The moon was bright that night, casting silver reflections across the floating courtyards of Starcrest. A gentle wind passed through the trees, carrying whispers and distant echoes from training platforms still active after dusk.
Sandra West stood at the edge of the crystal lake behind the east tower. The water, still and clear, mirrored the stars. Her reflection stared back , long following black hair, deep black eyes and white shining skin—calm, controlled, unreadable , just like always.
But inside her? A storm.
She picked up a stone, infused it with a flicker of moonlight, and tossed it across the surface. It skipped twice before vanishing in a soft, glowing ripple.
"Leo." She muttered softly
She hadn't been able to get him out of her mind. Not since that first trial. Not since the strange scan result today. The way the platform reacted to him… it wasn't just an anomaly. It was power—deep, buried, and ancient. She could feel it in her core.
And it scared her.
Because part of her didn't understand why she cared so much.
"I barely know him… so why do I care what happens to him?"
She tried to rationalize it. Maybe it was because he stood beside them without hesitation. Maybe it was the way he spoke—calm, focused, but lonely. Or maybe it was the way the moonlight always seemed to cling to him, like it recognized him.
"Sandra?"
She turned sharply. Veronica Collins stood nearby, arms crossed and barefoot, her long hazel hair wrapped in vines that shifted like they were alive complementing her eyes which had a kaleidescope of colors
"You've been standing here for hours," Veronica said softly.
Sandra sighed. "I just needed space."
Veronica walked up beside her, sat down on the stone edge, and kicked her feet in the water. "It's Leo, isn't it?"
Sandra didn't answer.
"I saw how you looked at him after the scan. Like you were… worried. But also angry."
"I'm not angry."
"No," Veronica said gently, "you're scared."
Sandra's shoulders stiffened.
"He's hiding something," she finally said. "And I don't like mysteries I can't solve."
Veronica smiled. "You don't need to solve him, Sandra. Just… trust him. He feels familiar. Like he's meant to be here, even if the world doesn't understand why yet."
Sandra looked back to the lake. "That's what scares me most."
---
Elsewhere – Dorm 14A
Arthur Kincaid stood in front of a steel training pillar, shirt soaked in sweat, frost lining his hands. Crystalline ice covered the floor, swirling around him like a blizzard on command.His lean frame exuding confidence and power, his light blue hair with white fringes and streaks falls over his face a bit yet the faint glow of his golden eyes shin through.
Across the room, another young man stood with arms folded. His skin was pale like Arthur's yet a bit more tan his purple eyes glinted with amusement and fighting will.
"Show-off," he muttered.
Arthur turned. "It's called training, Seth."
His roommate Seth speaks his voice playful and cunning. "It's called gloating. You just had to be the top of our generation again."
Arthur exhaled slowly. "It's not a competition."
"It always is. At least according to your brother that is."
Arthur glares at Seth his eyes shining more intensely
"You wanna go?."
"Hahaha as much as I would like to ,we can't not here at least" Seth said calmly. "I heard Alec is transferring to Starcresrt soon"
Arthur stepped forward. His voice didn't rise—but the air around him grew colder. In response Seth releases a bit of his purple aura distorting the gravity around him " hahaha you really are a good roommate after all" . He turns and leaves a grin plastered across his face .
*********************************************
"Is that what you think I wanted? I didn't ask to inherit the Frost Dragon King's blood. I didn't ask to be the one Father trained personally. I didn't ask for this pressure?"
Arthur mumbles to himself " Ah what a drag"
---
Back in Dorm 17C, Leo sat cross-legged on the balcony again. This time, the flame didn't appear. It had gone quiet
Kevin was inside, humming off-key while tinkering with a wrist gauntlet he borrowed from the training center.
"Yo," Kevin called out. "You cool with people coming over tomorrow? Arthur some others wanna review resonance techniques. Maybe Sandra will come too."
Leo blinked. "Sure."
Kevin smirked. "Not worried about Sandra getting distracted by your smoldering mystery vibe?"
Leo raised an eyebrow. "I'm just a guy who broke a scanner. That's all."
"Right. And I'm just a guy who can punch through walls."
They both chuckled.
In the distance, storm clouds flickered with strange violet lightning. A faint echo stirred in the stars.
And far below, shadows in the underworld shifted.
Unseen.
Unheard.
Waiting.
---