A few weeks later, Spring had arrived in Haven. And with it, the most beautiful scenery Hope had ever seen.


    As the girls walked through the hills behind school,  every color spilled across the landscape—golden sunflowers stretching high, cherry blossoms shedding pink petals into the breeze, fields of tulips and daisies swaying in the soft wind.


    Daisy twirled in the middle of the meadow, arms wide. “I swear, this is my favorite time of year.”


    Sierra smiled. “It’s scientifically proven that flowers boost serotonin.”


    Hope laughed, taking in the scenery. Everything here looked like a painting come to life.


    Daisy grinned. “Race you to the sunflowers!”


    Hope didn’t hesitate—she ran.


    Through the meadow, through the bursts of color, through patches of tall grass and golden petals. She ducked between the towering stalks of sunflowers, laughing breathlessly as she tried to escape Daisy and Sierra.


    Then—she found it.


    A small opening between the sunflowers, just barely large enough to slip through. Without thinking, she squeezed inside.


    And on the other side—


    Paradise.


    A secluded clearing, untouched. A river ran clear as glass, koi fish swimming lazily beneath the shade of plum and cherry trees. The flowers here were taller, brighter, perfectly placed by nature’s careful hands.


    And sitting among them—a girl.


    She seems younger than Hope. Short blonde hair, big blue eyes, wearing the Haven uniform. She sat among a patch of dandelions, tulips in her hands.


    Hope hesitated before stepping forward. “Hey.”


    The girl’s head lifted in surprise.


    “Oh! I didn’t think anyone would find this spot.”


    Hope smiled. “Kinda stumbled in by accident.”


    The girl tilted her head. “You’re new.”


    Hope nodded. “Yeah. Name’s Hope.”


    The girl returned the smile, soft and sweet.


    “I’m Hana.”


    Hana told Hope about how her mother loved spring. How every year, she’d visit her at school and take her to this exact spot for picnics and long talks.


    Hope listened, feeling something almost like nostalgia. She’d never had that kind of bond with her own mother, but… she almost wished she did.


    Then—Hana’s voice turned soft.


    “She passed away over the summer.”


    Hope felt her stomach drop.


    “Oh… I’m so sorry.”


    Hana offered a small, bittersweet smile. “It’s okay. This place still makes me feel close to her.”


    Hope sat beside her, unsure of what to say. Grief was a strange thing. She didn’t know Hana, didn’t know what she’d been through, but something about sitting here, in this quiet pocket of spring, made it feel like she did.


    Before she could speak—


    Laughter.


    Daisy and Sierra burst through the sunflowers, grinning.


    “HA! Found you!”


    Hope turned, startled by their sudden entrance.


    When she looked back at Hana—her expression had changed.


    She had gone quiet, looking at the ground, retreating into herself.


    Hope hesitated before standing.


    “It was nice meeting you, Hana.”


    Hana gave a small nod, but her eyes never lifted from the flowers in her hands.


    As the three girls made their way back toward the school, weaving through the tall sunflower stalks and stepping over patches of tulips, Hope’s mind lingered on the girl she had just met.


    Daisy glanced over at her. “You got quiet all of a sudden.”


    Hope sighed, tucking her hands into her pockets. “I was just thinking about Hana.”


    Sierra looked over. “The girl from the meadow?”


    Hope nodded. “Yeah… she was sweet. Really quiet, though. It felt like she didn’t want to be found.”


    Daisy raised an eyebrow. “Not a fan of people?”


    Hope hesitated. “I think… she’s just lonely. Her mom passed away last summer, and this is her first spring without her.”


    Daisy stopped walking for a moment. “Oh.”


    Sierra’s expression softened. “That’s awful.”


    Hope glanced at the path ahead, watching the school come into view through the fading stretch of flowers. “She said they used to come here together every year. When her mom visited, they’d sit by the river and just… talk for hours.”


    Sierra’s shoulders sank. “No wonder she was alone. She probably wanted to feel close to her mom again.”


    Daisy looked at the ground. “That’s really sad.”


    Hope sighed. “Yeah.”


    For a moment, the three of them walked in silence, taking in the beauty of the landscape.


    _________________________________________


    The next morning, Hope woke up to an eerie silence.


    The usual morning birds were no longer chirping. No wind rustling the trees, no golden light spilling through the window. Just… grey.


    Hope rubbed her eyes, stumbled to the window—


    Everything was dead.


    The cherry blossoms were gone. The trees were bare. The grass had shriveled into brittle brown patches. Not a single flower remained.


    Hope’s breath hitched.


    “No… no, that’s not right.”


    She grabbed her coat, bolting out the door.


    Daisy and Sierra were already awake, standing in stunned silence as they looked out of the hallway window.


    Daisy: “What the hell happened?”


    Sierra, quiet, calculating. “This isn’t natural.”


    Hope’s pulse raced. “You think a Sei-spirit did this?”


    Sierra: “It’s possible.”


    Then—the intercom crackled to life.


    Principal Spring’s voice, calm but firm.


    “Attention students. We ask that you remain indoors for your safety. A Sei-spirit has been detected near the school grounds. Our task force is handling the situation. Please do not leave your dorms.”


    A heavy pause.


    Then—Hope’s heart dropped.


    “That girl I met yesterday…”


    She turned to Daisy and Sierra, voice tight.


    “Hana was really upset. It was her first spring without her mom.”


    Daisy stared. “You think…?”


    Sierra shook her head. “No. She was just a kid. She was sweet.”


    The intercom blared again.


    “The spirit responsible for this disturbance will be exterminated immediately.”


    Hope staggered back. “No. No, they can’t.”


    Daisy grabbed her arm. “Hope, you don’t even know if it’s her.”


    Hope’s hands curled into fists. But she did. She knew.


    And if the task force reached her first—Hana was dead.


    “I have to stop them.”


    ——————————————————————


    The atmosphere in the administrative office was tense.


    Principal Spring sat at the head of the table, her fingers steepled together, unreadable as always. Miss Wilson stood near the window, arms crossed tightly. Mr. Waltz, on the other hand, leaned forward, his usual lazy posture gone—he was tense, focused, watching the discussion unfold with sharp eyes.


    Other faculty members whispered among themselves, nervous.


    On the table before them, a glowing map of Haven flickered faintly, displaying a pulsing red aura just outside school grounds. The corrupted Sei was active.


    Miss Wilson exhaled, breaking the silence. “This happened fast. Too fast.”


    Another faculty member— Coleman, head of the task force—nodded. “We’ve already confirmed it. A student must have been corrupted. That’s the only way a Sei could’ve slipped past our radars this quickly.”


    Miss Wilson’s face darkened. “You’re saying we might have just lost a student.”


    Principal Spring, ever composed, tapped her nails against the table. “Then we have no choice. We exterminate it.”


    Miss Wilson was appalled by her indifference. “You’re talking about one of our own.”


    Principal Spring’s expression didn’t waver. “I’m talking about a Sei now. Not a student.”


    Silence.


    Mr. Waltz, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.


    “We should stop the task force.”


    The room reacted instantly.


    Miss Wilson turned in shock. “Are you out of your mind?”


    Coleman narrowed his eyes. “We don’t stop until a Sei is handled. That’s protocol.”


    Mr. Waltz met Spring’s gaze across the table, his voice calm but firm.


    “Because we have something else. Someone else.”


    Spring’s eyes narrowed slightly.


    “Hope.”


    A ripple of tension passed through the faculty.


    Mr. Waltz continued. “You all saw what happened in combat training. We know what she can do. If there’s even a chance she could help that student…”


    Miss Wilson looked at him like he had lost his mind. “And what if you’re wrong? You want to send that girl out there to die?”


    Mr. Waltz’s expression didn’t change.


    “I don’t think I’m wrong.”


    Miss Wilson shook her head, incredulous.


    “Even if you were right about her… she doesn’t even understand her power yet. You want to throw her to the wolves?”


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Spring remained silent, watching. She seemed to be weighing the options in her head for a while.


    Finally, she broke the painfully long silence.


    “We will not interfere.”


    Everyone froze.


    Mr. Waltz’s eyes narrowed. “Meaning?”


    Spring leaned back slightly, her expression neutral. “If she chooses to act on her own, so be it. But the school will not be responsible for that choice.”


    Miss Wilson took a sharp breath. “Spring—”


    “Discussion over.”


    Miss Wilson looked at Mr. Waltz, eyes filled with frustration and disbelief.


    But he wasn’t looking at her anymore.


    He was looking at the security screen—


    Where Hope was already running.


    The halls blurred past her.


    Hope’s pulse pounded in her ears, her breath coming in quick bursts as she raced through the corridors.


    “HOPE, STOP!”


    Daisy’s voice rang out behind her, but she didn’t slow down.


    Sierra, trying to keep up, stumbled slightly on the stairs. “This is insane—you don’t even know if it’s her!”


    Hope ignored them. She had to move. She had to get outside.


    Around her, students stopped in their tracks.


    Heads turned. Eyes widened. Conversations halted.


    “What is she doing?”


    “Is she out of her mind?”


    “Is she running towards the exit?”


    As she flew down the last staircase, more people started noticing. Some whispered in confusion. Others in fear.


    “Is she trying to get herself killed?”


    “The Sei is still out there—what the hell is she thinking?”


    Hope barely registered it.


    The entrance was just ahead.


    And then—Daisy grabbed her wrist.


    Hope whipped around, breathless.


    Daisy’s eyes were desperate, pleading.


    “Hope, please—don’t do this.”


    Sierra caught up, panting. “The faculty will stop it, just let them handle it!”


    Hope yanked her arm free. “You don’t get it! The faculty isn’t going to save her!”


    Daisy’s face twisted with emotion. “And what if you can’t either?”


    Hope hesitated, just for a second.


    And then—a cruel voice cut through the tension.


    “Oh my god. Is she actually gonna do it?”


    Hope turned sharply.


    A few feet away, Chase, Bella, Hunter, Drew, and Gabby stood watching, amused.


    Bella stood, arms crossed. “This is almost hilarious. Should we take bets on how long she lasts?”


    Hunter grinned. “I say she barely makes it out the door before the Sei tears her to pieces.”


    Gabby laughed. “Come on, guys. Give her some credit. She’ll at least last thirty seconds.”


    Hope gritted her teeth.


    Chase, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke.


    “I dunno.” His tone was light, mocking, but with something sharp beneath it. “Maybe I was right. She just wants to feel special.”


    Drew showed a malicious grin. “For the first time since she got here she’s not the center of attention, so now she has to make this all about her?”


    Hope felt her stomach tighten.


    Bella tilted her head, smirking. “Go on then.”


    Daisy glared. “Shut up, Bella.”


    Hope focused her attention back to the doors. This wasn’t about them. She didn’t care what they thought.


    She turned back to the exit—


    And just before she reached it—


    “HOPE!”


    The voice wasn’t Daisy’s.


    It wasn’t Sierra’s. It wasn’t a student’s.


    It was Mr. Waltz. Hope whirled around.


    Mr. Waltz had just caught up, his usual slouched posture gone. He was completely serious. His sharp eyes were locked on her.  “You got this.”


    The students stared in shock.


    “Is he actually encouraging this?”


    “What the hell is going on?”


    Mr. Waltz took a single step forward. His voice wasn’t mocking, wasn’t lazy.


    It was firm.


    “Go, Hope.”


    Hope’s heart skipped a beat.


    Daisy whipped around. “WALTZ—WHAT THE HELL?!”


    Sierra stared, completely thrown off.


    Even Chase and his group looked stunned.


    “Is he serious?”


    Hope didn’t wait.


    The second she saw the certainty in Waltz’s eyes—she ran. Daisy and Sierra screamed after her.


    Miss Wilson’s voice erupted down the hall.


    “HOPE, GET BACK INSIDE—”


    But it was too late.


    Hope burst through the exit doors.


    And the campus watched in horrified silence.


    Hope ran the same path as before.


    Through the meadow. Past the tulips. Between the towering sunflower stalks.


    But nothing looked the same.


    The colors that once burst with life had wilted and grayed. The cherry blossoms were gone, their branches jagged and bare. The crystal-clear stream she had admired just yesterday? Now black and stagnant, koi fish floating lifelessly beneath the surface.


    Even the air felt different. Heavy. Suffocating. Wrong.


    She finally broke through the shriveled sunflower stalks—


    And froze.


    The meadow where Hana once sat, bathed in golden sunlight, was now a withered graveyard.


    And Hana was still there.


    Sitting in the same spot as before.


    But it wasn’t Hana.


    She looked more like a silhouette than a person. A dark, hollowed shadow of what she once was.


    Her skin and hair were ashen gray, almost lifeless. Her uniform, darkened as if drained of color.


    She sat unnaturally still, back hunched slightly, hands limp in her lap.


    Hope took a hesitant step forward. “Hana?”


    The figure’s head twisted slowly toward her.


    Hope’s breath caught in her throat.


    Hana’s eyes.


    Beady. Red. Glaring.


    They burned into Hope’s soul, unnatural and wrong.


    And then—


    That grin.


    A wide, unsettling, frozen smile.


    Hope shuddered.


    And then Hana spoke.


    “At least someone came back for me.”


    Her voice was the same. That made it worse.


    “Let’s play, Hope!”


    A black kaleidoscope flared into existence behind her.


    Hope barely had time to process what was happening before a storm of razor-sharp petals erupted from Hana’s hands.


    Black, brittle, decayed.


    Hope’s instincts kicked in. She threw herself to the side, barely dodging the attack as the petals sliced through the ground, leaving deep gashes in the earth.


    She had no time to breathe.


    Hana was already launching another wave, faster this time.


    Hope twisted, barely avoiding the second assault.


    Her heart pounded.


    “She’s fast—too fast.”


    Hope stretched her arms out—


    A massive pink kaleidoscope burst to life behind her, glowing with shifting, radiant light.


    She fired her first attack.


    A barrage of blinding pink orbs shot forward, spiraling in complex patterns toward Hana.


    But Hana wasn’t human anymore.


    She floated effortlessly, twisting and darting through the attacks like a specter, her movements unnatural, inhuman.


    Hope gritted her teeth. “She’s not dodging—she’s phasing through them.”


    Hana laughed, voice eerie and distorted.


    Hope barely dodged as twisted vines erupted from the ground, thorned and skeletal, reaching for her ankles.


    She jumped back, sending another flurry of spheres.


    Hana countered with a sweeping arc of jagged, withered petals, cutting through the air like knives.


    Just in time, Hope raised a shield of pink light, and the petals clanked against the hard ground.


    This isn’t like combat class.


    Hope took a sharp breath. She had to end this. Fast.


    Hope dodged another deadly stream of attacks.


    Her pulse pounded. She had to land one good hit.


    A wave of pink energy crackled around her.


    She thrust her hands forward—


    A stream of pink lightning erupted toward Hana—


    Hana twisted to dodge—


    But then, Hope sent another wave.


    And another.


    Faster.


    More.


    The air filled with blinding pink flames, weaving into an inescapable net of energy.


    Hana finally faltered. Got her.


    Hope took her chance.


    She raised her hands—a final attack charging, growing brighter, hotter.


    A prismatic beam of pure, blinding light erupted from her fingertips.


    It slammed into Hana, piercing through the darkness clinging to her. Hana let out a sharp scream.


    The black aura around her ripped away in bursts of light. The ashen color of her skin began to fade. Her uniform, her hair—slowly returning to normal.


    Hope clenched her fists, pushing more power into the beam.


    One last pulse of radiant energy exploded outward—


    And the darkness was gone.


    A sudden rush of warmth filled the air.


    The sky, once gray and dead, brightened.


    The cherry blossom trees bloomed once more.


    The river cleared, koi fish stirring awake beneath its surface. The fields of flowers sprang back to life, bursting with color.


    Hope breathed hard, heart racing.


    And in the middle of it all—Hana sat on the ground, dazed.


    She blinked up at Hope, her big blue eyes wide and confused.


    “Hope…?”


    Her voice was small. Human.


    Hope swallowed hard. She didn’t know how she did it, but she did it.


    She took a slow, cautious step forward.


    “Hana… do you remember what happened?”


    Hana lowered her head, gripping her knees.


    “I… I was sad. After seeing you and your friends, I felt even more lonely. And then I—”


    Her voice broke.


    Hope’s chest tightened.


    Hana let out a small, shaky breath. Then—she collapsed into Hope’s arms.


    Hope froze for a moment before slowly wrapping her arms around her, holding her tightly.


    As Hana sobbed into her shoulder, Hope closed her eyes. “It’s okay. You’re okay now.”


    Hana’s hands clung to Hope’s uniform.


    “I miss my mom.”


    Hope felt a lump form in her throat.


    “I know.”


    For a long moment, they stayed like that.


    The world around them soft, warm, alive again.


    Hope and Hana walked back together, hand in hand.


    Hana’s steps were small, hesitant. As they neared the school, Hope’s stomach twisted.


    The entrance doors were wide open. And everyone was waiting.


    Students gathered in stunned silence.


    Teachers stood frozen, processing what they had just witnessed.


    At the front of the crowd, Principal Spring watched with unreadable eyes.


    Hope tightened her grip on Hana’s hand.


    No one spoke.


    The entire school had just seen the impossible.


    Daisy and Sierra were the first to move, rushing forward.


    Daisy, breathless: “You—you actually—”


    Sierra’s eyes flicked to Hana, no longer a corrupted spirit, just a shaken girl clutching Hope’s hand. She exhaled slowly.


    Sierra: “Holy shit.”


    Hope felt the weight of hundreds of eyes on her.


    Some looked at her in awe. Some in fear. Some… in confusion, like they couldn’t fully grasp what they just saw.


    Hope barely registered it. She was still shaking. Her heart was still pounding from the battle.


    Then—a new voice.


    Miss Wilson, storming forward. “Hope—”


    Hope barely had time to react before Miss Wilson grabbed her shoulders, looking her over.


    Miss Wilson: “Are you hurt?”


    Hope blinked, taken aback. “No, I—”


    Miss Wilson exhaled, her grip tightening for just a second before she stepped back.


    Hope suddenly realized—Miss Wilson wasn’t mad.


    She was shaken. Worried.


    Before Hope could say anything else—


    Principal Spring stepped forward.


    The crowd went completely still.


    Spring’s expression? Neutral. Controlled.


    She scanned the scene, gaze falling on Hana, then Hope.


    Then, in a voice calm and unreadable, she said:


    “All students will return to their dormitories immediately. There will be an emergency assembly first thing in the morning.”


    A heavy pause.


    Then—she turned and walked away.


    No further questions. No praise. No anger.


    Just cold dismissal.


    Hope felt something uneasy settle in her chest.


    _________________________________________


    The next morning, Hope sat in the Grand Hall, surrounded by the entire Haven Insitute Community.


    The air buzzed with tension.


    People whispered, exchanged glances. Some turned to stare at her. Hope already knew.


    This was about her.


    At the podium, Principal Spring, Mr. Waltz, and Miss Wilson stood waiting.


    Then—Spring stepped forward, lifting a hand.


    The room fell silent instantly. Spring’s voice was calm, deliberate.


    “Yesterday, an event took place that defied all protocol.”


    “A student deliberately disobeyed orders and placed herself in extreme danger.”


    Hope felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.


    But then—


    Spring’s eyes locked onto her.


    “However—this same student did something that, until now, was believed to be impossible.”


    Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Hope swallowed hard.


    Spring: “Purification magic.”


    The whispers turned into shocked, urgent discussion.


    “That’s impossible.”


    “I didn’t know that was a thing.”


    “I thought that kind of thing didn’t exist anymore.”


    Spring let them murmur for a moment before raising her hand again.


    Silence.


    Mr. Waltz stepped forward, crossing his arms.


    Mr. Waltz: “For those of you who don’t understand the significance—this is the only known power capable of not just fighting Sei-spirits, but restoring them.”


    Spring: “This new student has accomplished what was thought to be impossible.”


    Then, in a voice sharp and final:


    “And that means she will be watched closely.”


    A heavy pause. Spring stepped back. “That is all.”


    And just like that—the assembly was over.


    _________________________________________


    The door to Sierra and Daisy’s room clicked shut behind them, muffling the distant chatter of students still buzzing about the assembly.


    The three girls stood there for a moment, letting the weight of the day settle. Hope sat down on the edge of Sierra’s bed, exhaling sharply. “That was a lot.”


    Daisy flopped onto her own bed, stretching her arms out dramatically. “Yeah, no kidding. What the hell was that speech?”


    Sierra leaned against her desk. “Spring was being… weird.”


    Hope frowned. “Right? Like, she barely even acknowledged what happened. Just—‘oh, by the way, purification magic is real again, everyone watch Hope closely, okay, bye.’”


    Daisy sat up, crossing her legs. “She didn’t even sound happy about it. You’d think she’d be excited that someone at her school pulled off a miracle.”


    Sierra’s expression darkened. “No. She wasn’t happy at all. It felt more like…” she hesitated. ”…like she was annoyed.”


    Hope’s stomach twisted.


    Daisy scoffed. “Well, good. Maybe she should be. Hope literally did something their stupid task force couldn’t.”


    Hope rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah, but now it feels like I’ve got a giant target on my back.”


    Sierra looked serious. “You do.”


    Hope responded with sarcasm, “Aw, thanks.”


    Sierra remained pensive. “I’m serious. Everyone was looking at you differently today. Some of them might’ve thought you were a hero, like Daisy and I…”


    Her expression changed from serious to concerned.


    “But some of them were scared. Some—” she hesitated, ”—looked like they were trying to figure out what to do with you.”


    Daisy sighed, sliding back against her bed. “Whatever, you’re still Hope. Why are we so worried about what everyone’s thinking?”


    Hope huffed a quiet laugh. “This Institute has, like, 2 big impressions of me now. Neither of them are normal.”


    The three fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, recalling Hope’s first day in the dining hall.


    Then, Daisy turned to hope and grinned. “You’re literally the main character, bitch.”


    Hope giggled, then let out a long sigh. “I just want things to be normal.”


    Daisy and Sierra exchanged a look. Neither of them said what they were both thinking.


    Sierra checked the time. “We should get to bed. We’ve got a full class schedule tomorrow.”


    Hope chuckled, sitting up and stretching. “Alright, fine. I’m exhausted anyway.”


    Sierra turned off her desk lamp, casting the room into a dim glow from the moonlight outside.


    Hope stood, making her way toward the door. “Thanks for letting me hang out here for a bit.” She smiled faintly, gripping the doorknob. “Night, guys.”


    Sierra and Daisy both murmured a tired “Night.”


    Hope stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her.