Elizabeth woke up from a deep, dreamless sleep.
Ever since she had become a Sleeper, dreams had abandoned her. Not just her, all Sleepers spoke of the same hollow darkness that filled their nights all over the world. It was as if the spell had taken more than a fragment of their humanity. It had stolen their dreams as well, leaving nothing between one waking moment and the next.
Not that it mattered much. For the awakened, life itself was already a nightmare.
She exhaled softly and pushed herself upright, stretching the lingering stiffness from her limbs. Her body remained that of a woman in her late twenties. Since Outside, the world was still wrapped in predawn darkness, pale snow drifting lazily through the air. Sunrise was still a few hours away.
She had never been a morning person. But things had changed since her first Nightmare.
Her enhanced mind needed no more than four hours of rest now. A disappointing trade in a way, since sleep had once been one of her favourite life's simple pleasures. Still, she did not dwell on the loss. The extra hours gave her time for something else she loved.
Running.
She slipped into a fitted tracksuit that fit her properly, left the dormitory, and stepped outside. The air bit at her skin, sharp and invigorating. Any lingering sluggishness evaporated instantly, replaced by a quiet, simmering strength the moment she stepped beneath the open sky.
'Today, training starts,' she thought, rolling her shoulders as she began to stretch.
While loosening her muscles, she mentally reviewed the day's schedule.
'Sorcery class after breakfast… runs until afternoon. There is a Short break afterward. Then Combat class in the evening.'
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
It was finally beginning. She wouldn't lie, she was excited. By the end of the month, she would be different. Stronger. Sharper. Closer to the person she needed to become. For years, she had felt trapped, like she had reached a ceiling she could never break. But now, with her new abilities… with sorcery… things would change. The slow, stagnant days were now behind her.
After finishing her warm-up, she began to run.
A few others lingered outside, fellow insomniacs and early risers. She offered a few brief, awkward greetings, but they either ignored her or quickly looked away.
'You reap what you sow, I guess.'
Word of her exploits had already spread throughout the Awakened academy, and it seemed most people had decided it was safer to keep their distance. she choose to ignored them as well before settling into her pace.
Hours passed as she ran effortlessly, her stamina seemingly endless. She traced the layout of the Academy, committing its paths and buildings to memory, occasionally noting the locations of her favorite food spots that had established a branch there.
Eventually, she slowed to a stop, feeling a faint hum in her muscles that quickly faded.
Dawn was close.
She returned to her dorm, took a quick shower, and waited, eventually the first light of day crept through the window.
"Damn it!!"
She stared at her reflection.
A child's body stared back, a nine year old girl. Unfortunately, she had no clothes that actually fit her current size. With a sigh, her form erupted in silver sparks as she summoned her armor memory. Normally, summoning Memories on Academy grounds was forbidden. But she had secured special permission on her way to NQSC. After all, her flaw severely limited her choice of clothing, and she hadn't brought much with her.
The armor fit her perfectly, settling snugly over her leather bodysuit, every plate forged with meticulous precision. Cold light slid along its sharp edges and layered contours. Broad pauldrons crowned her small shoulders, giving her an imposing silhouette despite her size. The sculpted breastplate flowed into overlapping plates protecting her waist, hips, and legs. Intricate engravings traced the steel, subtle but elegant.
Heavy gauntlets enclosed her hands. Articulated greaves wrapped her legs. Tattered strips of dark fabric hung from beneath the plated skirts, fluttering behind her like remnants of a forgotten banner. With her face hidden beneath a horned crown‑helm, she looked like a knight carved from silver and steel, unyielding, disciplined, and mythic.
All of it, however, was undermined by her size.
She dismissed the helmet with a quiet sigh and stepped out heading to the cafeteria.
The armor was surprisingly light. As she walked, a few people cast her curious looks. She ignored them. The cafeteria was already filling up when she arrived. After piling her tray with an impressive assortment of delicacies much to the bemusement of the staff she scanned the room for an empty seat.
Preferably somewhere isolated and close to the buffet for when she needed to get up for refill.
Her gaze settled on a table occupied by a silver-haired girl she vaguely remembered from yesterday. The girl had arrived alongside the short boy. Notably, the seat beside her was empty.
Good enough.
Elizabeth quietly set her tray down and climbed onto the chair, her feet dangling above the floor. The silver‑haired girl lifted her head from her pancakes, her calm gaze flickering with a brief, strange confusion. For a moment, her eyes dimmed already entranced by her attribute before she frowned and snapped out of it.
Elizabeth could have sworn she saw a silver flame flicker in the girl's eyes.
'What was that?'
She was the fastest person yet to resist Elizabeth's Attribute. The girl stared at her for a moment and said nothing. She simply watched her with a cold, detached expression before returning to her food. Whether she was offended or not, she didn't show it. She couldn't tell whether the girl was a Legacy or not now that she was wearing the academy uniform, but the quiet confidence with which she carried herself only made Elizabeth suspect she was.
Either way, Elizabeth wasn't moving. She didn't care if she'd offended the girl. This table was one of the closest to the buffet, and she wasn't about to surrender that advantage. Not for anyone.
They ate in silence, which suited Elizabeth just fine. Thankfully, neither of them seemed inclined toward small talk.
Elizabeth returned with her third plate, earning another bewildered look from the cafeteria staff. The silver‑haired girl had finished eating and now sat with a warm cup of coffee, listening to music with a distant, serious expression.
As Elizabeth sat down, her senses picked up on something, a faint familiar melody. Her head snapped toward the girl.
'Wait… that music.'
"Is that Night&gale's Middle of a Garden album?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.
The silver‑haired girl paused, then lifted her gaze to meet hers.
"…You are a fan?"
'Is she serious?'
"Am I a fan? Of course I am! Who in both worlds isn't a fan of Night&gale? They're THE band of the century! I've listened to all their music, especially the upbeat tracks since they are extremely motivating for training. I've been following them since their indie days before they blew up. Oh, and I used to have a HUGE crush on the lead vocalist."
She rambled on, and the silver‑haired girl stared at her with a blank expression.
"You've been a fan since their indie days? Aren't you too young?"
Elizabeth blinked at her, confused for a moment then her eyes widened in understanding, and a soft chuckle escaped her.
"Oh, no. I'm not one of those anomalies who enter a Nightmare at a young age," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "I look like this because of my flaw."
She leaned forward, brightening with sudden enthusiasm.
"Anyway, what's your favorite album? Mine is Moon saint. Best album ever, and I will die on that hill."
The silver‑haired girl studied her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with the same calm simplicity she carried, she answered:
"Middle of the Garden."
She returned to her coffee as if the matter were settled.
Elizabeth's mouth snapped shut.
'Great. I sounded like a crazed fangirl. She's probably a casual listener, and I went ahead and nerded out on her... but it's Night&gale. I can't help it.'
She stared at the silver‑haired girl, a sudden wave of envy rising in her chest. It had been far too long since she'd listened to a Nightingale song properly. She'd forgotten to pack her headphones, and the communicator's tinny audio was a crime against music. With headphones, it always felt like she was standing front‑row at a live performance close enough to feel the vibration of every note. She refused to listen to the music any other way.
'She wont mind sharing an ear piece right?'
She hesitated, chewing the inside of her cheek.
"Um… would it be possible to share an earpiece? I forgot to pack my headphones, and it's been a month since I listened to them properly. I—I swear I won't break it." she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
The silver‑haired girl examined her again, then nodded and removed one earpiece.
Elizabeth snatched it so quickly that her hand blurred, startling the girl as she tensed immediately, looking ready to spring from her seat if necessary. Elizabeth paid her no mind. Her entire focus was fixed on the earpiece, studying it with the reverence of an archaeologist uncovering a priceless relic.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said rapidly, setting her long strand of hair aside to put her earpiece in.
"Sis~, don't forget your manners," her brother's voice echoed in her mind.
'Right....'
She extended her hand. "Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Hale."
The girl looked at her hand for a moment and shook her hand. "Nephis."
Elizabeth nodded and connected the earpiece. Music flowed into her ear. She flinched slightly as a terrible memory resurfaced but it was drowned out a moment later by the vocalist's voice.
'Gods, his voice is amazing… could give Rethen a run for his money.'
A smile crept across her lips as she hummed along, her feet swinging while chewing on her bread.
Before she could finish her food and go for a fourth plate, a sudden commotion erupted.
'What now?'
Sleepers crowded around the large screen on the wall, excitement crackling through the room. As the display flickered to life, a list of names appeared, ranking the newest batch of Sleepers from weakest to strongest. The standings had likely been deduced from their interview results.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and scanned the list. Her portrait appeared near the top.
Second place, Name: Elizabeth Hale.
True Name: Siren of the Last Haven.
She smiled then frowned.
'Second? Then who—'
Her gaze rose a bit, right above her was the silver‑haired girl's portrait.
First place, Name: Nephis.
True Name: Changing Star.
The cafeteria erupted.
"How is that possible?!"
"What kind of monster are they?!"
"Wait that crazy girl from before?! No way she has a True Name! she must be lying!"
"Are you stupid? If lying worked, that pervert from yesterday would be up there too!"
Elizabeth turned to Nephis with renewed interest. So it wasn't the short boy who had received a True Name, it was this girl. Nephis was staring at the board as well, but after a moment she glanced sideways at Elizabeth.
"Nice name," was all Elizabeth could think to say.
"...Same to you."
As the initial excitement faded, all eyes gradually shifted toward the two of them. Elizabeth could already see people making their way over, eager to speak with the true named Sleepers.
Caster was one of them. He walked over with a smile on his face, his attention fixed on Nephis. When his eyes met hers, a brief flicker of confusion and recognition passed through them, and his smile dimmed slightly yet he did not stop.
'Well, there goes all that hard work.' It seemed her carefully crafted reputation for insanity had evaporated in an instant.
Elizabeth sighed, removed the earpiece, and handed it back.
"Thank you," she murmured, before summoning her helmet and walking out.