The night had settled over Ravenwood Academy, casting shadows over the once-busy halls.


    Noah walked in the cool evening air, his footsteps echoing lightly on the stone floor. The sun had already set, leaving behind a deep indigo sky scattered with stars.


    The faint hum of crickets could be heard outside, but inside the academy, everything was quiet.


    He had a destination in mind, a ce he had been meaning to visit for a while now. Professor Jacob''s office.


    Noah turned a corner, passing a few wooden doors, until he finally stopped at the one that read [Prof. Jacob]


    He hesitated for a moment before knocking. He waited, but there was no answer.


    ncing around the empty hallway, Noah noticed that the door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open carefully and peeked inside.


    The office wasrge and impressive, with towering shelves filled with books lining the walls.


    A grand, vertical window stretched from the floor to the ceiling, letting in the soft glow of the moonlight.


    Warm lighting illuminated the room, casting a cozy atmosphere, despite the overwhelming number of papers and documents strewn across the desk.


    Various trinkets and magical artifacts were scattered around, each telling a story of countless hours of research.


    As Noah stepped inside, he marveled at the space.


    It was clear Professor Jacob spent much of his time here.


    Noah turned around, only to see a figure walking towards him, obscured by a towering stack of papers. He barely had time to react before they were about to collide, but Noah quickly reached out, steadying the figure before they bumped into each other.


    The stack of papers wobbled, and from behind them peeked a familiar face—Maya.


    "Noah?" she said, startled, as she regained her bnce.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Noah gave a small smile.


    "You should be more careful, you almost toppled over with those papers."


    Maya sighed in relief, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.


    "I—I didn''t expect anyone to be here thiste."


    Without thinking, Noah picked up some of the papers from her arms, lightening her load.


    "Let me help."


    Maya blinked in surprise but didn''t protest as he followed her to a nearby table.


    Theyid the papers down, and she exhaled, rubbing her forehead in exhaustion. Then, she looked up at Noah, her eyes narrowing.


    "Bend down," she instructed, stepping closer.


    "Eh?" Noah blinked, a little confused.


    "I didn''t mean like that!" Maya quickly rified, her face heating up.


    "Just lower your head…"


    "Your hair… it''s a mess," Maya said, noticing the dirt and cobwebs tangled in his dark locks.


    Noah crouched a little, tilting his head toward her.


    Maya rummaged through her bag on the couch and pulled out a small brush. She began brushing the dust and cobwebs from his hair, her hands moving gently.


    Noah winced a little at the tugging but didn''tin.


    "Were you out training or something?" she asked, frowning as more dust came out of his hair.


    "Why do you ask?"


    "Because you look like you''ve been rolling around in dirt."


    Noah remembered how he and Amy had been in the weapon storage room earlier that day. That exined the mess. He didn''t borate, and Maya didn''t press him.


    Once most of the dirt was gone, Maya sat down on the floor and patted herp.


    "Here, lie down. I can''t fix this properly unless you''re still."


    Noah hesitated, staring at her in surprise.


    "On yourp?"


    "Don''t worry," Maya said with a small smile.


    "I cleaned the floor."


    With a sigh of surrender, Noah lowered himself onto herp.


    Maya''s hands gentlybed through his hair, pulling out thest bits of cobwebs and smoothing it down.


    He looked up at her, noticing for the first time how delicate her features were in the soft light of the room. Her purple eyes were focused, yet calm, and her expression was soft, almost caring. Noah found himself rxing, even as his mind wandered.


    Maya continued to fix his hair in silence, her hands working through the strands with care. She didn''t say much, but there was somethingforting about the quiet moment they shared.


    After a while, Maya finally finished and helped him sit up.


    "There," she said, brushing her hands off.


    "You look like a proper human again."


    "Thanks," Noah said, his lips curling into a small smile. He stood up, stretching a little before turning to Maya.


    "Hey… how about we go get something to eat in the town center?"


    Maya blinked, caught off guard by the sudden invitation. She opened her mouth to refuse, panic shing in her eyes.


    "I-I can''t. I still have work to do here…"


    Noah tilted his head. "But… you''re MY assistant."


    Maya stared at him, momentarily confused.


    Noah smiled innocently, cing a hand on his cheek as if to emphasize the point.


    Maya sighed in defeat.


    "Fine… I''ll go," she muttered.


    But before she could fully agree, Noah grabbed her hand, pulling her along before she could change her mind. They bolted out of the office, leaving the stack of papers behind.


    A short whileter, they arrived at the bustling town center. The lively atmosphere was a stark contrast to the quiet halls of the academy. They headed to a small restaurant that wasn''t too fancy, just simple enough for a rxing meal.


    "Don''t worry, it''s my treat," Noah said as they sat down.


    "You''ve been working hardtely, so this is the least I can do."


    Maya looked down at the menu, still feeling a bit flustered from the sudden turn of events. She ordered something light, nothing too expensive, and Noah did the same. Their meal was simple—a couple of sandwiches and drinks—but it was enough to lift some of the weight off their shoulders.


    They chatted lightly, breaking the usual silence between them.


    Noah talked about how the recent cement exams had caught him off guard, and Maya nodded along, chiming in asionally. It wasn''t a deep conversation, but it was enough to make the night feel less heavy.


    After a while, Maya hesitated, clutching the fabric of her skirt under the table.


    Her eyes flickered with uncertainty as she looked down, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "Noah… can I ask you something?"


    "Sure," Noah said, leaning forward slightly.


    Maya bit her lip before looking up, her eyes tearing up slightly as she tried to smile.


    "Promise me…


    Promise me that you''ll stay alive. At least for me."


    Noah''s eyes widened in surprise, but as he saw the sincerity in her expression, his own features softened. He leaned back in his chair, letting the weight of her words sink in. After a brief pause, he smiled gently and nodded.


    "I promise," he said quietly.


    Maya''s shoulders rxed, and she wiped away a stray tear before smiling back. It wasn''t much, but in that moment, it felt like a small weight had lifted from them both.


    ***


    Near the restaurant, hidden behind arge oak tree, a figure stood silently, her blonde hair catching the faintest glimmer of the streetlights.


    Her lips curved into a smile, but the expression was tight, almost forced, as if it took all her strength to hold it in ce.


    She watched the scene at the restaurant unfold from a distance, her eyes lingering on the figures of Noah and Maya.


    After a moment, she closed her eyes, wiped her face and let out a quiet sigh, her fingers clenching at her sides.


    "Let''s go, Augustus..." she whispered softly.


    With that, she turned away from the streetlights, stepping into the shadowed path where the darkness swallowed her whole.


    As she disappeared into the night, a small green sparrow spirit bird flitted through the air, zipping after her, its wings glowing faintly in the dark as it followed her.