The trial was over, and the pressure had finally eased—for now.
Back in their dormitory wing, a wide hall built of dark bricks and old wood, the students were allowed one rare thing: rest.
Kael yawned and collapsed onto his bunk, arms spread like he'd just returned from war.
"Finally! A whole day without being chased, cut, or cursed."
Yue peeked from the top bunk, brushing her hair.
"You say that like we won't be running laps by dawn."
Zehr plopped onto his bed too—but with a thud loud enough to make dust fall from the ceiling.
"Hey!" Kael sat up. "That was my snack stash!"
Zehr smirked. "Oops."
Kael dove under the bed and pulled out a completely flattened paper bag.
"You crushed the dried meat! That stuff cost me three training injuries!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Later that evening, a few cadets decided to play a prank on the other dorm. Kael, Zehr, Yue, and a quiet boy named Ren were involved.
"Operation: Demon Slime," Kael whispered, holding up a jar of bright blue goo from the training yard. "Let's drop it in the girls' laundry barrel. Totally harmless."
Zehr nodded. "And totally worth it."
But when they opened the door to sneak out, Mikaho was standing right there with crossed arms.
"You four look suspicious."
"W-we were just… meditating," Kael lied.
She squinted. "With a glowing slime jar?"
"Spiritual focus," Ren added.
Mikaho sighed, rolled her eyes, and walked away. "If Master Shin catches you, I'm not covering for you."
Nighttime
Laughter echoed down the halls. Some students shared ghost stories. Some traded sweets under bedsheets. Even Ashen, sitting by the window in silence, cracked a small smile when a mouse scared Zehr off his own bed.
"You're scared of that?" Kael laughed.
"It touched my leg! It had claws!"
A Simple Moment
That night, as the chaos settled, Kael and Mikaho sat outside on the academy wall. Stars shone above them.
"Do you think we'll always be here?" Kael asked quietly.
"No," Mikaho said. "One day… we'll be out there. Fighting real demons. Leading real people."
"And hopefully," Kael added, "with snacks that aren't crushed."
She smiled.
End of Chapter 16
Next Episode Preview:The training gets serious again—new techniques, new challenges, and a teacher with a very strange method.