Ding dong. The bell chimed, signalling the end of homeroom.

  A couple days have passed since my last visit to the cafe.

  The students in the room chattered away with their usual gossip, not much of which caught my interest. Thankfully, the “legendary transfer student” rumors had started to die down and I’ve heard that Ake had a hand in causing them to falter so quickly.

  “Yoiya.”

  I was staring out the window when her voice called out to me.

  Usually, I’d avoid doing this but I figured out how to open the window without breaking it a few days ago.

  My classmates did not seem to like it though, as the temperatures were beginning to drop and the weather outside was often overcast by clouds.

  I turned my head to look at Ake, who’s smile quickly turned to a frown as she gazed upon my face.

  “You look tired. Have you been getting any sleep?”

  ~Tired? I look tired? Really?

  “Huh? I look tired?” I repeated my thoughts, this time aloud.

  “Yes. Have you not noticed? There’s bags under your eyes. It looks like you haven’t slept for days.”

  I raised my hands to the buttom of my eyes, rubbing them.

  ~That’s weird. My body’s mana should be keeping my body perfectly healthy… And I don’t feel tired…

  Ake frowned at me again, her eyes seeming to take every note of my expressions.

  “Are you going to be alright? We have midterms coming up soon.” Ake said, suddenly changing the subject despite her clear concern.

  “Midterms?”

  Ake blinked at me, surprised I didn’t already know.

  “Well, yeah. They’re in two weeks. They’re going to test our knowledge of what we’ve learned so far this semester.” She shifted her weight, clutching her notebook to her chest. “Everyone’s starting to study for them.”

  ~I suppose I did hear some of the other students mentioning something about studying… Two weeks, huh?

  My eyes shifted away, towards the wall.

  ~Crap. I had no idea. I think I’ll be okay though, I got good grades so far thanks to my photographic memory.

  Ake’s brows knit together. “You… didn’t know?”

  “I… uh… I think I’ll be okay?” I replied with uncertainty.

  ~It’s just another test, right? Nothing to worry about. After all, I have bigger things to worry about…

  My eyes shifted to the window a bit, glimpsing figures behind my dark, distorted reflection.

  Ake placed her hand on my forearm, lightly tugging on my sleeve.

  “Yoiya, you really don’t look well. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. Or if you’re just overwhelmed, that’s okay too.”

  I looked away.

  ~There’s no way I can tell anybody. They’ll get worried and try to force me to sleep. I can’t sleep, not yet. Not now.

  Ake hesitated, then tried a different angle. She kneeled down slightly to meet me at eye level.

  “Well, would you like to study with me during lunch? Or perhaps after school? Whichever works for you.”

  Her offer hung in the air between us.

  A normal offer.

  A normal problem.

  A normal solution.

  But nothing about me or my situation was normal. Not in the slightest.

  Still, I forced a small smile and gave her a nod. “Sure. Sounds nice.”

  Ake’s smile returned, genuine and soft. She patted my head gently.

  “I’ll see you at lunch at our usual spot, then.”

  And she rushed back to her desk just before the bell rang once more.

  Ding dong. The sound echoed loudly in my ears, grounding me firmly into reality.

  I was wide awake. For now.

  …

  Lunch arrived faster than I expected.

  The morning classes blurred together — not because I was tired, but because everything felt strangely distant. My mind was sharp, too sharp, like every sound and movement was happening a fraction of a second slower than it should.

  But my body…

  My body felt hollow.

  I entered the student council room where I usually enjoy my lunch with Ake watching over me.

  There she was, quietly focused on an open textbook as she held a fork in her mouth.

  I walked in, closing the door gently behind me until it clicked into place.

  Upon hearing the click, Ake’s head shot up. She took the fork out of her mouth and smiled at me.

  “Ah you’re here!”

  She gave me another glance, looking at me from head to toe.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “You still look exhausted though.” She murmured. “Did classes go okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I replied, doing my best to sharpen my expression to erase any hint of exhaustion I may have been unaware of.

  One look from Ake and I could tell she didn’t believe me— but she didn’t push it either. She simply motioned with her hand to come sit next to her.

  I followed her silent lead, sitting down and opening my bento to prepare to eat.

  “Alright. How about we start with history? There’s alot of major events to go over, so it can be a bit difficult to get at first. Plus I know you’re top of the class in language and math.”

  ~That’s probably because of…

  Huh? My thoughts trailed off. I couldn’t even begin to finish the thought. Was I really that tired?

  My eyes drifted to the lunchbox Mia had packed for me.

  I wasn’t hungry.

  Not even a little.

  But something inside me — something instinctive — urged me to eat anyways.

  So I did.

  The moment the food touched my tongue, a faint warmth spread across my chest. It continued to expand, covering my entire body, my entire essence.

  It was subtle, however. To anyone else, it would have been barely noticeable.

  ~Mana…?

  I blinked, surprised.

  I had not realized food could replenish it.

  ~Is it because it’s made from living creatures?

  It felt as if my thoughts could proceoss a bit smoother now. In no time, I found myself gobbling down the food.

  Ake giggled as she glanced over at me. “Is it good?”

  “H-huh?” I looked down at the half-empty container. “O-oh… Yeah… It is. Mia’s cooking is always good…”

  She smiled and returned to her notes, reading them aloud to me.

  As she explained the timeline of events, I listened — and my mind absorbed everything instantly. Dates, names, causes, effects. They slotted into place like puzzle pieces. My photographic memory did the rest.

  But the more information I processed, the more that faint warmth faded.

  By the time I finished eating, the hollow feeling had returned — deeper than before.

  Ake noticed me zoning out and tapped her pencil lightly against my arm.

  “Hey. Stay with me, okay? You’re spacing out a lot today.”

  “Sorry,” I murmured. “Just… thinking.”

  “About midterms?”

  “…Something like that.”

  She gave me a sympathetic look. “It’s a lot, I know. But you’re pretty smart, Yoiya. You’ll do fine.”

  I nodded but my gaze drifted to the ground.

  ~Food helps… but it’s not enough.

  ~Not if I keep burning mana like this.

  ~There’s not enough mana in this world to tap into either… Ugh…

  I could feel my consciousness fading.

  Ake continued to explain the material, unaware of the quiet storm building inside me.

  I tried to force myself to focus, force myself to stay awake.

  But my eyes began to shut on their own. Light began to be consumed by darkness.

  I slumped over onto the floor.

  “Yoiya? Yoiya!”

  I could feel myself sinking. Getting colder.

  Ake shook me by the shoulders, but the sensation was faint and everfading. It was as if the movements were performed through a thick, heavy layer of water.

  My eyes closed shut, and the darkness consumed me.

  This time, it didn’t let go.

  …

  My eyes snapped open, but only to see that same old black sky.

  The murky waters sloshed against my face, the ripples repetitive and frequent.

  I quickly stood to my feet, beginning to back away.

  With a quick swipe of my hand, I unleashed a weak mana surge, which knocked away five phantoms that had already leapt at me.

  Catching my breath, I took in my surroundings.

  Same dream, same atmosphere, same old void-like vibe.

  My eyes dilated as I focused.

  The sounds of blades and projectiles clashing eventually began to scream in my ear.

  In the distance, I spotted a large number of white and black figures fighting each other.

  ~There’s a lot more than before…

  More phantoms leapt at me with their varied weapons and artifacts. Once again, I ran and swept my arm to unleash a mana wave to knock them away.

  This time the energy was stronger, and it cut through them, causing them to freeze and distort. Their bodies soon turned to liquid and sank into the water.

  I took heavy breaths and held my arm.

  A sharp pain pinged in my chest, reverberating throughout my body.

  I had used too much mana.

  I fell to my knees.

  A figure loomed over me, its glow white and pure— blinding, even. Behind it a half-moon glew dimly and in its hand— a tome pulsing with a faint-rhythmic light. It was the white one from before.

  ~H-hang on… H-half… moon…?

  Indeed, the moon — or what was left of it — hung in the sky like an wounded eye. Half of it was simply gone, carved away cleanly, leaving a jagged edge that dripped white droplets into the sea below.

  And from every droplet, a new figure of light was born. They would step forward, joining the battle. Each footstep creating tremors in the water. Each tremor pushing small waves against me.

  The battle raged on behind the figure and he glanced back to it. Then he turned to me once more, holding out his hand as he knelt down.

  ~Should I take it?

  ~Is the pain worth it?

  ~Did I have a choice?

  The figure stretched his hand further, reaching out to me.

  It wasn’t malicious, dangerous, or intimidating — but rather inviting, insistent, and unavoidable.

  My fingers twitched. I slowly held up my hand to take his.

  Then I sensed something: malice. Just like from the phantoms before. It had lunged at me from behind.

  But before I even turned my head all the way to look, the white figure snapped his fingers with a flick of his wrist.

  A ripple of light bore through the air, slicing the phantom cleanly in two.

  It dissolved into liquid before it even hit the water.

  The figure remained unfazed, He only continued to stretch out his hand, looking at me and only me. It was as if it were waiting.

  The battle behind it had continued to grow exponentially intense — white and black silhouettes clashing in a frenzy of blades, spells, and impossible shapes.

  The sound was deafening.

  The air vibrated with every impact.

  And yet, in front of me, everything was silent.

  Just me, the white figure, the half-moon, and a tome pulsing like a heart.

  My chest tightened.

  The pain from my mana overuse pulsed violently, spreading through my ribs, my spine, even my skull.

  I couldn’t do anything; not run, think, or even breathe.

  Yet, the figure’s hand remained steady. It did not reach out further.

  ~”Take it.”

  The whisper wasn’t spoken aloud.

  It bloomed directly in my mind, soft and absolute.

  My hand reached out once more, this time further.

  And as my vision blurred, the cold deepened and the world tilted the moment I touched his hands.

  With a flash, the tome exploded in light— consuming both me and the world around us.