Beyond Goodbyes
The morning sun cast a gentle light through the high windows of the auditorium, painting golden streaks across the polished wooden floors.
Rows of chairs were steadily filling up with students in uniform — chatting, laughing, savoring the last few hours together.
Ron adjusted the collar of his shirt as he stepped inside. His steps were slow, eyes scanning the crowd for familiar faces.
"Oi, Ron, over here!"
A voice cut through the chatter.
Ron smiled faintly as he spotted his two closest friends — Evan, the loud and energetic one, and Marcus, always the chill one — waving at him from a corner near the back.
Marcus gave a small nod, adjusting his glasses.
"Guess we're really done, huh?"
Taking a seat, Ron leaned back, staring up at the stage where a few teachers were arranging papers and checking the microphone.
"Feels weird," he muttered. "Like I'm forgetting something."
"Nah," Evan laughed. "You're just not used to freedom yet."
The three chuckled quietly as the room gradually settled.
---
Meanwhile, across the city, another ceremony was beginning.
Kyle followed the stream of students toward his own school's auditorium. Along the way, a familiar voice called out.
It was Luke — tousled dark hair, laid-back smile, and sharp grey eyes gleaming with mischief.
Luke Lorren: easygoing on the outside, sharp strategist underneath.
"Hey! Kyle!"
Luke strode toward him with a grin, bumping fists once he caught up.
"Took you long enough," he teased.
Kyle smiled back apologetically. "My bad."
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, let's head inside. Wouldn't want to be the last ones in," Luke said, nudging him forward.
Together, they entered the auditorium, the air buzzing with excitement and nostalgia. As they scanned for seats, a few classmates called them over.
"Hey! Guys, over here!" one shouted.
Grinning, they made their way over, exchanging greetings as they settled in.
Their ceremony, too, was about to begin.
---
The lights in both auditoriums dimmed slightly as the principals stepped up to their podiums — an elderly man at Kyle's school, a middle-aged woman at Ron's.
Despite the difference in appearance, both carried the same steady weight in their voices.
"Today marks not an end, but a beginning," the elderly principal said warmly.
"You step into a world that will not wait for you to be ready. It will test you, challenge you, and forge you."
Some students listened quietly. Some yawned. Some blinked back tears.
"Carry with you the friendships you've made, the lessons you've learned," the woman principal said at Ron's school, her voice soft but firm.
"Because strength does not lie in power alone... it lies in the bonds you choose to protect."
A ripple of polite applause swept through both halls as the speeches ended.
Certificates were handed out — though few paid much attention to them.
The real ceremony lay in the parting smiles and half-joking promises whispered between friends.
---
At Ron's side:
"So... what now?" Evan asked, stretching his arms as they stepped into the courtyard.
"I'm applying to Oakwood Institution in City E," Marcus said simply. "They've got a good program."
Evan whistled low. "Figures. Smart guy stuff."
Marcus grinned. "What about you?"
Evan shrugged. "We're moving. Dad's job — to Norvane. Different country."
Ron kicked a pebble across the courtyard.
"What? When are you moving?"
"Today. Two hours from now," Evan said with a dry chuckle. "No time to get sentimental."
"Not that you would," Marcus teased.
They shared a short laugh — light but steady.
They might be parting ways today, but somehow, it didn't feel like an ending.
---
At Kyle's side:
The auditorium slowly emptied, laughter and chatter echoing through the halls.
Kyle adjusted his tie, offering small waves to classmates calling out their goodbyes.
"Take care, man!" one shouted.
"Good luck!" another added.
Kyle smiled, waving back. "You too."
Beside him, Luke chuckled.
"Feels weird, huh?"
"A little," Kyle said, staring at the open sky beyond the doors. "But at least we're not getting rid of each other yet."
"Yeah," Luke smirked. "You're stuck with me."
They shared a quick laugh before blending into the soft hum of students moving toward their futures.
---
But elsewhere, laughter was the last thing in the air.
City H, capital of Aurelia.
The soft hum of the city barely reached the top floor of a towering building.
Sterile lights lined the ceiling, casting a faint glow across the polished floors.
Before the massive glass wall, a lone figure stood, gazing out over the sprawling cityscape.
His reflection blurred against the glass — sharp eyes hidden beneath the fall of dark hair.
In a tailored suit, hands folded behind his back, he stood still as stone.
To the world, he was a major businessman.
But behind closed doors, old scars whispered louder than the city ever could.
The door slid open with a muted hiss.
The vice manager entered, stopping a respectful distance behind.
"The reports from City D," he said, extending a thin folder.
Without turning, the man spoke, his voice composed, clinical.
"Did the prototype show any malfunctions?"
"Yes," the vice manager replied. "Prototype Three created a forced dimensional rift, but it was unstable — and smaller than expected."
A brief pause.
The man's eyes narrowed.
"Initiate a full diagnostic," he ordered. "Identify the cause. Rerun the tests."
The vice manager nodded once.
"Understood."
He bowed slightly and exited.
The man remained by the window, staring out at the city.
Silent. Steady.
Soon, the world would change.
Into an ideal he would forge with his own hands.
---
After the goodbyes, Ron and Kyle returned home.
The usual paths they had walked so many times before — but this time, something felt different. Something had shifted.
Both Ron and Kyle found themselves staring up at the same night sky, their hearts steady with determination for the road ahead.
Two months — enough time, they thought, to prepare for the future they dreamed of.
But somewhere, beyond their reach, unseen gears had already begun to turn.
Neither of them knew...
This was only the beginning.
A bigger story awaited.
New friends.
New trials.
New dreams to chase — and new nightmares to face.