Part 6 — One Day Remaining
The Academy was unusually quiet.
Tomorrow...
Every first-year squad would leave.
The usual sounds of cadets racing through the corridors had disappeared.
Weapons had already been inspected.
Armor had been issued.
Deployment orders finalized.
There was nothing left to prepare.
Only time remained.
---
Dinner that evening felt different.
The dining hall was still full.
Still alive with conversation.
But every table seemed quieter than normal.
Gamma Squad gathered at their usual corner.
June looked around the room before taking a bite of his dinner.
"...Everybody looks like they're attending a funeral."
Lucian glanced across the cafeteria.
"They're thinking."
"I liked it better when they weren't."
Nyra smiled.
"They're probably nervous."
"...So am I."
The words surprised everyone.
June looked at her.
"...Really?"
She nodded honestly.
"I've never deployed before."
Mira quietly added,
"Neither have I."
Lucian looked down at his plate.
"...Experience in training only goes so far."
David listened.
He felt exactly the same.
He simply hadn't found the words yet.
June finally smiled.
"...Good."
Everyone looked at him.
"...I thought I was the only one."
The tension eased slightly.
David smiled.
"You?"
"...Nervous?"
June shrugged.
"I hide it well."
Castiel looked over.
"...Debatable."
June sighed dramatically.
"...See?"
"...This is why I can't have serious conversations."
Even Lucian laughed.
---
After dinner...
No one returned to the dorms immediately.
Instead...
Almost without discussing it...
The six of them found themselves walking through the Academy grounds one last time.
Past Combat Hall Seven.
Past the arena.
Past the gardens.
Every place held a memory now.
June pointed toward one of the older training fields.
"...Remember when David beat me in twenty-three seconds?"
David smiled.
"...It was twenty-one."
"...Why would you remember that?"
"You reminded me every week afterwards."
"...Fair."
Nyra laughed.
"I remember June insisting it was because he slipped."
"I did slip."
Mira looked at him.
"...After David hit you."
"...Details."
---
They continued walking.
Eventually reaching the central courtyard.
The fountain at its center reflected the moonlight.
Lucian stopped for a moment.
"When I first arrived..."
"I expected rivals."
He looked toward the others.
"I didn't expect friends."
David smiled.
"I don't think any of us did."
Nyra nodded.
"We were all trying to prove ourselves."
June grinned.
"I was trying not to embarrass myself."
Castiel answered immediately.
"...Mixed results."
June pointed at him.
"...I'm choosing to believe that was a compliment."
"It wasn't."
Everyone laughed.
---
The Academy clock tower rang.
Nine slow chimes echoed across the campus.
For a moment...
No one spoke.
Then June suddenly stood up.
He looked toward the dormitory.
"...Roof?"
David smiled immediately.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Nyra laughed softly.
"I don't think we've missed a week."
Mira nodded.
"...It wouldn't feel right if we didn't."
Lucian adjusted the strap across his shoulder.
"One last time before deployment."
Castiel finally looked over.
"...Sounds good."
Without another word...
The six of them began walking toward Dormitory Building One.
No one suggested it.
No one questioned it.
Somehow...
They had all been thinking the same thing.
Several minutes later...
The six of them climbed the familiar staircase leading to the rooftop of Dormitory Building One.
The old metal door creaked softly as David pushed it open.
Cool night air washed over them.
The Academy stretched beneath a sky overflowing with stars.
Combat Hall Seven stood quietly in the distance.
Beyond it...
The Tournament Arena.
The gardens.
Dormitory One.
Every path.
Every building.
Every memory from the past year seemed to be waiting below.
For a long moment...
No one stepped forward.
They simply stood there.
Taking it all in.
June finally broke the silence.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"...Still the best view in the Academy."
David smiled.
"...Yeah."
"It is."
June walked over to the edge of the roof and dropped into his usual spot.
"...I've missed this."
David laughed.
"We were up here three nights ago."
"...Exactly."
"Too long."
One by one...
The others settled into the places they always seemed to choose.
David sat beside June.
Lucian leaned comfortably against one of the old stone supports overlooking the courtyard.
Mira rested near the edge of the roof, quietly watching the lights below.
Nyra tucked her knees beneath herself as the evening breeze played gently through her silver hair.
Only Castiel remained standing.
Hands in his pockets.
Looking toward the distant horizon beyond the Academy walls.
No one questioned it.
He often stood while everyone else sat.
It had simply become another part of who he was.
The wind drifted quietly across the rooftop.
Far below...
Cadets crossed the Academy grounds for what would be the last peaceful evening before deployment.
Tomorrow...
Those same paths would be empty.
Nyra slowly looked around at everyone.
A warm smile crossed her face.
"...Promise me something."
Five pairs of eyes turned toward her.
"When this mission is over..."
"...Let's come back here."
She looked around the rooftop.
The old stone railing.
The familiar skyline.
The city lights stretching into the distance.
"...The six of us."
"...Same roof."
"...Same view."
"...Together."
Silence settled over Gamma Squad.
David smiled first.
"...I'd like that."
Lucian nodded.
"...Agreed."
Mira smiled softly.
"...It's a promise."
June pointed toward the stairwell.
"...Only if somebody remembers to bring food this time."
Nyra laughed.
"I knew you'd say that."
June shrugged.
"...Somebody has to think ahead."
Everyone chuckled.
Even Castiel.
He never looked away from the horizon.
But a small smile appeared.
"...Yeah."
"...We'll come back."
The conversation faded.
No one hurried to fill the silence.
They simply enjoyed the night.
Eventually...
June leaned back against the stone behind him.
"...Anybody else pretending they're not nervous?"
No one answered immediately.
The breeze carried quietly across the rooftop.
David looked down at his hands before smiling faintly.
"...Yeah."
Nyra nodded.
"...Me too."
Mira watched the lights beyond the Academy walls.
"I keep thinking..."
"...What if I miss something?"
"What if I make the wrong decision?"
Lucian slowly exhaled.
"I've been asking myself the same questions."
June looked over.
"...Seriously?"
Lucian smiled faintly.
"I'm still human."
Soft laughter spread through the group.
The tension eased.
David glanced toward Castiel.
"Cass?"
Without turning around, Castiel answered.
"...Yeah, D?"
"You've been awfully quiet."
A faint smile crossed Castiel's face.
"...Just listening."
June rested both hands behind his head.
"...I'm not scared of fighting."
David looked over.
"No?"
June shook his head.
"I'm scared one of you idiots is going to do something heroic..."
"...And make me have to save you."
Nyra laughed.
"You make it sound like an inconvenience."
"It would be."
Mira smiled.
"...You'd still do it."
June looked at her.
A grin slowly returned.
"...Yeah."
"...I would."
The rooftop fell quiet once again.
Comfortable.
Honest.
No one felt the need to say anything else.
Eventually...
Lucian pushed himself away from the stone support.
"We should get some sleep."
Nyra nodded.
"We deploy early."
Mira stood beside him.
"Goodnight."
June stretched before getting to his feet.
"...Tomorrow..."
He looked around at all of them.
"...Let's make sure we keep that promise."
David nodded.
"...Together."
One by one...
They made their way toward the rooftop door.
Lucian disappeared down the staircase first.
Mira followed.
Then Nyra.
June stopped beside Castiel and lightly bumped his shoulder.
"...Don't stay up all night."
Castiel smiled.
"...Wouldn't dream of it."
June nodded.
"...See you in the morning."
He disappeared down the stairs.
David was the last one left.
He reached the doorway.
Then stopped.
He turned back.
Castiel still hadn't moved.
Still stood quietly looking out across the Academy.
David smiled.
"...Hey..."
"...Cass."
Castiel slowly looked over.
"...Yeah, D?"