The tension of the arena still lingered in the air, but life at the academy moved forward. Mri sat on the rooftop, staring at the endless sky above. The echoes of the fight with Kael played in his mind, but for now, he allowed himself a rare moment of peace.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair as he leaned back against the railing. Below, the academy grounds were bustling with students training, laughing, and living their normal lives—something Mri felt he was slowly drifting away from.
"Hey, brooding hero, thinking too much again?"
Mri turned his head to see Ayang climbing up onto the rooftop, carrying two bottles of chilled soda.
Mri smirked. "What gave it away?"
Ayang tossed him a bottle before sitting beside him. "You always do that thing—staring at the sky like it's got all the answers."
Mri chuckled. "Maybe it does."
They clinked their bottles together before taking a sip, letting the coolness ease away the heat of the day.
A Normal Day… Almost
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Jasmine was watching a small sparring match between two students.
Jasmine turned to watch as a familiar figure entered the courtyard—Lorin, the academy's top scholar.
Unlike the others, Lorin had no interest in fighting. Instead, he was always seen carrying books and analyzing battle strategies rather than participating in them.
"Ah, the two troublemakers," Lorin greeted with a smirk.
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "What do you want, nerd?"
Lorin adjusted his glasses. "You mean besides enjoying the sunshine? I came to deliver a message."
"A message?"
Lorin nodded. "From the headmaster. He's calling for a gathering. Something about… an important announcement."
Jasmine looked up to the rooftop.
Something about the way Lorin said it made it feel like this wasn't just another routine meeting.
Back on the Rooftop
Mri and Ayang had fallen into comfortable silence when Jasmine's voice rang out from below.
"Oi, rooftop idiot! Get down here!"
Mri sighed. "And here I was enjoying my peace."
Ayang chuckled. "Better move before she climbs up and drags you down."
Mri smirked and stood up, stretching before jumping down effortlessly.
Jasmine crossed her arms. "Headmaster's calling a meeting. Thought you'd want to know."
Mri's gaze darkened slightly. Something was coming.
Ayang joined them, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Guess we better see what this is about."
As they walked toward the assembly hall, the academy's usual lively energy seemed to shift.
A change was in the air.
And Mri could feel it.
The calm before the storm.