Aethercrest // FayeYoko, LingOrm, MilkLove

Chapter 7

Seiryu's POV

The air was heavy with the sound of clashing spells and labored breaths as we pushed through another round of training drills. Each strike, each dodge, every spell cast felt like a dance of survival—part of our endless preparation for the looming battles ahead. Hana and I had just finished a particularly challenging spar when Master Kaito’s voice boomed across the training grounds.

"Everyone, enough for now! Head to Kodo. We have an urgent meeting," he announced, his tone leaving no room for questions. His words sliced through the tense air, leaving everyone exchanging uneasy glances.

The training grounds, which had felt like a battlefield moments ago, suddenly stilled as everyone came to a halt.

"Tara na," I whispered to Hana, feeling her gaze meet mine for a second before she nodded. The others fell into line behind us as we headed towards the council hall.

As we approached the Kodo, the gravity of the situation sank in. The corridors were quieter than usual, the echo of our footsteps feeling almost too loud against the stone walls.

Inside, the lecture hall was dim, the soft light casting shadows across the stone walls. I took a seat near Hana, her usual guarded expression faltering just slightly as she glanced around. Umupo na rin ang iba sa mga bakanteng pwesto.

A chill ran through the room as Master Kaito’s voice echoed, his words sharper than ever before. "The Council and officials of Aethercrest Academy have just confirmed that there is indeed a traitor within the Academy," he announced, his gaze sweeping across each one of us with a look so intense, it felt like he was piercing into our souls.

I couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably. That dream from the other night—the shadowy figure, the whispers that felt so real—they lingered, like an omen I couldn’t shake off. Even now, as Master Kaito’s gaze landed on me for a split second, I felt my heart pound harder, that creeping guilt curling in the back of my mind.

Beside me, I felt Hana tense, her eyes narrowing. She didn’t say a word, but I knew her well enough to tell she was taking this seriously. And why wouldn’t she? The threat was real, and it was lurking somewhere close. Pero ako? I had my own doubts, my own suspicions… about myself.

"We’re still investigating," Master Kaito continued, his voice colder than I’d ever heard it. "The breach compromised confidential plans—the kingdom’s defenses, our strategies, even the blueprint of our most protected areas. Whoever’s responsible knows what they’re doing, and they’ve put all of us in serious danger. Alam kong alam n’yo ‘yan."

A collective silence settled over the room, each of us digesting his words, feeling the weight of what this meant. The room suddenly felt too small, the air heavy and thick. And for me? It felt suffocating.

Hikari, who usually wore a playful smirk, was unusually serious. "Do you have any leads, Master?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Master Kaito shook his head, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "None yet. But I assure you, we’re not stopping until we uncover who’s behind this."

Everyone exchanged glances, that uneasy tension hanging in the air. Ramdam ko ang pag-aalala ng bawat isa, as if everyone was questioning themselves and everyone else at the same time. But the worst part? I couldn’t shake off this gnawing feeling in my gut—na parang ako ang dahilan ng lahat ng ‘to. Na somehow, my dreams were a piece of this dark puzzle.

Hana nudged me lightly, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. "Sei, you okay? You look… off."

I managed a half-hearted nod, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just… trying to wrap my head around all of this."