Everything around us shimmered softly, as if the world itself had dissolved into warm starlight. Misaki and I sat so close our shoulders touched, her presence gentle and calming beside me. The book resting on our laps glowed faintly—its pages lit with a soft golden hue, letters drifting like tiny fireflies across the paper.
Misaki held the book carefully from the bottom with both hands, while my arm was wrapped around her back, pulling her just a little closer. My other hand rested lightly on the page as we read together, our voices blending in the quiet glow.
"I'm glad you finally learned our language completely," Misaki said, her smile shining brighter than the pages.
"Didn't I tell you?" I replied confidently. "I'm a fast learner."
She giggled. "Your reading skills are too good."
"I like to read you sometimes," I teased, unable to resist.
"Ohh, Ritvik…" She flushed slightly, smiling with that excited sparkle in her eyes.
Then her tone shifted.
"Wake up," Misaki said.
I blinked at her, confused. "Wake up?"
"Wake up, bro," she repeated.
"Wake up…?" I murmured.
"What's this mountain-like thing?" Jatin asked, staring at me while I slept.
"That's his knee, bro," Rizu said with a smirk.
All of my brothers were standing around my bed, arms crossed or hands in their pockets.
I was sleeping in bed with a mischievous smirk frozen on my face—still half-trapped in the warmth of the dream I'd just been having.
"Wake up, bro," Ayush said, his voice dragging me slowly toward consciousness.
"Why is he smiling like that?" Jatin asked, leaning close to inspect me like some strange forest creature.
"He's probably dreaming something dirty," Rudransh said, placing a hand on Jatin's shoulder and pulling him back with exaggerated seriousness.
"What?!" Jatin blinked in confusion.
"Let me handle this," Rudransh declared, chest puffed out like he had just accepted a dangerous mission.
He grabbed my shoulder. "Hey! Wake up, you lazy—"
But before he could finish, I rolled onto my side and curled up tightly, wrapping myself completely in the blanket. The bedsheet swallowed me whole like a human cocoon. Only the soft rise and fall of the fabric showed any sign that I was alive.
At the room's entrance, Riri and Misaki watched the scene with mild curiosity.
Riri tilted her head. "Why's he covering himself like that?"
Shon replied with a slight shrug, "It's just a habit of his. He sleeps that way all the time."
Without warning, Rudransh reached down and yanked the bedsheet from my feet upward. A sudden burst of sunlight poured in from the window, hitting my face.
"Ugh—!" I groaned, twisting away from the light and flipping myself upside down. I grabbed the pillow from beside me and slammed it on top of my head.
But Rudransh wasn't done yet.
He crouched down and began tickling my feet with his fingers.
"Stop—!" I whined, flailing my legs. "Don't tease me, please. I slept late last night…"
"What the hell were you even doing at night?" Rudransh snapped. "You're such a spoiled brat. I'm throwing a bucket of water on you if you don't get up."
Shon placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to go that far."
Jatin yawned. "Let him sleep. He can come with us next time."
"But he needs to train too," Rudransh argued. "If we slack now, we're gonna lose this tournament."
Rizu chimed in calmly, "It's alright. He's not gonna learn everything in one day."
Rudransh made an angry face. "Okay, fine. Take his side, then. But don't blame me if we lose because of him."
Grumbling, he walked out of the room. The others followed, footsteps fading as they went downstairs and stepped outside the house.
---
Outside, the warm morning air filled the space. Birds chirped from nearby trees, and sunlight filtered down in golden rays. The brothers stood in front of the house, arms stretched and eyes half awake.
"Can't we come with you too?" Rudransh asked, adjusting his sleeve.
Riri shook her head gently. "Gathering a crowd at that place wouldn't be a good idea. We'll meet you there once we're done."
"What was the name of that university again?" Rudransh asked, squinting.
Riri smiled. "It's called the Academy of Mnemosyne."
"That's seriously hard to spell," Rudransh muttered.
Jatin added, "And even harder to remember."
Rizu scratched his head. "Does the name mean anything?"
Riri nodded. "Mnemosyne is the goddess of memories. If you pray to her, she helps you memorize spells more easily."
With that, she raised two fingers to her lips and blew a sharp whistle.
A moment later, a loud flap echoed above—and Raku descended from the rooftop, landing with a deep, powerful thud in front of them.
"Will we all fit on his back?" Rudransh asked, looking uncertain.
Misaki stepped forward. "Don't worry. Raku can carry several people at once."
Right as she said that, Raku's body expanded. His size doubled in moments, his wings spreading wide like shadows across the ground. Everyone stared in disbelief.
"Wow…" Ayush gasped. "That was awesome."
Rizu blinked. "Okay… that was unexpected."
Misaki disappeared into the house and returned moments later with a saddle, leap pad, lead rope, and headgear. With graceful ease, she leapt onto Raku's back and began fastening all the equipment like a knight preparing her mount for battle.
One by one, the brothers climbed onto Raku's back, grabbing the massive lead rope to steady themselves.
"Alright, Raku," Riri said. "Get them to the university."
With a low growl, Raku opened his enormous wings and lifted off the ground. A gust of wind surged beneath them as they rose fast.
"OH NO—I'M GONNA FALL!!" Ayush screamed, clutching the rope.
"WOOOOOW!" Jatin shouted with joy.
"This looks scary!" Rizu yelled.
Riri called up to them, "Don't worry! You'll get used to it soon!"
Raku flapped once more—and vanished into thin air, soaring invisibly through the sky.
Riri turned to Misaki. "Now we need to go too."
Then she paused and looked back at the house.
"Big sis… I don't wanna wake Ritvik up, but leaving the door unlocked could be risky too. Should we lock it from outside until we finish the ritual?"
Misaki nodded. "Yes. We won't be gone too long anyway."
---
Me and Misaki were standing in a beautiful, shiny place where soft flickering lights floated all around us. The air shimmered gently, glowing with a white, magical radiance.
I was dressed in a royal blue sherwani adorned with delicate silver embroidery, while Misaki wore a matching blue saree, golden patterns glimmering across the fabric as the tiny white lights drifted around us like soft snowfall.
Our hands were intertwined, our smiles warm, as if the world itself had paused just for us.
"I'm glad we are finally getting married, dear," Misaki says with a bright smile.
"I was waiting for this day for so long. It's like a dream come true."
"Misaki… I want to ask you something."
"What is it?" she asks softly.
"Do you really love me?"
"Yes," she replies without hesitation. "You are the only one I love with my whole heart, dear."
I sigh in relief.
"I already knew it… but I wanted to hear it."
Then suddenly—
A huge shadow stretches over us.
I turn around.
"Raku…?"
It was Raku—but in a towering humanoid form. He wore an elegant cream sherwani with a maroon turban, yet everything else about him remained unmistakably monstrous: black scales, sharp horns, and glowing yellow eyes.
Before I can react, Raku grabs my collar and lifts me off the glowing ground.
"Let me go—hey!" I shout.
"Oh! Ritvik!" Misaki gasps in worry.
Raku hurls me to the side, and I crash onto the soft, shimmering floor.
"Misaki…" I cough, trying to stand.
She walks to Raku's side—smiling.
"Misaki?" I whisper in disbelief.
"Sorry, darling," she says sweetly. "But Raku is the one I truly love."
"What? That pet—?"
Her face instantly darkens.
"Didn't I tell you… don't call my Raku pet."
She holds Raku's arm lovingly.
"I'm sorry, Ritvik, but I can't love you. Because you are not him."
"No…" I whisper.
They both turn away, walking farther and farther from me.
"No, no, no!" I choke out, falling to my knees.
"Wait, Misaki!"
I reach my hand toward her as she disappears into the white snow with Raku.
"Please… don't leave me, Misaki!"
"NOOOOO—!"
I jolt awake, breathing heavily.
I look around my room.
"Oh… it was just a dream."
I stirred. My eyes slowly opened.
I rubbed them and sat up.
Yawning, I glanced out the window.
Just in time to see Misaki and Riri walking away from the house toward the distant horizon.
"H-Hey! Wait for me!" I shouted.
I jumped off the bed and bolted downstairs, still half-asleep.
I reached the main door—only to find it locked tight.
"…Huh?"
I looked around.
No one.
"W-Where… where's everyone gone?"
My voice echoed through the empty house.