The night swallowed the road ahead, a long ribbon of stone winding through the dark fields toward Outermarch 6 Headquarters.
Four silhouettes moved through the cold wind.
Gareth.
Nessy.
Ember.
Jaless.
No one spoke.
The world felt different, even the moon hid behind clouds, as if unwilling to witness what Gareth had become.
Torchlight drifted from distant outposts, glowing like dying embers in a sea of black. Each step echoed—soft boots striking old stone—steady, synchronized, unnervingly tense.
Nessy walked a little behind Gareth, arms wrapped around herself, eyes fixed on the ground. Her breaths came quick and uneven, still haunted by the coldness she saw earlier.
Jaless, usually loud and restless, said nothing. His jaw was tight, his hands shoved into his pockets, every glance he stole at Gareth filled with questions he didn't dare ask.
Ember walked closest to Gareth.
Her boots kept perfect rhythm with his.
Her gaze never left the horizon.
She felt the change in him too.
Everyone did.
The wind brushed past Gareth's hair, carrying dust and the distant scent of metal from Outermarch's building walls. Tall watchtowers pierced the night sky ahead, their lanterns shining like the eyes of sleeping giants.
Gareth didn't look at any of them.
His eyes were locked forward—sharp, distant, unreadable.
And though he walked with his friends, he felt miles apart.
A faint hum vibrated in the air as they reached the final stretch of road. The massive gates of Outermarch 6 loomed before them—iron, weathered, engraved with sigils that flickered under the moon as the clouds drifted.
Jaless swallowed hard.
Nessy wiped her sleeve across her cheek.
Ember exhaled slowly.
Gareth's footsteps didn't slow.
The gates began to open.
Cold light spilled out.
And whatever waited inside…
wasn't going to be kind.
The gates rumbled open, iron grinding against ancient stone. Cold white lantern light poured out, stretching long shadows across the four as they walked closer.
Gareth didn't slow his pace.
But his voice broke the silence—low, calm, cutting through the cold air.
"Jaless."
Jaless straightened instantly, boots scraping as he caught up beside Gareth.
"Yeah?"
Gareth didn't look at him.
His eyes stayed locked on the widening gate.
"What do you know about the captured cadets in the Eastern Tribe?"
The question hit like a blade.
Nessy's breath hitched.
Ember's eyes narrowed.
Jaless swallowed hard.
"For real?" he muttered. "Right here… right now…?"
Gareth's tone didn't change.
"Yes. Right now."
Jaless ran a hand through his hair, voice tightening as he spoke.
"…A lot, actually."
Gareth's eyes finally shifted to him—sharp, unreadable.
"How many?"
Jaless hesitated for a heartbeat.
Then he exhaled.
"Almost a thousand cadets were captured."
Nessy gasped softly behind them.
Ember's jaw clenched, her hands curling into fists at her sides.
Gareth said nothing.
But something in the air around him shifted—the silent kind of tension that felt colder than the wind itself.
Jaless continued, voice quieter, carrying the weight of everything unsaid.
"The Eastern Tribe didn't just raid them… They swept their entire camps. Whole squads vanished overnight. No one saw it coming."
Gareth's gaze returned to the glowing iron gates ahead.
"A thousand…"
His voice was barely above a whisper.
Yet every step he took after that sounded heavier.
Harder.
More certain.
The gates finished opening.
Outermarch 6 Building waited for them like a beast with its jaws wide open.
And Gareth walked straight inside.
The four stepped into the vast courtyard of Outermarch 6 Headquarters. Stone walls rose on every side, torchlight flickering against darkened banners.
A lone guard, exhaustion etched into his face, stepped forward.
He straightened, eyes wary.
"State your purpose," he asked, voice rough.
Nessy stepped forward, chest rising with nervous breaths.
Behind her, Gareth, Ember, and Jaless stood silent, statuesque.
"We come… after the battle," she began, voice steady despite the tremor in her hands.
"After we fought and won against Thyssara's test… we've joined Number Six."
The guard blinked, recognition flashing.
"Ah… I see. Enter, then. You're expected."
Nessy gave a small nod. Gareth's eyes scanned the courtyard, calculating. Ember's hand twitched slightly, ready for anything. Jaless stayed close, tense but silent.
The gates ahead closed behind them with a low, resonant clang.
Outermarch 6 had accepted them.
Gareth walked past the bustling halls of Outermarch 6 Headquarters, every footstep echoing softly against stone.
At the back, a tree rose alone, its leaves and flowers black as midnight, swaying slightly in a breeze that smelled faintly of smoke and rain.
He approached it. Each step slower than the last.
Finally, he sank to the ground beneath the tree, shoulders slumping.
For a long moment, he just breathed.
Then, a faint, tired smile curved his lips.
Sadness lingered in his eyes.
Exhaustion weighed every inch of him.
From behind, soft footsteps approached.
Ember. Silent. Careful.
She knelt for a heartbeat, then settled beside him, the black leaves whispering around them.
No words were spoken.
No movement beyond the wind.
Just two figures beneath the dark tree, quiet and heavy with everything left unsaid.
Ember shifted slightly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"I… I'm sorry," she said quietly, voice barely above the wind.
"For being rude earlier."
Gareth's tired smile returned, faint but genuine.
"Sure," he said softly.
Ember's eyes flicked up, noticing the change.
"He's… back," she thought.
The sharp coldness from before had melted, replaced by the Gareth she knew.
After a pause, her brow furrowed.
"Why… why were you so harsh to Nessy?"
Gareth's gaze fell to the black leaves around them, fingers brushing the ground.
"I…" He exhaled slowly, voice low and measured.
"Sometimes… I push people away to protect them. I… didn't want her to get hurt. But I was wrong about how I handled it."
Ember stayed silent, letting his words settle, the wind rustling black petals around them like soft whispers of truth.
Nessy stepped forward, hesitant, her frame moving like a shadow through the black-leafed tree's soft gloom.
Gareth hummed quietly, almost absentmindedly, eyes still tracing the patterns of the dark petals above.
She settled gently in the space between him and Ember, tanned skin glowing softly in the muted light. Her dark eyes, wide and glimmering, flicked up at him nervously.
Her hands reached for his, trembling slightly.
"I… I'm sorry for earlier," she whispered.
Gareth's tired expression softened. He reached out, brushing her hands gently, then patted her head with quiet reassurance.
Ember shifted beside them, shoulders tensing. Her eyes flitted from Gareth to Nessy, the faintest pang of jealousy threading through her calm exterior.
The wind rustled the black leaves above, carrying the weight of quiet emotions—sadness, relief, and the sharp sting of unspoken longing.
Jaless arrived, careful footsteps breaking the quiet. In his hands, he carried a small tray of drinks—dark, almost black, shimmering in the faint light.
He froze for a heartbeat, noticing Gareth's faint, tired smile.
Ember and Nessy glanced at each other, eyes narrowing.
"Where… did you even get that?" Ember asked softly, voice laced with curiosity.
Jaless shrugged, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"Just something I found… thought it might be interesting."
Gareth raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He took the glass, watching the inky liquid ripple in the lantern light.
He sipped.
The color was surprising. The taste—sharper, richer than he expected—made his eyes widen. A small, genuine laugh escaped him.
"This… is good," he said, savoring it.
One by one, they each sipped. The courtyard fell silent except for the soft wind and distant rustle of black leaves above.
Together, they settled under the tree, the four of them side by side. Eyes lifted to the pale, watching moon.
They smiled. Not loudly. Not triumphantly. But quietly—tired, relieved, alive.
And then… the scene shifted.
Far to the east, the winds swept across a hidden encampment. Shadowed figures moved swiftly among tents.
A low, determined voice broke the night.
"Let's begin the escape plan."
The air tensed. The Eastern Tribe stirred. The next chapter was waiting.