Aetherion Academy thrummed with late-morning energy. Sunlight spilled through the glass towers, scattering colors across marble corridors where laughter echoed and magic shimmered like mist.
It was the first week in a long time without alarms, trials, or sudden system intrusions — a rare stillness the students didn't dare question.
Kaelith sat beneath an oak in the central courtyard, an open notebook resting on his knee. His eyes skimmed the runes he'd been adjusting for Lyra's Heart synchronization exercises.
Lyra sat cross-legged beside him, humming softly while tracing symbols in the dirt. Her hair glowed faintly — residual light from the Heart pulsing gently with her mood.
Selene arrived fashionably late, as usual. A streak of silver-violet hair glinted as she strolled toward them, balancing a tray of pastries like a seasoned performer.
"Breakfast for the brooding duo," she declared. "And before you ask — yes, I baked them myself. No, they're not poisoned. Probably."
Lyra giggled. "Thank you! These look amazing."
Kaelith didn't look up. "If you have time to bake, you're not training enough."
Selene dropped beside him anyway, grinning. "If you have time to scowl, you're not living enough."
That earned her a sideways glance — not quite irritation, not quite amusement.
Lyra covered a laugh behind her hand.
---
Morning Training
Later, on the dueling grounds, instructors barked orders while students paired off for practice.
Selene twirled her staff lazily, eyes glinting. "Spar with me, Shadow Prince?"
Kaelith sighed. "I'm not—"
"—fine, fine," she interrupted, smirking. "Kaelith Veyr, wielder of dramatic pauses and shadow daggers. Come on."
Lyra stood on the sidelines, cheering quietly as Selene launched the first move — a sweeping arc of pink-hued energy that smelled faintly of rose petals. Kaelith dodged effortlessly, his shadows curling around her magic like smoke.
Selene grinned wider. "You're holding back."
"Always."
Her counterstrike came faster, controlled but playful. She didn't fight to win — she fought to learn him, testing his reactions, teasing patterns from his form. He realized it and almost smiled.
When the match ended, both stood barely winded. The instructor clapped slowly. "Impressive restraint, both of you. No injuries this time."
Lyra ran over, eyes bright. "You looked… normal," she told her brother, laughing. "Like two people having fun."
Kaelith raised an eyebrow. "Fun?"
Selene winked. "It's a dangerous concept, I know."
---
Afternoon Calm
After training, the three of them sat by the floating lake — a mirror of blue suspended by enchantments. Students lounged along the shore, some studying, some dozing, others weaving light magic into tiny shapes that darted like birds.
Lyra rested her head on Kaelith's shoulder. "It's nice here."
"Too nice," Kaelith murmured, scanning the horizon. "It never lasts."
Selene tossed a pebble into the water. Ripples turned silver where it landed. "Then stop waiting for it to end. Enjoy it while it's here."
He looked at her — really looked. She smiled easily, but there was depth behind her eyes, a glint of something old and guarded. He recognized it because he carried it too.
"Enjoyment isn't my specialty," he said quietly.
She chuckled. "Then I'll make it a class. Lesson one: try the pastries without expecting a curse."
Lyra giggled again, kicking her feet in the grass. For a moment, the world felt almost whole.
---
Library Whispers
That evening, while Lyra attended her Heart calibration session, Kaelith found himself wandering into the library — quiet, vast, the smell of parchment and dust in the air.
He stopped when he noticed Selene at a corner table, surrounded by scrolls and softly glowing ink.
"You study this much outside class?" he asked.
She looked up, surprised but pleased. "I like knowing things. Especially about… you."
Kaelith frowned. "There's nothing worth knowing."
"Oh, I disagree," she said softly. "Everyone has stories. You just hide yours better than most."
Before he could answer, a faint shimmer flickered behind the shelves — the same crimson echo that haunted his vision before. He tensed instantly.
Selene saw the change. "Kaelith?"
He blinked, and it was gone.
"Nothing," he said. "Just shadows."
But Selene's expression turned serious. She placed a hand over his wrist, brief but grounding. "If something hunts you, I want to know. Not out of pity… but because I don't like surprises."
He met her gaze — calm, steady, and unexpectedly genuine.
Something unspoken passed between them before Lyra's laughter echoed faintly from the hall, breaking the moment.
---
Evening Reflections
Night came softly. The Academy's towers glowed with quiet enchantments, their light reflected in the floating lake below.
Kaelith sat on the roof, the Memory Seed pulsing faintly in his palm.
Lyra joined him, wrapped in a blanket. "You're thinking again."
"Always."
"About her?"
He blinked. "Selene?"
Lyra smiled faintly. "You don't talk much, but you listen differently around her."
Kaelith didn't answer. Instead, he looked out at the stars. "She's… unpredictable."
"Good," Lyra said, resting her head against his shoulder again. "Maybe unpredictability is what we need."
Below them, Selene walked through the courtyard, humming softly, her staff glowing faintly with restrained magic. She glanced up at the tower — as if she knew exactly where they were — and smiled.
Somewhere in the dark, a watcher stirred again, but for tonight, the Academy belonged to laughter, faint starlight, and the illusion of peace.