Vale walked up to Nym and Korin, immediately noticing the strange mixture of annoyance and unease on their faces. As he drew closer, both of them noticed him, their expressions shifting just slightly.

  Nym rolled her eyes the moment she saw him, letting out a quiet huff as if his mere presence was inconvenient. Korin, by contrast, smiled warmly and stepped forward, clapping a heavy hand against Vale’s shoulder in greeting. Illu, still perched nearby, fluttered aside to make room for the larger boy’s arm.

  Despite the tension that lingered in the air, they talked for a long time.

  The gala continued around them, though its atmosphere had undeniably changed. What had once been lively and celebratory had softened into something muted. The music still played, but it no longer commanded attention, it had become background noise, a faint reminder that this was meant to be a celebration. Conversations were quieter now, more guarded, as if everyone was still processing what had happened.

  Even so, it was still a gala.

  Time passed more quickly than Vale expected. He spoke with many people over the course of the evening, Evelyn, Callum, even Levianthe. Every conversation eventually circled back to the same topic, he would be transferred back to the academy sooner than originally planned.

  Vale didn’t mind.

  If anything, he felt excited. Returning to the academy felt like a step forward, something solid and familiar after everything that had happened.

  By the time the gala finally ended, it was well past midnight.

  Vale was escorted through the academy halls to his room. Or rather, his old room. Though he had only stayed there for a single day before everything spiraled out of control, it still felt oddly familiar.

  Ember, now far too large to fit inside, had been given his own chamber. Through their bond, Vale could feel the wyvern sleeping peacefully, his steady presence like a distant heartbeat. That alone eased something tight in Vale’s chest.

  When the door opened, Vale bowed politely to the escort before stepping inside. The door closed softly behind him.

  He inhaled slowly, letting the quiet settle.

  “This brings back memories,” he thought, then paused.

  “…Well. A memory.”

  He exhaled, walking slowly through the room while idly speaking with Chrome. The kitchen was unchanged, its surfaces still a deep onyx black. The couch remained in the same place, positioned perfectly to overlook the view outside.

  Vale extended his metallic arm toward the kitchen table. Liquid metal flowed out smoothly, pooling and reshaping itself into Chrome’s familiar arachnid-like form. The small construct clicked softly as it settled, its movements precise and alert.

  His ravens hopped down from his shoulders, immediately beginning their own inspection of the room. Hurricane tapped a pan on the counter, sending it clattering loudly to the floor.

  Vale sighed. “Of course.”

  Shaking his head, he moved into the bedroom. Nothing had changed there either. The bed, the shelves, the faint scent of clean fabric, it was exactly as he remembered.

  He opened the closet.

  Inside rested his armor.

  Vale carefully removed it and laid it out across the bed, arranging it so he could put it on quickly in the morning. Tomorrow would be his first official day back at the academy, and he intended to be ready.

  Satisfied, Vale took one final look around before lying down. The blankets were soft against his skin, warm and comforting. Exhaustion claimed him quickly, pulling him into sleep without dreams.

  Sunlight woke him after his dreams.

  Vale forced his eyes open as the first rays pierced through the room. He sat up and stretched, rolling his shoulders before swinging his legs out of bed. After a brief pause, he headed into the bathroom and stepped under the shower, letting the water wash away the lingering weight of the night.

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  He glanced toward the mirror out of habit, then looked away.

  No reflection.

  A faint sigh escaped him as he brushed his teeth, the disappointment he felt dull but familiar. Once finished, he returned to the room and began putting on his armor.

  It looked as flawless as ever. The black leather bore no lasting scars despite the damage it had endured, always recovering as if it had a will of its own. The minimal metal plating gleamed faintly, unmarred and unbroken.

  Vale couldn’t help but wonder, briefly, if it was even possible to pierce it.

  He smiled faintly, pride stirring as he secured the final pieces. Resting his hand against the counter, he allowed Chrome to liquefy once more and merge seamlessly into his metallic arm. The armor left that limb exposed, as if it had been designed with that exact purpose in mind.

  Vale stepped out into the halls, his ravens following close behind.

  He wasn’t heading to the teleportation chamber yet.

  First, Ember.

  To Vale, Ember’s presence was just as important as his own. His hair hung loosely around his face today; he had abandoned the bun for now. With so many powerful figures around, he didn’t feel the need to worry about visibility.

  Eventually, he reached a massive black door, large enough that even an elephant could pass through it without issue.

  Grinning, Vale pushed it open.

  Inside lay a vast chamber lined with thick blankets. At its center rested Ember, the white wyvern now nearly the size of a small elephant, curled comfortably and sleeping soundly.

  Vale walked closer and nudged him gently with his foot.

  “Come on,” Vale said. “We’re leaving.”

  One massive ember eye cracked open, fixing Vale with a look of clear annoyance. Ember let out a low huff, clearly dissatisfied, but he rose anyway, stretching his wings before standing tall.

  Ready to follow.

  Vale continued toward the teleportation chamber with Ember walking calmly at his side. The wyvern’s massive presence drew glances from nearby students, though most had grown used to strange sights by now. It didn’t take long before the wide chamber came into view, its circular platform already crowded with students gathered in loose clusters.

  Vale paused for a moment, scanning the crowd.

  There were hundreds, no, closer to a thousand, students packed into the chamber’s center. Armor of every design gleamed under the chamber’s lights, weapons secured at belts or strapped across backs. Nervous excitement hummed through the air.

  After a moment, Vale spotted Korin near the edge of the circle. The large boy’s sheer size made him impossible to miss, towering over most of the students around him.

  Vale smiled and made his way over.

  Korin noticed him almost immediately and returned the smile, lifting a hand in greeting. Nym stood beside him, already suited in her armor, bright crimson leather reinforced at the shoulders and joints. Korin’s armor, by contrast, was simple and functional: grey leather, well-worn, clearly chosen for durability rather than appearance.

  As Vale drew closer, his expression shifted slightly.

  Eskar was there too.

  He stood with them, Nova at his side. Vale hadn’t expected to see him included in their group so soon, and the surprise lingered just long enough for Eskar to notice. Vale smiled and gave a small wave.

  Eskar hesitated, then returned it with a polite smile of his own.

  “Hey, guys,” Vale said as he reached them. “How are you holding up?”

  Nym glanced at him, then smirked faintly. “Better than yesterday,” she replied.

  Korin nodded, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah. Same here, actually.”

  Vale chuckled quietly. Ember shifted behind him, his pale gaze sweeping over the gathered students. The wyvern’s presence alone seemed to keep people at a respectful distance.

  Vale frowned slightly, looking around again. Something felt… off.

  “Do you guys know why it’s only students here?” Vale asked. “I don’t see a single teacher.”

  Korin answered without hesitation. “Teachers just check attendance. We’ll be received on the other side. No need for them to come along.”

  Vale nodded. That made sense.

  Before anyone could speak again, a loud crackle echoed through the chamber as the intercom activated.

  “All students have gathered,” a mechanical voice announced. “Teleportation will now begin.”

  Vale winced and covered one ear slightly as the chamber responded. The circular platform beneath them began to glow, thin lines of light spreading outward like veins. The familiar blue hue filled the room, growing brighter by the second.

  Vale looked down, steadying his breath.

  He quickly checked his pockets one last time. Phone, secured. Storage device, present, containing his onyx weapons. Lunch, still there. Everything he needed.

  As the light intensified, Ember leaned closer, their bond humming with shared anticipation.

  Vale smiled.

  Ready.

  The blue glow surged upward, swallowing the students whole.

  And then,

  The chamber vanished.

  Not just the students. The platform itself. The circle. The very space they had occupied folded inward and disappeared as if it had never existed.

  Silence fell.

  Staff members stationed outside the chamber stared in stunned disbelief at the empty space where hundreds of students, and an entire teleportation array, had been only moments before.

  “That’s… that’s not possible,” one of them whispered.

  Before anyone could react further, crimson alarm lights flared across the facility. Sirens wailed as the intercom activated again, this time sharp and urgent.

  “All staff, get into position immediately,” the voice barked.

  “Code Omega is now in effect.”

  Faces drained of color.

  They knew what Code Omega meant.

  This wasn’t an accident.

  This was catastrophe.

  And wherever Vale and the others had been sent, whatever awaited them there, no amount of preparation would have been enough.

  What Vale thought he was ready for…

  Was nothing compared to what he was about to face.