The first sliver of dawn stretched across the horizon, spilling pale gold through the narrow dormitory windows. The world was still hushed, but inside the small room, two figures were already moving with purpose.
Wads sat on the edge of his bed, fastening the last strap of his boots. Beside him, the bundle of papers Kaizer had entrusted to him two days earlier lay neatly stacked. He picked them up, almost reverently, and slid them carefully into his satchel, securing the flap twice over as though the weight of their mission rested solely on those pages.
Across the room, Keiya was bent over her trunk. She folded her spare uniform with precise movements before tucking it inside her pack. Her hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned, the pale strands catching the early light. She tightened the strap of her bag, then glanced at Wads without quite looking at him.
"Where are we meeting them again?" she asked, her tone even, though her hands moved briskly as she fixed the belt around her cloak.
"The North Wing gate."
Keiya hummed softly in acknowledgment. Her fingers moved to her hair, weaving it back with deft care until it fell into a dignified knot at her nape. "How many days do you think it will take before we reach the Forsaken?"
"Five," Wads replied, his voice low but firm, rehearsed like he had already run through the numbers in his mind a dozen times. "That's when we'll reach the nearest town to its borders. Bell Tine."
Her nod was a quiet acceptance. She slung her pack over her shoulder and pulled the hood of her black attire half-up. Unlike their usual Zheno uniforms, these were altered—cut differently, marked with subtle emblems that suggested affiliation with the National Science Academy. Their story was simple: they were soil researchers dispatched for a project. It was a disguise grounded in practicality—no suspicion would be drawn from students scribbling notes in the dirt.
When they stepped out of the dormitory, the air was crisp with morning cool, the dew still fresh on the grass. The great North Wing loomed ahead, its gates broad and imposing, metal bars catching the soft light of the rising sun.
A wagon waited there, its frame large enough to carry them and their equipment. The horse at its front pawed at the ground impatiently, its breath puffing in visible clouds. Near the wagon, two figures were already busy. Reiyell adjusted her pack before setting it neatly inside the covered space, while Ashborne—stoic as always—methodically checked the straps securing his belongings.
Kaizer stood nearby, his arms folded but his face bright with energy that seemed almost out of place in the quiet dawn. His smile broke as soon as he spotted Wads and Keiya approaching.
"Rise and shine!" Kaizer's voice carried, warm and booming, breaking the silence. "Ready for the road?"
Keiya's only answer was a sharp look, her eyes narrowing at his unrelenting enthusiasm. Without a word, she brushed past him, sliding her bag into the wagon's compartment with measured precision.
Reiyell, already in her disguise, lifted her gaze and gave a faint nod of greeting. Ashborne remained silent, but the way his eyes followed Wads betrayed acknowledgment.
Moments later, two more voices echoed through the gate.
"Wait up!" Klyden jogged in, one hand lifted in a wave, the other occupied with—of all things—a bowl of mashed potatoes he was shoveling into his mouth. Liora trailed after him, her bag slung lightly over one shoulder. Compared to the rest, she looked almost carefree, her pack smaller, her posture relaxed.
Klyden grinned wide as his eyes landed on Ashborne. "Oh, Ash! Where're your swords?" His voice was muffled with food, crumbs threatening to spill.
Ashborne's reply was dry as ever. He held up a small pendant that glimmered faintly in the morning light. "Here. If I trigger it, they'll appear."
Klyden's eyes widened like a child. He swallowed the last mouthful of potato with a loud gulp. "Cooool."
Ashborne only gave a long-suffering sigh.
Kaizer clapped his hands together, drawing their attention back. His voice shifted, bright but edged with seriousness. "Remember your objectives: three, and three only. Secure the route to the forest. Identify and, if possible, destroy the source of the drugs. If it proves beyond your strength, retreat immediately. Do not—under any circumstances—get tangled in a fight you cannot win."
The six of them straightened unconsciously at the weight of his tone.
"Good luck, team." Kaizer smiled, pride flickering in his eyes as he raised a fist to his chest in salute. Without hesitation, the six returned the Zheno Academy salute, their hands pressed firmly against their hearts.
As the moment lingered, Kaizer's expression lightened again. "Oh right… does anyone actually know how to drive a wagon?"
It was the kind of question that dissolved formality, gentle and absurd. Klyden instantly puffed up as if the title had been offered to him. "I once drove a wheelbarrow uphill with a dice in my pocket!" he declared, proud as a child.
"Fantastic," Kaizer said, dryly indulgent. "We'll assign someone responsible."
The silence that followed was heavy—and then broken by a sigh so loud it was theatrical. Ashborne stepped forward without a word, planting himself at the driver's bench like a man condemned.
"Woohoo!" Klyden cheered, hopping up beside him with infectious excitement. "I always wanted a front-row seat!"
Keiya pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is going to be unbearable."
"I think it's fun!" Liora chirped, bounding into the wagon as if it were a carriage ride for leisure. Her light pack bounced against her back. Reiyell followed at a quieter pace, her calm presence anchoring the moment.
Wads lingered a heartbeat longer. Kaizer stepped to his side, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. His voice dropped, just for him. "If things go south… you know what to do. Use the signal wisely."
Wads nodded once. His chest tightened with the weight Kaizer's words carried, but he didn't flinch. He climbed into the wagon, joining the others.
Kaizer took a step back, raising a hand. His smile was still bright, but there was something steadier behind it now—hope mingled with unspoken worry.
The driver's reins cracked, the horse lurched forward, and the wagon creaked into motion. Slowly, it rolled through the open gates, the Academy shrinking behind them.
Kaizer stood tall at the entrance, watching them disappear down the road. He raised a final hand, waving them off until the wagon was only a speck against the waking horizon.
And then they were gone.
The journey to the Forsaken had begun.