*Luna's POV*
When Luna opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the stillness. Not the eerie silence of a battlefield after the carnage, but a soft, gentle calm—the kind that lulled children to sleep. For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then she saw the small bed beside hers, where her younger siblings lay huddled together, peacefully asleep. The sight pulled at something deep inside her—something fragile and long-forgotten.
*Peace…* she realized. *I feel peaceful.*
The last time she'd felt anything close to this was when she was seven, before the Red Gate swallowed her home… and her parents. Since then, it had been one endless cycle of running, fighting, surviving. Peace was a luxury, a fantasy she had buried long ago.
Until *he* appeared.
The memories came flooding back—icy winds, blood-soaked snow, and that crushing sense of doom as her squad fought against impossible odds. Then, like lightning, *he* arrived. A boy their age who shattered the battlefield with a single strike. A Level 3 monster and ten Level 2s—wiped out in seconds by the thunderstorm cloaked around him.
Then there was the Shadow Queen—India's mysterious Level 9, watching from the sidelines. That alone had been enough to leave her stunned. But what followed... was even stranger.
Aiden Pentdragon. That was his name.
He told her about his Gift—a power that let him see glimpses of the future. That he had seen her, known she would awaken her own Gift that very day. That he came because he *had* to save her.
It sounded absurd. Gifts were rare, divine abilities that only a handful of people in the world possessed. Why would a Gift show him *her*—a stranger from a different continent?
And yet… when he looked at her, his eyes didn't hold curiosity or pity. They held *recognition*. Warmth. As if he knew her.
She didn't understand it, but something inside her said it was real.
Just then, the door creaked open. Aiden stepped in with a gentle smile, his deep blue eyes catching the morning light like calm ocean waves.
"Had a good sleep?" he asked casually, walking in.
Luna nodded slowly. "I… yeah. It's been a long time since I slept this well."
He chuckled. "That's good. You've earned it."
She sat up, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "So you really saved me. For no reason?"
Before Aiden could respond, another voice chimed in.
"That's just how Aiden is. Always rushing off to save people," said a new girl as she stepped into the room.
She was stunning—red hair that shimmered in the light, bright green eyes that sparkled with intelligence and amusement.
"I'm Emilia," she said warmly. "Aiden's childhood friend."
Luna blinked, suddenly feeling out of place. "Hi…"
"She's also Elena's daughter," Aiden added. "And same age as us."
Luna's eyes widened. "You're Level 3 too?"
Emilia laughed. "Yup. Surprising, right?"
"But… I thought the youngest Level 2 was me. You're both… younger."
Aiden shrugged. "Things are different in India. But don't worry—Level 3 at our age is very rare. There are only three of us here. You'll be joining us soon enough."
Luna looked uncertain. "But why… why are you doing all this for me?"
Aiden's expression turned serious. "Because you deserve a second chance. You've carried more than anyone should have to. And if you want to keep fighting, I'll help you get stronger. But if you want to stop… live a peaceful life with your siblings… I'll make sure you can."
Something cracked inside her at those words. No one had ever given her a choice before. Not since she was a child.
"I want to get stronger," she said, her voice shaking with determination. "I don't want to be helpless again. And… I want to repay your kindness."
Aiden smiled, the kind of soft, proud smile that made her chest ache. "Alright. Then let's get to work."
---
Over the next few weeks, Luna was drawn into a world she never imagined.
She moved temporarily to Aiden's family estate, much to her embarrassment, but he insisted. He said she needed to stay near him for elemental cultivation training—and to keep her safe. Her siblings were kept in a secure facility nearby, cared for by professional staff and visited daily by Emilia and Aiden's team. After some persuasion, she relented.
Aiden's parents were kind, too kind. His mother was a graceful woman with quiet strength, and his father radiated a quiet authority that reminded Luna of old war heroes. Meeting them was nerve-wracking at first, but their warmth soon wore down her walls.
She learned more in those weeks than she had in years.
That elemental star affinities could *increase.* That Aiden had developed methods—shared publicly across India—that could raise affinity levels with time, effort, and proper guidance. What would've taken seventy years elsewhere, he claimed he could do in five.
Her 4-star Light could reach 5 stars in just five years. Her 3-star Ice? Upgraded in six months. With Aiden's guidance and the brutal technique she forced him to teach her—Resonant Fracturing—she could become someone who *mattered* in the coming storm he predicted.
And she wouldn't be alone. Aiden. Emilia. Even Elena. Together, they were Plan B—Aiden's insurance against a world-ending future.
The idea that they might reach Level 9 before thirty, maybe even before twenty-five… it was insane. Unprecedented. Even the legendary Den Pentdragon had reached Level 9 at ninety. But Luna had stopped being surprised.
India was a different world. And Aiden wasn't just a genius—he was a man with a purpose. A man who remembered things no one else did.
---
Then, the day came.
Aiden stood in the hallway, dressed in the academy's black and silver uniform. His coat flared behind him as he checked his wristband.
"You've used up all your recovery time," he said, glancing over. "You're officially a student now."
Luna looked down at her own uniform, still crisp and new. For a moment, she just stared.
A student.
Not a weapon. Not a soldier.
A girl… going to school.
It felt unreal.
Emilia stepped beside her, linking arms with a wide grin. "Come on, new girl. Time to make an impression."
Luna laughed—really laughed—for the first time in years. She glanced at Aiden, then at Emilia, and nodded.
As they walked through the gates of the prestigious Indian Hero Academy, Luna knew one thing for sure.
She had a new life now.
And she was going to live every second of it.