Search For Answers

Orion had no interest in following them.

He wasn't the kind of guy to chase after people or pry into shit that didn't involve him. Skye and Seth walking into The Haven together? Not his problem. At least, that's what he told himself.

Instead of heading back to his dorm, he took a detour. The Academy's library was open late, and he suddenly had the urge to dig into something he'd been putting off—the origins of lucid dreaming.

By the time he reached the library, the place was mostly empty. A few students scattered across tables, buried in their own research or asleep on their books. Orion slipped through the aisles, scanning the digital catalog until he found what he was looking for.

The origins of lucid dreaming were… complicated. People had known about it for centuries, sure, but real progress didn't happen until the 21st century. Scientists had started experimenting, pushing the boundaries of what dreams could do. Then came the collapse of governments, the rise of the factions, and now? Dreams were power.

What bugged Orion the most was how little they really understood. Everyone treated lucid dreaming like this endless resource, but the more he read, the more it felt like they were all just guessing.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. What the hell am I even looking for?

Maybe nothing. Maybe he was just distracting himself.

After a while, he gave up and left.

Course Selections

The next few days were a blur of assignments and paperwork. At some point, course selections were finalized.

Cas? No surprises there. She had chosen Research. If there was one person who wanted to unlock the full potential of lucid dreaming, it was her.

Rin, on the other hand, had thrown herself straight into Combat. Orion wasn't sure if it was the conspiracy theories or just her love for chaos, but she seemed excited about it.

Neil? Didn't give a shit. He had no intention of joining the new division. He was happy in Neural Interfaces, where he could mess around with tech instead of getting involved in whatever madness the Academy was planning.

And Orion? He was still in History and Sciences, but he'd taken a step forward—he had applied for Dream Exploration.

Something about it just… called to him.

He wasn't sure if he'd get in, but at least he was trying.

Running Into Skye

He had been going to the library quite regularly for the past few days. On his way back to the dorm, Orion spotted someone familiar ahead.

Skye.

She was walking alone, her pace slow, like she was lost in thought. Orion caught up to her without really thinking about it.

"Hey," he called.

She turned, surprised. "Oh. Hey, Orion."

"Heading back?"

"Yeah. You?"

He shrugged. "Same."

They fell into step together. The night air was cool, and for a while, neither of them said anything.

Orion pondered for a second before speaking. "So, uh… you and Seth?"

Skye raised an eyebrow. "What about us?"

He kept his tone casual. "Didn't expect to see you guys at The Haven together."

She let out a small laugh. "Yeah, well, neither did I."

Orion glanced at her. "So…?"

Skye rolled her eyes. "It's not like that. He just took me there as a courtesy. Wanted to get to know me, I guess."

Orion nodded. "Right. Just being polite."

"Exactly." She paused, then smirked. "Why? You jealous?"

Orion snorted. "Please. Just making sure you weren't being recruited into some cult or something."

Skye laughed. "If I was, I'd let you know."

They walked in silence for a bit longer, the conversation shifting to random things—lectures, the upcoming selections, Rin's insane theories about The Haven being a front for something illegal.

By the time they reached their dorm buildings, Orion felt lighter.

"Night, Orion," Skye said as she turned toward her dorm.

"Night."

The Notification

Back in his dorm, Orion finally let himself relax.

Neil was stretched out on his bed, scrolling through his holo-tab. "You look less broody than usual," he noted.

Orion ignored him, grabbing his own tab.

For a while, they just chilled, music playing softly in the background. Then, out of nowhere, a notification popped up on both their screens.

[Academy Announcement]

Selection trials start the day after tomorrow. Best of luck to the candidates.

Orion exhaled.

"Shit's getting real," Neil muttered.

Orion nodded. "Yeah. It is."