The Next Night
The night before I leave feels… normal.
Which is strange.
I thought it would feel different somehow. Like everyone would try keeping me here. Like I didn't want to go and just stay here.
But... I don't feel that at all.
Instead, I'm just lying on my back, staring at the ceiling.
The wood beams above me are faintly visible in the moonlight, pale silver lines cutting across shadow. I blow a slow puff of air upward, sending my bangs lifting off my forehead for a second before they fall right back into place.
Again.
And again.
The fifth time I do it, I let out a quiet sigh.
"Thrilling," I mutter.
I roll onto my side and let my gaze drift across the room.
The blade rests against the wall opposite my bed, positioned carefully where I left it earlier. Igon's work. Even from here I can tell how clean the craftsmanship is. The black sheath hugs the steel perfectly, no loose stitching, no uneven leather. The red strap hangs neatly from it, designed so I can sling it across my back without it shifting when I move.
He'd adjusted that strap three separate times before letting me walk out of his shop.
"Can't have ye runnin' around lookin' like an amateur," he'd grumbled, tightening it another notch.
I tested it for a little bit after leaving the shop. Small swings and tricks with it, honestly I was scared to put a scratch on it.
But what I noticed was the way the steel catches the light, making it look unreal — white, but not flat. There's depth to it. Like it's layered.
And the slots carved along the blade…
I haven't channeled anything into them yet.
I want to.
The thought makes a faint grin tug at my mouth before I can stop it.
I roll back onto my back and stare up at the ceiling again.
Moonlight slips through the window in thin bars, stretching across my bed and over my arm when I lift it. I turn my hand slowly under the light.
There are small cuts along my knuckles. Thin ones. Shallow. A bruise darkening near the base of my thumb. Another fading mark along my wrist.
A narrow slice across my palm from a week ago.
All from training.
All from pushing just a little past comfort.
I rotate my wrist once more before lowering my hand to my chest.
"Worth it," I murmur.
Two days ago that might've sounded dramatic.
I close my eyes briefly, listening to the quiet of the house.
Yui's probably still awake.
She pretends she doesn't care that I'm leaving tomorrow, but she's been hovering more than usual. Picking fights over nothing. Throwing half-ass insults at me. "Don't embarrass us." "Don't trip over your own feet." "You're not even that strong."
I let out a quiet laugh.
She's going to be unbearable once I'm gone.
Or she'll pretend she doesn't care at all.
…Yeah. That one.
I hope she doesn't cause too much trouble.
Actually—
I hope she does.
Keeps Mom busy.
My thoughts shift naturally.
Mom.
Ever since we moved here, she's just been steady. No pressure. No comparisons. No silent expectations weighing over my head.
Just calm support.
I can't think of a single time she's made me feel like I wasn't enough.
Even when I probably wasn't.
I stare at the ceiling again.
It's strange. I don't feel scared.
Not really.
Just aware.
Aware of what tomorrow means. Of what stepping into the Trials actually is.
Not the rumor or the stories. But the reality.
A sharp yelp suddenly cuts through my thoughts,
I sit up immediately.
That didn't come from inside the house.
It came from outside.
I'm on my feet before I consciously decide to move, crossing the room in a few quick steps. I pull the curtain aside just enough to peer through the glass.
There's movement along the slanted roof.
"…No way," I breathe.
Kendra.
She's halfway up the tiles, fingers digging into the edges as she drags herself upward. Her red hair falls messily into her face, catching the moonlight in streaks. Her foot slips once, and she claws harder to keep herself from sliding back down.
"Whisper!" a voice hisses from below.
I lean out farther.
Jasper stands beneath her, arms stretched upward, trying to push her from the bottom while also somehow not looking like he wants to be involved at all.
"I am whispering!" Kendra whisper-yells.
"You are not," Jasper mutters.
She nearly loses her footing again, shoes scraping loudly against tile.
I cough lightly.
Just enough.
Kendra freezes mid-climb.
Slowly, she lifts her head.
Our eyes meet.
Her entire expression lights up instantly — like a dog spotting its owner after being left alone too long.
"Kin!" she whisper-shouts.
"Whisper," Jasper repeats through clenched teeth.
I lean farther out the window and extend my hand.
"Why are you climbing my house?" I ask quietly.
"It's strategic entry," she replies without hesitation.
Jasper groans below her. "Please just help her before gravity does."
Kendra reaches for my wrist.
"Don't drop me," she says.
Her grip is firm, but there's still that slight slip under her feet. The roof tiles aren't exactly built for climbing.
I tighten my hold and brace my weight.
"Relax," I say, though I adjust my stance anyway.
She pushes off the tile one last time, and I pull her up the rest of the way. She scrambles through the window with minimal grace, bumping her shoulder against the frame before landing inside my room in a crouch.
Like she meant to do that.
She immediately spots the blade, "Ohhh," she breathes, already crossing the room.
"Don't—" I start.
Too late.
She pulls it free from the sheath in one smooth motion, the white steel catching the moonlight and throwing it back across the walls of my room. For a second it almost looks like it's glowing.
Kendra lets out a low whistle.
"This is sick."
She swings it once, twice — not wildly, but with enough force to make me tense anyway.
"Careful!" I hiss.
"I am careful."
Behind her, I grab Jasper lightly by the sleeve and pull him a step closer.
"What are you two doing here?" I ask quietly.
He adjusts his glasses, like sneaking into someone's house at midnight is completely normal behavior.
"We wanted to talk to you before you leave tomorrow," he says simply.
That catches me off guard.
I blink. "…You didn't have to climb my roof for that."
Kendra swings the blade in a small arc, admiring the balance. "Yes we did."
I rub the back of my neck, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth before I can stop it.
"You're both going to get in trouble," I say. "If my mom wakes up—"
"She won't," Jasper replies calmly. He brushes past me and drops onto my bed like he belongs there, hands folding behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling.
"Getting in trouble is worth it," he says. "It's the last night before you go."
Kendra nods aggressively, still swinging the sword.
"Yeah," she adds. "You can't just leave us without having some fun."
I shake my head, trying not to laugh.
"You two are insane."
Kendra suddenly turns and points the blade at me.
"Where did you get something this cool?"
"Igon."
She squints at it again. "Can I keep it?"
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"I thought you cared about me."
"Kendra."
She pouts for half a second, then swings it once more like she's testing the air.
"Okay but seriously, this is clean," she says.
I step forward. "Okay, that's enough." I reach for the hilt.
She yanks it back. "Don't."
"It's mine." I grab the blade near the guard carefully, trying to pry it from her grip.
She tightens her hold like a stubborn animal refusing to let go of a toy.
"Kendra—"
She bites my hand.
"OW." It's not a full bite. Just enough to make me jerk back instinctively.
Jasper bursts out laughing from the bed.
Kendra grins, teeth bared slightly. "Finders keepers."
I manage to twist the blade free before she can get another idea. I step back quickly, holding it away from her reach.
"You are actually feral." I slide the blade back into its sheath and set it down carefully on my bed, just out of Kendra's immediate grabbing distance. "Hands off."
Jasper is still laughing softly.
She raises both hands in mock surrender.
"Fine."
I walk over to the window and glance out at the dark street below. The moonlight spills across the slanted roof tiles.
The town is quiet.
I glance back at them.
Jasper's still sprawled out on my bed. Kendra's pacing like she's looking for something else to mess with.
"…You wanna go out for a bit?" I ask.
They both freeze.
"What?" Jasper says.
Kendra squints at me. "Go where?"
I shrug lightly, leaning against the window frame.
"Outside."
They exchange a look.
Confused.
**
The house disappears behind us faster than I expect.
We move through Redmere like we've done this a hundred times before — quiet steps, soft laughs, ducking under hanging lantern chains and cutting through side streets instead of taking the main road.
The town at night feels completely different from the day. The noise is gone. No market chatter. No hammering from Igon's shop. No distant training calls from the academy grounds.
Just wind.
And the faint murmur of a few late-night citizens finishing up their business.
An old man locks up a bakery as we pass. Two women speak in low voices near a well. A lantern sways above us, casting gold light across ancient stone.
Jasper nearly bumps into me when I slow down to avoid a loose cobblestone.
"Focus," I whisper.
"I am focusing," he whispers back.
Kendra snorts quietly behind us.
We all suppress laughter at that.
It's harder than it should be.
The more we try to be quiet, the more everything feels funnier.
We pass the edge of town where the lanterns thin out. The last house fades behind us, replaced by tall grass and the beginning of the forest trail.
Kendra stretches her arms over her head as we step onto the dirt path.
"Okay," she says under her breath. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
Jasper glances at me. "Is this illegal?"
"Not technically."
He exhales. "Great."
The forest swallows the light quickly. Moonlight filters down through branches, scattering silver across the ground in broken pieces. The air smells different out here — cleaner. Damp soil, leaves, faint water somewhere far ahead.
We've walked this trail before.
Just not this late.
Kendra kicks a rock as we go. "If we get eaten by something, I'm blaming you."
The path curves gradually, narrowing slightly as trees thicken around us. Crickets hum somewhere off to the side. Leaves crunch softly under our shoes.
"Kin," Jasper says quietly, "how far?"
"Almost."
Kendra groans dramatically but keeps walking.
The forest opens slowly.
First the trees thin.
Then the air shifts — cooler.
Then we step past the last line of trunks—
—and it's just there.
The lake stretches wide in front of us, massive and still, reflecting the moon like polished glass. The surface barely moves except for faint ripples near the edges where the water meets rock.
The cliff we're standing on slopes down sharply toward the water, jagged stone leading to a clean drop about fifteen feet down.
Kendra stops walking.
She just stares.
"…No way."
Jasper adjusts his glasses slowly, stepping closer to the edge.
"I did not know this was here."
"Most people don't," I say.
The lake at night looks unreal. The far side disappears into shadow, trees lining the opposite bank like dark sentinels. The moon hangs directly overhead, casting a pale path across the water.
Kendra turns to me slowly.
"When were you going to tell us this existed?"
"Whenever I had the chance."
Then, without another word, she grabs the hem of her shirt and yanks it over her head.
She tosses it aside without looking.
"Kendra—" Jasper starts.
She's already moving.
She runs past us toward the edge of the cliff, bare feet hitting stone in quick steps.
"Are you insane?!" Jasper whisper-shouts.
She doesn't answer.
She reaches the edge—
—and launches herself off.
For half a second she's just a silhouette against the moonlight.
Then she cuts down toward the water cleanly.
There's a sharp splash.
Water erupts upward in silver shards before settling back into ripples that spread across the surface.
Jasper stares down in disbelief.
"…She is going to die one day."
From below, Kendra's head breaks the surface.
She pushes wet hair back from her face and laughs — loud, free, echoing across the lake.
"The water's perfect!" she calls up.
I cross my arms and shake my head.
Of course she jumped first.
Jasper looks at me.
"You planned this."
"Nope."
He glances down again at the water, then back at me.
"…Are we doing this?"
I don't answer immediately.
I just look out at the lake.
At the moonlight.
At the ripples spreading where Kendra's already swimming farther out like she owns the place.
Then I grin.
"Yeah," I say.
And I step toward the edge.
The stone is cool beneath my feet. The drop doesn't look as high now that I'm standing right at it. The lake below reflects the moon so clearly it almost looks solid.
Kendra is already treading water, spinning slowly in a lazy circle.
"Are you coming or are you just posing up there?" she calls.
I shake my head and pull my shirt off, tossing it aside near hers.
The night air hits my skin immediately — cool, sharp, grounding.
For a second, I just stand there.
I glance down at myself.
Moonlight cuts across my torso, pale against skin that's seen more training than rest these past few weeks. There's the usual faint bruising along my shoulder. A small mark near my collarbone from earlier drills.
And then—
The scar.
It stretches along my side, near my ribs. Not jagged, but deep enough that it'll never fully fade. It catches the light differently than the rest of my skin.
My hand moves to it before I think.
For a split second—
A voice.
"Run."
Low. Firm.
Familiar.
"Don't look back."
The sound hits deeper than it should. Like it isn't coming from outside my head at all.
My chest tightens instinctively.
I shake my head hard once.
No.
Not now.
I exhale slowly and drop my hand from the scar.
The lake waits below.
Kendra splashes water upward impatiently.
"Kin!"
I step forward.
And jump.
For a second there's nothing but air and wind and the sound of the world rushing past my ears.
Then—
Impact.
Cold water crashes over me in a burst of sound and bubbles. It shocks the breath out of my lungs for half a heartbeat before I kick upward.
I break the surface beside Kendra, pushing wet hair back from my face.
She grins immediately. "Finally."
I wipe water from my eyes and glance up at the cliff.
Jasper is still standing there.
Frozen.
He looks down at us like he's calculating every possible way this ends badly.
Kendra cups her hands around her mouth.
"JASPER!"
He flinches.
"JUMP!"
"You will survive!" she adds helpfully.
I tilt my head back and call up, "It's not that high!"
"It is absolutely that high!" he yells down.
"It's fine!" Kendra shouts. "The water's deep!"
"There might be a monster down there!" I yell out
"That does not help!"
We both start laughing.
Jasper runs a hand through his hair, clearly regretting everything.
Then, slowly, he kneels down and removes his glasses, placing them carefully beside our clothes. He takes off his shirt next, folding it once before setting it down like this is a controlled decision.
From down here, I can see him clearly in the moonlight.
He's lean.
Not weak — just not built like Kendra.
Kendra's frame is solid, muscle defined from constant movement and Beast Matter training. She's compact and powerful, every motion sharp.
Jasper's thinner. More reserved strength than obvious power. The kind that builds quietly instead of loudly.
He steps toward the edge.
He looks down.
He takes one breath.
Then he jumps.
He does not jump gracefully.
He yells the entire way down.
The sound echoes across the lake before—
Splash.
Water explodes upward as he disappears beneath the surface.
Kendra bursts out laughing.
I can't help it either.
A second later, Jasper shoots back up, sputtering.
"That was—" he coughs, pushing hair from his eyes, "—significantly worse than anticipated."
"You screamed," Kendra says immediately.
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
I swim closer and clap a hand against his shoulder.
"You survived."
He exhales heavily.
"Yes. Barely."
Kendra flicks water at him.
"You're dramatic."
"I am not."
The three of us float there for a moment, the lake calm again around us. The cliff looms above. The forest stands silent beyond it.
Moonlight glints off the water in silver streaks.
Kendra splashes Jasper.
He retaliates immediately, sending a wave of water back at her face. She sputters and lunges toward him, grabbing his shoulder and dragging him under for half a second before he resurfaces, offended and coughing.
Their laughter echoes across the lake.
I stay a few feet away, floating on my back for a moment, staring up at the moon.
They haven't changed.
Not really.
Jasper still overthinks everything before doing it anyway. Kendra still dives in first and deals with consequences later.
Water slaps against my ear as I tilt my head slightly, watching them shove each other again.
And just like that—
I'm ten again.
Walking alone.
Redmere had felt bigger back then.
Or maybe I was just smaller.
The streets weren't loud that afternoon. I remember that. The sun had been high, casting sharp shadows along the old stone buildings. I'd kept my hands shoved into my pockets, head down, kicking loose pebbles as I walked.
I didn't talk much back then.
Didn't know how to.
I was just a kid with too much anger and nowhere to put it.
I didn't understand why I was angry. Didn't understand why everything felt like it was pressing against my ribs all the time. I didn't know how to say what I was feeling, so I just… didn't.
I walked.
Alone.
Then I heard it.
A shout.
Sharp. Panicked.
"Hey— stop!"
It came from the alley between two of the older buildings near the market square.
I didn't think.
I just turned and ran.
The alley smelled like dust and garbage. The walls were close enough that the sound bounced back at me. When I rounded the corner, I saw four boys — all older than me — crowding someone smaller against the wall.
A skinny kid with glasses hanging crooked on his face.
Jasper.
He was trying to shield his head with his arms while one of them shoved him hard enough to make him stumble.
"Give it back!" Jasper yelled, voice cracking.
One of the boys laughed and held something just out of reach — probably a book. Maybe a coin pouch. I don't remember.
I just remember the sound of his voice.
Something inside my chest snapped tight.
Before I even realized I was moving, I'd already crossed the distance.
I grabbed the closest one by the shoulder and swung.
My fist connected with his face cleanly.
He didn't expect it.
Neither did I.
The impact sent him crashing sideways into the wall. His head hit stone with a dull thud before he slid down, stunned.
The alley went silent.
The other three boys stared at me.
Recognition flashed across their faces almost instantly.
"That's him…" one whispered.
"No way…"
"We better leave."
I didn't understand what they meant at the time.
I just stood there, fists clenched, heart pounding harder than it should've been.
They grabbed their friend and bolted past me without another word.
I didn't chase after them.
I didn't need to.
The alley was quiet again except for Jasper's uneven breathing.
He was sitting on the ground, glasses barely hanging onto his face, a thin line of blood trickling from his nose.
I looked down at him.
He looked up at me.
For a second, neither of us said anything.
Then I held out my hand.
"It's okay now," I told him.
He hesitated.
Then he reached up and took it.
I pulled him to his feet.
His grip was lighter than I expected.
He wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve and adjusted his glasses awkwardly.
"…Thanks," he muttered.
I shrugged like it was nothing.
But I remember the way his shoulders relaxed after that.
The lake water splashes against my face, snapping me back.
Jasper managed to dunk Kendra this time.
She comes up sputtering, shoving him hard enough that he nearly flips backward.
"Traitor!" she yells.
"I am not!" he shoots back.
I tread water a few feet away, watching them argue like it's the most important battle of their lives.
The sound of it pulls something loose in my chest.
Jasper wasn't the only one I met that year.
It wasn't long after the alley.
A few weeks, maybe.
Jasper and I had started walking home together sometimes. He talked more than I did. Mostly about books. Or games. Or things he'd read that I pretended to understand.
That afternoon, we'd been cutting through the center of town when we heard shouting.
Not the normal kind.
Loud. Sharp. Chaotic.
We both turned at the same time.
"Should we—?" Jasper started.
We were already moving.
The noise came from the middle square near the row of shops. A small crowd had gathered, people whispering and craning their necks to see.
When we pushed through the edge of the crowd—
I saw her.
Crimson.
That's what stood out first.
Her hair caught the sunlight like fire, wild and uncontained, falling around her face as she struggled forward.
Two older men — shop workers, probably — had her by the arms, holding her back as she kicked and twisted violently.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"You can't just—" one of the men started.
"I can and I will!"
She tried to lunge forward again, clearly aiming for the nearby shopkeeper who was standing several feet away looking deeply offended and slightly afraid.
I didn't know what was happening.
I just knew I'd never seen anyone my age fight like that in the middle of town.
Jasper, on the other hand—
"Oh," he breathed.
He stepped forward immediately once the two men finally managed to calm her down enough to release their grip.
The shopkeeper retreated inside muttering about "wild children."
Jasper rushed over.
"Kendra!"
She turned at the sound of her name.
The second she saw him, her entire posture shifted.
Jasper wrapped his arms around her without hesitation.
"Where have you been?" he asked, words tumbling out fast. "You disappeared. You didn't say anything."
She blinked once.
Then shoved him off.
"I had important business," she declared, hands on her hips.
"You've been gone for three weeks."
"Yes," she said seriously. "I was on a mission."
Jasper frowned. "What mission?"
She pointed dramatically to herself.
"To save the world."
I remember standing there, trying not to stare.
She said it with complete confidence.
Like she believed it.
Then she turned.
And that's when she noticed me.
Her eyes locked onto mine immediately.
Bright. Sharp.
She walked over without hesitation.
Too close.
She leaned in until her face was inches from mine, studying me like I was some kind of strange animal she'd just discovered.
I didn't move.
I wasn't sure if I was supposed to.
Her crimson hair framed her face wildly. There was dirt on her cheek from whatever chaos she'd just caused.
She stared directly into my eyes.
Unblinking.
Jasper opened his mouth like he was about to explain something—
But she beat him to it.
A slow grin spread across her face.
"You look interesting," she said.
Before I could respond, she reached up and tapped her finger against my forehead.
"You're my friend now."
That was it.
I remember blinking.
"…What?" I'd said.
She ignored that completely and spun around, already walking back toward Jasper like it was settled.
And somehow—
It was.
Kendra splashes water in my direction again.
"Why are you smiling?" she asks suspiciously.
I shake my head.
"Nothing."
**
Time passes without any of us really noticing.
The splashing slows. The yelling fades into softer teasing. Eventually even Kendra admits she's cold, which is rare enough to feel historic.
We climb back up the rocks, pulling ourselves onto the flat stretch of stone near the edge of the lake. The surface is still warm from the day's sun, even though the air has cooled.
I lie back first, staring up at the sky.
The stars are clearer out here. No lantern light. No rooftops blocking the view. Just open space stretching forever.
Kendra flops down next to me.
Then, without asking, she rolls halfway on top of me and rests her head on my torso like it's the most natural thing in the world.
I grunt quietly.
"You're heavy."
She doesn't respond.
Because she's already asleep.
It happens that fast.
One second she's muttering something about how she could've swum longer, the next her breathing evens out against my chest.
I look down slightly.
Her hair's still damp, strands sticking to my shoulder. Her arm is loosely draped across my side like she's claiming territory.
Jasper climbs up a moment later and sits down a few feet away, pulling his glasses from where he left them folded near the rock. He wipes the lenses carefully against his shirt before putting them back on.
The movement is small. Familiar.
He glances at us.
Then back at the lake.
For a while, none of us say anything.
The forest hums softly around us. Water laps gently at the stone below.
Jasper is the first to break the silence.
"…You'll send letters, right?"
His voice is quiet. Not dramatic. Just direct.
I don't have to think about it.
"Yeah," I say. "Of course."
He nods once.
"Good."
That's all.
He shifts slightly, then lowers himself onto the stone beside me, staring up at the sky as well.
A few seconds pass.
Then he starts laughing.
Soft at first.
Then a little harder.
It catches me off guard.
"What?" I ask.
He tries to hold it in but fails.
"I just—" he breathes, shaking his head. "I can't wait to see her tomorrow morning."
I look down at Kendra's sleeping face.
"…Why?"
He turns his head slightly toward me.
"She's going to cry."
I blink.
"I doubt it."
"She definitely will."
I huff out a laugh.
"She won't cry."
"She will."
"Wanna bet?"
Jasper considers it.
"…One copper."
"You're broke."
"Exactly."
I shake my head.
Kendra shifts slightly in her sleep, mumbling something unintelligible before tightening her grip around my side for a second.
Jasper smiles faintly at that.
"She's going to be insufferable once you're gone," he says.
Silence settles again.
Not awkward.
Just quiet.
"…You'll be fine, you know." Jasper says after a moment.
I don't look at him.
"I know."
"You're stronger than you think, so much stronger." He looks at his palm, "I sometimes wish I could be like you guys."
I'm taken aback by his words and turn my head towards him.
He lets out a slow breath, "It's just… ever since I was a kid, Kendra's always protected me from others because I was too weak to stand up for myself. Then not long after, you show up and do the same."
"You know, there are times where I wish I was more like you," I say honestly.
He perks up, "Really?"
"Really."
He looks almost surprised for a moment before smiling and resting his head back on the ground. "Never thought I'd ever hear that."
I let out a quiet laugh.
After a while, Jasper gets up and puts on his shirt. He looks down at Kendra and smiles, "We better head back before anyone notices you're gone."
I take a deep breath before nodding and sitting up. "Guess you're right."
Kendra, still sleeping, tightens her grip around my body.
Jasper lets out a quiet laugh at the sight, "Looks like someones gonna have to carry her."
"I'm not gonna miss this one bit." I unshackle myself from her grip and lift her up into my arms.
We both begin walking back through the forest, I take one look back to the lake, the sounds of our laughter still resonating throughout the area.
My eyes drift up to the moon, a smile forming on my face.
If I wasn't going to pass the trials for myself. Then I was going to do it for them.