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Chapter 10: Departure to the Sage Realm
A few months passed.
Not quickly.
Not slowly.
Just… steadily.
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Life had settled into a rhythm Auren didn't question anymore.
Wake up. Train. Rest. Repeat.
At first, it had felt forced—like he was trying to become someone else.
But now…
it felt natural.
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His body responded faster.
His movements were sharper.
Cleaner.
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And his mind—
was quieter.
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Not empty.
Just focused.
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Because now, every step had direction.
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The academy.
And beyond it—
The Sage Realm.
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The name alone carried weight.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
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But something that made people pause before saying it out loud.
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Auren stood at the station, his fingers loosely gripping the strap of his bag.
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It was crowded.
But not in the usual way.
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There were no families waving goodbye.
No travelers rushing past.
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Only students.
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All of them chosen.
All of them—
aware.
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Some stood in groups, talking loudly, laughter spilling out a little too easily.
Others stood alone, their eyes moving just as much as Auren's were.
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Watching.
Measuring.
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"…everyone's pretending they're fine."
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Auren's gaze lifted toward the train.
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It stood still on the tracks—
long, dark, and strangely silent.
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Something about it felt…
different.
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The metal surface lacked the usual shine.
The windows reflected almost nothing.
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As if the train wasn't meant to show anything back.
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Every compartment had been reserved.
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Not for comfort.
Not for travel.
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But for them.
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A quiet announcement echoed through the station.
> "All selected candidates, please proceed to board."
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For a brief moment—
no one moved.
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Then one person stepped forward.
Then another.
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And just like that—
the hesitation broke.
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Auren followed.
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Calm.
Steady.
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But his eyes didn't stop moving.
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Taking everything in.
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[Inside the Train]
The moment he stepped in—
he noticed it.
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The air felt heavier.
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Not suffocating.
But not normal either.
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Rows of seats stretched ahead, most already occupied.
Voices overlapped—some loud, some low, some trying too hard to sound normal.
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Auren walked down the aisle slowly.
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He didn't rush to sit.
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Instead—
he observed.
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A boy tapping his foot restlessly.
Someone gripping their bag too tightly.
Two students arguing over something meaningless—just to distract themselves.
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"…nervous."
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All of them.
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He finally chose a seat by the window.
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Habit.
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He placed his bag beside him and leaned back slightly, his gaze shifting outside.
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The station still moved.
Still lived.
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But from here—
it already felt distant.
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Like he had stepped into something else.
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[The First Voice]
"You planning to stay silent the whole ride?"
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Auren turned his head slightly.
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A boy stood beside him, one hand casually resting on the seat.
Messy hair.
Relaxed stance.
A smile that didn't fully reach his eyes.
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"…talkative."
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"Seat's free, right?" the boy asked, already halfway sitting.
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"Yeah."
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The boy dropped into the seat, stretching slightly before letting out a breath.
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"Man… this is weird."
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Auren glanced at him.
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"Weird how?"
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The boy tilted his head, thinking.
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"Like… we worked so hard to get here," he said slowly, looking around.
"And now that we actually are here… it doesn't feel real."
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Auren looked ahead again.
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"It is."
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"Yeah," the boy huffed. "That's exactly why it's weird."
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A small silence settled between them.
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Then—
the boy extended his hand.
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"Kiran."
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Auren looked at it for a second before shaking it.
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"Auren."
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Kiran smirked slightly.
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"Good. I thought you were one of those quiet, scary types."
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"…depends."
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"On what?"
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Auren met his gaze briefly.
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"On the person."
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Kiran blinked—
then laughed.
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"Alright. I'll take that."
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[More Join In]
"Oi, already making connections?"
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Two more students approached.
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One looked curious.
The other—
quiet.
Observing.
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"Sit," Kiran said casually.
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They did.
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Names were exchanged.
Short introductions followed.
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Nothing deep.
But enough.
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"So," one of them said, leaning forward slightly,
"anyone actually excited for the Sage Realm?"
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Silence.
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Then someone scoffed.
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"Excited? You serious?"
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"Hey, just asking."
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Kiran leaned back, arms resting behind his head.
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"I think it's not excitement," he said after a moment.
"…it's curiosity."
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Auren didn't speak.
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But he didn't disagree either.
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Because curiosity—
was dangerous.
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[The Train Moves]
A sharp metallic sound echoed.
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The train shifted.
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Then—
it began to move.
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Slowly.
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The station outside started slipping away.
People blurred into motion.
Voices faded.
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Everything—
left behind.
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Auren watched it quietly.
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"…this is it."
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No turning back.
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[The Change]
Time passed.
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Conversations softened.
Less forced.
More real.
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Some talked about past fights.
Others complained about training.
Kiran kept things light, throwing in comments that made the group laugh.
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Auren listened more than he spoke.
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Observing.
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Every movement.
Every reaction.
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"…useful."
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But then—
something changed.
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Subtly.
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The scenery outside.
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Buildings disappeared.
Open land stretched out.
Then—
less.
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The sky grew heavier.
Darker.
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And without anyone saying it—
everyone felt it.
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Conversations slowed.
Eyes turned toward the windows.
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The closer they got—
the quieter it became.
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[Ending]
Auren rested his head lightly against the seat, his gaze fixed outside.
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Something about the horizon felt…
wrong.
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Not empty.
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Just—
off.
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For a moment—
his thoughts drifted.
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To a message.
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> "Looks better from your side."
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"…yeah."
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His fingers brushed lightly against his pocket.
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His phone.
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But he didn't take it out.
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Not this time.
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The train moved forward.
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Deeper.
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Closer.
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To a place—
that didn't feel like it belonged to the same world.
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The Sage Realm.