The days that followed seemed ordinary on the surface—drills, lectures, and sparring sessions continued as scheduled—but beneath the surface, Keith felt a subtle shift. The dagger, the words of Commander Halem, and the strange sensation of being seen for the first time had awakened something within him. He didn't have powers. Not yet. But something was stirring.
One evening, while the sun dipped below the horizon and cast an orange glow across the courtyard, Keith sat alone beneath the practice tree, rubbing his calloused palms. Across the field, students laughed and chatted in groups, but Keith kept to himself, his mind replaying the moment in the armory over and over.
"Still brooding?"
Ethan's voice cut through the silence as he plopped down beside him, tossing Keith a small, wrapped snack.
Keith caught it with a surprised grunt. "You always sneak up on people like that?"
"It's a gift," Ethan grinned, then leaned back on his elbows. "You've been quieter than usual. What's going on?"
Keith hesitated before answering. "Have you ever felt like something's watching you—not in a bad way, just... observing?"
Ethan raised a brow. "Like the universe?"
"No, more like... fate. Like I'm walking into something I don't understand yet."
Ethan gave a half-smile. "We all are, Keith. This place isn't just a training ground. It's where the threads of our lives get rewoven. You came here thinking you were late. But I think you're right on time."
Keith blinked. "That sounded way too deep for you."
"Yeah, I heard it too," Ethan laughed. "Let's not make it a habit."
The two sat in silence for a while, watching the stars begin to dot the sky. Then a sharp bell rang from the central tower. Not the usual curfew bell—this one was faster, more urgent.
Both boys were on their feet instantly. Around them, students poured from the buildings, and instructors barked orders.
"Is it a drill?" Keith asked.
Mistress Yurei appeared on the balcony overlooking the grounds, her robe fluttering in the wind. "All trainees, report to the gathering hall immediately. This is not a drill."
That sentence chilled Keith to the bone.
Inside the hall, tension buzzed like static in the air. Yurei stood before them, a scroll in hand and a grim expression on her face.
"We've received reports of a demon sighting near the western border. A scouting team was attacked. One member returned—barely alive. The rest are presumed dead."
Gasps echoed in the room. Demons hadn't been seen this close to the center in over a decade.
She continued, "You are not being deployed. But for the first time, we are initiating Field Observation trials. Select students will accompany certified warriors to the region to observe from a distance. No combat. You're to learn. Nothing more."
Ethan muttered, "Nothing more, she says… but it's never just that."
The selected names were read aloud, and to Keith's shock, his was among them.
"You're being watched," Ethan said with a half-smirk, but there was concern in his eyes.
Mistress Yurei's gaze found Keith. "For those chosen, pack your supplies. You leave at dawn."
Back in the dorm, Keith stared at the modest travel bag he'd been given. The dagger wasn't officially assigned to him—it was still in the armory—but as he stared at his empty weapons slot, he made a decision.
That night, while the others slept, Keith slipped quietly into the armory. The door was locked, but he'd seen the code punched in enough times to memorize it. The moment he stepped inside, the air changed.
The dagger sat in its cradle, untouched. Waiting.
He reached for it, and the moment his fingers brushed the hilt, it pulsed with warmth. Not hot—comforting. Like a heartbeat echoing his own.
"Are you really mine?" Keith whispered.
The dagger shimmered faintly. That was answer enough.
He secured it beneath his cloak and left the armory, heart pounding not with fear—but with a strange kind of anticipation.
Whatever lay ahead on the field… it would be the beginning.
Of what, he wasn't sure. But he felt it.
The threads of destiny had begun to weave.
---