《Hope’s Psychedelic Incidents》 Chapter 1: The First Incident The kitchen is alive with the clatter of pots and the murmur of boiling water, but the tension lingers, thick and unspoken. Hope leans against the counter, arms crossed, watching her mother stir a pot with mechanical precision. The rhythmic motion does little to mask the irritation behind her furrowed brow. Her mother exhales sharply. "Hope, a little space while I cook would be nice." A beat. Then, with a sigh- "When are you going to decide what to do with your future? You can¡¯t just sit around forever." The newspaper crinkles as her father shifts at the dining table, barely glancing up. "She needs to get serious. It¡¯s been months since she graduated, and it¡¯s not like she has any real skills to fall back on." Hope doesn¡¯t answer. Her eyes stay locked on the simmering pot, reflecting a warped silhouette of her blonde curls. Magic is the only thing that feels real to her, but it¡¯s also the one thing she can never say out loud. She turns without a word and heads upstairs. The soft glow of the stairwell lights stretches her shadow along the walls as she retreats to her room¡ªthe only place where she can breathe. Hope sits cross-legged on her bed, inhaling deeply. In each palm, a soft glow appears¡ªone baby blue, the other pink. She rolls them between her fingers, the warmth familiar, comforting. With each toss between hands, they grow, pulsing with energy. This is who she is. This is her purpose. Then, something shifts. A surge of power unlike anything before rushes through her veins. It crackles, uncontained, and in an instant, the energy lunges toward the window. A blinding flash. A shattering crash. From downstairs¡ª Father: "What the hell was that?!" Mother: "Hope! That better not be what I think it is!" Hope freezes. Hope: "Shit." Footsteps stomp toward the staircase. Mother: "I told you, I will not have you meddling with that sinful garbage! Pack your things¡ªyou¡¯re out." Before Hope can react, a series of loud, urgent knocks echoes through the house. Her father whips toward the door, eyes narrowing. Father: "Goddamn it, Hope, you probably freaked out the neighbors! Get the door. This is your mess." Hope swallows, her heart hammering as she steps forward. Every nerve in her body is screaming¡ªthis isn¡¯t just some concerned neighbor. She can feel it. Hand trembling slightly, she grips the doorknob. The door swings open. Two figures stand in the doorway, dressed in black suits. Their gazes sweep over her, unreadable but knowing. The taller man speaks first, his voice calm, but edged with urgency. Man: "We got here as fast as we could. The frequencies we detected¡ªunusually strong. This cannot go unnoticed. Nor should you remain unguided." Behind her¡ª Father: "Who the hell are these people, Hope?" Hope barely hears him. Her breath catches as she looks back at the strangers. There¡¯s something about them, something that makes her pulse quicken. Hope: "What¡­ are you talking about?" The woman steps forward, her expression firm, but not unkind. Woman: "You must be the one we¡¯re looking for. How fitting they call you Hope." She glances past Hope, at her parents¡ªjudging, assessing¡ªbefore settling her gaze back on her. Woman: "We¡¯re from the Haven Spirituality Institute. A place for those like you¡ªthose with talent, with potential. Here, you won¡¯t have to hide what you are. You¡¯ll learn. You¡¯ll grow. You¡¯ll thrive." Her voice lowers slightly, as if offering something fragile, something sacred. Woman: "You have a choice, Hope. Stay here, suppress what¡¯s inside you¡­ or come with us and discover the truth of your power." Hope lets out a short, breathy laugh. Hope: "Haven Institute? What is that, in California?" Woman: "Definitely not." Hope turns, looking back at her parents. Their faces are frozen in a mixture of confusion and fear. Fear of her. She turns back to the strangers. Hope: "¡­And I wouldn¡¯t have to pay rent?" A small smirk plays at the woman¡¯s lips. Woman: "No rent." Hope exhales. She already knows her answer. Hope: "¡­I¡¯m in." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As they all walk toward the sidewalk, the night air outside is thick and unmoving. The suburban street is silent, besides the occasional flicker of a streetlamp. A gust of wind spirals through the street, as Hope finally takes a good look at the two. They wear sleek, dark uniforms, unlike anything Hope has ever seen. Their coats are long, lined with shimmering metallic embroidery that glints under the streetlights. Their expressions are serious but unreadable. Hope: "So¡­ who exactly are you?" Green-Eyed Woman: "We¡¯re from the Haven Council¡¯s special task force. We don¡¯t normally make direct retrievals, but you set off a high-frequency radar. That makes you¡­ special." Hope: "Special how?" Green-Eyed Woman: "Not our concern. We¡¯re just here to get you where you need to be." Hope glances between them. "So what, you guys are like the Men in Black?" Dark-Haired Man: "This will likely be the last time we ever cross paths. No reason to get familiar." Hope exhales sharply. "Wow. Okay. Friendly bunch." He ignores her. Instead, he lifts both hands¡ªand the world distorts. A sound erupts, deep and reverberating. Not loud, but felt¡ªlike the universe itself is groaning. Hope¡¯s vision warps. The air splinters. The particles around her become visible, shifting like fractal patterns. Her ears ring violently. Her stomach lurches as the ground shakes¡ªnot from movement, but from reality itself shuddering. And then¡ª The world snaps into place. Hope stumbles slightly, catching herself as the ringing in her ears lingers. She blinks rapidly, trying to process what just happened. The air is different. Crisper, cooler, heavier. The gravity feels¡­ off, like she¡¯s a fraction lighter than before. They are no longer in her neighborhood. Instead, she stands in a sleek, expansive room lined with dark stone and tall, glass-paneled walls. Outside, the sky is deep indigo, streaked with soft hues of violet and blue. Beyond the glass, she sees structures that seem impossibly high, woven with bridges of glowing light. Hope exhales sharply, pressing her fingers to her temples. Hope: ¡°Okay, my ears are still burning. What the hell was that?¡± The green-eyed woman finally offers a slight smirk. ¡°Not teleportation. Vibrational alignment.¡± Dark-Haired Man: ¡°We shifted our frequency to match Haven¡¯s plane. Think of it like¡ª¡± (he pauses, considering) ¡°¡ªif Earth is a two-dimensional surface, this is three-dimensional space.¡± Hope stares at him. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me I¡¯ve been living in 2D this whole time?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been perceiving in 2D,¡± he corrects. ¡°Haven exists on a higher vibrational layer of the same world. You just couldn¡¯t access it.¡± Hope processes that for a second, then mutters, ¡°This is way worse than jet lag.¡± Before Hope can ask more, the dark-haired man nods to her, then turns away. Dark-Haired Man: ¡°We¡¯ve done our job. The rest is up to her.¡± And just like that, the task force disperses. Hope watches them leave, a strange pit forming in her stomach. She mutters to herself. ¡°Guess I¡¯m on my own now.¡± A voice cuts through the silence. ¡°Not quite.¡± Hope turns. At the far end of the room, sitting at a pristine, glass-top desk, is a woman with sharp features and an air of effortless authority. Principal Spring. Her auburn hair is smoothly pinned back, and her expression is pleasant, yet unreadable. She gestures to the seat in front of her desk. Principal Spring: ¡°Sit, Hope.¡± Hope hesitates, then moves forward. She sinks into the chair, her body still adjusting to whatever weird gravity shift had just happened. Spring clasps her hands together. Principal Spring: ¡°Welcome to Haven.¡± Her voice is smooth, measured. Hope immediately gets the sense that this woman misses nothing. Principal Spring: ¡°Let¡¯s get the obvious out of the way. No, this is not an entirely different universe. This is a different plane¡ªa vibrational layer of the same world. Haven exists where your world does, just at a different frequency.¡± Hope lets out a long breath. ¡°Right. The whole 2D to 3D thing. Still weird.¡± Spring gives a small, knowing smile. ¡°You¡¯ll adjust.¡± Hope isn¡¯t so sure. Principal Spring: ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about Haven Institute.¡± She slides something across the desk¡ªa neatly folded uniform. A white button-up t-shirt with an embroidered insignia. A pleated white skirt. Black Mary Jane-style shoes. Ankle socks. Hope picks up the fabric, studying it. Hope: ¡°Okay¡­ not bad. Kind of cute, actually.¡± Spring raises a brow. Hope shrugs. ¡°I mean, for Earth standards.¡± Principal Spring: ¡°You¡¯ll find that many aspects of Haven reflect your world. However, this is much more than a school. Haven Institute is a community.¡± She leans back slightly. Principal Spring: ¡°Some people spend their whole lives here. It is a place of education, research, and work. Parts of it function as a university. Other parts are dedicated to study and supernatural advancement. And some simply live and thrive here.¡± Hope tilts her head. ¡°So it¡¯s like a¡­ campus city?¡± Principal Spring: ¡°In a way. But it is also the supernatural epicenter of this region. The heart of everything beyond the ordinary.¡± Hope lets the words sink in. She glances at the polished stone walls, the high glass windows, the sleek modern architecture. Nothing about this place screams ¡°magic¡± to her. Hope: ¡°Gotta be honest¡­ it doesn¡¯t look that different from Earth.¡± Spring simply gestures toward the windows. Hope follows her hand¡ªand her breath catches. The view stretches far beyond what she expected. Rolling rivers. Towering temples carved into the sides of cliffs. Expansive fields that shimmer with faint, unseen energy. Thick bamboo forests swaying in the wind. And in the far distance¡ªan actual city. Hope¡¯s grip on the uniform tightens slightly. This was real. And it was only the beginning. Principal Spring stands, smoothing the fabric of her pristine blazer. Principal Spring: ¡°Since it¡¯s almost time for the evening meal, I might as well show you around. You¡¯ll want to get familiar with the Institute¡¯s layout sooner rather than later.¡± She steps toward the door, her presence commanding yet effortless. Hope hesitates for a brief second before following. The moment the office doors glide open, the sheer vastness of the Haven Institute unfolds before her. The hallways are immaculate and modern, lined with polished marble and sleek glass panels that reflect the soft glow of floating lantern-like lights. Yet, despite its grandeur, it doesn¡¯t scream magic. Not in the way she expected. They step into an expansive corridor, wide enough to fit a dozen people across. And that¡¯s when Hope notices¡ªno one is staring at her. She was expecting at least some whispers, glances, curiosity. After all, she just found out she¡¯s from another plane of existence. But the students here? They don¡¯t care. It¡¯s not that she¡¯s invisible¡ªit¡¯s just that Haven Institute is too big and too diverse for her to be anyone¡¯s concern. Hope exhales, her shoulders relaxing slightly. They pass by a series of rooms, each more fascinating than the last. Through an open archway, she catches a glimpse of a research lab where scholars pore over ancient tomes, murmuring in hushed voices as they analyze sigils. Beyond that, a combative court sprawls out like an Olympic stadium, its sleek flooring pulsing with residual energy. She barely has time to process before¡ª BOOM. A flash of red explodes across the arena as two spells clash mid-air colliding in a controlled yet ferocious display. One combatant is catching his breath, while the other sweats profusely. Hope pauses instinctively, drawn in. Another attack. One of the fighters¡ªa student in a dark training uniform¡ªtwists mid-dodge, warping the trajectory of an incoming attack with a flick of their wrist. The entire spell bends around them before dispersing harmlessly into the barrier walls. Hope¡¯s eyes widen. That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s something she¡¯d only ever dreamed of seeing in real life. She almost asks how it works¡ªhow it¡¯s even possible¡ª but Principal Spring keeps walking, unfazed. Hope forces herself to follow. Further ahead, they approach a grand spiral staircase, lined with towering windows that stretch toward the vaulted ceiling. Here¡¯s a smooth transition bridging Hope and Principal Spring¡¯s entrance into the dining hall while keeping the flow seamless and natural. Further ahead, they approach a grand spiral staircase, lined with towering windows that stretch toward the vaulted ceiling. Hope follows Spring down the steps, her gaze still drawn to the massive glass panes. The view outside remains breathtaking¡ªa world she still doesn¡¯t fully understand, yet one she¡¯s now a part of. Chapter 2: The Dining Hall Incident As Hope and Spring reach the end of the staircase, the scent of warm food drifts through the air. Hope¡¯s stomach tightens at the realization that she hasn¡¯t eaten since earlier that day. A moment later, the corridor widens into an expansive, open space¡ª The dining hall. The room hums with life. Silverware clinks against plates as students settle in for the evening meal. The air is warm, thick with the scent of spices, roasted meats, and fresh bread. The low murmur of hundreds of voices blends into a comforting background hum. Hope lingers for a second in the entryway, taking it all in. It feels¡­ normal. Despite everything else¡ª**the magic, the combat courts, the sheer impossibility of this place¡ª this moment? It¡¯s just people eating, talking, laughing. Something about that feels almost grounding. Principal Spring comes to a stop beside her. Principal Spring: ¡°This is where I leave you for now.¡± Hope blinks. ¡°That¡¯s it? No instructions?¡± Spring offers the faintest smile. ¡°I think you¡¯ll manage.¡± She turns slightly, her tone shifting to something more formal. Principal Spring: ¡°I wish you well in your time at Haven, Hope.¡± Hope hesitates, then gives a short nod. ¡°Right. Thanks.¡± Spring doesn¡¯t linger. With effortless grace, she turns and disappears into the faculty section of the hall. Hope exhales, her shoulders loosening just a fraction. Then¡ªshe steps forward, sliding into the food line. This is it. Her first real interaction with people like her. People who understand magic. People who won¡¯t look at her like she¡¯s crazy just for being herself. She glances around at the students ahead of her. They seem¡­ normal. Talking, joking, waiting for food. It makes her feel hopeful. She smiles, shifting forward in line, and greets the girl in front of her. Hope: ¡°Hey!¡± The girl turns slightly¡ªtall, dark-haired, effortlessly cool. She meets Hope¡¯s gaze for a moment before offering a half-hearted nod. Lunch Line Girl: ¡°Hey.¡± Her tone is flat, but not unkind¡ªjust neutral. Hope takes it as a win and pushes forward. Hope: ¡°It¡¯s my first day here.¡± The girl raises an eyebrow. ¡°Oh cool, welcome to Haven. Did you move here from the city?¡± Hope¡¯s face lights up. Finally, someone showing interest. Hope: ¡°No, I¡¯m from America.¡± Silence. The girl blinks. Lunch Line Girl: ¡°Never heard of that. What prefecture is that?¡± Hope: ¡°Prefecture??¡± The girl tilts her head slightly, confused. ¡°Girl, we live in an archipelago.¡± Hope stares at her blankly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what an ¡®artchy-pet-lego¡¯ is. I just got sent here from another world.¡± The girl pauses. Then¡ªshe laughs. Lunch Line Girl: ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re serious?¡± Hope grins. ¡°Yeah! It happened like an hour ago. Some Men in Black-looking agents just appeared in my driveway, and now I¡¯m here.¡± Hope throws up her hands. ¡±Like, literally. Teleported.¡± The girl¡¯s smile falters slightly. Her expression shifts from amusement to concern. Lunch Line Girl: ¡°Oh.¡± She pauses. ¡°You¡¯re actually insane.¡± Hope opens her mouth, but the girl immediately turns back around, done with the conversation. Well. That could have gone better. Hope sighs, staring at the back of the girl¡¯s head. Okay, so maybe people here aren¡¯t as open-minded as she thought. And then¡ª Giggles from behind her. Hope glances over her shoulder. Two girls have joined the line. One with long, dark braids and a bright, amused smile. The other, pale-skinned, jet-black hair tucked behind glasses, eyes sharp with curiosity. They¡¯re both looking at her. Hope blinks. Daisy: ¡°That was actually the funniest thing I¡¯ve heard all day.¡± Sierra: ¡°Were you joking, or¡­?¡± Hope crosses her arms. ¡°Nope. Dead serious.¡± Daisy and Sierra exchange a glance. Then¡ªDaisy grins. ¡°Damn. I like you.¡± Hope relaxes slightly. Sierra looks perplexed. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t believe you, but I respect the commitment.¡± Hope laughs. ¡°I¡¯m not lying! I actually just got teleported here by some secret agents or whatever. But you know, it¡¯s fine. No one ever believes me anyway.¡± Daisy shakes her head, still smiling. ¡°If nothing else, at least you¡¯re fun.¡± Sierra extends a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Sierra.¡± Daisy follows suit. ¡°And I¡¯m Daisy.¡± Hope shakes their hands, grinning. ¡°Hope.¡± Daisy gestures ahead. ¡°Well, Hope-from-another-world, guess you¡¯re stuck with us in line.¡± Hope shrugs dramatically. ¡°Guess so.¡± And just like that, she¡¯s not alone anymore. The dining hall hums with conversation, silverware clinking against plates as students settle in for the evening meal. The air is warm, thick with the smell of food and the low murmur of hundreds of voices. At one of the long tables, Daisy and Sierra wave Hope over. She slides onto the bench beside them, grateful for the small comfort of friendly faces. A few seats down, a group of five¡ªthree boys, two girls¡ªare locked in their own conversation, their easy camaraderie marking them as close friends. Drew flicks a glance toward Hope, leaning in slightly. His brown eyes glint with curiosity as he lowers his voice. Drew (under his breath): "Have any of you seen that girl here before?" Hunter, sitting with his arms crossed, barely spares a glance. Hunter: "I don¡¯t think I have, why?" Drew shrugs, smirking. Drew: "Just wondering. She¡¯s kinda hot." Chase, leaned back in his seat, twirls a fork between his fingers before smirking. Chase: "True." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Hunter scoffs, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he shakes his head. Hunter: "Girls that look like that always think they¡¯re the shit. I wouldn¡¯t bother." Bella, seated beside Gabby, flicks her piercing blue eyes in Hope¡¯s direction. Her lips curl into a slow, deliberate smirk. Bella: "If she¡¯s really all that, then why¡¯s she hanging out with a bunch of losers?" A sharp, smug voice joins in from the table behind them. Lunch Line Girl: "That girl¡¯s fucking weird. She randomly started talking to me in line about how she¡¯s, like, an alien from another world or something." Hope tenses as the words spread like wildfire, the group¡¯s attention snapping toward her. At Hope¡¯s table, Daisy and Sierra exchange a look, their concern evident. Hope exhales through her nose, forcing a laugh. Hope (lighthearted, dismissive): "That¡¯s not what I said. I¡¯m just a normal girl from a different plane, dimension¡ªwhatever you wanna call it. I just¡ª" Hunter (grinning): "Why are hot girls always crazy?" Gabby, her amber eyes flickering with amusement, leans in lazily. Gabby: "I kinda liked the alien theory more." Chase: "Guys, don¡¯t be rude¡ªshe probably forgot to pack her meds." Hunter: "Maybe they fell out of the spaceship on the way here." Bella (flat, unimpressed): "I don¡¯t give a shit where she came from, I just wish she¡¯d stayed there." Laughter erupts around the table. Not just from them, but from nearby students who overheard. Hope feels her stomach knot. Eyes are on her now, some amused, some merely curious, but all watching. And then¡ª Chase leans forward, his voice smooth and mocking, delivering the final blow. Chase: "I don¡¯t think she¡¯s crazy. I think she just wants to feel special for once. Look at all the attention she¡¯s getting." (A slow, cruel smirk.) "Did Mommy not hold you enough? Or did you just get dropped on your¡ª" Hope moves before he can finish. Then, in a single fluid motion, she steps up onto the dining bench, towering over him. The noise in the hall dips as students turn, conversations dying mid-sentence. Hope (calm, razor-sharp): "You can talk all the shit you want, but I hope you¡¯re good at dodging." She raises her arm. A kaleidoscopic circle of pink energy bursts to life behind her, casting shifting, prismatic light across the stunned faces around her. A split second later¡ª The attack launches. A barrage of glowing orbs¡ªpink and white, fast and relentless¡ªtears through the air. Chase barely has time to flinch before the force slams into him. The impact knocks him off the bench, his back hitting the floor with a thud. Gasps ripple through the hall. Some students shoot to their feet. Others stay frozen in place, wide-eyed in disbelief. A final orb bursts through his shirt, leaving behind a smoldering hole in the fabric. A breathless silence follows. The dining hall is frozen. Every eye is locked on Chase, curled up on the floor, his chest rising and falling as he processes what just happened. For a moment, he doesn¡¯t say anything. Doesn¡¯t move. Just breathes. Then, slowly, he sits up, brushing dust from his uniform. He glances down at the burned hole in his shirt. His fingers ghost over the edges of it, his face blank. Drew (hesitant): "Uh¡­ Chase? You good?" A slow grin spreads across Hunter¡¯s face. Hunter: "Talk shit, get hit, I guess." A few snickers ripple through the students close enough to hear. Others stay silent, too stunned to react. But Hope can hear everything. The murmurs, the stares, the mix of emotions pressing in around her¡ªshock, confusion, admiration, unease. Some students whisper about her power. Others whisper about her guts. A few? They whisper if she¡¯s crazy. What the hell just happened? Did she really just attack him? Who even is she? Hope¡¯s face burns. The heat of embarrassment, the adrenaline crashing down from her attack, the scattered voices¡ªit all presses in. She doesn¡¯t regret it. But now, there¡¯s no going back. And then¡ª Two sharp claps. The room snaps to silence. At the front of the faculty table, Principal Spring rises. Her posture is composed, unreadable. Principal Spring: ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Her voice is smooth but calculated. The room waits. Spring exhales, shaking her head slightly. Principal Spring: ¡°Normally, I wouldn¡¯t single out an individual student like this.¡± (A pause. Her gaze flicks to Hope.) Principal Spring: ¡°But it seems you¡¯ve already done that yourself.¡± The weight of her words settles over the hall. Principal Spring: ¡°Hope, what you just did was wrong. This is not how we handle disagreements here.¡± (A deliberate pause.) Principal Spring: ¡°However¡­ I understand you don¡¯t yet know our customs.¡± Hope says nothing. She stares at the floor. The weight of too many eyes on her feels unbearable. Principal Spring: ¡°For those who don¡¯t know, we have a new student joining us today.¡± A beat of silence. It stretches, palpable. Principal Spring: ¡°She was brought to Haven because she set off an interdimensional frequency radar from another world.¡± Whispers break out again. ¡°An alternate reality¡­?¡± Daisy (softly, to Sierra): ¡°She was telling the truth¡­¡± Sierra (just as quiet): ¡°And did you see that attack?¡± Some students look at Hope with renewed fascination. Others? Confusion. Principal Spring: ¡°To bring a sense of urgency to the Haven council like that¡­ would take someone very powerful.¡± Hope feels Daisy and Sierra¡¯s gazes shift toward her. There¡¯s concern there¡ªbut something about it feels warm. Spring raises a hand, and the room stills once more. Principal Spring: ¡°I ask that you all give Hope patience and grace as she adjusts to life in our world.¡± Her gaze returns to Hope. It lingers¡ªjust a half-second too long. Something about it feels too neutral. Too controlled. Then, Spring sits back down. At the faculty table, Mr. Waltz exhales, pushing his chair back slightly. His expression is blank¡ªbut there¡¯s something beneath it. He glances toward Miss Wilson. She isn¡¯t looking at him. She¡¯s looking at Hope. Then, to no one in particular, Waltz speaks. Mr. Waltz: ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone else saw it, but¡ª¡± (a slight shake of his head) ¡°¡ªher magic¡­ we haven¡¯t seen it since¡ª¡± A ripple of uneasy curiosity flickers across the faculty table. Miss Wilson¡¯s fingers tighten slightly around her fork. She doesn¡¯t speak. But her eyes sharpen. Before Waltz can continue¡ª Principal Spring cuts in. Principal Spring (curt, final): ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The weight of her voice shuts down the conversation instantly. A pause. A long one. Then, without so much as a glance toward Hope¡ª Principal Spring: ¡°I saw. We all did. Just make sure she doesn¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡± And just like that¡ªthe conversation is over. But not forgotten. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The air outside the dining hall is cooler, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension from earlier. Hope walks between Daisy and Sierra, her pulse still buzzing with adrenaline. They walk onto the winding stone path leading to the dormitories, which makes a satisfying ¡®click¡® sound against their mary jane¡¯s. For a few beats, none of them speak. Then¡ªDaisy bursts out laughing. Daisy: ¡°Okay- that was actually insane.¡± Sierra: ¡°I think the entire dining hall just witnessed history.¡± Daisy giggles, looking at Hope with a smile: ¡°At least now you won¡¯t have to go around introducing yourself to everyone.¡± Hope lets out a breathy laugh, running a hand through her loose curls. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ maybe not my best first impression.¡± Daisy: ¡°No, girl, that was amazing. Chase finally got what was coming to him.¡± Sierra looks down. ¡°I do feel a little bad for not believing you earlier.¡± Daisy: ¡°Same. But in our defense you started Hope: ¡°I mean¡­ is anything about this place normal?¡± Daisy: ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± They continue walking, the laughter settling into something warmer, more comfortable. Sierra: ¡°You handled yourself well, though. Not just the attack¡ªjust¡­ the way you stood your ground.¡± Hope shrugs, exhaling sharply. ¡°Didn¡¯t feel that way. Felt like I was losing my mind for a second.¡± Daisy nudges her playfully. ¡°Well, if you ever do lose it, at least you¡¯ll have the most dramatic mental breakdown on record.¡± Hope snickers. ¡°Great. Exactly what I want my legacy to be.¡± Ahead, the dormitories rise into view. Hope slows as she takes in the building before her. It¡¯s massive¡ªfar bigger than it looked from the outside. The sleek, dark stone exterior is lined with tall stained-glass windows, casting soft, ethereal colors onto the surrounding paths. At the entrance, an intricate crest glows faintly, shifting between symbols Hope doesn¡¯t recognize. Hope frowns. ¡°There¡¯s no way this place was this big from outside. Right?¡± Daisy grins knowingly. ¡°That¡¯s what I used to think too.¡± Sierra: ¡°I assume there are faculty members who like to mess around with space. Either that, or this building is violating several laws of physics.¡± Hope raises a brow. ¡°Yeah, because everything else here has been super realistic.¡± Sierra smirks slightly. ¡°Fair point.¡± Daisy pushes open the entrance doors, and Hope steps into the dormitory lobby. Her breath catches. The inside is nothing like she expected. A massive open atrium stretches upward, layered with elegant walkways and spiral staircases that wind up to multiple floors. The walls are a sleek mix of marble and glass, reflecting the warm, golden lighting. At the center, a floating chandelier of shifting constellations casts tiny specks of light around the space. Hope turns slowly, taking it all in. Hope: ¡°This is a literal hotel. Like, Four-Seasons level.¡± Daisy looks over to Sierra, confused. Sierra nods toward a set of elevator doors. ¡°Dorm rooms are up. We get to pick one that¡¯s open.¡± Daisy grins at Hope. ¡°Welcome home, newbie.¡± Hope smiles slightly. For the first time since she arrived¡ªit actually feels like she belongs here. Hope follows Daisy and Sierra down the long corridor. Daisy: (grinning) ¡°Okay, so most of these are open. You get first pick.¡± Sierra nods. ¡°We already grabbed one together. You¡¯re free to room alone, but if you want a roommate, there¡¯s a request list.¡± Hope raises a brow. ¡°And you two chose to room together?¡± Daisy nudges Sierra. ¡°It was either room with my bestie, or face the possibility of ending up with a random psycho.¡± Sierra sighs. ¡°Deep down she really wanted the psycho. I¡¯m boring.¡± Hope giggles, then turns toward an open doorway. Inside, the room is massive. A modern studio suite, complete with a sleek bed, a curved desk, a reading nook, and¡ªmost impressively¡ªa floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the shimmering skyline. Hope steps inside slowly, taking it all in. Hope: (whistles) ¡°Oh my god, the view. I need.¡± Daisy leans against the doorframe, smirking. ¡°Good choice. You¡¯re right next to us.¡± Hope grins. ¡°Perfect. You can wake me up when I inevitably oversleep.¡± Daisy and Sierra give Hope a goodnight hug, then head off to their own dorm. Hope closes the door behind her, finally alone for the first time since she arrived. The room is eerily quiet. She walks to the full-length mirror by the closet, catching her reflection for the first time in hours. Soft, fair skin with a pinkish hue. Golden blonde loose curls frame her face. Freckles dust her cheeks and hazel eyes shimmer under the soft glow of the dorm¡¯s chandelier. Hope tilts her head. Even in a new world, she was still her. She exhales, shaking off the lingering weight of the day. Turning toward the closet, she hesitates. It¡¯s fully stocked. Drawers filled with cute clothes and cozy pajamas¡ªin her exact size. Shelves lined with perfume, makeup, skincare, and toiletries. A sleek desk neatly arranged with textbooks, notebooks, pens¡ªeverything she¡¯d need for class. And on the nightstand, a note. Hope picks it up, unfolding the delicate parchment. Miss Wilson¡¯s handwriting is clean, precise. Hope, Welcome to Haven. I look forward to having you in class tomorrow. I hope you get some rest. ¡ªMiss Wilson Hope blinks. How did she know which dorm she¡¯d pick? She shakes her head. Good intuition, probably. With a small smile, she sets the note back down. Finally, she climbs into bed. The mattress molds perfectly to her body, and before she can overthink anything else¡ª She¡¯s asleep. Chapter 3: Hope鈥檚 First Day A loud chime erupts through the room. Hope groans, burrowing deeper into her blanket. The chime grows louder. Hope: ¡°Five more minutes¡­¡± For a second, she just stares at the ceiling. An echoing voice pierces through the intercom. ¡°Good morning, Students. It is 6:45 AM. Classes begin at 8:00. Have a wonderful day.¡± 6:45? Hope sits up, groaning. ¡°Yeah, thanks, Satan.¡± Hope shuffles to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face before slipping into the Haven Institute uniform¡ªcrisp white button-up, pleated skirt, black Mary Janes. She grabs a couple hair ties, twisting her curls into loose pigtails before glancing at herself in the mirror. The uniform actually looks cute. She grabs her bag, tossing in the notebooks left for her, and steps out into the corridor. Just as she does¡ª Daisy¡¯s door swings open. Daisy steps out, already put together¡ªhair sleek, perfect lashes, bright smile in place. Daisy: (grinning) ¡°Oh good, you survived.¡± Before Hope can retaliate, Sierra¡¯s door opens. Sierra steps out, adjusting her glasses. ¡°I assume you endured Haven¡¯s alarm system?¡± Hope crosses her arms. ¡°Unfortunately.¡± Daisy nudges her playfully. ¡°First class is homeroom. You ready?¡± Hope groans: ¡°I don¡¯t wanna do more school.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The halls buzz with morning activity, students weaving through the corridors, chatting, laughing. Hope keeps close to Daisy and Sierra, glancing around at the mix of people. They turn a corner, arriving at a set of tall doors. A small golden plaque reads: MISS WILSON ¡ª HOMEROOM 3A Daisy nudges Hope¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ready?¡± Hope nods. ¡°Yeah.¡± Sierra pushes open the door¡ª And the first thing Hope sees is Chase. Seated casually at a desk, arms crossed, looking just as smug as ever. His chiseled jawline, sharp cheekbones, and perfect smile make him undeniably attractive, but the arrogance in his expression cancels out any charm. Hope freezes. Her stomach drops. And as her eyes scan the room¡ª Hunter. Drew. Bella. Gabby. All of them. The entire group from last night. Hope: You have got to be kidding me. Daisy winces. ¡°Yeah, uh¡­ forgot to mention. We have homeroom with them.¡± Hope slowly turns to her. ¡°And now you tell me?¡± Daisy grimaces. ¡°I was gonna let you enjoy your morning first.¡± Sierra leans in. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, they don¡¯t usually cause trouble in class. Too many teachers watching.¡± Hope inhales sharply, then exhales. ¡°Fine. Whatever. It¡¯s one class.¡± She steps in, keeping her head high. But as she passes Chase, he tilts his head just slightly, watching her with a lazy smirk. His light brown hair falls effortlessly into place, his confidence as infuriating as ever. Chase: ¡°Good morning, crazy.¡± Hope: ¡°Fuck off.¡± She walks past, finding a seat next to Daisy. Daisy laughs. ¡°I like this version of you.¡± Before Hope can respond, the classroom door swings open again. Miss Wilson steps in. And just like that, her first class at Haven begins. Miss Wilson stands at the front of the room, hands clasped behind her back. She¡¯s younger than Hope expected¡ªprobably in her mid-30s, with sharp yet refined features. Her wavy hair grazes her shoulders, and her navy robes move effortlessly as she paces. She¡¯s serious, but undeniably pretty. And she doesn¡¯t waste time. Miss Wilson¡¯s eyes scan the room before settling on Hope. Miss Wilson: ¡°We have a new student joining us today.¡± Miss Wilson: ¡°Hope, introduce yourself.¡± Hope inhales sharply. Ugh. Again? She pushes her chair back, standing with all the confidence she doesn¡¯t feel. Hope: ¡°Uh¡­ hi. I¡¯m Hope.¡± A beat of silence. Miss Wilson raises an eyebrow. Hope clears her throat. Hope: ¡°I¡­ just got here, like, yesterday. I don¡¯t really know how anything works yet. Umm¡­ yeah.¡± More silence. Hunter leans back in his chair, smirking. His tanned skin and sharp, rugged features give him a naturally intimidating presence. Hunter: ¡°Wow. Inspirational.¡± A few students snicker under their breath. Miss Wilson doesn¡¯t even look at him. With a flick of her wrist, a gust of wind snaps Hunter¡¯s chair upright. Hunter flinches. Miss Wilson¡¯s expression remains neutral. Miss Wilson: ¡°I suggest you keep your seat the way it is.¡± Hunter grumbles something under his breath. Hope sits back down. Daisy leans over. ¡°The worst part is over.¡± Hope huffs a quiet laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Miss Wilson begins writing on the chalkboard:
  1. INTERNAL MAGIC
  2. EXTERNAL MAGIC
  3. DIVINE MAGIC
She paces, voice measured and steady. Miss Wilson: ¡°At Haven, we categorize magic into three primary sources. Some of you may already be predisposed to one over the others.¡± She turns to the class. Miss Wilson: ¡°Internal magic is drawn from your own energy. External magic is taken from your environment. Divine magic is granted by higher beings.¡± Miss Wilson passes out a cluster of ferns on each student¡¯s desk. Hope stares at the delicate plant in front of her. Miss Wilson: ¡°Today¡¯s task is simple. I want you to alter these. Change them to another flower of your choosing. You may use internal, external, or divine methods.¡± Hope feels a ripple of anticipation move through the class. This seems easy enough. Miss Wilson glances around the room. ¡°Begin.¡± Hope closes her eyes, exhaling. She¡¯s done bigger things than this. This is flowers. She focuses. A deep pull, the way she¡¯s always used her magic¡ªthe way it just happens. Her fingertips warm slightly. The ferns don¡¯t move. Hope frowns. She tries again, tensing her fingers. Nothing. She peeks around. Other students are already changing their flowers effortlessly. Drew¡¯s ferns shift into hydrangeas with a flick of his hand. Even Daisy, who rolled her eyes at the assignment, has snapped her fingers and turned hers into sunflowers. Bella¡¯s become black orchids. Hope watches Bella as she examines her own creation, effortlessly captivating. She twirls a lock of her perfectly styled chocolate brown hair around a manicured finger, her piercing blue eyes flicking upward to gauge the class¡¯s reaction. Even as a mean girl, there¡¯s something about her that makes people want to please her. The boys in the room can¡¯t help but glance in her direction. Hope grits her teeth. She focuses harder, pulling at whatever force she used in the dining hall¡ª A spark. Then¡ª A sudden whoosh of heat. Flames erupt from the fern, licking at the edges of Hope¡¯s desk. The class recoils. The sharp scent of burning plant matter fills the air. Miss Wilson reacts instantly, swiping her hand through the air. A burst of wind extinguishes the fire in a blink. Bella sits up, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Yikes.¡± Drew whistles. ¡°She said change the plant, not incinerate it.¡± Miss Wilson furrows her brows, turning to Hope. Miss Wilson: ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Hope, mortified, stammers. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I thought I could just do it.¡± Miss Wilson studies her for a moment before nodding slowly. Miss Wilson: ¡°Then perhaps you should focus on how magic actually works, rather than assuming it will do what you want.¡± Hope swallows hard, her face burning as Gabby leans over to whisper something to Bella. She doesn¡¯t hear it. But she doesn¡¯t have to. She already feels the judgment. When the bell finally rings, she practically bolts from her seat. Daisy and Sierra catch up to her outside. Daisy: ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t let them get to you. That assignment was lame anyway.¡± Sierra pushes up her glasses. ¡°You might just be using magic differently. Some people struggle with the simple stuff because their abilities work outside the standard system.¡± Hope exhales sharply. ¡°Or maybe I just suck.¡± Daisy slings an arm around her shoulder. ¡°Nope. Not possible. You obliterated Chase on day one. You¡¯re clearly built different.¡± Even still¡ª The whispers, the stares, the judgment¡ª They cling to her. Maybe she isn¡¯t as powerful as everyone assumed. Maybe she¡¯s not supposed to be here. The hallway buzzes with students heading to their next classes. Hope, however, lingers outside the practical magic classroom, arms crossed, her face set in frustration. Daisy and Sierra look at Hope. Daisy: ¡°You¡¯re spiraling, babe.¡± Hope exhales sharply. ¡°That was so embarrassing. It¡¯s just¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t I do it?¡± Sierra: ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± Daisy: ¡°Yeah, and besides, those people aren¡¯t important. The second you actually pop off again, they¡¯ll shut up real fast.¡± Hope presses her lips together. She knows Daisy¡¯s right. But that doesn¡¯t make the sting any less annoying. As they continue walking, Hope feels eyes on her. She turns her head¡ª And sees Chase. He¡¯s a few paces behind, walking with Hunter and Drew, hands tucked in his pockets. Hope narrows her eyes. Chase meets her gaze without hesitation. And then, to her absolute disbelief, he smirks. Chase: ¡°Having a hard time with the basics? Or are you just a pyromaniac?¡± Hunter adds in. ¡°I think arsonist might be more fitting¡± Drew: ¡°Alien, mental case, arsonist. It just doesn¡¯t end with you does it?¡± Hope stiffens. Daisy rolls her eyes. ¡°God, do you ever shut up?¡± Chase: ¡°Just making an observation. Big, flashy attack one day¡­ can¡¯t even pull off a beginner¡¯s spell the next.¡± Hunter snickers. Hope clenches her jaw. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you were so obsessed with me.¡± Chase tilts his head. ¡°Not obsessed. Just curious.¡± Hope glares. Daisy groans. ¡°Can we leave now? Hearing him talk is giving me a headache.¡± Sierra: (muttering) ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t start following us around. I like to hear myself think.¡± Chase chuckles but doesn¡¯t push further. Hope yanks her gaze away and keeps walking. But inside? Her frustration is burning. She knows all those douchebags will get what¡¯s coming. Because next¡ª Is combat class. And if nothing else, she¡¯s damn sure she¡¯ll prove herself there. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Combative Magic Class The cool morning air greets Hope as she steps outside with Daisy and Sierra, still shaken from the disastrous magic lesson earlier. They walk through the courtyards, heading toward the large arena Hope had glimpsed during her orientation. The building looms ahead, its stone walls worn from years of training battles. Hope exhales slowly, rolling her shoulders back. Sierra nudges her. ¡°You good?¡± Hope forces a smirk. ¡°I just set a plant on fire in front of the entire class. So, yeah, I¡¯m thriving.¡± Daisy chuckles. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t your hair.¡± The doors to the arena swing open, revealing the vast training grounds. Rows of stone seats curve around the perimeter, and the floor is a smooth tile. At the center of the arena stand two figures¡ª Mr. Waltz, looking as unbothered as ever, his scruffy appearance contrasting with his sharp gaze. And beside him, Miss Wilson, her stance poised and commanding. Mr. Waltz stretches, rubbing the back of his neck lazily. ¡°Alright, youngsters. Today, we¡¯re doing combat training.¡± Hope stiffens. Combat training? Already? Miss Wilson steps forward, scanning the crowd. ¡°Magic at Haven isn¡¯t just about theory. You need to be able to apply it in real-world situations. And that means learning how to fight.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Mr. Waltz smirks. ¡°We¡¯re pairing you up. Time to see what you¡¯re all capable of.¡± Hope¡¯s stomach knots. This is it. This is where she¡¯ll finally see the others¡¯ powers in action¡ªand where she¡¯ll have to prove herself. Miss Wilson begins calling names, assigning pairs. The anticipation thickens. ¡°Combative magic is more than power. It¡¯s about control, strategy, and knowing your limits.¡± Mr. Waltz, leaning lazily against a stone pillar, yawns. ¡°And, you know¡­ entertainment.¡± A few students chuckle, but most are tense. A few matches follow, each displaying unique talents¡ªone student shaping crystal barriers to deflect incoming strikes, another using shadow-based attacks to create illusions that flicker in and out of sight. Hope watches intently, noting the vast difference in power levels between the students. Some are clearly skilled, manipulating magic with effortless precision, while others struggle to control their own abilities. Near her, Daisy leans over. ¡°I can already tell who¡¯s been training since childhood.¡± A loud crack echoes across the arena as one match ends in a spectacular display of light bursting outward. The loser groans, rubbing their arm as they walk off. Mr. Waltz yawns dramatically. ¡°Alright, next up¡ªSierra and Drew.¡± Sierra steps forward, rolling her shoulders. Drew grins. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see how brainpower stacks up against real magic.¡± Sierra rolls her eyes, unfazed. Miss Wilson drops her hand. Drew moves first, his wavelength magic distorting the battlefield¡ªthe air itself flickers, and the ground seems to shift and bend. Sierra doesn¡¯t panic. Her ESP kicks in, and a sharp ringing pulses through her mind¡ªan instinctive warning. Drew lunges, warping the space around himself. Sierra analyzes the battlefield instantly, tracking the subtle shifts in his movement. He swings a hand outward, and the space around her wavers, disorienting her sense of depth. Sierra closes her eyes for half a second¡ªrelying only on pattern recognition. Then she steps forward, perfectly timed, slipping through the distortion. Drew¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°What¡ª?¡± Sierra reaches out, tapping his wrist¡ª and in a blink, his own wavelength field collapses. He staggers backward, his magic destabilized. Sierra doesn¡¯t hesitate¡ªshe sends out a concussive mental pulse, disrupting his control. Drew stumbles, cursing. ¡°Shit.¡± Miss Wilson raises a hand. ¡°Match over. Sierra wins.¡± Drew lets out a breath, shaking his head. He¡¯s annoyed, but not angry¡ªhe¡¯s impressed. ¡°Damn. You really don¡¯t miss, huh?¡± Sierra just shrugs. ¡°I planned accordingly.¡± As the former two combatants walk off the arena, Mr. Waltz calls up the next pair. Bella and Hunter. Hunter grins as he steps forward. ¡°Finally, a real fight.¡± Bella gives a slow smirk, flipping her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat, babe.¡± Mr. Waltz signals the start. Hunter moves first, his reality-warping magic bending perception itself. The battlefield darkens, and suddenly, Bella is surrounded by endless copies of Hunter. Each one lunges at her simultaneously. Bella doesn¡¯t flinch. She closes her eyes¡ª then, the temperature drops. A mist rolls in, ice forming instantly on the floor. Hunter grits his teeth. His illusions flicker¡ªBella isn¡¯t seeing through them, she¡¯s freezing the space they occupy. Shards of ice explode outward, forcing Hunter to move. But his perception magic twists the air, making Bella miscalculate her attack. For a moment, Hunter is behind her. He reaches out¡ª but the second his fingers get close, Bella pivots smoothly, a razor-thin ice blade forming at her fingertips. She slashes¡ª and Hunter barely manages to phase back before it can hit. But Bella has him. She stomps her heel, and the ice under Hunter¡¯s feet shifts¡ª he loses traction. She capitalizes, sending a freezing shockwave through the ground. Hunter is forced to stop manipulating reality and focus on defense. Bella smirks as he falters. ¡°Too slow.¡± A final blast of ice locks his feet in place¡ªlong enough for Miss Wilson to call it. ¡°Match over. Bella wins.¡± Hunter grits his teeth, frustrated. ¡°Whatever. You got lucky.¡± Bella just winks. The next pair come up to the arena. Daisy cracks her knuckles. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± Gabby shrugs, unimpressed. ¡°Don¡¯t cry when you lose.¡± Miss Wilson signals the start. Daisy claps her hands together¡ªand suddenly, a karmic aura flares around her, glowing violet. Gabby reacts instantly, summoning metallic shards in mid-air, forming razor-thin daggers. Daisy steps forward, scanning Gabby¡¯s aura¡ª she pulls at the girl¡¯s bad karma, redirecting it as a forceful energy strike. But Gabby twists her fingers¡ª the metallic shards spin faster, and Daisy suddenly feels resistance. Gabby smirks. ¡°Neutral karma. I¡¯m not evil enough for you to use that.¡± Daisy furrows her brows, then switches tactics. She taps into her own good karma, focusing on enhancing her strength. The next step shakes the ground, sending a powerful energy blast toward Gabby. Gabby grits her teeth, crossing her arms¡ª her body coats itself in metallic armor, absorbing the impact. Then¡ªshe launches forward, a metallic spear forming mid-sprint. Daisy raises a defensive barrier¡ª but Gabby¡¯s spear shatters through it, clipping her side. Daisy stumbles, losing balance¡ª and Gabby lands the finishing strike. Miss Wilson nods. ¡°Match over. Gabby wins.¡± Daisy groans, rubbing her arm. ¡°Tch. You fight dirty.¡± The air in the arena buzzes with energy as the previous fight wraps up. Gabby flicks her wrist, dismissing the remaining shards of metal from the battlefield, while Daisy groans, rubbing her sore arm as she steps back. Hope watches from the sidelines, her heart pounding harder than she¡¯d like to admit. Each match had been intense, showcasing how powerful everyone really was. Even those who lost had put up a fight. Miss Wilson scans the roster in her hands. Then, she calls out the next names. ¡°Hope and Chase¡ªstep forward.¡± Hope inhales sharply. The murmurs start before she even moves. ¡°Oh, this is gonna be good.¡± ¡°She wiped the floor with him last time¡ªthink he¡¯ll let that happen again?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gonna destroy her.¡± Chase steps onto the battlefield first, rolling his shoulders with ease. He¡¯s grinning¡ªexcited. Too excited. Chase grins, stepping forward. ¡°Payback time.¡± Hope exhales slowly and steps forward, keeping her expression neutral. Hope spreads her arms out. A pink kaleidoscope blooms behind her, shifting and turning in intricate, glowing patterns. Even Chase raises an eyebrow. Miss Wilson lifts her hand, ready to begin. Hope exhales sharply, her focus sharpening. A wild, pink barrage explodes outward, filling the air with hundreds of fast-moving orbs. Chase teleports between them, dodging effortlessly. Hope narrows her eyes. He¡¯s too fast. She switches tactics¡ª the next barrage spins in irregular spirals, forcing him into predictable movement. Chase realizes too late¡ªHope has him boxed in. For just a second, he freezes time. Everything halts. He steps through the attack, rewinding one of Hope¡¯s earlier orbs, sending it back at her. Time resumes. Hope¡¯s own attack slams toward her¡ª but she deflects it mid-air, her hands glowing white-hot. Then, she raises her hand. Pink and white spheres flood the battlefield, too many to dodge all at once. Chase teleports rapidly, but then¡ª ribbon-like streams of light twist and spiral, chasing him. He tries to teleport¡ª but they adjust mid-air. A final blast crashes into his chest, knocking him down. Miss Wilson nods. ¡°Match over. Hope wins. Good job everyone, that¡¯s a wrap for today''s class. Let¡¯s start heading over to the dining hall for lunch.¡± Chase shakes his head, then picks himself up from the tile. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll admit it. You¡¯re good.¡± Hope lets out a breath. She had won. _________________________________________ The walk to the dining hall is buzzing with conversation. Students rehash their fights, some still heated from their losses, others riding the high of victory. Hope keeps her head high, but inside, she¡¯s exhausted. Every muscle feels like it¡¯s been worked to its limit, and her mind is still racing from her fight with Chase. Her first real battle at Haven¡­ and she won. Daisy looks over at hope. ¡°How ya feelin¡¯?¡± Hope looks exhausted. ¡°I think I need a nap.¡± Sierra: ¡°I¡¯m sure you had a lot of adrenaline given the circumstances. You probably just used up too much energy at once.¡± Hope groans. ¡°Love that.¡± The three step into the dining hall, and the atmosphere is completely different from earlier. Instead of a calm, casual lunch, the room is alive with post-battle energy. Hope can already hear students debriefing their fights, some mocking each other, some arguing over who really won. Miss Wilson and Mr. Waltz are already seated at the faculty table, along with the rest of the teachers. Miss Spring sits at the head, perfectly composed. Hope, Daisy, and Sierra grab their food and head to their usual table. Chase, Hunter, Drew, Bella, and Gabby are already there. Before Hope can even sit¡ª Chase: ¡°You think just because you won one fight, you¡¯re hot shit?¡± Hope drops onto the bench. ¡°I was hot shit before I won.¡± Daisy laughs. ¡°Icon. Legend.¡± At the faculty table, Miss Wilson cuts a piece of fruit with precise movements, still clearly deep in thought. Miss Wilson: ¡°Hope¡¯s combat magic is advanced, yet she struggled with the most basic spell earlier today.¡± She looks at Mr. Waltz. Miss Wilson: ¡°Explain that to me.¡± Mr. Waltz doesn¡¯t answer right away. He¡¯s thinking. Because he knows exactly what she was using. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Purification magic.¡± A few teachers glance up at that. Another faculty member¡ªone of the combat instructors¡ªleans in. ¡°I saw her fight. That girl¡¯s offensive magic is terrifying. It¡¯s like her attacks¡­ move with intent. She¡¯s not just throwing power around. It¡¯s instinctive.¡± Miss Wilson: ¡°That makes no sense. That kind of magic is ancient. No one does it anymore.¡± Mr. Waltz opens his mouth to explain, but¡ª Miss Spring cuts in, her voice calm, but laced with something sharp. Miss Spring: ¡°Enough about Hope.¡± The table stills. Miss Spring: ¡°This constant discussion about her is getting on my nerves.¡± The silence that follows is thick. Mr. Waltz doesn¡¯t push further, but his expression is unreadable. He¡¯s putting pieces together. Miss Wilson glances at him. She can tell he knows something. Over at the student tables, Hope sits back, stretching her arms. The table is alive with conversation, everyone dissecting their fights. Hunter is still seething. Arms crossed, scowling at his food. Hunter: ¡°I had that match.¡± Bella, perfectly relaxed, twirls a spoon between her fingers. ¡°You really didn¡¯t.¡± Daisy sighs, rubbing her temples. Daisy: ¡°Gabby fights dirty.¡± Gabby shrugs, bored. Gabby: ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just better.¡± Sierra turns to Hope, studying her. Sierra: ¡°That final attack of yours¡ªit was impossible to dodge. Chase barely made it through half of it.¡± Chase groans, rolling his shoulders. Chase: ¡°Yeah, yeah. You got your win.¡± Hope smirks. Hope: ¡°Damn right I did.¡± Drew, amused, leans forward. Drew: ¡°Be honest. You thought you were gonna lose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Bella: ¡°I thought she¡¯d lose, too.¡± Hope shrugs. Hope: ¡°Guess I¡¯m full of surprises.¡± Gabby, watching her closely, tilts her head. Gabby: ¡°Where the hell did you even learn to fight like that? You said you just got here.¡± The table quiets slightly. They¡¯re waiting for an answer. Hope hesitates. Because the truth is¡ª She doesn¡¯t know. Lunch wraps up. Students filter out of the dining hall, some still chatting about their fights. Hope lingers for a moment, feeling the weight of what just happened. Then, she notices something. At the faculty table, Mr. Waltz is watching her. Not in a bad way. In a way that says he knows something. She doesn¡¯t break eye contact. Mr. Waltz stands, stretches, and walks off toward the classrooms. Hope exhales. Something tells her that this next class is about to get interesting. The transition from lunch to history class feels slow. Hope walks with Daisy and Sierra, feeling the weight of exhaustion creeping in. Hope: ¡°Do you think they¡¯d let me sleep through this class if I looked interested enough?¡± Daisy snickers. ¡°Nope. Mr. Waltz would definitely call you out.¡± Sierra: ¡°He¡¯s one of the more relaxed teachers, but he pays attention. If you fall asleep, he¡¯ll probably make you answer a question just to mess with you.¡± The three step into the classroom, and Hope immediately takes in the atmosphere. The classroom is different from Miss Wilson¡¯s. It¡¯s less structured, a little cluttered, but strangely inviting. Old maps and celestial diagrams line the walls, books are piled haphazardly on shelves, and there¡¯s a faint smell of old parchment mixed with coffee. And at the front of the room, leaning back in his chair with all the energy of someone who absolutely does not care¡ª Mr. Waltz. He¡¯s young for a teacher, maybe mid-to-late 30s. His scruffy hair falls over his forehead slightly, and there¡¯s a laziness in his posture that contradicts the sharp look in his eyes. He doesn¡¯t dress as formally as the other faculty¡ªhis sleeves are rolled up, his tie is barely knotted, and he has the general aura of someone who just woke up. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Alright, settle down. Let¡¯s get this over with so we can all move on with our lives.¡± Hope blinks. That¡¯s¡­ blunt. His gaze lands on her. Mr. Waltz: ¡°New kid. You¡¯re Hope, yeah?¡± Hope nods slowly. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Cool. Welcome to my class. Don¡¯t talk over me and we won¡¯t have a problem.¡± Sierra leans over and whispers. ¡°He¡¯s way nicer than he acts.¡± Hope isn¡¯t convinced. Mr. Waltz spins a piece of chalk between his fingers, then draws a rough circle on the board. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk mythology. Whether you believe it or not, this is how the old stories go.¡± He gestures to the circle. Mr. Waltz: ¡°It¡¯s said the gods created a high-frequency world¡ªHaven. A paradise where they could exist freely, away from lower vibrational realms.¡± Hope raises an eyebrow. ¡°That sounds¡­ fake.¡± Bella laughs immediately. ¡°You¡¯re so clueless.¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°Knock it off, Bella. Have some patience for the new kid.¡± Hope smirks slightly. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Now, here¡¯s where things get messy. Apparently, the gods realized that creating a world was more work than fun. So, they made the Mala¡ªdemigod-like beings¡ªto handle the boring stuff.¡± Sierra nods. ¡°Some people still believe Mala interact with the world today, right? Like in temples?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°More or less. They¡¯re divine, but they don¡¯t act like gods. They manage domains¡ªweather, war, nature.¡± He draws smaller circles beneath the first one. Mr. Waltz: ¡°But paradise got boring. So, to shake things up, the gods created the Sei¡ªspirits. Some good, some bad, all meant to bring balance and excitement.¡± Hope frowns. ¡°So they just¡­ made spirits for fun?¡± Mr. Waltz grins. ¡°Basically. Then they added high-vibrational humans from lower realities, bringing animals with them. And that¡¯s how Haven became a supernatural playground.¡± Chase leans back, arms crossed. ¡°So we¡¯re all just a cosmic ant farm for the gods¡¯ entertainment?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°That¡¯s one way to look at it.¡± Mr. Waltz taps the chalk against the board. Mr. Waltz: ¡°The Sei are still here. Always have been. Problem is, humans and spirits? Not exactly best friends.¡± Daisy nods. ¡°They¡¯re not supposed to interact much, right?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°In theory. In reality? They mess with people all the time. The ones we see? They¡¯re usually the bad ones. Chaos, mischief, corruption¡ªit¡¯s kinda their thing.¡± Hope sits up slightly. ¡°Wait¡­ corruption?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°Bingo. Some spirits don¡¯t just cause trouble¡ªthey take it a step further. They use humans as vessels.¡± The room goes silent. Hope stares. ¡°So¡­ has that ever happened to anyone here?¡± The class erupts into laughter. Bella smirks. ¡°God, you¡¯re such a tourist.¡± Gabby chuckles. ¡°Hope would probably get lost looking for the dorms and end up corrupted in some random field.¡± Chase, Bella, and Hunter laugh. Mr. Waltz raises a hand, cutting the noise. Mr. Waltz: ¡°It¡¯s a fair question. The answer? No. At least, not on campus.¡± Hope relaxes slightly. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Principal Spring put up a barrier a long time ago. It intercepts Sei before they can enter the school. So, while you¡¯re here, you¡¯re safe.¡± Hope: ¡°And outside?¡± Mr. Waltz shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s rare, but yeah, corruption happens. Most Sei don¡¯t bother, but technically? Once you step off school grounds, nothing¡¯s stopping them.¡± Hope goes quiet. Chase smirks. ¡°You scared?¡± Hope snaps back to reality. ¡°So¡­ are Sei like ghosts?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°Some sort of are. But ¡®Sei¡¯ covers more than ghosts.¡± He draws three symbols. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Some Sei are lost souls¡ªstuck between life and death because their karma is unbalanced. Some just¡­ exist. Objects, animals, even places can turn into spirits over time.¡± Daisy raises an eyebrow. ¡°Objects?¡± Mr. Waltz nods. ¡°Think of an old battlefield. Energy lingers. If energy cannot be destroyed, it must go somewhere else.¡± Sierra taps her pen. ¡°What about people who willingly become Sei?¡± Mr. Waltz smirks. ¡°That¡¯s where things get tricky. Some people choose it for power. They extend their lives, but they stop being human.¡± Hope tilts her head. ¡°Is that different from corruption?¡± Mr. Waltz pauses. His voice lowers. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Very. But there is another way corruption happens.¡± Hope stiffens. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Some Sei used to be human, but carried negative emotions for too long. Their vibrational frequency dropped too low for this high-vibrational world, causing corruption. At that point? They can¡¯t come back.¡± A heaviness settles over the room. Daisy, quiet: ¡°It¡¯s sad to think some Sei were just¡­ normal people once.¡± Gabby grins. ¡°Aw, Daisy. You¡¯re so positive.¡± Bella snickers. ¡°So nice to be around.¡± Hope takes a breath, still piecing it together. Hope: ¡°So¡­ who decides what souls pass on and who stay?¡± Mr. Waltz grins. ¡°Now you¡¯re asking the right questions.¡± He writes on the board. Hekali ¨C God of Life, Death, and Reincarnation. Mr. Waltz: ¡°Mythology tells us that Hekali governs the cycle of life and death. That¡¯s where the Hashi Bridge comes in.¡± Daisy nods. ¡°Right, it¡¯s near campus.¡± Hope: ¡°What is it?¡± Mr. Waltz: ¡°A temple and bridge dedicated to Hekali. It¡¯s said that spirits must cross it to be judged. If they¡¯re worthy, they move on. If not¡­.¡± Hunter smirks at Hope. ¡°They¡¯re stuck here forever.¡± Hope shudders slightly. After the lesson is over, Hope notices Mr. Waltz is still watching her. It¡¯s almost like he¡¯s trying to tell her something. And then it clicks. This lesson? It was for her. _________________________________________ That night, the walk back to the dorms is a mix of tension and exhaustion. The air outside is cool, crisp, refreshing, but Hope can¡¯t shake the weight of everything she learned in history class. Daisy stretches her arms overhead, sighing. ¡°Okay, is it just me, or was history class today¡­ kinda weird?¡± Sierra nods, deep in thought. ¡°Yeah. Mr. Waltz was way too invested in explaining corruption today.¡± Hope pulls her jacket tighter around herself. ¡°Right? He was staring at me half the time.¡± Daisy nudges her playfully. ¡°Maybe he has a crush on you.¡± Hope laughs, ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± They reach Daisy and Sierra¡¯s dorm, where a warm glow spills from the window, inviting and safe. Daisy grins, unlocking the door. Daisy: ¡°Forget history. Let¡¯s do something fun.¡± Sierra beams. ¡°Sleepover?!¡± Hope: ¡°I am so down.¡± The dorm is cozy¡ªblankets piled on the floor, a faint scent of vanilla candles burning near the desk, and clothes scattered over chairs from earlier wardrobe trials. Daisy claps her hands together. ¡°Alright, ladies. We¡¯re doing face masks first.¡± Hope laughs as Daisy shoves a headband onto her, pulling her hair back. ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up for this.¡± Sierra, already dabbing a green face mask onto her cheeks, smirks. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± Daisy: ¡°Sit still, Hope. You need this. Your skin¡¯s been through it today.¡± Hope rolls her eyes, then gives in. They spend the next half hour pampering each other¡ªlaughter spilling into the room as they swap outfits, french braid each others hair, and poke around in each others makeup. Daisy, lounging on the bed, drops a contour brough from between her fingers. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about what really matters.¡± Hope raises an eyebrow. ¡°Oh no.¡± Daisy grins. ¡°Boys.¡± Sierra groans. ¡°Why is this important?¡± Daisy: ¡°It¡¯s fun! Now spill¡ªanyone got a crush?¡± Sierra hesitates. A little too long. Hope narrows her eyes. ¡°Oh my god. You do.¡± Sierra grabs a pillow and holds it against her face. ¡°Shut up.¡± Daisy gasps, excited. ¡°WHO?¡± Sierra mutters into the pillow. ¡°There¡¯s this guy in my AP Chemistry class. He kinda looks at me sometimes. I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s cute.¡± Hope grins. ¡°Of course, you¡¯d have a crush in AP Chemistry. Nerd.¡± Sierra rolls her eyes. ¡°I hate you.¡± Daisy laughs, turning to Hope. ¡°What about you?¡± Hope hesitates. For a moment, she thinks about saying no. But instead¡ª Hope groans dramatically. ¡°Okay, this is really stupid, and I don¡¯t even know why, but¡­ I kinda think Chase is cute.¡± Sierra nearly chokes on her water. Daisy gapes. ¡°Excuse me? Chase? The guy who tried to roast you into the ground two days ago?¡± Hope buries her face in her hands. ¡°I KNOW. He¡¯s a douchebag, but like, a hot douchebag.¡± Daisy shakes her head. ¡°Girl, I wouldn¡¯t even try. Bella¡¯s all over that.¡± Sierra: ¡°Bella and Chase make sense. They¡¯re both the same level of pretty and evil.¡± Hope laughs, but for some reason, her heart sinks. She doesn¡¯t understand why. Daisy nudges her. ¡°You okay?¡± Hope forces a grin. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t actually like him like that. It¡¯s just¡­ an observation.¡± Daisy scoffs. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± The night winds down, the energy shifting into something softer, warmer. Daisy flops onto the bed, stretching. ¡°Alright, final activity¡ªpajama swap. Let¡¯s see what looks cute.¡± Hope steals a pair of fuzzy socks from Sierra¡¯s drawer. ¡°These are mine now.¡± Sierra raises an eyebrow. ¡°Not how that works.¡± Hope smirks. ¡°It is now.¡± They climb under the covers, all squeezed into the same bed, warmth and comfort radiating between them. Hope, staring up at the ceiling, smiles softly. Hope, softly: ¡°Not to be corny, but I¡¯m really glad we became friends.¡± Sierra, barely awake: ¡°Yeah. Me too.¡± Daisy: ¡°Me three.¡± The night settles, and for the first time since coming to Haven, Hope feels at home. Chapter 4: The Flower-Girl Incident 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¡ªgolden 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¡ªshe 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¡ªshe 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¡ª 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¡ªa 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¡ªHana¡¯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¡ª 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¡ªher 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¡ª 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¡ªthe 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¡ªHope¡¯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¡ªHana was dead. ¡°I have to stop them.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 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¡ªhe 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¡ª Coleman, head of the task force¡ªnodded. ¡°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¡ª¡± ¡°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¡ª 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¡ªyou 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¡ªwhat the hell is she thinking?¡± Hope barely registered it. The entrance was just ahead. And then¡ªDaisy grabbed her wrist. Hope whipped around, breathless. Daisy¡¯s eyes were desperate, pleading. ¡°Hope, please¡ªdon¡¯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¡ªa 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¡ª And just before she reached it¡ª ¡°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¡ªWHAT 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¡ªshe ran. Daisy and Sierra screamed after her. Miss Wilson¡¯s voice erupted down the hall. ¡°HOPE, GET BACK INSIDE¡ª¡± 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¡ª 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¡ª 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¡ªtoo fast.¡± Hope stretched her arms out¡ª 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¡ªshe¡¯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 A stream of pink lightning erupted toward Hana¡ª Hana twisted to dodge¡ª 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¡ªa 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¡ªslowly returning to normal. Hope clenched her fists, pushing more power into the beam. One last pulse of radiant energy exploded outward¡ª 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¡ªHana 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¡ª¡± Her voice broke. Hope¡¯s chest tightened. Hana let out a small, shaky breath. Then¡ªshe 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¡ªyou actually¡ª¡± 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¡ªa new voice. Miss Wilson, storming forward. ¡°Hope¡ª¡± 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¡ª¡± Miss Wilson exhaled, her grip tightening for just a second before she stepped back. Hope suddenly realized¡ªMiss Wilson wasn¡¯t mad. She was shaken. Worried. Before Hope could say anything else¡ª 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¡ªshe 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¡ªSpring 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¡ª Spring¡¯s eyes locked onto her. ¡°However¡ªthis 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¡ªthis 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¡ªthe 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¡ª¡®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¡ª¡± she hesitated, ¡±¡ªlooked 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. Chapter 5: The Cult Incident The next day, the dining hall buzzed with energy as students piled in for lunch, voices merging into an ongoing hum of conversations, laughter, and clattering trays. At one of the long tables, Hope sat in her usual spot with Daisy and Sierra. And as usual, a few seats down were Chase, Bella, Gabby, Drew, and Hunter. As always, their conversations bounced between casual chatter, snide remarks, and thinly veiled insults. Hope poked at her food, bored. ¡°I miss the food back home.¡± She dropped her fork, examining the meat on her plate. ¡°We should get a forensic team in here.¡± Drew, halfway through stuffing a bite into his mouth, shrugged. ¡°Tastes fine to me.¡± Hunter leaned back in his chair. Your standards are on the floor.¡± Bella rolled her eyes. ¡°At least he has standards, Hunter.¡± Gabby looked down. Was her face turning red? Hope looked over at the two, confused. ¡°Am I missing something here?¡± Chase, arms crossed, butted in. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m still waiting for your big speech after yesterday¡¯s little miracle.¡± Hope looked smug. ¡°I¡¯m still working on the rough draft.¡± Chase laughed under his breath. ¡°Can¡¯t wait.¡± Bella leaned forward ¡°I¡¯m so over it. Why does she keep sitting by us? For the love of god, can we please talk about something other than Hope?¡± Drew smirked. ¡°Yeah, good luck with that.¡± Hope rolled her eyes, preparing a comeback¡ª When someone tapped her shoulder. Hope turned, blinking in surprise. Standing behind her was a guy she didn¡¯t recognize. Tall and charming. Dirty blonde hair, and warm hazel eyes. He had a confident but easygoing air. Hope¡¯s stomach did a tiny, unexpected flip. Jake, grinning, tilted his head slightly. ¡°Hey, Hope, right?¡± Hope, caught slightly off guard, nodded. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah?¡± Jake smiled wider. ¡°I thought so. I¡¯ve been seeing you around school lately.¡± Bella rolled her eyes. ¡°Here we go.¡± Chase¡¯s expression shifted slightly, jaw tightening. Jake, ignoring them, continued smoothly. ¡°Me and some of my friends were actually talking about you earlier. We wanna get to know you.¡± Hope tilted her head. ¡°Oh?¡± Jake, charming as ever, gestured across the dining hall. ¡°Come sit with us. Just for a bit.¡± Daisy grinned at Hope, and raised her eyebrows a couple times. ¡°Have fun, bitch.¡± Sierra gave Hope a dry look. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Jake chuckled, completely unbothered. ¡°You¡¯ll like us. Promise.¡± Hope, fighting back a tiny smile, shrugged. ¡°Why not?¡± Hope stood up, a little too fast. Chase, leaning back in his chair, spoke before he could stop himself. ¡°You sure about this?¡± Hope turned back briefly. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Chase hesitated. He didn¡¯t care. Except¡­ maybe he did. Bella scooted a bit closer to Chase. ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡± She sneakily gave Hope a dirty glare. Hope rolled her eyes and walked off with Jake. Jake led Hope to a small table near the back of the dining hall. Two other people sat waiting¡ªa strikingly pretty girl with a mysterious essence and an intense, almost unsettling smile. Next to her, a tall, dark-haired guy with sharp, unreadable eyes has his arm around her. Jake gestured smoothly. ¡°Hope, meet Savannah and Aaron.¡± Savannah smiled warmly. ¡°Hi, Hope. I hope this isn¡¯t weird to say, but I couldn¡¯t wait to meet you.¡± Hope raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡± Aaron, leaning back lazily, studied her with an unreadable expression. ¡°You¡¯re kinda¡­ fascinating.¡± Hope tilted her head. ¡°Is that a compliment?¡± Savannah giggled. ¡°Yup.¡± Hope immediately thought of how pretty her smile was. She reminded her of those girls in high school that looked like they¡¯d be mean, but were actually some of the nicest girls ever. Jake, grinning, slid into the seat next to Hope. ¡°I wanna know more about you.¡± Hope had a little bit of a weird feeling, but Jake¡¯s charming smile made it easy to ignore. And just like that¡ªshe sat down. Jake leaned in with that effortless, easygoing grin of his. ¡°Before you get too comfortable, we wanna show you something.¡± Hope arched a brow. ¡°Yeah?¡± Aaron smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret spot. You¡¯ll like it.¡± Savannah¡¯s beamed with excitement. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s worth it.¡± Hope hesitated for half a second before shrugging. ¡°Why not?¡± Jake smiled. ¡°Atta girl.¡± They finished up quickly and slipped out of the dining hall¡¯s tall exit doors, weaving through the campus pathways. The sun was a bit lower in the sky now, and started to cast golden light across the campus. Hope had to admit, it was beautiful. The walk started off easy¡ªsmooth stone paths winding around elegant rivers¡ªbut as they veered off the main grounds, it turned into a real hike. The terrain shifted beneath Hope¡¯s feet, dirt and stone replacing pavement. It felt like they had been walking for too long. Then suddenly, they were at the footsteps of what must have been the longest staircase in the world. Low-hanging, weeping trees framed the path, dawning flowers of violet. The air smelled fresh, clean, alive. Hope slowed for a moment, taking it all in. It was different from Earth. More vivid. More alive. in They began their ascent up the never-ending staircase. ¡°You good back there?¡± Jake called over his shoulder, glancing at her with amusement. Hope shook herself from her thoughts. ¡°Yeah, just¡­ looking.¡± Savannah smiled. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get lost in it, huh?¡± Hope nodded. She had never seen anything like this before. The way the trees whispered in the breeze, the way the light caught on the edges of the temple rooftops in the distance¡ªit felt like stepping into a painting. Aaron gestured ahead. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± As they climbed higher, the trees began to thin, revealing a breathtaking view of Haven sprawling below them. Further in the distance, the city stretched out, tucked behind rolling hills and sparkling lakes, the buildings looking almost unreal in the golden hour sunlight. Then, finally, they reached it. The red pagoda tower. Perched at the cliff¡¯s edge, it stood against the sky like something out of a dream. Hope exhaled slowly. It was incredible. Jake grinned at her reaction. ¡°Told you it was worth it.¡± The air was crisp as the group sat on the ledge of the red pagoda, overlooking Haven. The sky was painted in soft shades of orange and pink, the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon. From up here, the entire campus looked like a different world¡ªone that stretched far beyond its towering walls. Hope had never seen anything like this before. She took a slow breath, letting the peace of the moment settle in. ¡°This place is incredible,¡± she murmured. Aaron leaned back on his elbows, looking out at the landscape. ¡°I found it years ago,¡± he admitted. ¡°Needed a place to get away from everything. No one ever really comes up here.¡± Jake plopped down on the ground, stretching his legs out. ¡°Crazy, right? The view makes you think.¡± Aaron stared out over the hills. ¡°Makes me wonder what life could be like if you didn¡¯t have to do all the things you¡¯re forced to.¡± Savannah hummed, resting her chin in her hand. ¡°If you could do whatever you wanted. No rules. No expectations. Just¡­ freedom. I know that¡¯s all you want too.¡± She looked directly at Aaron. The words lingered in the air, carrying something heavier beneath them. Hope looked puzzled. ¡°Am I missing something?¡± Aaron placed his hand on the back of his head, and roughed up his hair. ¡°My parents sent me to Haven so I could become a doctor. Good future, stability, all that crap. But what I really wanted was to be an archaeologist. I wanted to discover things. Instead, I¡¯m stuck here, learning about things I don¡¯t care about.¡± He glanced at the tower. ¡°Finding places like this is my vice.¡± Savannah turned to him with a soft smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°All I ever wanted was love,¡± she admitted, nudging Aaron playfully. He smirked. ¡°And you got it.¡± She laughed, but then her expression grew thoughtful. ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t know. Sometimes, I wonder if I¡¯ve really lived. I¡¯ve spent my whole life here¡ªhaven¡¯t seen much of the world outside the institute, except for trips with my parents. I watch people get stuck here. And I don¡¯t want that to be me.¡± Her voice softened. ¡°I just wish I had more time. More experiences. More memories.¡± The group looked over to Jake next, all wondering the same thing: What did he really want? Jake, usually the most carefree of them all, didn¡¯t hesitate to share. ¡°I miss my brother.¡± His voice lacked its usual easygoing tone. ¡°He was a city planner. Got relocated far away to help develop a new city, and just like that¡­ he was gone.¡± His fingers tapped against his knee. ¡°I wish there was a way to see him more. To talk to him. It¡¯s like we don¡¯t even exist to each other at this point.¡± A heavy silence settled between them. Then, Savannah turned to Hope. ¡°What about you? What would you wish for?¡± Hope hesitated, fingers tightening around her sleeves. She almost said nothing. But she could still see Hana¡¯s face¡ªher desperate cries¡ªthe moment she lost herself completely. She swallowed hard. ¡°Ever since I saved that girl the other day¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to stop thinking about it. It wasn¡¯t easy. I barely made it out, and I keep wondering when the next one is going to pop up.¡± They were fully listening now. ¡°I was taken from my normal life and dropped right in the middle of this mess,¡± Hope admitted, her voice quieter now. ¡°I just¡­ I wish there was peace. Between humans and spirits. I wish corruption wasn¡¯t a thing. But¡­¡± She let out a shaky breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the only one responsible if it happens again. It¡¯s too much.¡± A beat of silence. Then Jake grinned, throwing an arm around her shoulder. ¡°Damn, Hope. That¡¯s a hell of a wish.¡± Savannah smiled knowingly. ¡°Maybe one day we can change things.¡± Aaron nodded, his gaze lingering on her. ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t have to just wish.¡± Hope wasn¡¯t sure what he meant by that. But it was nice to finally open up about how she¡¯s been feeling lately. All of the sudden, Hope glanced around, a strange feeling creeping in. Familiarity. Her fingers traced the smooth wooden railing. ¡°I feel like¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°Like I¡¯ve been here before.¡± Jake smirked. ¡°D¨¦j¨¤ vu?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s different,¡± she said, standing up. Her feet carried her further past the pagoda, where something caught her eye¡ªan old stone statue partially hidden behind the structure. As she stepped closer, the details came into view. A dragon. It was carved from stone, its features worn from age but still regal, still powerful. Hope¡¯s chest tightened at the sight. Savannah appeared at her side, tilting her head. ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± she mused. ¡°In mythology, dragons were seen as guardians¡ªthey protected humans from harm.¡± For some reason, Hope¡¯s stomach flipped. Jake put a hand on Hope¡¯s back. ¡°Kinda like you.¡± Hope turned to him, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jake grinned. ¡°You know. How you saved that spirit the other day. Maybe you were a dragon in your past life.¡± Savannah giggled. ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s meant to be one now.¡± Hope didn¡¯t laugh. Something about this felt¡­ important. Like a sign. Aaron, still watching the sky, broke the moment. ¡°We should hang out again. Later.¡± Hope blinked. ¡°Tonight?¡± Jake nodded. ¡°Yeah. Me and Aaron¡¯s room. No distractions, just us. You in?¡± Hope hesitated, but his smile made it hard for her to say no. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± By the time Hope returned to campus, the hallways were thinning out as students rushed to their last classes of the day. She barely made it inside before she heard a voice behind her. ¡°Hope.¡± She turned to see Mr. Waltz, hands in his pockets, looking at her with a raised brow. ¡°You weren¡¯t in history today.¡± Hope¡¯s mind scrambled for an excuse. ¡°Oh¡ªI, uh¡­ I wasn¡¯t feeling great.¡± Mr. Waltz didn¡¯t call her out, but something in his expression said he didn¡¯t buy it. ¡°Alright,¡± he said casually. ¡°I won¡¯t mark you down this time. But I expect to see you there tomorrow.¡± Hope nodded quickly and turned away, relieved he wasn¡¯t pressing further. But as she rounded the next hallway, another problem appeared. Bella. And, of course, Chase. Hope sighed internally as she walked past, but Bella¡¯s voice stopped her. ¡°Skipping class for a boy? That¡¯s bold.¡± Hope rolled her eyes. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bella smirked, flipping her perfect brown hair over her shoulder. ¡°Come on, Hope. Everyone saw you running off with Jake.¡± Hope crossed her arms. ¡°And?¡± Chase, leaning against the lockers, suddenly spoke. ¡°Are you really that desperate?¡± Hope turned to him, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Why do you care?¡± Bella¡¯s gaze flickered between them, and for just a second, her smile faltered. ¡°Because that¡¯s pathetic.¡± Then, she stepped closer to Chase, linking her arm through his. Making sure Hope saw. Chase lingered for half a second longer before finally letting Bella pull him away. Hope exhaled, ignoring the weird feeling in her chest as she turned and walked off. As Hope walked back to the dorms, she started to feel a bit guilty for ditching Daisy and Sierra. So she made it a point to head straight to their room and fill them in on her day. ¡°Okay, I love you, but are you insane?¡± Daisy¡¯s voice was a mix of exasperation and amusement as Hope flopped onto her bed. Sierra frowned. ¡°Ditching class isn¡¯t a good look.¡± Hope groaned. ¡°It was just one time.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Daisy teased. ¡°And let me guess¡ªyou¡¯ll never do it again?¡± Hope hesitated. Daisy gasped. ¡°You¡¯re totally doing it again.¡± Sierra crossed her arms. ¡°I have a bad feeling about them.¡± Hope sat up. ¡°Why?¡± Sierra shrugged, looking thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just a feeling. Something¡¯s¡­ off.¡± Hope wanted to argue, but Sierra¡¯s words unsettled her in a way she couldn¡¯t explain. Daisy took a more supportive stance. ¡°Just be careful, okay? We trust you.¡± Hope gave them a small smile. ¡°I promise.¡± Except¡­ she was already planning to sneak out again tonight. Hope waited until everything was quiet before slipping out of her dorm, moving quickly through the halls. The plan was simple¡ªhead to Jake and Aaron¡¯s dorm, where Savannah was already waiting. But as she neared the boys¡¯ dormitory, she froze. Up ahead, Bella and Chase. They weren¡¯t talking. They were walking together, side by side, moving toward what Hope guessed was Chase¡¯s dorm. Hope felt something tighten in her chest as she watched Bella reach for the door and step inside. Chase followed, the door clicking shut behind them. Hope swallowed hard, forcing herself to turn away. It didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t her business. She had other places to be. So why did it sting? Shaking off that thought, she pushed forward, hurrying toward Jake and Aaron¡¯s room, where her new friends were waiting for her. She exhales and knocks on Jake and Aaron¡¯s door. A second later, it swings open. Jake grins, already looking relaxed. ¡°About time. We thought you bailed.¡± Savannah is curled up on Aaron¡¯s bed, lazily shuffling a deck of cards. Aaron is sitting cross-legged on the floor, cracking open a small bottle. Music hums softly from the corner¡ªa slow, hypnotic beat. Hope steps in, blinking at the sight of the bottle in Aaron¡¯s hand. ¡°Wait¡ªis that¡­?¡± Jake smirks. ¡°Sake.¡± Hope tries to hide a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had that here, where¡¯d you get it?¡± Jake just winks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Savannah chuckles from her spot. ¡°Are you in or not?¡± Jake grins and hands her a little ceramic cup. Hope doesn¡¯t really hesitate. The room fills with laughter as they take shots, play cards, and talk about everything and nothing. Aaron deals a round of cards and teaches Hope a game she¡¯s never played before. She loses, and Jake teases her relentlessly. Savannah leans against Aaron. Her fingers absently trace the patterns on her cards, completely at ease. Hope loosens up. She hadn¡¯t realized how tense she¡¯d been¡ªhow much she needed this. Jake, sitting beside her, nudges her knee with his. ¡°So,¡± he says lazily, ¡°still thinking about our talk from earlier?¡± Hope blinks, her mind feeling slow, but still sharp enough to remember. Aaron swirls his cup, his voice lower now. ¡°It¡¯s nice how easy it is to just¡­ talk about real shit when you¡¯re not trying so hard to be what everyone expects?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Savannah sighs, and looks at Hope. ¡°Must be hard with that group you always hang with.¡± Hope nods. Jake studies her. ¡°So what do you really want, Hope?¡± Hope shrugs. ¡°Already told you.¡± Jake leans in just slightly, voice smooth, confident, teasing. ¡°I know what my wish is.¡± His fingers brush against her knee¡ªcasual, but deliberate. His hand slides just slightly higher. And then, before she can think, he kisses her. The sake dulls the sharp edges of her thoughts, and for a moment, she lets it happen. His lips are warm, insistent but not forceful. She kisses him back. Savannah giggles softly from across the room. Aaron just smirks, but neither of them look surprised. Hope pulls away, her mind hazy but buzzing. The sake isn¡¯t the only thing making her feel lightheaded now. She glances at the clock on Aaron¡¯s desk and her stomach drops. ¡°Shit,¡± she mutters, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I have to go¡ªI can¡¯t miss class again.¡± Jake smirks. ¡°You sure? We could make this a tradition.¡± Hope rolls her eyes but smiles. ¡°I had fun. But seriously, I gotta go.¡± Aaron raises a lazy hand in farewell. Savannah just gives her a knowing smile. Hope leaves the room with butterflies still fluttering in her stomach. As she walks back to her dorm, she can¡¯t stop replaying the kiss. It felt¡­ different. Exciting. Like something shifting inside her¡ª Her mind was finally off Chase. The next morning, after Miss Wilson¡¯s practical magic class, Hope slouches onto a dining bench beside Daisy and Sierra, groaning. Daisy laughs. ¡°Oh my God, you were so bad today.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Hope argues, but Sierra gives her a look. ¡°The goal was to change water to ice. Why did you set your desk on fire?¡± she deadpans. Daisy cackles. ¡°It was impressive, honestly.¡± Hope groans, letting her head drop onto the table. But as the laughter fades, they glance over at the usual table¡ªthe one with Chase, Hunter, Drew, Bella, and Gabby. And there¡¯s an obvious reason why they¡¯re sitting farther away today. Bella and Chase. Sitting right next to each other. Holding hands. Daisy raises a brow. ¡°Okay, so, you seriously don¡¯t care about that?¡± Hope leans back, crossing her arms. ¡°Nope.¡± Sierra eyes her skeptically. ¡°Not even a little?¡± Hope smirks, leaning forward dramatically. ¡°Oh, you guys have no idea.¡± Daisy blinks. ¡°What?¡± Hope grins. ¡°Remember that cute guy from yesterday? We kissed last night.¡± Daisy gasps, eyes widening. ¡°No. Way.¡± Sierra¡¯s face immediately shifts. ¡°Wait¡­ Jake?¡± Hope nods, still feeling giddy from the memory. Daisy nudges her. ¡°Okay, details. Was it good?¡± Hope pretends to think. ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah, I¡¯d say so.¡± Daisy giggles, but Sierra doesn¡¯t laugh. Instead, her fingers tap lightly on the table. Something about this feels off. But before she can voice it¡ª A hand taps Hope¡¯s shoulder. She turns, and there¡¯s Jake, smirking down at her. ¡°Morning, beautiful.¡± His voice is smooth, easy. ¡°Coming to sit with us?¡± Sierra tenses. Daisy glances between them. Hope doesn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°Yeah,¡± she says, grabbing her tray. Daisy and Sierra exchange a glance. Sierra seems concerned, but Daisy brushes it off. And just like that, she leaves Daisy and Sierra behind. Sierra: (watching her leave) ¡­I have a bad feeling about this. Hope settles into her new seat with Jake, Aaron, and Savannah. The mood is easy, lighthearted, effortless. Jake drapes an arm over the back of her chair, his touch just casual enough to not be obvious. Aaron smirks, shuffling a deck of cards. ¡°So, Hope, tell me¡ªdo you actually like your classes?¡± Hope frowns, shrugging. ¡°I mean¡­ yeah? They¡¯re interesting.¡± Jake tilts his head. ¡°But do you actually care about them?¡± Hope hesitates. ¡°I mean, I should probably care. I don¡¯t want to get in trouble.¡± Savannah smiles sweetly. ¡°See, that¡¯s the thing about rules, Hope. They¡¯re only there to keep you in check.¡± Aaron leans forward. ¡°Yeah. The people who get the furthest in life aren¡¯t the ones who blindly follow the system. They¡¯re the ones who take control of their own paths.¡± Jake grins. ¡°Exactly. And that¡¯s why you should ditch class today.¡± Hope blinks. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Jake nudges her playfully. ¡°Come on, you already did it once. What¡¯s one more time?¡± Savannah loops an arm through Hope¡¯s, lowering her voice as if it¡¯s some exciting secret. ¡°We have something way better planned.¡± Hope hesitates. It¡¯s tempting. The rush of skipping class last time had felt so freeing. But¡­ she promised Daisy and Sierra she wouldn¡¯t. And after Mr. Waltz catching her once, she couldn¡¯t risk getting on a teacher¡¯s radar. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she finally says. ¡°I already missed yesterday. If I push it, people will start noticing.¡± For a moment, there¡¯s a beat of tension. Jake watches her carefully, his smirk fading just slightly. Aaron¡¯s expression is unreadable. Savannah sighs. ¡°Fine.¡± Jake leans back, stretching. ¡°Alright, alright. We won¡¯t push you.¡± His smirk returns, easygoing again. ¡°But after classes, we¡¯re all meeting up.¡± Hope raises an eyebrow. ¡°For what?¡± Aaron slides the deck of cards across the table. ¡°We have an idea for you.¡± Savannah smiles. ¡°Something¡­ bigger.¡± Hope doesn¡¯t know what that means. But she feels the weight of their words. After classes wrap up, Hope excitedly meets up with her new friends. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows as Hope follows Jake, Aaron, and Savannah up a narrow staircase. The moment they step onto the rooftop, a cool breeze rushes past. Hope looks around. ¡°We¡¯re allowed up here?¡± Jake shows a mischievous smile. ¡°Technically? No.¡± Savannah chimes in. ¡°Lighten up, Hope. Some of the best moments in life happen when you¡¯re somewhere you shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Hope looks around at the others, puzzled. ¡°So¡­ what exactly are we doing here?¡± Aaron crosses his arms. ¡°We¡¯re figuring you out.¡± Hope raises a brow. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Savannah¡¯s voice is soft. ¡°We saw what you did in the dining hall a little while back.¡± Hope stiffens. Her mind flashes back to Chase, the heat of her own frustration, the glowing attack she had fired at him without thinking. Hope shakes off the memory. ¡°So?¡± Jake¡¯s face turns serious. ¡±So? Hope, that was light energy.¡± Hope blinks, confused. Hope: ¡°Right, spirit extermination magic.¡± Aaron shakes his head. ¡°No.¡± Hope opens her mouth to argue, but Savannah steps closer, her voice calm, persuasive. ¡°Haven teaches magic in limits. They tell you that you¡¯re only capable of one thing. One function. But you¡ªyour magic wasn¡¯t purifying Chase, was it?¡± Hope hesitates. The truth is¡­ it wasn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t use a purification spell. She just acted on instinct, and it really did hurt him. Aaron watches her carefully. ¡°Corrupted Sei? Their low vibration frequency.. that¡¯s ¡°dark energy¡±. And what¡¯s the opposite of that?¡± Hope realizes what he means, and responds slowly. ¡°¡­Light.¡± Jake grins. ¡°Bingo.¡± Hope grips the railing. No one had yet explained it like this before. The irony of all this is that growing up, Hope¡¯s family called her power ¡°evil sorcery,¡± and ¡°devilish¡±. Up until she saved Hana, Hope hadn¡¯t put much thought into her power. Savannah gently interrupted Hope¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far it goes.¡± Aaron gestures to the open rooftop space. ¡°Start small. The light illusions, like you did in the dining hall.¡± Hope summons the familiar glowing spheres of light in her palms- soft, swirling colors of pink and blue. They hover gently, flickering embers. Savannah watches with quiet fascination. Jake tilts his head. Jake seems impressed. ¡°Pretty. What else?¡± Hope frowns. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aaron eyes her, carefully. ¡°Can you do anything else?¡± Hope hesitates. She¡¯s never thought of her magic as something to expand. But¡­ she has done more before, hasn¡¯t she? She exhales, channeling the heat in her core. The air shifts, warming slightly¡ªthen, in her palms, the spheres of light turn to flames. Savannah let out a soft gasp. ¡°I knew it.¡± Hope stares at the fire in her hand. She¡¯s never considered how natural it feels, how much it makes sense. Aaron looks Hope dead in the eyes. ¡°Now the real test.¡± He pulls a battery from his pocket and tosses it to her. Hope catches it, confused. ¡°¡­What am I supposed to do with this?¡± Aaron looks at Hope like she just missed something obvious. ¡°Electricity doesn¡¯t disappear. It moves. Transfer its energy into your fingertips.¡± Hope tries, but nothing happens. Savannah shifts her gaze from the battery back to Hope. ¡°Maybe try this- feel the electricity that¡¯s already in the air. Static energy is always around us. Try channeling the vibrations that feel¡­ shaky.¡± Hope stares at her with skepticism. But then¡ªshe closes her eyes. She reaches, not physically, but with her senses. And for the first time, she feels it. A faint, buzzing vibration in the air¡ªtiny, restless energy waves rippling around her. Her fingers tingle. She reaches her hand out, and a faint spark appears at her fingertips. A small pink voltage, jumping in every direction. Hope inhales sharply. Jake watches closely. ¡°Good. Now, own it.¡± Hope focuses. She lets her own pulse guide the energy, feeling it flow up her arms, building pressure in her fingertips. The sparks grow brighter, snapping in the air like tiny fireworks. Savannah whispers, ¡°there it is.¡± Hope releases. BOOM. A bolt of lightning cracks through the air, illuminating the rooftop in a flash of white. The force rattles the railing behind her. For a moment, the entire world feels electric. Hope stumbles back, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Her hands are still tingling. Savannah was beaming. ¡°You did it!¡± Hope¡¯s eyes were wide, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever done that a couple times out of instinct, when my emotions were intense. How did I do that?¡± Jake looked assured in Hope. ¡°Because your power goes beyond what you¡¯ve been told. Aaron chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re not an exorcist, Hope.¡± ¡°Pure, raw light energy.¡± Savannah looks over at Hope. ¡°Imagine what else you could do with a little practice.¡± Hope looks at her, still shaken, but intrigued. And for the first time¡­ she wonders if she¡¯s only scratched the surface of her power. As they start heading back to the staircase, the air still hums with the aftershock of Hope¡¯s lightning. She can still feel it in her fingertips, the energy buzzing beneath her skin. Jake grins. ¡°That was insane.¡± Aaron tosses the battery in the air, then catches it. ¡°Guess we found our missing piece.¡± Hope doesn¡¯t fully understand what that means, but she¡¯s still too caught up in what just happened to question it. As they walk down the stairwell, her mind races. They exit onto the main campus walkway, the cool night air brushing against them. The dorms are just ahead¡ªbut then a voice calls her name. ¡°Hope.¡± Hope freezes. The tone is off. Not casual. Not friendly. Urgent. Sierra stands just outside the dorm building, arms crossed, eyes flicking between Hope and the other three. Her gaze lingers on Jake¡¯s hand interlocked with Hope¡¯s. Sierra steps forward. ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± Hope glances at Jake, then back at Sierra. ¡°Uh¡ªnow?¡± Sierra nods. ¡°Yes. Now.¡± The tension thickens. Jake sighs dramatically. ¡°Here we go.¡± Hope hesitates, then steps toward Sierra. Aaron and Savannah exchange a glance, but Jake just brushes it off, watching like he already knows how this is going to go. Sierra lowers her voice. ¡°Hope, what are you doing?¡± Hope folds her arms. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sierra gestures toward Jake and the others. ¡°This. Them. You barely even know them, and now you¡¯re just¡­ ditching class, sneaking out in the middle of the night, and climbing on rooftops?¡± Hope scoffs. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m committing a crime.¡± Sierra frowns. ¡°You don¡¯t see it, do you? They¡¯re pulling you away from everyone. From me. From Daisy.¡± Hope¡¯s stomach twists, but she pushes it down. ¡°So what? You don¡¯t get to decide who I hang out with, Sierra.¡± Sierra shakes her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. I just¡ª¡± Hope cuts her off. ¡°No, that¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re saying. You don¡¯t like them, so you want me to stay away. Maybe you¡¯re the one being controlling.¡± Sierra flinches. Hope immediately regrets saying it, but it¡¯s already out there. Sierra¡¯s voice softens. ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± Hope shrugs. ¡°Neither is you acting like you know what¡¯s best for me.¡± Sierra exhales, staring at Hope like she¡¯s trying to figure out how they even got here. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± Hope meets her gaze, expression unreadable. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sierra steps back. ¡°I¡¯ve had a bad feeling about Jake since you met him, but whatever. I¡¯m not gonna stop you. Bye.¡± Hope walks back over to the group, jaw clenched. She wasn¡¯t mad, but she was getting there. Jake watches Sierra leave and raises an eyebrow. ¡°Yikes. What was that about?¡± Hope exhales sharply. ¡°She¡¯s just being dramatic.¡± Savannah tilts her head. ¡°Or jealous.¡± Aaron smirks. ¡°Or both.¡± Hope lets out a frustrated laugh, rubbing her temples. Jake shakes his head. ¡°You see what I mean? That¡¯s exactly why you need to stop hanging around them.¡± Hope frowns. ¡°What?¡± Jake shrugs. ¡°They don¡¯t actually want what¡¯s best for you, Hope. They just want to keep you on a leash. Keep you where they can control you.¡± Savannah leans in slightly. ¡°They don¡¯t want to see you with anyone else.¡± Hope frowns, something unsettled twisting in her chest. But¡­ weren¡¯t they kind of right? Sierra didn¡¯t even let her explain, she just jumped straight to judgment. Jake tilts his head, watching her carefully. ¡°You felt that, didn¡¯t you? How she just turned on you the second you didn¡¯t do what she wanted?¡± Hope looks away. She doesn¡¯t answer. But Jake can tell she¡¯s already believing him. Aaron stretches. ¡°Come on. We have bigger things to focus on.¡± Jake smirks. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re not gonna let some petty drama ruin the night, are you?¡± Hope exhales, shaking off the tension. No. She¡¯s not. Sierra¡¯s wrong. She knows what she¡¯s doing. She straightens her shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Jake smiles like he¡¯s already won. And together, they disappear into the dorms. The door clicks shut behind Hope as she steps inside Jake and Aaron¡¯s dorm. The room is dimly lit, a single desk lamp casting long shadows against the walls. The air feels heavier than usual¡ªthick with something she can¡¯t name. Jake leans against the desk, arms crossed. Savannah sits on Aaron¡¯s bed, watching Hope with a small, expectant smile. Aaron kneels beside his nightstand, reaching underneath it. Aaron glances up at Hope. ¡°We¡¯re ready to show you something else.¡± Hope folds her arms. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Aaron pulls out a black, old-looking, almost torn-up book. The leather cover is cracked and aged, its edges frayed. But the first thing Hope notices is the symbol in the center- an upside-down pentagram. Her stomach twists. Aaron sets it down in front of her. ¡°I found this in an abandoned house during one of my solo adventures.¡± Savannah runs a finger over the spine. ¡°This isn¡¯t like the books they let us read in class.¡± Jake smirks. ¡°Go on. Open it.¡± Hope hesitates, but her fingers move on their own, trailing over the rough cover before flipping it open. The first few pages seem harmless enough. Little jinxes, love spells. Even simple charms for good luck. Then she turns another page. Her breath catches. ¡°Obsession Spell.¡± ¡°Misfortune Hex.¡± ¡°Curse of Pain.¡± She swallows hard and keeps flipping. The pages grow darker, heavier. ¡°Killing Curse.¡± ¡°Bend Someone¡¯s Free Will.¡± ¡°Summon an Evil Sei¡± ¡°Become a Sei.¡± ¡°Make a Soul Never Pass.¡± Hope snaps the book shut, her eyes wide in horror. ¡°¡­This is wrong.¡± Savannah tilts her head. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Hope glares at her. ¡°Uh, hello? Have you seen what¡¯s in here?.¡± Aaron sighs, exchanging a look with Jake. ¡°Keep reading.¡± Hope hesitates, but she flips open the book again. Her fingers tremble as she lands on a new page. Manifesting Your Every Desire. Hope looks up at them warily. Jake leans in, his voice smooth. ¡°Remember what we talked about? About wanting more?¡± Savannah nods. ¡°We all have something we want, Hope. And this¡­ this could give us everything.¡± Hope shakes her head. ¡°Miss Wilson said that magic always comes with a price. She said it was a law of the universe, every action has an equal-¡± Aaron interrupts ¡°That¡¯s just what they want us to believe. Maybe they just don¡¯t want people to know how powerful they could be.¡± Hope examines the page again¡ªand that¡¯s when she sees it. Her breath catches. Light energy. The spell requires an immense amount of light energy to work. Hope¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°That¡¯s why you needed me.¡± Jake smiles. ¡°You¡¯re the missing piece.¡± Hope grips the book tighter, her pulse quickening. This whole time¡­ they didn¡¯t care about her. They never needed her¡ªthey needed her power. Hope clenches her jaw. ¡°So what? You just wanted me to be your personal battery so you could get rich and powerful?¡± Jake sighs. ¡°Come on, Hope. You¡¯re thinking about this all wrong. Imagine it¡ªwe could have everything. No more rules, no more limits.¡± Savannah nods. ¡°We could be free.¡± Aaron leans forward. ¡°No evil spirits, no living in fear. Just peace.¡± Jake smirks. ¡°And, you know¡­ we could be happy together. Without a fear in the world.¡± Hope¡¯s chest tightens. The worst part? A tiny part of her wants to believe them. But then Jake adds, ¡°I already like you, Hope. But this? This would make me like you even more.¡± And that¡¯s when something snaps. Hope slams the book shut. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Jake frowns. ¡°Hope¡ª¡± Hope steps back, voice rising. ¡°You used me. This whole thing¡ªit was never about me. It was about what I could do for you.¡± Aaron stands. ¡°You¡¯re overreacting.¡± Hope glares at him. ¡°No, I¡¯m finally seeing things clearly.¡± She turns to the door, reaching for the handle. She¡¯s done. But the second her fingers graze the knob¡ªthe door slams shut. Hope whirls around. Savannah¡¯s hand is raised slightly, her telekinesis holding the door firmly in place. Savannah smiles. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving yet.¡± Hope¡¯s heart pounds. ¡°Let me out.¡± Jake steps forward. ¡°Hope. You¡¯re making this harder than it needs to be.¡± Hope clenches her fists. She¡¯s done talking. Jake sighs dramatically. ¡°Guess we¡¯re doing this the hard way.¡± And then¡ªhe throws the first attack. A dark, pulsing ray of energy hurls toward her. Hope barely dodges, slamming against the wall as the fight begins. A pink kaleidoscopic circle flares behind Hope,, glowing and shifting as it forms. Hope doesn¡¯t think¡ªshe reacts. The magic bursts outward, sending an array of piercing light beams across the room. They hit the bed, burning through the sheets. Savannah flicks her fingers toward Hope as she¡¯s reaching for the door. Hope¡¯s body collapses to the floor. A heavy weight presses on her chest, forcing her down. Aaron lunges forward, summoning a spiraling dagger of energy. Hope grits her teeth, rolling over just in time to barely miss it. She throws up an arm, creating a light barrier, deflecting Aaron¡¯s next attack. But it won¡¯t last. Her other hand reaches out¡ªtwisting the door knob. The second it clicks open, she bolts. Hope sprints down the hallway, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Behind her, Jake, Aaron, and Savannah chase her. A blast of dark bullets slam into the walls beside her, shattering light fixtures and sending sparks flying. Hope ducks, nearly tripping as another attack whizzes past her head. The narrow hallway leaves her no room to move, no space to breathe. Aaron grins. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna run forever, Hope!¡± Hope ignores him, pushing forward. Savannah throws out a hand¡ªHope sees the air ripple. Hope throws herself to the side just in time to avoid the force that slams into the hallway wall where she stood seconds before. She needs to get out. The courtyard. Hope bursts through the main exit, nearly crashing into a group of students. A second later, Jake, Aaron, and Savannah follow¡ªand this time, everyone sees. The open courtyard is full of students¡ªsome on their way to dorms, others lingering on the patios of the research center. Hope skids to a stop, chest heaving. The second she does, another attack flies toward her. Hope throws up her hands, a blinding white barrier flaring up just in time. The impact cracks against it, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The courtyard erupts into chaos. Some students scream, scatter, and run in every direction. From the windows of the main buildin¡¯s spiral staircase, students peer down, eyes wide in confusion. More people rush out onto the research center¡¯s patios. All eyes are on Hope. On the cult. Hope squares her stance. Her hands glow with pulsing pink energy. Jake, Aaron, and Savannah spread out around her. Jake cracks his knuckles, grinning. ¡°I don¡¯t mind the audience.¡± Savannah tilts her head, calm as ever. ¡°Give up now, Hope. Come back inside with us.¡± Aaron smirks. ¡°Or don¡¯t. This¡¯ll be fun either way.¡± Hope tightens her fists, light crackling at her fingertips. She doesn¡¯t have time to think. She¡¯s outnumbered. A rapid barrage of piercing spheres launch from Hope¡¯s kaleidoscope, forming intricate patterns. The courtyard glows with hundreds of radiant projectiles. Aaron dodges left, barely avoiding a spinning beam of light. Savannah flicks her hand, and the incoming attacks move out of her way. Jake moves the fastest, warping between the projectiles with razor-sharp precision. Jake then flicks his wrist¡ªdark rays that look like whips lash toward Hope. Hope dodges mid-air, firing a concentrated beam downward, splitting the attack before it can reach her. Aaron lunges forward, summoning a shadowy blade. He slashes, but Hope leans back just in time, the edge slicing inches from her torso. She flips backward, firing a pulse of energy at the ground. The force sends her high into the air¡ªabove all of them. Jake grins. ¡°Nice try.¡± He moves too fast. A dark wave blasts from his hands¡ªHope barely raises a shield before it slams into her. The impact sends her crashing into the ground, dust flying up around her. A murmur rushes through the crowd. She doesn¡¯t move. Jake exhales, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Told you. No one fights against us and wins.¡± Savannah folds her arms, satisfied. Aaron shakes his head. ¡°Should¡¯ve just listened, Hope.¡± A few bystanders exchange nervous whispers. Hope squeezes her eyes shut. The pain is sharp. But this isn¡¯t over yet. She remembers the rooftop, the frequencies in the air. A deep breath. She weakly lifts her arm up. All of the sudden, a static sound was heard. A pulse of electricity explodes outward. Sparks crackle along her fingertips¡ªthen, in an instant¡ª Lightning surges. Bolts of white-hot electricity strike down, rapid and relentless. Jake¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Shit¡ª¡° A crack- The first strike hits Savannah, sending her crashing into the courtyard tiles. Then another. Aaron¡¯s body locks up before he¡¯s slammed backwards. Jake sets up to raise a shield, but¡ª A final crash. Hope¡¯s final strike knocks him off his feet. He hits the ground hard. The courtyard falls silent. Hope lowers her arm, breath unsteady. The last flickers of lightning crash upward from the courtyard. Jake, Aaron, and Savannah lie on the ground¡ªstunned, unmoving. They don¡¯t get up. Hope exhales, looking down at them. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Students whisper in shock. Some stare at Hope in awe. Others back away, as if realizing for the first time¡ª She¡¯s stronger than they ever gave her credit for. ¡°Damn, she mopped the floor with them.¡± ¡°Losing 3 against 1 is crazy.¡± Hope finally realizes how many people are surrounding her, but her gaze shifts over to the stone path in the distance. Sierra and Daisy stand frozen, having witnessed everything. She starts to step away¡ª But a cold, iron grip latches onto her wrist. Hope whirls around. Principal Spring stands there, her face unreadable. But her grip tightens, twisting Hope¡¯s arm just enough to make her wince. Hope tenses. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°You. With me. Now.¡± Before Hope can react, Spring yanks her forward, practically dragging her toward the administrative building. The murmurs around the courtyard turn into full-blown whispers. ¡°Oh, shit.¡± ¡°Did you see that?¡± ¡°Spring looked pissed.¡± Daisy and Sierra exchange a look. Sierra¡¯s stomach twists. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Daisy nods. ¡°Yeah. Now.¡± The door slams shut behind Hope and Spring in the administration office. Hope stumbles slightly as Spring finally releases her, stepping around her desk with sharp, deliberate movements. The air in the office is stifling. Hope rubs her wrist, glaring. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Spring¡¯s gaze is cold. Calculating. But when she finally speaks, her voice is low, composed¡ªdangerous. ¡°Since the day you arrived, it¡¯s been nothing but chaos. This is not your first public display of violence. What do you think that says about you?¡± Hope scoffs. ¡°Um, excuse me, I was defending myself from a cult that was trying to, like, kill me?¡± Spring doesn¡¯t blink. ¡°That¡¯s your excuse?¡± Hope glares. ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse. It literally happened.¡± Spring leans forward, fingers interlacing. ¡°You could have just reported them.¡± Hope¡¯s fists clench. ¡°They were trying to hurt me. And besides, report them to who? The faculty that does nothing? A tense silence fills the air. Spring finally exhales, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe any of this ¡®cult¡¯ nonsense. I think you just like the attention you¡¯ve been getting.¡± Hope frowns. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Spring meets her gaze directly. ¡°You know that you¡¯re powerful, even for our standards,¡± she says smoothly. ¡°And you like how people react to it.¡± Hope¡¯s stomach drops. She can still feel the dozens of eyes that watched her. Whispered about her. Not in admiration. But in fear. Spring sighs. ¡°You¡¯re dangerous.¡± Hope stiffens. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°You are,¡± Spring cuts in sharply. ¡°And that makes you a problem.¡± Hope¡¯s pulse spikes. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Spring tilts her head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m warning you.¡± She stands, slow and deliberate. ¡°Keep this up, and I¡¯ll have no choice but to consider expulsion.¡± Hope snaps. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯d let them get away with everything, but you¡¯d expel me for stopping them?¡± Spring keeps a straight face. ¡°None of this was an issue until you showed up.¡± Hope¡¯s nails dig into her palms. Something is wrong. And for the first time¡­ Hope wonders why. The silence between them stretches too long. Then¡ª ¡°You¡¯re dismissed. Get out of my office.¡± Spring says, as she begins to sift through a stack of paperwork on her desk. The second Hope steps out of the office, she sees Daisy and Sierra waiting just outside. Daisy exhales in relief. ¡°Oh, thank God.¡± Sierra folds her arms. ¡°You okay?¡± Hope hesitates. She should brush it off. Laugh. Pretend none of this got to her. But for the first time since this whole mess started, she doesn¡¯t want to lie. She shakes her head. ¡°No. Not really.¡± Daisy gives her a gentle, knowing look. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Hope doesn¡¯t argue. They step outside, walking in silence for a few moments. Hope¡¯s chest loosens just being with them again. Daisy¡¯s the first to kill the tension. ¡°Hope, what the hell happened?¡± Hope looks at Daisy, defeated. ¡°They were a cult. Literally.¡± Daisy¡¯s smile falters. ¡°Hope¡­¡± Hope lets out a shaky breath, rubbing her wrist where Principal Spring had grabbed her. ¡°And Spring threatened to expel me.¡± Sierra¡¯s expression shifts immediately¡ªher shoulders tense, her brows knit together. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°That¡¯s insane. You were defending yourself!¡± Hope lets out a bitter laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what I said. But she didn¡¯t care. She just¡ª¡± She swallows hard. ¡°She looked at me like I was the problem. Like I was something to be handled.¡± Sierra stays quiet. Too quiet. Hope glances at her. ¡°Sierra?¡± Sierra doesn¡¯t answer right away. She¡¯s staring at the ground, lips pressed together, like she¡¯s putting something together in her mind. Hope frowns. ¡°What?¡± Finally, Sierra exhales. ¡°You¡¯re done hanging out with them, right?¡± Hope groans. ¡°Okay. Fine. I¡¯m sorry, Sierra. I should¡¯ve trusted you. You were right.¡± Sierra smirks. ¡°What was that?¡± Hope glares. ¡°You heard me.¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯re never letting you live this down.¡± Daisy smiles, fidgeting with her braids. ¡°Moral of the story. Our principal is a total bitch, Hope was in a cult, and we should always listen to Sierra.¡± Hope rolls her eyes. ¡°Awesome summary, thanks.¡± Daisy smirks, nudging her playfully. ¡°Just keeping you updated.¡± Hope lets out a small laugh. ¡°Right.¡± Sierra softens. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay, though. We¡¯ve got you.¡± Hope looks between them¡ªher first real friends in this place. She exhales, the weight in her chest finally loosening. Daisy hooks an arm around Hope¡¯s. ¡°Alright, you definitely owe us another girls¡¯ night after this disaster.¡± Sierra smirks. ¡°Snacks, skincare, and debrief?¡± Hope smiles for the first time in what feels like forever. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± And just like that, the three of them walk away¡ªtogether. Chapter 6: The Train Station Incident A few weeks later, Hope fidgets with her hair, watching the clock impatiently as she waits for class to end. Practical Magic. For her, it was just another morning of failing the basics. Miss Wilson claps her hands, gathering the students¡¯ attention. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all for today. And before you all leave, I would like to remind you all- there will be no classes tomorrow due to the Festival of Life.¡± The room immediately stirs with excitement. A few students cheer, some whisper to each other, and even the more reserved ones seem pleased by the announcement. Hope, blinking in confusion, looks to Daisy and Sierra. ¡°Festival of Life?¡± Daisy grins. ¡°Oh, girl, you¡¯re in for a treat.¡± Sierra leans forward. ¡°It¡¯s the biggest festival of the year. Marks the end of spring and the beginning of summer.¡± Miss Wilson nods. ¡°Correct. But it¡¯s more than just a seasonal celebration. The Festival of Life represents renewal¡ªnew beginnings, personal growth, and transformation. It¡¯s a time when people embrace important life changes.¡± Hope raises an eyebrow. ¡°Life changes? Like¡­ what?¡± Miss Wilson gestures toward the window. ¡°In Haven, it¡¯s believed that this time of year is when the veil between the old and new is thinnest. Folklore says that worshipping the gods during the Festival of Life can bring you blessings. Some even believe that by visiting temples on this day, the gods will make you a better version of yourself.¡± Hope processes this, tilting her head. ¡°So¡­ what, like self-improvement?¡± Chase smirks from a few seats away. ¡°I know you could use that.¡± A few students laugh. Hope glares at him. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk.¡± In her head, she recalls a little moment not that long ago involving Bella at Chase¡¯s dorm, late at night. If anyone needs improvement, it¡¯s them. Bella, sitting next to Chase, smirks and leans into him. ¡°Ignore her, Chase. Not everyone has the energy to level up.¡± Daisy rolls her eyes but focuses back on Hope. ¡°The festival wraps all around Haven. It¡¯s insane. There¡¯s food, dancing, parades, fireworks, huge crowds. It goes on all day and all night.¡± Hunter stretches in his seat. ¡°It¡¯s the best excuse to party. No school, no curfew, just a whole night of doing whatever.¡± Drew chuckles. ¡°Which for you means getting kicked out of at least three festival stalls.¡± Hunter shrugs. ¡°Four, if I¡¯m lucky.¡± Gabby giggles, ¡°Can¡¯t forget the graffiti on the temple walls.¡± Hope looks over to Hunter. ¡°You are so going to hell.¡± Everyone laughs. Sierra looks over at Hope. ¡°The temples are a big deal. People make offerings, pray for love, success, or even just good luck.¡± Daisy nods. ¡°We should visit one.¡± Hope hums. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything to pray for.¡± Daisy chuckles. ¡°Girl, do you have amnesia?¡± Hope pauses for a moment. Maybe a prayer or two wouldn¡¯t hurt. Miss Wilson continues, ¡°Since it¡¯s a formal festival, I expect all of you to dress accordingly.¡± Hope blinks. ¡°Wait, how are we supposed to dress?¡± Bella shows Hope a fake smile. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to show up in your old underwear. Don¡¯t wear any makeup, either.¡± Gabby laughs hysterically, ¡°No, Bella, they changed the rules last year. You¡¯re supposed to show up naked now, since it¡¯s all about rebirth or whatever.¡± Chase laughs under his breath. ¡°I¡¯d pay to see that.¡± Bella elbows him in the chest. Sierra rolls her eyes. ¡°Ignore them. The dress code is your best florals, sundresses.. formal attire.¡± Daisy beams.. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get all dressed up and look so good!¡± Chase loosens his tie. ¡°We finally get to ditch these uniforms.¡± Miss Wilson sighs. ¡°Regardless, dress well for the festival.¡± Hope groans. ¡°Okay, but I don¡¯t even own anything floral.¡± Sierra and Daisy glance at each other with knowing smiles, then back to Hope. Daisy gasps dramatically. ¡°That¡¯s it. We¡¯re taking you shopping.¡± Hope gets excited. ¡°Girl¡¯s trip??¡± Sierra smirks. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Hope¡¯s cheerful expression drops. ¡°Wait, where are we even gonna shop?¡± Sierra sits up. ¡°The city, duhhh.¡± Hope groans. ¡°You couldn¡¯t pay me to walk that far, not even for the cutest dress in the world.¡± Daisy shrugs. ¡°Me neither, we¡¯ll take the train.¡± Hope perks up. ¡°Oh, thank god.¡± Hunter scoffs. ¡°Damn, would¡¯ve been funnier if she just showed up in her underwear.¡± Hope glares. ¡°I could¡± Chase raises an eyebrow. ¡°Could you?¡± Hope hesitates. ¡°¡­No.¡± The class laughs. Miss Wilson claps her hands again. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re all dismissed. Enjoy your time tomorrow, but don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Hunter grins. ¡°No promises.¡± The sun was warm but not overbearing, a soft glow stretching over Haven Institute as Hope, Daisy, and Sierra made their way off campus. The train station wasn¡¯t far¡ªhalf a mile, just a quick walk through some old cobblestone streets. Hope stretched her arms, taking in the crisp air. ¡°Are we seriously walking half a mile just to get on a train?¡± Daisy shot her a look. ¡°Yes, princess. You wanna hitchhike instead?¡± Hope rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather teleport.¡± Sierra smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve already done that before, come up with something new.¡± The road sloped downward, and as they turned a bend, Hope caught her first glimpse of the train station. It was nothing like she expected. A beautifully aged railway stretched across a series of stone pillars, arches supporting it like a work of art. The station itself was vibrant and lively, painted in deep reds, golds, and emerald greens. Hope¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, damn. This is kinda magical.¡± Sierra smirked. ¡°Wait till you see the train.¡± The platform was bustling with students and travelers, some carrying luggage, others casually chatting. The scent of incense drifted through the air. Hope peered over the edge of the platform, glancing at the tracks that stretched endlessly toward the horizon. ¡°Where exactly are we going?¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°New Kota. It¡¯s the biggest city in Haven. Crazy colorful, crazy expensive, crazy fun.¡± Hope raised an eyebrow. ¡°Expensive?¡± Sierra patted Daisy on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our treat.¡± Hope groaned. ¡°I liked it better when I was kidnapped and didn¡¯t have to pay for things.¡± Daisy laughed just as the train pulled in. The train was gorgeous¡ªold-fashioned, yet immaculately kept. Its deep crimson body gleamed under the sun, golden engravings of mythical creatures lining its edges. The doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a sleek wooden interior with velvet seats and open windows. Hope slid into a seat by the window, already mesmerized. As the train rolled forward, the view outside shifted from rolling meadows to deep forests, then suddenly¡ªthe ocean. Hope gasped. ¡°No way.¡± The railway curved along the coastline, giving them an aerial view of crystal blue waters stretching into eternity. White cliffs stood proudly along the shore, waves crashing against them, glistening under the sun. Daisy, stretching out in her seat, smirked. ¡°So beautiful.¡± Sierra, flipping through a magazine, added, ¡°Never gets old.¡± As if on cue, the train dipped into a valley, weaving between towering peaks. Waterfalls cascaded down the sides, their mist catching the sunlight in streaks of gold and violet. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Hope pressed a hand against the glass, completely in awe. ¡°This is insane.¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°Yeah. It kinda makes up for the whole ¡®kidnapped into another world¡¯ thing, huh?¡± Hope chuckled. ¡°A little.¡± The scenery continued to shift¡ªtemples carved into the cliffsides, bridges connecting little towns that looked like they belonged in a fairytale. The train occasionally stopped at small, scenic stations, allowing passengers to board and exit. After about an hour, the train pulled into a massive station, bustling with energy. Sierra stretched. ¡°Alright, ladies. Just a short walk over that hill and the fun begins.¡± During the walk from the train station, Hope¡¯s jaw dropped as they neared the skyline. New Kota was incredible Towering skyscrapers overlooked vibrant, tightly packed streets, each corner bursting with colors, neon lights, and golden rooftops. Bridges stretched across canals, reflecting the city¡¯s glow against the water. Holographic billboards flickered, casting neon lights over the other buildings. Daisy clapped her hands. ¡°First stop¡ªshopping!¡± Sierra groaned. ¡°You sound too excited about spending money.¡± Hope, still overwhelmed by the city¡¯s energy, shook her head. ¡°I think I need a minute to process this.¡± Gabby, who had just stepped off another train with Bella, passed by and smirked. ¡°Try not to look too much like a tourist, Hope.¡± Hope scoffed. ¡°Try not to look too much like a¡ª¡± Bella interrupted with a fake smile. ¡°Walk faster, Gabby. I don¡¯t wanna be associated with her.¡± The two walked off, leaving Hope rolling her eyes. Daisy grabbed Hope¡¯s wrist. ¡°Ignore them, let¡¯s go! We¡¯re finding you the cutest dress ever.¡± The girls ran around multiple malls, trying on different sundresses, shoes, and jewelry. Hope started trying on some oversized bathrobes and Daisy and Sierra cried laughing. Afterwards, the girls figured they could use a break from all the retail therapy. They spotted a rooftop carnival at the top of a shopping center, and knew what their next move was. They rode a ferris wheel overlooking the entire city, and the views were breathtaking. After, they came across a performer perched on a stage doing magic, as an audience gazed at his spectacles of fire. Hope watches and muttered, ¡°God, I hope I don¡¯t end up like that.¡± Which made Sierra and Daisy laugh. After hours of shopping, they finally find the perfect dress for Hope¡ª a little pink sundress, tank-top style, short but flowy. Sierra sighs, stretching. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m starving. Ice cream?¡± Daisy grins. ¡°Ice cream.¡± They grab their treats and watch the sunset from a plaza. Hope is fully content. ¡°Best day ever.¡± As the sun sets, they walk back toward the station. Hope hums. ¡°See? We didn¡¯t even spend that much.¡± Sierra raises an eyebrow. ¡°Hope. I¡¯m broke.¡± Daisy pauses. ¡°I¡¯m choosing to live in denial.¡± They make their way past the city, finding their way back to the train station platform¡­ Except when they get there- It¡¯s gone. Hope stops. ¡°Uh¡­ am I missing something?¡± Daisy frowns, pulling out the map. ¡°No¡­ this should be the right place.¡± Sierra triple checks. ¡°We didn¡¯t take a wrong turn.¡± They scan their surroundings. The city still buzzes with life behind them, but something feels off. Hope shifts on her feet. ¡°Okay, this is weird.¡± Daisy exhales. ¡°Let¡¯s just keep walking. Maybe it¡¯s a little further than we remember.¡± They walk. And walk. Yet the more they move, the further they stray from the city lights. Daisy takes another look at the map. ¡°It says the train station is right over there, right?¡± Sierra stops in her tracks. ¡°Guys¡­ I think we¡¯re lost.¡± Hope looks around. The vibrant streets are gone. Now, they stand at the edge of Haven¡¯s dark forestry, a deep, unsettling quiet settling in around them. And for the first time all day, Hope doesn¡¯t feel safe. Hope¡¯s breath came in short, frustrated bursts as she scanned the endless trees. The forest stretched infinitely in every direction, each path looking eerily identical to the last. Daisy groaned, rubbing her temples. ¡°Okay. What the hell is going on? We¡¯ve been walking in circles.¡± Sierra checked the map for the fifth time. ¡°This is impossible. The train station should be right behind us.¡± Hope looked back. Still not there. A cold shiver ran down her spine. ¡°Guys, I don¡¯t think this is just us getting lost.¡± And then¡ª A laugh. Boyish. Sharp. Playful in the worst way. It bounced through the trees, echoing from every direction. The girls froze. Hope¡¯s stomach twisted. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Sierra swallowed. ¡°No, Hope. We all just decided to have a collective auditory hallucination.¡± The laugh came again¡ªcloser. Daisy clenched her fists. ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t do creepy forest laughter. Nope. Nope, nope.¡± Hope¡¯s hands instinctively sparked with light energy. ¡°Let¡¯s find out where it¡¯s coming from.¡± The girls ran toward the sound, weaving through the dense forest. But each time they got closer, it moved. The laughter twisted and stretched, always slipping just out of reach. Hope gritted her teeth. ¡°He¡¯s messing with us.¡± Daisy, panting, glared at Sierra. ¡°You had one job¡ªnot let us get lost!¡± Sierra snapped, ¡°Me? You were the one who said to keep walking!¡± Daisy threw her hands up. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, would you rather have camped in the haunted-ass forest?!¡± The laughter grew louder. Hope clenched her jaw. ¡°Okay, enough of this.¡± She whirled around, hands glowing bright. ¡°Show yourself, coward!¡± A low chuckle came from above. The girls snapped their heads up. A figure sat perched on a thick tree branch, swinging his legs lazily. He looked human¡ªalmost. A boyish face, sharp and mischievous, with dark, wild hair. But his eyes gleamed red. He grinned a demonic smile. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Hope¡¯s hands sparked with light, ready to attack. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± The boy tilted his head. ¡°Tengu.¡± Daisy crossed her arms. ¡°Tengu as in¡­ Tengu?¡± He flashed a sharp-toothed grin. ¡°Give the girl a prize.¡± Sierra narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a Spirit.¡± The boy clapped mockingly. ¡°Wow. You guys are smart.¡± Hope¡¯s hands revealed bright flames. ¡°Enough games. Let us out of this damn forest.¡± The tengu laughed again. ¡°You think you¡¯re trapped?¡± He stretched, leaning back on the branch. ¡°Nah, you¡¯re just bad at directions.¡± Daisy scowled. ¡°Liar. You led us here.¡± The boy pretended to think. ¡°Maybe. Or maybe you walked here all by yourselves.¡± Sierra¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°He¡¯s been changing our path without us realizing.¡± Hope¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So what, you get off on confusing people?¡± The tengu smirked. ¡°Sometimes. Other times, I get off on ripping them apart.¡± His smile widened. Hope¡¯s blood ran cold. And then he vanished. Hope barely had time to react before a force slammed into her side, knocking her into a tree. Daisy and Sierra whipped around, searching. The laugh rang out again, bouncing around them. Sierra clenched her fists. ¡°He¡¯s warping around us.¡± Hope pushed herself up, growling. ¡°Then let¡¯s even the odds.¡± She threw a burst of light¡ªilluminating the trees. The tengu flickered into existence on a nearby branch, shielding his eyes from the glow. ¡°Ugh. Bright.¡± Daisy smirked. ¡°Not a fan of the spotlight?¡± She snapped her fingers¡ªsending a karmic pulse outward. Energy rippled like a shockwave. The tengu twisted midair, landing effortlessly on another tree. ¡°Cute.¡± Hope launched an array of flames at him. The tengu dodged effortlessly, appearing above them, then to the side, then behind them- Sierra focused. Her vision blurred, then sharpened. Mental rewind. She saw his movement pattern before it happened. ¡°There!¡± She shouted, pointing. Daisy reacted instantly¡ªa flick of her wrist sent a karmic chain lashing towards the demon. It snagged his arm¡ªjust for a second. Hope took her chance. A burst of searing light shot forward. It hit. The tengu yelped, flipping backward onto another branch. His eyes flared with something darker. ¡°Alright. Maybe I should take you guys seriously.¡± He dove down at full speed, moving faster than before. Hope barely dodged as a claw-like hand swiped past her cheek. Daisy sent another karmic strike, but he kicked off the tree and flipped midair. Sierra¡¯s mind raced. They needed to corner him. She grabbed Hope¡¯s wrist. ¡°Light blast¡ªfull radius.¡± Hope nodded, inhaling deeply. Energy surged around her. The tengu lunged¡ª And Hope released the blast. A massive explosion of light engulfed the entire area. The tengu screeched, his form flickering. Daisy took her chance¡ªher karmic energy wrapped around his feet, dragging him down. The tengu hit the ground. Hard. For the first time, his playful grin faltered. Hope stepped forward, hands glowing, eyes blazing. ¡°Let us go. Now.¡± The tengu hissed. His body shimmered, flickering in and out of sight. But then¡ªhe smirked. ¡°You¡¯re fun.¡± He snapped his fingers. The forest shifted. The path behind them reappeared. The tengu stretched. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m done playing. You can leave.¡± Hope didn¡¯t lower her guard. ¡°Just like that?¡± The tengu grinned. ¡°I hope to see you again..¡± Then, under his breath, ¡°¡­Hikari¡± And with a final laugh, he disappeared into the trees. Daisy let out a huge breath. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Sierra ran a shaky hand through her hair. ¡°I think we just fought a really strong Sei.¡± Hope clenched her fists. ¡°And he let us go.¡± Daisy scoffed. ¡°Yeah, after nearly killing us.¡± Sierra shook her head. ¡°No¡­ If he wanted to kill us he would¡¯ve. I think he was just bored.¡± Daisy groaned. ¡°Can we please go home now?¡± Hope took one last look at the dark forest. Then she turned away. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± The trees finally began to thin out, the dense shadows giving way to soft moonlight. And then¡ªjust ahead¡ª The train station. Daisy nearly collapsed. ¡°Oh, thank GOD.¡± Sierra scanned the area, eyes narrowing. ¡°Wait¡­ this is the exact spot we came from earlier, right?¡± Daisy held up a finger. ¡°Don¡¯t. Question. It.¡± They hurried forward, stepping out of the treeline¡ªand that¡¯s when they saw them. Their shopping bags. All of them.Neatly placed just outside the forest entrance, completely untouched. Hope stared. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Daisy picked up her bag and checked inside. Everything was still there. ¡°Okay, what the hell. When did we even drop these?¡± Sierra muttered, ¡°He probably took them without us noticing.¡± Hope made a face. ¡°Creepy.¡± Daisy let out a deep sigh, slinging her bag over her shoulder. ¡°Well, at least he didn¡¯t rob us.¡± Hope scoffed. ¡°Or kill us.¡± Sierra smirked. ¡°Always a silver lining, but really we¡¯re lucky.¡± Hope and Daisy turned to her. Sierra looked back. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about those types of spirits before. They¡¯re tricksters. In mythology, they¡¯d confuse travelers, get them lost, sometimes even lead them in circles for days.¡± Hope frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me this is, like¡­ normal?¡± Daisy crossed her arms. ¡°No. I mean, I didn¡¯t think they were real.¡± Hope rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course. Because everything¡¯s fake until it tries to murder me.¡± Sierra ignored her. ¡°Anyway¡ªon a bright note, seeing a Tengu is good luck!¡± Hope gave her a flat look. ¡°Oh, yeah. Lucky is definitely the word I¡¯d use.¡± The train¡¯s chime rang, signaling departure. The train glided smoothly through the night, the bright city lights of New Kota shrinking in the distance. Hope, sprawled out across her seat, groaned dramatically. ¡°I swear to god, I am done with forests.¡± Sierra smirked, glancing out the window. ¡°You¡¯ve got to admit, though. That was kind of amazing.¡± Daisy nodded. ¡°We actually kicked his ass.¡± Hope let the thought sink in. It was the first time she hadn¡¯t had to deal with a fight alone. She smirked. ¡°Yeah. I guess we kinda did.¡± The girls laughed as the train continued toward Haven. By the time they returned to Haven Institute, the campus was quiet. Most students were already asleep, the lights along the pathways casting a soft golden glow. Hope yawned, rubbing her eyes. ¡°I should be exhausted, but I feel like I could stay up for hours.¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°Perfect, because we¡¯re having a sleepover.¡± Sierra chuckled, unlocking their dorm door. ¡°We still have Festival of Life outfits to figure out.¡± Hope groaned. ¡°I thought the hard part was over.¡± Daisy tossed her onto the bed. ¡°Nope. Now we¡¯re playing dress-up.¡± Hope laughed, shoving a pillow at her. ¡°Fine, fine. But if you try to put me in anything ugly, I will light you on fire.¡± Daisy smirked. ¡°No promises.¡± The girls burst into laughter, the night melting into chatter and outfit planning, their terrifying encounter already feeling like a wild, distant memory. Chapter 7: The Festival of Life Hope was deep in a dream about something ridiculous¡ªprobably fighting an evil talking chair¡ªwhen suddenly¡ª BANG! BANG! BANG! Hope groaned. ¡°Five more minutes.¡± The door slammed open. Daisy clapped her hands. ¡°Rise and shine, bitch!!¡± Hope buried her face in her pillow. ¡°No.¡± Sierra yanked the covers off. ¡°Yes.¡± Hope shivered. ¡°I will literally kill both of you.¡± Sierra laughed. ¡°Okay, but can you do it after you get dressed? We¡¯ve got a festival to attend.¡± Daisy tossed Hope¡¯s new floral dress onto the bed. ¡°Shower, put this on, throw on some makeup, and for the love of god, please do something with your hair.¡± Hope peeked at them with one eye open. ¡°Are you calling me ugly?¡± Daisy smirked. ¡°I¡¯m calling you not-festival-ready.¡± Sierra crossed her arms. ¡°And if we left you to get up on your own, we wouldn¡¯t see you until the fireworks.¡± Hope groaned again, but reluctantly sat up. ¡°Fine, fine. How much time do we have?¡± Daisy snorted. ¡°An hour and a half.¡± Hope jumped out of bed. ¡°What?!¡± _________________________________________ Getting ready was like a sanctuary of feminine energy. The makeup and rejected outfits scattered on the floor, the smell of curling irons and perfume- Hope missed this. Hope stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her little pink dress. She had to admit¡ªit looked good. Daisy twirled in her lilac-colored floral sundress. ¡°Okay, but we actually look amazing.¡± Sierra ran a finger through her new curls. ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s go before the food is gone.¡± Hope laughed. ¡°That¡¯s your priority?¡± Sierra nodded. ¡°Today it is.¡± The moment they walked off campus, it was like stepping into another world. Haven had transformed overnight. Banners, streamers, and red lanterns were hung up all over the campus. All kinds of people were laughing, eating, and playing games. The scent of grilled meat, sweets, and fresh flowers filled the air. Taiko drums were creating an adrenaline-racing beat in the distance. Hope¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Whoa.¡± Daisy grinned. ¡°Told you.¡± Sierra nudged her. ¡°Welcome to Haven¡¯s best holiday.¡± The festival was already buzzing with energy, but all Hope could notice was one person. Chase. He was standing near one of the food stalls, laughing with Drew and Hunter, looking annoyingly perfect. He wore a blue button-up shirt which was rolled at the sleeves, his tie was gone, and the top two buttons were undone, giving him an effortlessly casual but stupidly attractive look. Hope internally cursed. Not fair. Gabby and Bella were nearby, examining a vendor¡¯s jewelry display. Bella was, of course, dressed flawlessly in a sleek red dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Hope was not in the mood to deal with her today. ¡°Whoa, look at how pretty those necklaces are!¡± Daisy giddily yells. ¡°Shhhh-¡° Hope covers her lips with her index finger. ¡°The wicked bitches of the east are over there.¡± Daisy jokingly smacks Hope¡¯s finger away. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit, they can fight me for all I care.¡± Hope rolls her eyes, and the girls head over to the jewelry stand- But as they start walking over, they bump into the boys. Rather than endure a stream of witty insults from both ends- it felt different this time. They all just sort of¡­ stared at each other. The silence might have been louder than the taiko drums. Chase was the first to break the silence. He opened his mouth, paused, and¡ªbefore he could stop himself¡ª ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± Looking directly at Hope. Silence. She froze. Chase¡¯s eyes widened like he wanted to physically grab the words and shove them back down his throat. Bella turned to him slowly, dangerously. ¡°What was that?¡± Chase coughed. ¡°Uh¡ªnothing.¡± Drew¡¯s grin was immediate. ¡°Nah, man. That was a confession.¡± Hunter smirked. ¡°Down bad.¡± Gabby was unphased. ¡°Tragic.¡± Hope was trying not to combust. All she could do was look down- her face was as red as Bella¡¯s dress . Bella linked her arm through Chase¡¯s. ¡°You were talking about me, right?¡± Chase nodded comically. ¡°Yep. Obviously.¡± Daisy and Sierra exchanged looks. This was way too good. Drew laughed, slapping Chase on the back. ¡°Bro, you¡¯re fumbling so bad right now.¡± Bella looked Hope up and down, then gave her a dirty look. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go. Chase, aren¡¯t you coming?¡± Chase glanced at Hope for half a second too long. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah.¡± Hope felt the butterflies explode. Bella noticed. Oh, she noticed. Gabby, as usual, just enjoyed the drama. ¡°This is already my favorite day of the year.¡± Hope was still recovering from the interaction, barely processing when Drew waved at Daisy and Sierra. Drew smirked. ¡°By the way, we¡¯re gonna kick your asses at the games today.¡± Sierra raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Big talk for someone who can¡¯t beat me in combat class.¡± Drew scoffed. ¡°That was one time.¡± Daisy smirked. ¡°You almost cried.¡± Drew pointed dramatically. ¡°Slander!¡± Hope was still stuck in a daze, but Daisy nudged her, grinning. ¡°Wanna put these guys in their place?¡± Hope, finally snapping out of her trance, grinned. ¡°Oh, absolutely.¡± The festival was packed with stalls and attractions¡ªeverything from food vendors to fortune tellers to carnival-style games. Drew cracked his knuckles. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this competition going. What¡¯s first?¡± Hunter grinned mischievously. ¡°I say we start with the hardest game here.¡± Hope raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean the one where you throw a ball into a cup?¡± Hunter smirked. ¡°No, I mean the one where you have to hit the bell with the hammer.¡± Sierra deadpanned. ¡°The one specifically meant for muscleheads like you?¡± Hunter pointed at her. ¡°Exactly.¡± The group gathered around the game, where contestants swung a hammer to try and ring the bell at the top of a tower. A few students were already struggling to even lift the thing. Hunter cracked his neck. ¡°Watch and learn.¡± He grabbed the mallet, swung it like he was on steroids, and sent the meter flying up¡ªsmacking the bell so hard it nearly broke the frame. The vendor looked terrified. ¡°Uh¡­ congratulations?¡± Hunter grinned. ¡°New record?¡± The vendor hesitated. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go with ¡®close enough.¡¯¡± Drew clapped. ¡°Alright, alright. Who¡¯s next?¡± Bella leaned against Chase. ¡°Ugh, this is boring. Let¡¯s find something actually fun.¡± Gabby shrugged. ¡°I wanna see Daisy and Sierra try it.¡± Sierra looked down at her frail arms. ¡°Pass.¡± Daisy smirked. ¡°Oh, I got this.¡± She lifted the mallet¡ªbarely managing to swing it. The puck went up¡­ halfway. Daisy blinked. ¡°Damn. Thought I had that.¡± Hope laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll avenge you.¡± She stepped up, grabbed the mallet¡­ struggled to lift it up.. and completely missed. Silence. Gabby laughed. ¡°Bro, did you just swing at air?¡± Hope scowled. ¡°I tried!¡± Chase crossed his arms, smirking. ¡°You sure you¡¯re not just weak?¡± Hope whipped around. ¡°Give me another shot.¡± She swung again. The puck moved maybe four inches. Hunter doubled over laughing. ¡°That¡¯s the weakest thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Drew was wheezing. ¡°Bro, she barely¡ª¡± Hope grabbed a cup off a vendor¡¯s table and threw it at his head. Drew dodged, barely. ¡°UNPROVOKED ATTACK!¡± Bella rolled her eyes. ¡°Can we move on now? This is so stupid.¡± Gabby grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s do archery.¡± Daisy wiggled her eyebrows. ¡°Hope, redemption era?¡± Hope sighed. ¡°Fine. But if I miss, I¡¯m setting the stand on fire.¡± Absolutely! Let¡¯s tweak the last part to reflect these pairings and crush dynamics while keeping all the fun tension. Scene: Archery (New Pairings, Same Chaos) The group arrived at the archery booth, where the vendor greeted them. Before anyone could line up, Sierra¡¯s eyes locked onto a nearby stall selling colorful potions and spell jars. ¡°Oh my gods,¡± she gasped. Then, without another word, she sprinted toward it. Hope watched her go. ¡°Well, there she goes.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Daisy shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll get her back later.¡± The vendor clapped his hands. ¡°Pairs of two! One person shoots, the other guides their aim.¡± Drew didn¡¯t hesitate. He grabbed Daisy¡¯s wrist. ¡°Me and her. Let¡¯s go.¡± Daisy blinked. ¡°Who said I¡ª¡± Drew smirked. ¡°You wanna win, don¡¯t you?¡± Hope narrowed her eyes. Was Daisy¡­ blushing?! Hunter casually threw an arm around Gabby. ¡°Guess we¡¯re a team.¡± Gabby rolled her eyes. ¡°You better not make me lose.¡± Which left¡ª Hope and Chase. Bella froze. The vendor smiled. ¡°Alright! Grab your bows and take your positions.¡± Hope glanced at Chase. He was already watching her. Bella looped her arm through Chase¡¯s. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be with her, you know.¡± Chase, to Bella¡¯s absolute horror, simply shrugged her off. ¡°It¡¯s just archery, Bella. Relax.¡± Daisy and Sierra exchanged a look. This is gold. Hope and Chase stepped into position. Hope picked up her bow, gripping it too tightly. Chase leaned in behind her. Too close. His voice was low. ¡°Relax. You¡¯re too stiff.¡± Hope was not relaxed. Bella was losing her mind in real time. Chase placed a hand lightly on her arm. ¡°Pull back.¡± Hope swallowed. Pulled the arrow back. ¡°A little higher,¡± he murmured. Daisy nudged Sierra. ¡°Oh, this is way too much fun.¡± Bella was fuming. Hope took a breath. Chase¡¯s hand barely brushed hers. ¡°Let go,¡± he said. She did. The arrow soared through the air¡ª ¡ªand hit dead center. The vendor clapped. ¡°Bullseye!¡± Chase smirked. ¡°Told you.¡± Hope tried to act normal, but her entire nervous system was screaming. Bella looked like she was about to explode. Daisy clapped. ¡°Alright, this was fun, but I¡¯m ready for the next move.¡± Chase glanced at Hope. ¡°Temples?¡± Hope hesitated. She felt an odd pull. Like she was supposed to go. She nodded. ¡°Yeah. I really wanna go.¡± The festival was alive with energy. Music roared from every direction¡ªdeep, rhythmic beats of drums, flutes weaving through the melody, and the occasional burst of cheers and laughter. Paper dragons danced through the streets, carried by performers moving in sync. People twirled with silk fans, their intricate movements mesmerizing. Vendors called out to passing festival-goers, selling everything from sweet cakes to glowing charms. Hope had never seen anything like it. Daisy grabbed her arm excitedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t this amazing?¡± Hope nodded, wide-eyed. ¡°It¡¯s unreal.¡± Sierra pointed ahead. ¡°Look at that.¡± A small shrine sat at the edge of the path, its base overflowing with offerings¡ªcoins, candles, fruit, even little trinkets. A group of people gathered around, bowing their heads in prayer. Next to it, a stand displayed tiny silk pouches, each embroidered with symbols. Gabby picked one up. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a fortune charm.¡± Drew snorted. ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Gabby opened it, scanned the paper inside, and burst out laughing. Bella leaned in. ¡°What?¡± Gabby grinned. ¡°¡®Love will flow in your life like water.¡¯¡± Hunter shot her a cheesy look, then rolled his eyes. Gabby tilted her head. ¡°What did yours say?¡± Hunter shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t read it.¡± Gabby sighed. ¡°Why do I ask?¡± After walking for what felt like forever, they reached the bottom of the temple path. A winding red staircase stretched up high, leading to a massive bridge. The Hashi Bridge. It stood tall and ancient over a slow-moving river, the stones worn smooth with age. At the entrance of the bridge, two statues of winged dogs stood guard. Sierra¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°They¡¯re sort of fascinating.¡± Gabby shivered. ¡°They give me the creeps.¡± Drew tilted his head. ¡°They do look kinda.. lifeless.¡± Hope studied them closely. There was something about their piercing stone eyes that made her feel like they were¡­ watching. Chase spoke up. ¡°You guys remember what Mr. Waltz said about this place?¡± Daisy nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s believed that souls have to cross this bridge after death, where Hekali judges them.¡± Bella scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t actually believe that, do you?¡± Hope frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t? Isn¡¯t this part of the culture?¡± Hunter crossed his arms. ¡°What would you know about culture? Didn¡¯t you just get here, like, yesterday?¡± Bella rolled her eyes. ¡°Who cares. It¡¯s a myth. No one actually believes this crap anymore.¡± That¡¯s when Chase stopped walking. Hope noticed he was still holding Bella¡¯s hand. Or rather¡ªhe had been. Because he let go. Chase¡¯s voice was sharper than usual. ¡°You could at least have some respect.¡± Bella looked at him in surprise. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Chase didn¡¯t say anything else. He just started walking again, crossing the bridge. The rest of the group followed¡ªthough they couldn¡¯t ignore the eerie chill that crept up their spines as they stepped onto the ancient stone path. By the time they reached the other side, the Hashi Bridge was behind them, and in front of them¡ª Hekali¡¯s Temple. It was massive, boasting, breathtaking. Its towering red pillars stretched into the sky, golden bells chiming gently in the wind. At the base of the stairs, worshippers knelt in prayer, burning incense and making offerings. Hope felt a pull in her chest. The moment they stepped inside Hekali¡¯s Temple, it felt like entering a different world. The scent of incense and aged wood lingered, and whispers of prayer echoed through the grand hall. But what captured Hope¡¯s attention first were the murals. The walls were covered in faded paintings. The group slowly walked through the temple, taking it all in. Sierra pointed at one of the murals. ¡°Look at this one.¡± They turned to a massive painting spanning the entire wall. It depicted a colossal, shadowy figure looming over Haven, its form monstrous, like it was made of chaos and fire. In front of it¡ªstood a warrior bathed in light, wielding magic unlike anything they had ever seen. Hope¡¯s breath caught in her throat. The magic looked like hers. She wasn¡¯t imagining it. The swirling, kaleidoscopic light, the bursts of fire and energy¡ªit was uncanny. Chase furrowed his brows. ¡°That looks¡­ familiar.¡± Bella scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s just old art. Probably exaggerated.¡± Hope couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of it. ¡°Who¡­ is this?¡± Sierra scanned the inscription beneath the painting. ¡°It says: ¡®The Hikari.¡¯¡± Gabby tilted her head. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Sierra reads from the mural inscription: ¡°It talks about a time when humans and spirits began to dominate Haven, and began losing faith in the Gods. As punishment, the Gods unleashed corruption, twisting many humans and spirits. But it got out of control. Haven became a battleground of war, overrun with chaos. So to restore order, the Gods created the Hikari¡ªa rare few chosen to control the Light and bring balance back to the world.¡± All eyes fell on Hope. Daisy raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, that was oddly specific.¡± Hope¡¯s heart pounded. Drew crossed his arms. ¡°Huh. Wonder what happened to them?¡± Sierra kept reading. ¡°It says the ability was ¡®lost to time.¡¯¡± Bella walked away. ¡°I¡¯m so bored now. Should we head back to the festival and do shots?¡± Drew ignored her, too focused on a shadowy figure in the mural. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sierra hesitated, then read. ¡°The Darkness.¡± Gabby rolled her eyes. ¡°This temple is the frickin¡¯ darkness. Bella, I¡¯m with you on the shots.¡± As they started to head outside, Hope got a weird feeling in her stomach. This wasn¡¯t just some old myth. This was a warning. The group exited the temple, stepping back into the festival¡¯s vibrant chaos. The sounds of laughter, music, and distant firecrackers filled the air, but Hope barely registered it. Daisy stretched her arms. ¡°I need a drink.¡± Drew winked at her. ¡°I¡¯m so ready for shots.¡± Sierra raised a brow. ¡°What is going on between those two?¡± Hunter raised his arms, ¡°Not sure, but they¡¯re speaking my language.¡± Chase laughed under his breath. But then he noticed Hope wasn¡¯t following. She had stopped at the temple steps, staring back inside. Drew raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uh¡­ you good?¡± Hope hesitated, her chest feeling oddly tight. There was something pulling at her¡ªa feeling deep in her gut, like she wasn¡¯t supposed to leave. She swallowed. ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll catch up.¡± Bella groaned. ¡°Ugh, she¡¯s trying to have her main character moment again.¡± Gabby laughed under her breath. ¡°Attention-whore much?¡± Daisy and Sierra exchanged a look. Sierra lowered her voice. ¡°You sure?¡± Hope nodded. ¡°Yeah. I just¡­ I won¡¯t be long.¡± They hesitated before following the others, leaving Hope alone on the temple steps. The laughter and festival sounds faded into the distance as she turned back toward the massive, towering doors. She stepped inside. The moment she re-entered the temple, the atmosphere was completely different- heavier, almost. Her eyes were drawn immediately to the mural. The Hikari. The darkness swallowing Haven.. She stepped forward, feeling a sudden urge to kneel. Hope was never that religious. Yes, her family was Christian, but they stopped bringing her to church when she was young because of her ¡°devilish sorcery¡±. But in this moment, Hope felt like praying was the right thing to do. She knelt in front of the mural, folding her hands together, closing her eyes. She let out a shaky breath. And she prayed. And even after she was done, Hope stayed in her kneeled position. Silent, with her eyes still closed. Because for the first time in days, she felt truly at peace. Hope let her thoughts come and go, tuning out all the noise around her. All she could hear was a ringing in her ear. She focused on her breathing. Each inhale felt like a wave crashing onto a sandy shore, and each exhale felt like the tides being drawn back in. She stopped focusing on her breathing, in fact she didn¡¯t really focus on anything. All she felt was a sudden sense of nothingness that she could never explain. The ground beneath her disappeared. Then, her breath hitched as she felt herself falling. A vortex of colors in her mind''s eye, drawing her in. Colors exploded in every direction¡ªfractal patterns twisting. A never-ending abyss of kaleidoscopic light, expanding like it was alive. She felt connected. Like she was everything and everything was her. And then she saw a raised hand. Colors swirling blues and pinks, dawning patterns and imagery she could never describe. It reached toward her¡ªnot touching, but guiding. And suddenly, she saw the imagery in the hand change. The sky was black. No sun. No warmth. Just an endless darkness. The vibes were horrible. Demons¡ªtwisted, monstrous forms¡ªrunning through the streets. Buildings burned, people being brutalized. The world she was growing to love was destroyed ¡ªreplaced by something she could only describe as hellish. She tried to move, to pull away¡ªbut the vision held her there. Flashes of chaos.And then¡ª Blackness. Everything snapped. The vision shattered. Hope gasped, eyes flying open. She was still in the temple. The mural was still there. The incense still burned. But the feeling in her chest¡ªthe cold, lingering dread¡ª was palpable. She sat there for a moment, staring at her trembling hands. _________________________________________ Hope stepped out of the temple, back into the vibrant chaos of the festival. But it didn¡¯t feel the same. She felt¡­ different . She swallowed hard, forcing herself to snap out of it. Just some weird hallucination. She inhaled deeply, and made her way down the temple¡¯s staircase. When Hope finally found the others again, they were gathered around a stall filled with bottles of sake. Hunter was already drunk. Daisy rolled her eyes. ¡°Hunter, you have, like, zero tolerance.¡± Hunter grinned. ¡°Which makes me cheaper to party with. You¡¯re welcome.¡± Gabby laughed, taking a sip from her drink. ¡°This is actually kind of nice. No one fighting for once.¡± Hope forced a smile. She could do this. She could have fun. She could forget. Daisy handed her a small sake cup. ¡°Come on, let loose a little.¡± Hope hesitated¡ªthen took it. ¡°Why not?¡± She took a shot. Then another. Drew put a hand on Daisy¡¯s shoulder, caressing it. ¡°How you feelin¡¯?¡± Daisy looked up into his eyes and tipsily smiled. ¡°I¡¯m feeling gooddd.¡± Drew smoothly put his hands around Daisy¡¯s waist, as Hope went for her third shot. The tension in her chest eased, drowned out by the warmth of alcohol and the infectious energy of the crowd. At some point, someone passed her a glass of wine, and she didn¡¯t even question it. Hunter was resting his chin on the top of Gabby¡¯s head, and interlocked both of their hands. Honestly, this just made Hope wanna drink more. Hope giggled, leaning into Sierra. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m officially wasted.¡± Sierra raised an eyebrow. ¡°No shit.¡± Hope pointed at the paper lanterns overhead. ¡°Look at them, Sierra. They¡¯re beautiful.¡± Sierra sighed. ¡°We need to get you some food.¡± Before they could, the first fireworks exploded overhead. A massive burst of gold lit up the sky, followed by another, then another¡ªeach brighter than the last. The festival paused as everyone turned their eyes to the sky, entranced. Hope stumbled slightly, the alcohol in her system making everything feel lighter. That¡¯s when Chase walked up to her. He chucked at her, like her tipsy stumbling was cute in a stupid way. Then, before she could react, He grabbed her hand. Hope blinked. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± Then he leaned in, his voice just loud enough over the fireworks. ¡°All day I couldn¡¯t stop looking at you.¡± Hope froze. The warmth in his voice. The way his fingers lingered on hers. He was making a move. And for a second, she felt something¡ªsomething real, something thrilling. But then, out of nowhere, everything snapped. The vision. The stress. The alcohol. Bella. Bella and Chase. In his dorm room. Hope had a vivid flashback of the night. The rush of sneaking out. Bella, laughing as she pulled Chase into his room, locking the door behind them. Hope¡¯s stomach twisted. And before she could stop herself, she pulled her hand away¡ª aggressively. ¡°You wanna know what¡¯s crazy?¡± Chase¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­What?¡± Hope gestured wildly. ¡°You, standing here, hating me one day then flirting with me the next¨Clike nothing happened.¡± Daisy and Sierra exchanged panicked glances. Bella crossed her arms. ¡°Oh, here we go.¡± Hope spun toward her. ¡°No, seriously, Bella. Should I be flattered? Or should I be confused?¡± Chase stiffened. ¡°Hope. Stop.¡± Hope laughed bitterly. ¡°No, let¡¯s talk about it. Because last time I checked, Chase, you were a little busy. Like, oh I don¡¯t know, sneaking Bella into your dorm in the middle of the night?¡± Daisy¡¯s hand flew over her mouth to hide her shock. An array of fireworks exploded overhead, sparkling beautifully, yet they remained in silence. Complete. Utter. Silence. Then, Drew¡ªdrunk, and unable to stop himself¡ª whispered loudly, ¡°Oh shit.¡± Bella¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Go home, Hope, you¡¯re drunk.¡± Hope laughed, shaking her head. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m drunk? Then why does Chase look like he wants to die right now?¡± Chase¡¯s jaw tensed, but he didn¡¯t say a word. Bella, relentless, stepped forward. ¡°Besides, Hope, why does it even matter to you? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re dating him.¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°I don¡¯t even think he likes you that much.¡± Hope got right in Bella¡¯s face. ¡°Bitch, I¡¯ve had it with your-¡° ¡°We¡¯re leaving, NOW.¡± Daisy tightly gripped Hope¡¯s arm. Hope stumbled, but Daisy¡¯s grip was firm. As Daisy and Sierra dragged Hope away, she yelled over her shoulder. ¡°You know what? You guys enjoy your night. I¡¯m done.¡± And then, the fireworks stopped.