(Nex's POV)
The pale morning light crept in through the narrow slit of the curtains, brushing against my eyes and pulling me out of sleep.
For a moment, I didn't move. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness settle. The weight in my chest — the one I'd grown used to carrying — was lighter. Not gone… but lighter. And I knew exactly when it had shifted.
Her lap. Her hand in my hair. That quiet warmth I'd forgotten I could feel.
I closed my eyes, replaying it in fragments. The dim lounge, her voice calling me "little brother" like it was the most natural thing in the world. The way my body had betrayed me — refusing to move, refusing to keep the walls up — and instead let me… rest.
Rest. Not sleep. Rest.
The faint chill of the room finally pushed me up. My steps to the bathroom were unhurried, my mind still lingering on last night as warm water ran over my skin.
When I stepped out, I dried off and reached for the fresh uniform folded neatly on the desk. Black, trimmed with subtle silver lines along the cuffs and collar — the Nexus Academy Aether Division attire. Designed for combat-focused tracks, its modern cut and sleek fabric fit like it was made for me.
I buttoned the jacket, straightened the cuffs, and checked the mirror.
Sharp lines. Calm eyes. Controlled breathing.
The headphones went around my neck last, the final piece. They didn't just play music — they kept the world at a comfortable distance.
Today was my first day in the Aether Combat Division " Class 1-A". New faces. New dynamics. A new battlefield to read.
I took the key from the desk and stepped into the hallway.
By the time I reached the second-year rankers' wing, my hand was already lifted to press the doorbell — but it froze halfway.
Because Elaria Calder was standing right outside, her white hair catching the early sun, one hand raised like she had been about to knock.
For a heartbeat, neither of us spoke. Her eyes searched mine, and I wondered if she could see the shift from last night.
____________________________________
Elaria's lips curved into a soft smile, the kind that held both relief and something like hope. "Good morning, Nex."
I nodded, keeping my voice calm and steady. "Good morning, Sis"
She glanced down at our uniforms — hers pristine white trimmed with silver, mine the sleek black of the Aether Combat Division.
"You look ready," she said quietly, a spark of pride in her eyes. "I'm glad you're here. It feels… right."
I met her gaze, noting the warmth she carried — the sister I had known, or maybe the one I was starting to remember.
"Thank you," I said. "I'm… glad to be here."
She stepped aside, gesturing toward the hallway. "Your class is this way. I'll walk you there."
As we moved through the corridors of the rankers' dorm, the familiar scents of mana and polished stone mingled with the morning light streaming in through high windows.
"So, the Aether Combat Division," Elaria said, her tone light but curious. "They're the toughest track this year. Lots of physical and mana combat, but also tactical studies."
I nodded again. "I've prepared for it."
She glanced at me, a knowing look in her eyes. "I can see that. But don't forget, it's not just about strength or skill. It's about knowing when to hold back… and when to push forward."
I allowed a brief smile to touch my lips. "I'll keep that in mind."
For the first time in a long while, walking beside her — the sister who had waited for me — the weight on my chest felt a little less suffocating.
And maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something new,
As we walked down the hallway, I broke the comfortable silence. "I'll need a new katana," I said quietly. "The one I had… melted during the exam."
Elaria glanced over, eyebrows raised but her smile easy. "You know, you don't have to worry about that."
I frowned slightly. "How so?"
She laughed softly, a light that felt like sunlight after a storm. "Our father's the leading manufacturer of mana-forged weapons in the country .You're bound to get a replacement overnight — maybe even something better. It'll be waiting for you by dawn."
I nodded slowly, absorbing the information. Somehow, despite everything, it felt like a small piece of home I hadn't known I was missing.
The corridor opened up, and we neared the entrance to the Aether Combat Division classroom. Voices and footsteps echoed from within — a mix of anticipation and nerves, the first-day energy.
Elaria stopped and turned toward me, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Without warning, she reached up, cradling my face in her hands, her thumbs brushing my cheekbones gently.
"You'll do fine, Nex," she whispered, her voice low and warm. "Just don't forget who's got your back."
I looked into her eyes, feeling a quiet strength flow through the gesture.
She smiled, then stepped back with a graceful nod. "I have to get to my class now, but I'll see you later."
With that, she turned and disappeared through the doorway, leaving me standing at the threshold of a new beginning — katana yet to be reforged, and a path uncertain but somehow not so lonely anymore.