The courtyard was glowing under the soft noon sun, the kind of warm brightness that made the whole campus feel alive. Aira balanced her lunch tray in one hand as she hurried along the stone path, the breeze tugging playfully at her hair.

  She rounded the corner and immediately spotted her friends under the cluster of tall shade trees: a small group gathered around one of the wooden picnic tables, half eaten lunches scattered between them.

  A bright grin split across her face. She lifted a hand and strode forward.

  “Hey guys!!”

  Every head turned. A wave of smiles met her.

  “Aira! There you are!” Amari called, practically bouncing in her seat. With her warm tan skin, short red hair, and bright crimson eyes, she radiated energy like a firecracker.

  Lev thrust a hand up in greeting. “Yo! What’s good!”

  Yoru, sitting beside them, lifted her hand and waved too. Her smile was smaller, softer—but unmistakably happy.

  Aira slipped into the circle of friends with practiced ease—high fiving Lev, tugging Amari into a quick hug, and then another for Yoru. The warmth was immediate, settling into her chest like a second sun.

  “So, how was your summer?” Amari asked, leaning forward eagerly. “By the way, the footage you posted of the Dawn Hound vs Echo showdown? CRAZY. Like actually insane!”

  Lev nodded vigorously. “For real! You were totally in the middle of that battle! That’s wild!”

  Aira beamed, chest puffing with pride. “Yoru was there too! The Dawn Hound literally saved us from Echo’s laser beams. Wasn’t that so crazy, Yoru?”

  Yoru nodded, cheeks flushing a pale pink at the mention of the Dawn Hound. “It… was very fast. And loud.”

  Amari lit up even more. “That’s SO cool. If it were me and Lev? I’m pretty sure Lev would faint.”

  Lev recoiled. “What! No way! I’d show off some of my cool moves first… THEN faint.”

  They all burst out laughing.

  Voices drifted from the walkway behind them, accompanied by approaching footsteps. Aira turned and spotted three more familiar figures heading their way.

  Asha came first—tall, elegant, brown skin, long dark braids with silver cuffs shining under the sun. Her magenta eyes were narrowed in faint exasperation as she said something over her shoulder.

  Gavant walked beside her, tall and broad shouldered, deep brown skin warm in the sunlight, dreadlocks tied back loosely. He wore the expression of a man contemplating the mysteries of the universe.

  Trailing them was Kieran, small in stature but sharp in presence. His messy ash brown hair framed round glasses, and his muted turquoise eyes carried a dry, unimpressed look that suggested he found the previous conversation amusing in the worst possible way.

  Aira waved both arms overhead, grin bright enough to rival the noon sun. “Over here!”

  Asha spotted her first. The older girl’s expression warmed instantly. She approached with long, confident strides and took Aira’s hands in both of hers.

  “Aira, it’s been so long,” Asha said, tone soft but full of genuine affection. “I’m so glad to see you again. And your blog—the reporting is incredible.”

  Aira beamed under the praise, cheeks glowing. “Thank you! I’ve been working really hard on it. What about you guys? What’ve you all been up to?”

  Asha sighed dramatically, though amusement tugged at her lips. “Oh, you know. The usual. Gavant was just insisting that the Twin Hounds and Echo might actually be good friends.”

  Aira’s jaw dropped. “Huh? No way.”

  She glanced over at the tall man a few feet away. Gavant stood among their friends stroking his chin thoughtfully, turquoise eyes half lidded in sage-like calm. He already looked mid philosophy.

  “Sometimes enemies are just two people who haven’t figured out they’re the same brand of weird. You know? Like mirrors that got sent to the wrong houses. Happens all the time.”

  Asha crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Gavant, that doesn’t make any sense. They’re sworn enemies. And with how big the city is? The odds of them bumping into each other as civilians are tiny.”

  Gavant lifted his brows, grin lazy and knowing. “Ah! But Asha, my dear cousin—life’s wild. Sometimes the thing you think is far away is literally right in front of you eating ramen. The universe has a sense of humor like that.”

  Aira couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Gavant always had some outlandish conspiracy theory ready to go, delivered with relaxed hippie energy and the eloquence of a traveling sage.

  “Yeah, no shot,” she said. “If they ever met in real life, all three of them would definitely recognize each other. They’re too perceptive. They’d instantly know the other is a threat.”

  She was about to speak again when movement down the walkway caught her eye. Three more figures approached, and the group quieted to greet them.

  The first was a tall, athletic girl with long rose colored hair pulled into a ponytail, sapphire eyes bright beneath the faint scar under her right eye—Runa, serene as ever.

  Beside her walked Alyne, shorter, sharp, unmistakably striking with her pale blond bob, black ribbon, and piercing violet gaze.

  And trailing behind them—towering, muscular, tanned, and perpetually irritated looking—was Kairo, his punkish dark hair falling into amber eyes that flicked immediately toward the food on the table.

  “Sorry we’re late,” Runa said, bowing her head slightly. “Sentari training ran long.”

  “On god, I’m starving,” Kairo declared. “Where’s the food at?”

  Amari threw an accusatory finger at him. “Yo—this guy’s gonna try to rob us again!”

  Laughter rolled through the courtyard as everyone settled onto the benches, lunch trays clattering lightly against the wooden table. The chaos of greetings melted into a warm, familiar rhythm, the kind of easy conversation that only happened when everyone had been apart too long.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  They talked about summer trips, new hobbies, training mishaps, and, inevitably, vigilante sightings—because somehow that topic always found its way back into the center of their conversations.

  Kieran adjusted his glasses with a small, deliberate tap against the bridge of his nose.

  “By the way, Aira,” he said, tone casual but sincere, “your piece on the fuse core was excellent. The idea of the Twin Hounds and Echo each holding half of it—the way you argued it? Very compelling.”

  Aira brightened instantly. “Thanks! That was one of my favorites to write.”

  She leaned forward, excitement bubbling up again just remembering it. “Piecing that whole thing together was such a fun mystery. I even asked the nerd trio for advice when I was crafting the theory.”

  Asha raised a brow. “You mean your brother and his friends, right?”

  Aira sighed dramatically. “Yep. Those three tryhard honor students. They helped explain how the fuse core worked—and they didn’t even react when I told them my theory about the vigilantes!”

  Runa let out a soft laugh. “That sounds very on brand for them.”

  Alyne, who had been quietly nibbling on her sandwich, added, “Didn’t the three of them do a presentation this morning?”

  Lev perked up immediately. “Oh yeah—they did! It was really good! Buuut I… might’ve knocked the projector over while they were speaking.”

  Kairo paused mid sandwich bite, swallowed, then pointed at Lev with mock gravity. “Yeah, you’re doomed. Good luck trying to survive Damien.”

  “Hey!” Amari protested, smacking Kairo’s arm. “Don’t say that! That’s Yoru’s older brother!”

  Yoru held up both hands quickly. “No, it’s okay. I know my brother can… come off a little scary.”

  Gavant, lounging comfortably with his arms draped across the back of the bench, made a lazy circling gesture in the air.

  “Scary’s just intensity wearing the wrong outfit,” he said casually. “Some people shine a little too bright, so everyone assumes it’s heat instead of light.”

  Aira snorted. There was Gavant’s strange wisdom again—half sage-like, half surfer bro.

  Kairo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then leaned forward. “Since we’re on the topic of scary—Gabriel is definitely worse. Why does that smiling freak always have his eyes closed? And he’s way too cheerful. It’s suspicious.”

  Runa tried to defend him gently. “Maybe he’s just being friendly?”

  Kieran shook his head. “No… there’s something performative about it. Like he’s deliberately managing emotional expectations. That’s probably why it feels… off.”

  Asha nodded, arms crossing. “And the fact that we all know he’s ridiculously smart makes it feel like he’s scheming. Even when he’s being polite.”

  A small lull settled over the table as everyone contemplated this, picking at their food in thoughtful silence. Aira glanced around at their expressions and couldn’t help the amused little sigh that slipped out.

  Of course. The group only tolerated Gabriel because he was best friends with Akio, just like how they tolerated Damien because he was Yoru’s brother. But at least everyone genuinely liked Akio. That was good.

  She propped her elbows on the table, swirling the straw in her drink. “Well, Gabriel only really hangs out with my older brother anyway. So if Akio’s not here, we won’t even have to deal with him.”

  Alyne made a flat, pained sound. “I wish that were true. Unfortunately for me… Gabriel is my roommate this year.”

  Aira almost dropped her fork. Around the table, every head snapped toward Alyne.

  Amari gaped. “Wait—really? Gabriel’s your roommate?”

  Runa leaned in, eyes wide with gentle curiosity. “How has it been so far?”

  Alyne exhaled sharply through her nose, irritation flickering plainly across her features.

  “I can’t make sense of him at all. He’s extremely unpredictable and chaotic. Just yesterday, I came home and found he’d covered the entire living room in salt. With a spoon. Because he claimed he saw a ghost in the furniture at three in the morning.”

  Lev nearly choked on his drink. “Wait—a ghost??”

  Gavant perked up instantly, eyes gleaming like someone had just handed him a conspiracy manual. “Y’know, it’s believed that some old furniture holds onto emotional residue. Sometimes they show up as cold spots or weird shadows—like ghosts.”

  Lev leaned closer, captivated. “Really???”

  Asha side eyed both of them so hard it could’ve been a weapon. “Gavant. Ghosts aren’t real.”

  Kieran stirred his drink, voice mild. “That’s debatable.”

  Kairo snorted and leaned back with a wolfish grin. “Yeah, you’re doomed, Alyne. Good luck.”

  Alyne shot him a glare sharp enough to cut glass.

  Aira tapped a finger thoughtfully against her chin. “Huh… that does sound like a very Gabriel thing to do…”

  Before she could finish the thought, her phone pinged. The bright sound cut through the table’s chatter. Aira pulled it from her pocket, expecting a message or maybe a notification on her latest blog post. Instead, a news alert filled her screen.

  BREAKING: Vigilante incident reported this morning at Central Data Tower 02. M.A.W. presence confirmed. Sector secured and quarantined.

  Her smile faltered. The initial spark of excitement flared for a heartbeat then sputtered out as the word M.A.W. settled heavily in her chest. She slowly lowered her phone. The shift in her expression told the others everything.

  “What is it?” Runa asked softly.

  Aira swallowed. “There was… another incident. At one of the data towers. And the M.A.W. was there.”

  A hush fell instantly over the group, their earlier energy dissolving into a quiet, uneasy weight.

  Runa folded her hands, gaze distant. “…So it’s really back.”

  Lev’s voice wavered. “Is it… is it the Hollow?”

  Amari glanced at Yoru, worry tightening her features. “Wait—Yoru, weren’t you attacked recently?”

  Yoru nodded, shrinking slightly into herself. “I was. But it was a small one. The Dawn Hound saved me before it got bad.”

  Silence settled over the table. The chatter of the courtyard felt suddenly far away.

  Aira looked down at the remnants of her lunch, vision blurring slightly as her thoughts drifted elsewhere—somewhere darker. She could feel the others watching her, but no one spoke. They all knew what she was thinking. What she was remembering.

  The incident.

  The night the Hollow had almost killed her.

  Even after almost three years, Aira still remembered it with painful clarity. The darkness had been absolute, swallowing sound and air until her lungs strained. The metallic tang of blood and rust clung to her tongue, and the chittering of the Anomalies echoed like teeth scraping over steel.

  And then there was the Hollow.

  Their cloak had moved like living shadow, sliding and folding in ways that didn’t follow any earthly wind. In one hand they held a long, sickly curved scimitar, its blade formed from the blackened infection of the M.A.W. itself. Segments of corrupted metal clinked together like vertebrae, the chain wrapped around their arm writhing like a serpent tasting the air.

  Only one thing had been visible beneath the mask: a single red eye, burning in the dark like a dying star.

  Aira had never known terror like that. It had carved its way into her bones, an impression so deep she still felt it when storms rolled in and the shadows grew too long.

  And when she’d been saved from that nightmare—when the Hollow vanished without a trace as if they’d melted into the dark—she’d become desperate to know who, or what, they were. But the Hollow never resurfaced, and the M.A.W. had faded away with them.

  Until now.

  Which meant… maybe the Hollow was back too.

  Aira exhaled slowly, forcing a small smile to steady herself. “It’s been so long… I guess we’ll see.”

  A brief silence followed—quiet, uneasy, the kind that lingered after heavy thoughts. Kairo broke it with perfect timing, as if remembering something and eager to drag the atmosphere somewhere lighter.

  “Oh yeah, me and Runa got another roommate.”

  Runa perked up beside him. “Oh! Right. I think he’s a TA? He moved in before us, but I’ve never seen him around.”

  Asha raised a brow. “What’s his name?”

  Kairo shrugged, leaning back with both arms over the bench. “Beats me. I don’t even know if the guy exists. Bro’s actually a ghost.”

  Kieran took a slow sip of his drink. “Maybe he’s the one Gabriel saw haunting the furniture.”

  That earned a round of laughter—Aira included. The tension unknotted slightly, the weight of the earlier topic easing back into the softer, familiar chaos of lunchtime chatter.

  “Well, that reminds me of someone,” Aira said, tone playful. “A good friend I knew a few years back. We were really close, but he liked to disappear and avoid social interaction at all costs. I have no idea what he’s up to now because he ghosted me.”

  Alyne raised an eyebrow. “So he’s a cryptid.”

  Amari let out a sympathetic chuckle. “That sucks! How long ago was this?”

  Aira tapped a finger against her chin, thinking. “Mm… about two or three years ago, probably.”

  Lev smiled, earnest as always. “I hope you guys can reunite one day. That’d be fun.”

  The conversation continued until eventually, people began noticing the time. Slowly, the group began to disperse.

  Aira stood and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

  “Bye everyone! Great catching up!” she called out, waving as she headed toward the walkway.

  Warmth lingered in her chest as she walked—an energized hum left behind by good company and shared laughter. But Lev’s words stuck with her.

  Reunite one day.

  Her steps slowed just a fraction.

  She hadn’t thought about Hyakki in a long time. But now, as she remembered the times they’d shared together, she felt a faint tug of longing. She did miss him. More than she liked to admit. But she shook her head, tempering her own hope.

  It had been almost three years. No calls. No messages. No trace.

  Nothing would change that now.

  “Yeah,” Aira murmured to herself, half a laugh slipping out. “No shot.”

  ─ ? NEXT CHAPTER POV ? ─

  Akio