black hair, neatly styled, glasses perched low on her nose as she finished signing paperwork. A name tag rested on her desk.
Vice Principal Fallow.
Two thick stacks of documents sat beside her, each at least twenty pages high.
"Have a seat," she said.
Riven obeyed.
Her eyes flicked to one of the paper stacks… then back to him.
"You are Riven Harlow, correct?"
"I am," he replied, nerves creeping into his voice.
She studied him for a moment. "You dyed your hair. Why?"
Riven let out a small, awkward chuckle. "Let's just say I didn't really have a choice."
"Hm."
She didn't believe him—but she also didn't press the issue.
"I'll begin this conversation once your brother arrives."
Riven stiffened. "Jordan's coming too?"
She nodded.
"Did we do something wrong?"
"No," Vice Principal Fallow said calmly. "You didn't. A matter came up, and you both need to hear about it."
A matter.
Riven didn't like the sound of that.
Two minutes later, another knock echoed through the room.
"Excuse me," a familiar voice said. "I was escorted here by a guard."
"Come in," Vice Principal Fallow replied.
Jordan stepped inside, confusion written all over his face. He glanced at Riven, then at the desk, then slowly took a seat beside his brother.
The vice principal scribbled a few final notes, set her pen down, and sighed heavily.
How am I supposed to do this? she thought.
She looked up at the twins.
"You're probably wondering why you're here," she began.
Both boys nodded.
"A situation has come up," she continued carefully, "one that requires you to return home."
The words hit hard.
Riven shot to his feet. "Were we expelled?!"
"No," she said quickly. "You are not expelled. And you won't be going home permanently."
She paused.
"You'll be there for two days. That's the maximum length your passes allow."
"Why?" Jordan asked, his voice tight.
"I can tell you," she replied, "but the real question is—do you want to know?"
The way she said it made Riven's stomach twist.
"Yes," they said together.
Vice Principal Fallow dragged a hand through her long hair.
"I'm not good at delivering news like this," she admitted. "Some people say I come off as emotionless. But…"
She took a breath.
"Your parents were attacked due to gang-related activity."
The room spun.
Riven and Jordan both stood up at once.
"What happened to them?" Riven demanded.
"What condition are they in?" Jordan asked.
Her voice softened, and that alone told them everything.
"Your mother is in critical condition," she said quietly. "Because you're academy students, your parents within the walls receive additional support. She's receiving the best treatment available."
Jordan swallowed hard. "What about our father?"
She hesitated.
This was the part she hated.
The part she could never get used to.
"I am sorry to inform you—"
"No," Riven whispered, already shaking his head.
"Your father—"
"No!" Jordan collapsed to his knees, tears spilling freely.
"—is dead," Vice Principal Fallow finished. "Time of death was 3:29 p.m. He passed away during his stay at the hospital."
Tears rained down Jordan's face.
But not Riven's.
In his mind, he refused to believe it—not until he saw a body. Not until there was proof. Proof that he would never hear his father's caring voice again. Never hear his laughter. Never feel the quiet, comforting presence that always made the world feel a little safer.
And yet… even just thinking about it—
Tears still slipped down Riven's face.
"Please tell me it's not true," Riven whispered, his voice cracking despite his effort to keep it steady. "This is a bad dream… right? A bad dream I'll wake up from—in your arms, right, Dad?"
He tried to stay strong.
But his composure crumbled by the second.
"I'm sorry," Ms. Fallow said gently. "This is a special case. Since your mother has been widowed, and you have no known relatives able to take you in, the Academy is granting you both a temporary pass to return to the Dawn Walls for two days."
"Two days?"
Jordan shot to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes.
"My mother will be alone after we leave," he snapped. "And even then, we can't even go home because she's in the hospital! And all we get is two days?!"
Ms. Fallow didn't flinch. She understood—this was grief, raw and unfiltered.
"I know this is unfair," she said softly. "But this allowance alone is already pushing regulations."
Jordan clenched his fists, ready to explode again—
But Riven stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Jordan. Stop."
"Riven, we need more time than this—"
Riven shook his head.
"We need to be grateful for the time we do have."
His voice trembled, but he forced himself to stand straight.
If it was true—if their father was really gone—then someone had to step up.
Someone had to become the man of the house.
"When do we leave?" Riven asked.
"Tonight," Ms. Fallow replied. "You have the rest of the day to prepare."
Riven nodded. Without another word, he grabbed Jordan's wrist and pulled him toward the door.
"Come on. Let's go."
Jordan stopped abruptly, yanking Riven back by the collar.
"We need way more time than this!" Jordan shouted. "We can't just leave Mom alone for so long!"
His grip tightened.
Then his voice cracked.
"Why… why are you so damn calm?" Jordan yelled. "You should be bawling your eyes out just like me!"
Riven stared at him.
"We need to spend at least one full day with Mom," Riven said. "You heard her—this is a privilege. We have to accept it."
"That didn't answer my question."
Riven slowly lifted his head.
The look in his eyes made Jordan freeze.
It wasn't sadness.
It was rage.
Pure, unfiltered rage.
"Because my tears are being blocked," Riven said coldly, "by the image of me killing the person who did this."
Jordan's breath hitched.
Riven had never spoken like that before.
He hated the idea of killing. Even if someone wronged him—insulted him, hurt him, destroyed something he cared about—he'd never gone that far.
But this?
This was different.
Someone had crossed a line that could never be uncrossed.
They had harmed his family.
His mother.
His father.
His brother.
And if some grown man had laid a hand on them—
Then a life would be lost.
"She didn't tell us what gang did it," Riven said as he turned away.
"So we'll kill everyone who's part of one."
Riven's eyes flared—burning bright green.
⸻
[SYSTEM: New Exclusive Quest Acquired]
Quest Name: Vengeance for the Fallen
Objective: Kill 0 / 150 Gang Members
Reward: ???
⸻
Riven didn't even slow down.
He walked straight past the system window.
"Wait up," Jordan said, chasing after him.
He already knew.
When they got there—
people were going to die.
⸻
The dorm room was silent.
Riven and Jordan sat on their separate beds, unmoving.
Luka was already there.
He asked what was wrong. Why they were back so early.
Neither of them answered.
They just stared ahead.
Waiting.
Hours passed.
Joey, Harkel, and Leo entered once classes ended. The moment they stepped inside, they felt it—something heavy, suffocating.
A bad omen.
"Luka," Joey whispered. "Did something happ—"
A knock cut him off.
Joey turned as two guards stood at the door.
"Joey Cross," one of them said. "We apologize for the oversight. Please come with us."
Joey glanced back at the others and waved awkwardly before leaving.
"I thought his name was registered as a Harlow now," Riven thought.
He didn't care enough to ask.
Forty minutes later, Joey burst back into the dorm room.
His eyes were wide—too wide.
Without a word, he crossed the room and pulled Jordan into a hug.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Then he did the same to Riven.
Harkel slammed his fist against the wall. "What the hell is going on?!"
Joey hesitated. This wasn't his place.
But Riven spoke first.
"Joey… you tell him."
Jordan nodded, unable to say the words himself.
Joey swallowed.
"Their father—Mr. Harlow—is dead."
The room froze.
Leo and Luka stood stunned, unable to imagine the pain crushing the brothers.
Luka stepped forward slowly.
"I'm sorry," he said. "If you need someone to talk to… I'm right here."
Riven looked at him.
And remembered.
Luka had seen his own father's body.
Because of gangs.
Everything always led back to them.
"Thanks, Luka," Riven said, forcing a smile.
It was crooked. Broken.
A chime echoed through the room.
All three Harlow brothers' wristwatches lit up, displaying travel information—departure time, route, transport.
The bus would leave in one hour.
Riven stood.
"Harkel."
The blue-haired boy looked up.
"I haven't asked you for much," Riven said quietly. "And I probably won't again after this. But… can I borrow your sword? I'll return it. I'll pay you back. I promise."
Harkel reached for his inventory—
Then stopped.
Not because he didn't trust Riven.
But because he was afraid of what Riven intended to do.
"Riven," Leo said carefully, "what are you planning?"
Tears rained down Jordan's face.
But not Riven's.
In his mind, he refused to believe it—not until he saw a body. Not until there was proof. Proof that he would never hear his father's caring voice again. Never hear his laughter. Never feel the quiet, comforting presence that always made the world feel a little safer.
And yet… even just thinking about it—
Tears still slipped down Riven's face.
"Please tell me it's not true," Riven whispered, his voice cracking despite his effort to keep it steady. "This is a bad dream… right? A bad dream I'll wake up from—in your arms, right, Dad?"
He tried to stay strong.
But his composure crumbled by the second.
"I'm sorry," Ms. Fallow said gently. "This is a special case. Since your mother has been widowed, and you have no known relatives able to take you in, the Academy is granting you both a temporary pass to return to the Dawn Walls for two days."
"Two days?"
Jordan shot to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes.
"My mother will be alone after we leave," he snapped. "And even then, we can't even go home because she's in the hospital! And all we get is two days?!"
Ms. Fallow didn't flinch. She understood—this was grief, raw and unfiltered.
"I know this is unfair," she said softly. "But this allowance alone is already pushing regulations."
Jordan clenched his fists, ready to explode again—
But Riven stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Jordan. Stop."
"Riven, we need more time than this—"
Riven shook his head.
"We need to be grateful for the time we do have."
His voice trembled, but he forced himself to stand straight.
If it was true—if their father was really gone—then someone had to step up.
Someone had to become the man of the house.
"When do we leave?" Riven asked.
"Tonight," Ms. Fallow replied. "You have the rest of the day to prepare."
Riven nodded. Without another word, he grabbed Jordan's wrist and pulled him toward the door.
"Come on. Let's go."
Jordan stopped abruptly, yanking Riven back by the collar.
"We need way more time than this!" Jordan shouted. "We can't just leave Mom alone for so long!"
His grip tightened.
Then his voice cracked.
"Why… why are you so damn calm?" Jordan yelled. "You should be bawling your eyes out just like me!"
Riven stared at him.
"We need to spend at least one full day with Mom," Riven said. "You heard her—this is a privilege. We have to accept it."
"That didn't answer my question."
Riven slowly lifted his head.
The look in his eyes made Jordan freeze.
It wasn't sadness.
It was rage.
Pure, unfiltered rage.
"Because my tears are being blocked," Riven said coldly, "by the image of me killing the person who did this."
Jordan's breath hitched.
Riven had never spoken like that before.
He hated the idea of killing. Even if someone wronged him—insulted him, hurt him, destroyed something he cared about—he'd never gone that far.
But this?
This was different.
Someone had crossed a line that could never be uncrossed.
They had harmed his family.
His mother.
His father.
His brother.
And if some grown man had laid a hand on them—
Then a life would be lost.
"She didn't tell us what gang did it," Riven said as he turned away.
"So we'll kill everyone who's part of one."
Riven's eyes flared—burning bright green.
⸻
[SYSTEM: New Exclusive Quest Acquired]
Quest Name: Vengeance for the Fallen
Objective: Kill 0 / 150 Gang Members
Reward: ???
⸻
Riven didn't even slow down.
He walked straight past the system window.
"Wait up," Jordan said, chasing after him.
He already knew.
When they got there—
people were going to die.
⸻
The dorm room was silent.
Riven and Jordan sat on their separate beds, unmoving.
Luka was already there.
He asked what was wrong. Why they were back so early.
Neither of them answered.
They just stared ahead.
Waiting.
Hours passed.
Joey, Harkel, and Leo entered once classes ended. The moment they stepped inside, they felt it—something heavy, suffocating.
A bad omen.
"Luka," Joey whispered. "Did something happ—"
A knock cut him off.
Joey turned as two guards stood at the door.
"Joey Cross," one of them said. "We apologize for the oversight. Please come with us."
Joey glanced back at the others and waved awkwardly before leaving.
"I thought his name was registered as a Harlow now," Riven thought.
He didn't care enough to ask.
Forty minutes later, Joey burst back into the dorm room.
His eyes were wide—too wide.
Without a word, he crossed the room and pulled Jordan into a hug.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Then he did the same to Riven.
Harkel slammed his fist against the wall. "What the hell is going on?!"
Joey hesitated. This wasn't his place.
But Riven spoke first.
"Joey… you tell him."
Jordan nodded, unable to say the words himself.
Joey swallowed.
"Their father—Mr. Harlow—is dead."
The room froze.
Leo and Luka stood stunned, unable to imagine the pain crushing the brothers.
Luka stepped forward slowly.
"I'm sorry," he said. "If you need someone to talk to… I'm right here."
Riven looked at him.
And remembered.
Luka had seen his own father's body.
Because of gangs.
Everything always led back to them.
"Thanks, Luka," Riven said, forcing a smile.
It was crooked. Broken.
A chime echoed through the room.
All three Harlow brothers' wristwatches lit up, displaying travel information—departure time, route, transport.
The bus would leave in one hour.
Riven stood.
"It doesn't matter," Harkel said.
He summoned his sword.
The steel shimmered into existence, humming faintly as he held it out. Riven took it without hesitation, slotting it into his inventory. He didn't look back.
"Thank you," Riven said.
That was all.
He walked toward the door, Jordan and Joey following close behind.
The door shut.
Silence lingered.
"He's going to kill somebody," Leo muttered, stepping beside Harkel.
"Good," Luka said, staring at the closed door.
"You have no idea what it feels like to lose someone like that—forcefully. Taken away because of someone else's actions," Luka continued, his voice steady but heavy. "It eats at you. Every night after I learned about my father's death, all I could think about was killing the person who did it."
The room stayed quiet.
"I wanted revenge," Luka said. "But I knew I couldn't do it. I would've just gotten myself killed and left everyone else behind."
He clenched his fists.
"But they're strong. Strong enough to act. And if they didn't try to kill the people responsible for their father's death…"
Luka exhaled sharply.
"I would've punched them in the face myself. Right here. Right now."
Harkel folded his arms.
"Good words," he said.
⸻
The three brothers made their way down into the city.
They stood at the bus stop without speaking.
An hour passed—exactly on the dot—before the bus arrived. No words were exchanged as they boarded. Riven showed their credentials to the driver, confirming their clearance to return to the Dawn Walls.
Each of them took a separate seat.
Far apart.
The bus pulled away.
After another hour, no one else had boarded.
The route changed.
Instead of turning toward its usual path, the bus continued straight.
Then—
Gas began to leak from the vents.
⸻
[SYSTEM: Sleeping Toxin Detected]
Resistance +1
⸻
The message flickered repeatedly.
+1
+1
+1
Riven, Jordan, and Joey felt the resistance rise—but none of them fought it.
Honestly… being forced to sleep felt easier than staying awake.
The gas thickened.
Their vision blurred.
One by one, their bodies slumped as consciousness faded.
As Riven's eyes closed, one thought echoed louder than anything else—
How are we supposed to face Mom?