As the sun dipped beyond the horizon, the evening glow bathed the streets in shades of orange and crimson. The group finally arrived at the Wooden Bar.
"What—"
Danny, the bartender, looked up in mild surprise as he saw a lot of youngsters behind Miyaki, his eyes narrowing.
"Hey, Dan! Still got a table?"
Miyaki greeted him with a bright smile.
Danny let out a long sigh, but a faint smile tugged at his lips as he waved them in.
"Yeah, yeah. Anything for the mighty Sensei."
The large table was soon alive with chatter and laughter, voices overlapping from excitement. For the first time, they tried mocktails, each one finding a flavor that suited them perfectly.
Their eyes widened in surprise at how good the drinks were. When the food arrived, it looked warm, hearty, and flavorful. The taste wrapped them in a sense of comfort none of them had felt in a long time.
Kylen spoke of his little sister, "Enelis," waiting for him deep in the woods. She was the reason he wanted to grow stronger and protect his family. Rosslin admitted with a proud smile that, despite her wealthy upbringing, she had chosen this path to follow her dream of becoming a Swordsman. While Raykar, ever bold, declared that he would keep pushing himself to the limit until he proved he was the greatest swordsman of them all.
The night grew livelier as the party began in earnest. Raykar, already brimming with energy, suddenly grabbed Kylen's arm and dragged him to the dance floor, where the more cheerful patrons swayed to the music. Kylen yelped, but soon laughter surrounded them both.
Watching from the table, Leyla and Rosslin burst into giggles, covering their mouths as they enjoyed the sight.
Beneath the glowing lanterns of the Wooden Bar, their graduation night became a celebration none of them would ever forget. Leroy leaned back, his eyes softening as he took in the scene.
This was a memory he would cherish forever.
Their hard work, struggles, and bond had all led to this moment they had been looking forward to for a long time. He had never felt more grateful.
Meanwhile, Skyler sat with his usual smirk, arms folded, as though he were unaffected. For the first time, he realized what it felt like to have people that he could trust wholeheartedly beside him. When he turned, his gaze caught Leyla's smile. Something stirred in his chest, a quiet warmth spreading within him. It was strange, yet it was undeniably pleasant.
Suddenly, over the noise of laughter and music, Leroy leaned closer to Skyler.
"Hey Skyler, how do you feel about Leyla?"
"Huh?"
Skyler blinked, caught off guard.
"Don't act dumb. I've seen it. You're always staring at her."
Leroy pressed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
Skyler muttered, trying to brush it off. Though his ears betrayed him, reddening slightly.
Leroy sighed, setting down his drink with a knowing smirk.
"You like her, don't you?"
Skyler froze, his composure cracking. The words caught in his throat as he tried to form a reply, but he only managed a stutter. Before he could say anything, a sudden weight crashed onto both him and Leroy.
"Whaaaat are you two whispering about~?"
Miyaki's voice slurred cheerfully as she wrapped her arms around them both, her cheeks flushed red from drink.
"Sensei!"
Leroy groaned, half laughing, half annoyed.
Skyler, trapped under her drunken hug, clicked his tongue and tried to wriggle free, his face heating up even more.
Miyaki leaned in closer, grinning.
"Oooh, don't tell me, the ice cold Skyler has a crush~?"
Skyler abruptly stood up, slipping out of Miyaki's drunken embrace.
"Tch, I'm going out for some fresh air."
He muttered, brushing past the table.
Miyaki tilted her head, a faint smirk curving her lips as she watched him leave. Leroy, too, caught the glimpse of Skyler's ears turning bright red, and he couldn't help but grin knowingly.
Leyla, sitting quietly, also noticed Skyler walking out the front door. Her eyes lingered on him.
"Leyla? What's the matter?"
Rosslin's gentle voice came as she touched Leyla's shoulder.
"H-huh!? Oh—it's nothing. I just saw Skyler walk out."
"Heh, probably couldn't handle the heat in here, huh?"
Rosslin chuckled softly, and suddenly Leyla gave a small, worried glance toward the door. Rosslin noticed and smiled warmly at her.
"How about you go check on him?"
Leyla blinked, surprised, but before she could argue, Rosslin reassured her with a cheerful grin.
"Don't worry about me. I'm having fun."
After a brief hesitation, Leyla nodded. She stood, heart beating a little faster, and quietly made her way toward the door.
Skyler leaned against the wall outside, pressing a hand over his face with a deep sigh.
"What the hell is this feeling? What are they even talking about? Like? Crush? The hell does that even mean?"
His chest tightened, and unconsciously, his hand clenched at his shirt. His mind betrayed him with flashes of Leyla's smile, warm, gentle, unlike anything he'd ever known. When he was younger, loneliness had been all he had, but this was something new.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"Are you alright?"
The soft, gentle voice startled him. Skyler's head snapped up. Leyla was leaning closer, her eyes filled with concern.
"Yeah, I'm—"
His words cut short as realization struck, his eyes widening. Leyla, too, flinched at his sudden reaction.
"Ah—s-sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"
She stammered, backing slightly.
Silence fell between them. The night air grew heavy with awkwardness as the moonlight spilled over the quiet street, illuminating the two of them alone together.
Finally, Skyler turned his gaze aside, muttering under his breath.
"Sorry, that was my fault."
Leyla blinked, then let out a soft chuckle. His clumsy apology caught her off guard, and for some reason, it made her smile. Skyler turned back just in time to see that radiant smile beneath the moonlight.
"That smile, again."
The thought slipped into his mind, unbidden. It eased the tension in his chest. Before he realized it, words left his lips.
"Leyla."
"Hm? Y-yes?"
"Why do you have such a sweet smile?"
His voice wavered as his eyes held hers.
"H-huh!?"
Leyla's face instantly flushed red. She spun around, covering her cheeks with both hands.
"Did I say something I shouldn't have?"
Skyler blinked, bewildered.
"Ah—n-no! It's not bad at all! It's just... you're the first person to ever say that to me. Well, other than Rosslin."
She blurted out, still flustered.
Skyler tilted his head, blank expression softening with faint confusion. Leyla sighed, peeking back at him, her voice trembled.
"Why suddenly ask about my smile?"
"I don't know. It just… makes me calm."
Skyler hesitated, then spoke simply. Her face turned an even brighter shade of red at his honesty. He exhaled slowly, gaze turning distant.
"Even though I don't understand anything else. I know that whenever I see your smile, it takes away all my pain. I feel right at home when I'm with you, and I want to protect you from harm, so you will always be smiling."
Leyla's breath caught in her throat. She stared at him. Skyler, who always seemed so cold, now looked so vulnerable. She felt a mixture of amazement and sorrow well up inside her.
Softly, she added:
"Hmm... I think I get it. It's like the moonlight. No matter how dark the night feels, whenever I see it, I feel at peace. It reminds me to keep on moving forward. To honor my mother's wish, and my own… to become someone's protector."
She slowly sat down on the steps, tilting her head back to gaze at the glowing moon above. Her expression softened.
"So, I guess I can relate to that."
At that moment, Skyler caught a glimpse of her. Leyla's warm, gentle smile was bathed in the pale glow of the blue moonlight. For him, it was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes upon.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened.
For the first time in his life, Skyler let out a soft chuckle.
Leyla froze, her eyes widening at the sound. It was rare, unbelievably rare, to hear him laugh. That cold, distant boy, smiling and laughing under the moonlight.
"Didn't expect someone like you to understand me."
Skyler said, still carrying that faint, almost fragile smile.
Leyla's heart pounded wildly in her chest. She had never seen this side of him before, and the warmth from it left her breathless. A pleasant ache swelled in her chest, something she couldn't hold back anymore.
"Skyler…"
Her voice trembled as she leaned closer, her cheeks blooming red, her eyes soft with emotion. Skyler blinked, caught off guard, his breath hitching as she inched closer.
"From the first time I met you, I've—"
Bang!
The front door slammed open.
Raykar stumbled out with a drunken grin, his arm slung loosely as Kylen desperately tried to hold him back.
"Oi—Raykar! You're being way too loud!"
Kylen hissed, half-panicked.
The moment was shattered in an instant. Leyla jolted back, her face burning as she tried to hide it, while Skyler turned his head away, masking his fluster behind a sharp scowl.
As though fate itself was against them, Leroy appeared at the door to help Kylen drag the drunken Raykar back inside, but the second Leroy's eyes fell on them, sitting closely together beneath the moonlight, his brows raised slightly.
Raykar, barely able to stand, followed Leroy's gaze. His drunken eyes widened, and with a sloppy grin, he pointed a shaky finger toward the two of them.
"Ahhh!!! They are—!"
Before he could finish, Kylen slapped a hand over his mouth in panic.
"Shut up, idiot!"
He hissed while Leroy quickly pushed both of them back inside.
"Sorry about that."
Leroy muttered over his shoulder with an apologetic look before vanishing into the bar again, and silence occurred.
Skyler and Leyla stood frozen, their faces glowing red, neither able to say a word. Their eyes darted away from each other, the awkwardness heavy enough to choke on.
Just as the air between them began to settle.
Creaaak…
The door opened again.
This time, Miyaki stepped out with a half-empty bottle of wine in one hand, her cheeks flushed, her smile crooked with mischief. Her gaze slid between the two of them, reading the atmosphere all too quickly.
"Oh~? What do we have here?"
She purred, smirking.
Before Skyler could protest, Miyaki hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him close, ruffling his hair, a knowing smirk playing at her lips.
"Come on, you lovebirds. I've got a very important speech to make for your final session!"
"W-what!?"
Miyaki dragged him back inside as Skyler sputtered with his face burning even more. Leyla could only let out a long, heavy sigh, still flushed and flustered as she followed them in.
As the night drew to its close, the bar grew quiet. Laughter faded into soft murmurs, and all eyes turned toward Miyaki. She swayed a little as she stood, bottle still in hand, her cheeks flushed from drink, but her expression softened in a way they rarely saw.
"Each one of you has grown stronger not just in swordsmanship, but in heart as well. The path ahead won't be easy, but I believe in all of you. No matter where this journey takes you."
Her voice was slightly slurred, but it carried a rare sincerity that silenced the room.
"To a new beginning!"
She declared, raising her glass high.
Her gaze swept across the table, lingering on each of their faces. One by one, the students sat up straighter, their expressions turning earnest. For a moment, silence held them. Then slowly, smiles began to bloom.
"Sensei. Thank you for everything."
Kylen spoke first, his voice steady.
"You've done more than just train us, sensei."
Rosslin added, her smile warm.
"You're just like—our second mother!"
Raykar blurted out, still drunk, but honest.
"Eh?"
Miyaki froze. Her eyes widened.
The group burst into laughter, the warmth in their voices filling the room. Miyaki's lips trembled as she tried to hold it in, but the laughter, the joy, the love in their voices broke through her. A radiant smile spread across her face, wide and unrestrained.
"You brats."
With a sudden burst of emotion, she spread her arms and pulled as many of them as she could into a tight, crushing embrace.
"Ahh—! Too tight!"
"Sensei, let gooo—!"
The room overflowed with laughter, some students teared up, others flushed with drink, but all of them were filled with warmth. Under the glow of lanterns, Miyaki and her students weren't just Teacher and Student.
They were family.
As the night grew late, fatigue finally started to weigh on everyone. One by one, the students began to yawn, eager to retreat to their dorms and rest before tomorrow's dawn. Their laughter still lingered in the air as they made their way back toward the castle.
Suddenly, Miyaki stopped mid-way.
A soldier approached her quietly, leaning in to whisper something urgent into her ear. The moment she heard the news, her expression shifted. The smiles from earlier vanished, replaced with sharp seriousness.
"Everyone, head back to your dorms and get some rest. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."
Miyaki said, turning back to the group with a calm but firm tone
Some of them looked uneasy, suspicion flickering in their eyes. Kylen took a step forward.
"Sensei, we can help."
Miyaki shook her head.
"No. I'll handle this one."
Though reluctant, they could see she wasn't going to bend. One by one, they nodded, trusting her words even if unease lingered in their hearts. Miyaki raised her hand in a reassuring wave, her smile faint but steady.
"Good night, everyone. Sleep well."
With that, she followed the soldier down the dimly lit hall toward the King's office. By the time she arrived, the King's face was already clouded with worry. He was pacing around in thought, voice low and heavy.
"There have been reports of a suspicious figure lurking near the outskirts of the capital. Sightings at midnight, always vanishing before our guards can confront them."
He said as the room fell silent for a moment. Miyaki's eyes narrowed, her hand unconsciously brushing the hilt of her blade.
The King's voice hardened.
"Miyaki, I want you to lead the scouting. Take a squad of my soldiers and Warson's team. Whoever this shadow is, we cannot afford to ignore it."
Miyaki bowed deeply, her resolve unwavering.
"Understood. We'll move immediately."
While her students drifted into sleep unaware of the storm that was brewing, Miyaki marched into the night, the weight of urgency heavy in her steps.
Miyaki stepped out of the castle gates, the night air colder than before. Warson was already waiting with his team, their armor glinting faintly under the pale moonlight. He quickly laid out the plan, splitting their groups into different positions to cover as much ground as possible.
After the meeting, everyone dispersed. Miyaki found herself standing on the roof of a tall building, her sharp gaze sweeping across the quiet town below. The streets were silent, the lanterns swaying faintly in the breeze.
Yet, the unease in her chest only grew heavier.
"Everything seems fine, but why do I have such a bad feeling about this?"
She thought, her arms folded tightly.
An hour passed. Nothing. Not even the shadow of a figure.
Miyaki descended toward the town gates, only to find Warson and his men gathering in the same spot, their expressions mirroring her own frustration.
"Still nothing?"
Miyaki asked.
"Not a trace, but weren't you scouting the eastern side? How did you end up here?"
Warson frowned.
"That's what I should be asking you. You were supposed to cover the opposite end."
Her eyes narrowed.
A beat of silence passed. Then, the realization struck them both at once.
The fog.
It had thickened unnaturally, swirling heavier with every passing second. Miyaki turned sharply, her gaze locking back toward the castle. The outlines of its towers flickered and blurred through the haze, like a mirage.
"No, this isn't right."
"Warson, we need to get back to the castle—"
Before she could finish, the silence of the night was disrupted.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from the castle. The ground shook beneath their feet. Their eyes widened in horror as dark flames licked the sky in the distance.
Dozens of glowing crimson eyes blinked open within the fog around them. The air filled with guttural growls as hulking shapes crawled forth.
"Cribreos."
Miyaki's blood ran cold.
The beasts stalked forward, snarling. That name had only been spoken in whispers, for they were creatures bound within the sealed gates, monsters that should have never been able to set foot here.
"How?! The gates were sealed. There's no way they could be here!"
Warson's voice cracked in disbelief. There was no more time to question.
"Fight through!"
Miyaki roared, drawing her blade as the first creature lunged from the fog.
Steel clashed against claw. Warson's team fought desperately, but for every monster they struck down, two more emerged. The fog itself seemed alive, birthing nightmare after nightmare.
Still, Miyaki's eyes never left the burning silhouette of the castle.
"Damn it! Please let them be safe."