Even in the darkest of times, one can still find light. They just have to look at the stars.
Humans have been blessed by the Divines. For centuries, civilization has flourished, and mankind has rapidly progressed with the use of innate magical power...
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"Hey Riarshi, wanna go to the club tonight?" Tabito asked while the two partners packed their bags on the sideline of practice field B. His voice was filled with a childish excitement.
Riarshi, who was down on one knee, rose to his feet, clutching his bag in his hand. "The club? For real?"
It was a beautiful Friday afternoon outside on the practice fields. The winds were still warm and leaves littered the green grass with spots of orange, gold, and brown. Not a single cloud swam in the sea of blue sky above their heads.
With their last class complete, Riarshi and Tabito had successfully survived another week of the Hero Program.
The day after the third practical exam, during a trip to Merino's, Riarshi had told Tabito everything about his and Hara's adventure in the woods. He informed him about The Divinity Rise, Hara's extreme spell, the broken leg, and most importantly - the borderline way Nurse Jayne heals her patients. Tabito, however, hadn't seemed the least bit surprised by anything Riarshi told him, except for the bit about Nurse Jayne. Tabito only smiled, nodded, and sipped his drink with a mischievous curl at the corner of his lips.
Riarshi had questioned Tabito about his lack of shock. To which Tabito answered, with obvious delight, that it wasn't the first time he heard the story from someone.
Tabito and Riarshi reunited their duo. And their return to dominance the following week of classes reminded Riarshi how grateful he was for the alliance they formed earlier in the semester.
Tabito's magic skill, combined with Riarshi's proficiency in strategy and reaction, had pushed the team through their intense assignments, all while the total number of Newbies left standing dwindled daily.
"Hell yeah! We've been busting our butts for the last month," Tabito pleaded. "We deserve a night out to enjoy ourselves."
Tabito had a point. Studying for their classroom tests and training for the practical exams had taken up most of their free time.
"I usually go once every month when I sense the stress starting to build up. It helps me let loose a bit." said Tabito.
Riarshi tossed his bag over his shoulder. He'd never gone out for a night in the city before, and his stomach fluttered nervously at the thought. Riarshi, however, felt it necessary to do something Tabito wanted to do, especially with how much Tabito had sacrificed to support him throughout the Program.
"Sure, I'm down," said Riarshi, straining a smile. "But I'll be honest, I've never been to a club before. Or even been in the city at night. I don't even know if I own any nice clothes."
Tabito slapped a hand on Riarshi's shoulder and shook him playfully. "Dude, don't worry about it. I know the night-life might seem a bit scary for a country boy like you." He jabbed Riarshi in the chest with his finger. "Just dig up something that's not wrinkled, and you'll be fine. You don't have to dress all flashy to impress the ladies. Sometimes, it's the ones who look like they couldn't care less who get all the girls."
