The stone stairs of the University of Torminas echoed with slow, measured footsteps.
Kira walked ahead, his expression distant, unreadable. Beside him, Elvin followed with his usual sharp gaze, observing everything—people, shadows, even the silence between words. The atmosphere itself felt heavy, like the university was holding its breath.
The faint wind brushed past them as they descended… and then—
A familiar figure appeared at the turn of the staircase.
"Rika", Kira calls out.
Her eyes met Kira's.
For a brief second, everything else faded.
Elvin stopped.
His brows furrowed.
"…Rika?" he repeated, clearly confused. His eyes shifted between the two. "Why do you keep calling her that?"
Riya didn't look surprised.
She crossed her arms slightly, her expression carrying a hint of irritation—but also something deeper.
"I already gave you that answer before," she said calmly.
Elvin blinked once… then smirked faintly.
"Oh…" he muttered, glancing at Kira. "So you two are getting closer again."
Riya glanced at Elvin once with frustration and then shifted her eyes ignoring him.
Kira, as always, said nothing.
The three continued downward together.
——————
As they reached the ground floor, the scene before them shattered any remaining sense of calm.
The guards... injures. Some were standing but Others laid against the walls, groaning in pain.
Students rushed back and forth, carrying supplies, shouting instructions, trying to maintain order in chaos.
At the centre of them were two figures.
President Cassian Rovell—commanding, composed, his presence alone forcing structure into disorder and beside him was standing a girl.
A girl with not much a small height compared to President Cas. Her hairs long and she was having a slender body with her blue eyes opposite of the eyes colour of president which was red. In her hand she was holding a book tight with her grip and near to her chest.
She moved from one injured guard to another, her hands glowing with a soft, warm light. Wounds closed as if time itself was reversing. Pain seemed to dissolve under her touch.
Kira watched her carefully.
"…Who is she?" he asked quietly.
Elvin followed his gaze.
"That," he said, "is the Vice President."
He paused, then added—
"As you know the president is called Dictator of Torminas likewise she is called as angel or to be specific Apostle of Life due to her face and her blessings.", Elvin spoke.
Elvin continued, his tone carrying a rare hint of respect.
"Her Blessed authority
"…And that's not all. She's mastered advanced mana healing techniques."
A faint smirk appeared.
"She didn't just learn them… she aced all of them."
Kira said nothing.
But his gaze lingered.
"...Is..."
And as he was going to spoke the air shifted and footstep echoed.
From the entrance behind them—
Lisa walked in and Draves followed silently beside her.
They enter and first they surveyed through the surroundings and few minutes later Oryn, Eren, and principal enters.
The moment they entered—
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the wounded stopped groaning.
All eyes turned toward them.
Lisa stepped forward.
Her gaze swept across the crowd—sharp, unwavering.
Then she spoke.
"We are out of time."
Her voice wasn't loud.
"Right now, our enemies had completely checkmated us but....", She spoke. " But we cannot fail this time."
A pause.
"If we fail—this university falls."
Her eyes hardened.
"And if the university falls… Rigour Town falls with it."
The weight of her words crushed the air.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
President Cas stepped forward slightly, arms folded.
"And Draves?" he asked, his tone calm—but probing, almost like a calculated challenge.
"Why is he not participating?"
Lisa didn't hesitate.
"Orders from the Elders."
A brief silence.
Cas closed his eyes for a moment… then nodded.
"…Understood."
That was enough.
Lisa stepped forward again.
"Listen carefully.", she spoke.
"As you all know The University of Torminas has three main gates which allows anyone to enters. So, thus our positioning and strategy would centre around these gates only.", She spoke while adding "The three main gates."
"The Training Ground Gate."
"The Dormitory Gate."
"And the Main Gate."
Her voice became sharper—decisive.
"At the Training Ground—"
She spoke looking towards both Kira and Riya.
"I, Kira, Riya with supporting students and guards would be present.", She spoke as shifting her eyes to Elvin.
"At the Main Gate—"
"Oryn, Elvin, Alongside others."
Her eyes then shifted towards President.
"At the Dormitory Gate—"
"Eren. President Cas."
"With assigned units."
She turned slightly toward the Vice President.
"Inside the dormitories… the Vice President will handle healing."
"She will move wherever she's needed."
A brief pause.
"Draves… will observe from within the university."
"And with this all the position are fixed and make sure nobody will enter in the university.
Lisa took one last step forward.
Her eyes burned with resolve.
"Let victory overwhelm us."
——————
The Night changes and the Sun appears.
Positions were taken.
The air was colder.
Heavier.
At the Training Ground Gate—
Kira stood ready.
Riya beside him.
Lisa ahead.
Then—
A guard rushed toward Kira.
"Sir—!"
Kira turned.
"The Elders… they've summoned you."
A flicker of confusion crossed his face.
"…Now?"
"Yes. Immediately."
Kira hesitated.
Then turned—
"…I'll be back."
And he left.
————————
At the Rigour town gate.
"Hey, what are you doing? Close the gate now.", One of the guards spoke as he was ordering his junior to handle the closing of the main gate of Rigour town.
"Yes Sir", junior spoke.
As they were doing their work some other guards came towards them.
"Today is the day, right?", The guard spoke looking towards another guard.
"Yeah, as they say some peoples will enters the university today. So, we cannot allow anyone to pass right now."
The guards were busy talking with each other but then something happens.
"Hey, who is there.", junior spoke aiming his finger towards the unknown man with a large height, wearing a black cloak hiding his face coming.
Seeing their junior other guards eye shifted but the man coming didn't froze and kept walking.
"Hey are you deaf or wha—", As one of the guards was going to touch that man.
The guard head disappears in a second and his headless body falls on the ground and then-
"Whaaaa", junior yells but the man continued walking towards something. Towards his assigned destination.
———————
Training Ground Gate.
Lisa's eyes narrowed.
A figure approached slowly.
A woman.
Alone.
Calm.
Too calm.
——————
Main Gate.
Oryn stood firm.
Elvin beside him.
Then—
A silhouette emerged.
A woman… holding a dagger.
Behind her—
A beast.
Massive.
Like a lion—
But with wings.
Its presence alone distorted the air.
Elvin's smile faded.
"…Now this is interesting."
———————
Dormitory Gate.
Eren looked up.
Something moved in the sky.
A figure.
A woman—
White wings spread wide—
Flying past the gate.
Watching.
Waiting.
——————
And in that moment—
All three fronts realized the same thing.
This…
Was not an ordinary attack.
It was the beginning of something far worse.