Rei’s boots pressed into the dirt path, crunching softly under the weight of silence. The faint glow of the Sanctuary’s twin trees was already distant behind him, their towering silhouettes shrinking against the night. He walked with his head lowered, hair falling loose against his cheek, replaying Ariel’s words over and over.

  You can regret the past. You can worry for the future. But what will you do in the present?

  The advice gnawed at him like a riddle with no key. His thoughts tangled, trying to pull it apart piece by piece. The past: his failures, his shame, all the times he had frozen or broken. The future: the questions of his worth, whether he could stand where his father once had, whether he could ever lift the Judgment Blade from stone.

  But the present? He wasn’t sure what that meant for him. Was it about acting without hesitation? About focusing on the moment instead of drowning in what-ifs? What would actually happen if he solved it? Would the blade accept him? Would his phantom trail become something greater?

  His golden eyes narrowed faintly in frustration. “I don’t get it,” he muttered to himself, shoving his hands into his pockets.

  It was then that another sense broke through the web of thoughts. A warm, savory scent drifting on the cool night air. Roasted meat, faintly charred, spiced in a way that stung his nose before it turned into a mouthwatering pull in his stomach. His steps slowed. That smell… he knew it instantly.

  Aiden’s cooking.

  The ache in his body from Ariel’s training seemed to ebb with the realization. Rei’s shoulders loosened as he lifted his gaze and followed the scent. Soon, the flicker of firelight between the trees came into view, the familiar ring of tents pitched around the main campfire. Voices murmured, laughter spiked here and there, and the sizzle of cooking fat filled the air like background music.

  When he stepped into the clearing, several heads turned.

  “Rei!” Daisy waved from her seat, her cheeks stuffed with food as always. “Where were you all day?”

  His throat tightened for a second. He didn’t want to explain Ariel. Didn’t want to drag the others into his confusion. “Training,” he said simply, sliding down into a seat near her. “Nothing important.”

  Her smile faded into curiosity but she didn’t press further. Instead, she nudged a plate toward him. “Well, hurry up and eat before Zane tries to hog the rest.”

  Rei glanced down. Meat glistened under the firelight, a sheen of oil soaking into the bread set beside it. His stomach growled embarrassingly loud, and despite himself, he gave a small laugh before digging in.

  The food’s warmth spread through his chest like balm. For the first time in weeks, the weight pressing on him eased just a little.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Around the fire, conversation carried freely. Zane, seated across from him, had his arms folded as if waiting for someone to challenge him. Oliver leaned back, half his plate already empty, while Tessa chatted animatedly with Daisy about some minor camp incident. Andrei sat calmly, eating at his own pace, his quiet presence grounding the circle.

  Halfway through his second serving, Rei realized how long it had been since he had actually sat with them like this. The last two weeks had blurred into isolation. His training with Ariel, his self-imposed distance. Yet here, surrounded by familiar faces, he felt… anchored again.

  It didn’t last long.

  “Hey,” Zane muttered, nodding toward another table on the edge of the clearing. “You see those two?”

  Rei followed his gaze. Elisa and Violet sat opposite each other, plates stacked so high they resembled miniature towers. Elisa’s expression was calm, almost stern, but she shoveled food into her mouth at a speed that bordered on mechanical. Violet, on the other hand, leaned back with one leg crossed over the other, chewing lazily as if this were some game she had already won.

  The table looked less like dinner and more like a battleground.

  “…Are they having an eating competition?” Rei asked.

  “Unofficially,” Zane said dryly.

  Stacy leaned closer with a grin. “Aiden wasn’t lying about the glutton thing with Violet, but I didn’t expect Elisa to be the same.”

  Tessa shook her head in disbelief. “They’ve eaten enough to feed a small town.”

  “And the cost?” Carter added with a groan, rubbing his temples. “That’s like six months’ salary right there.”

  Casper raised his brows, lifting his cup. “Elisa’s always been like that.”

  The rest of squad: Oliver, Daisy, Andrei, and Tessa nodded in agreement. Rei blinked at them, then looked back at the spectacle. Elisa calmly reached for another bowl. Violet smirked, grabbing two at once just to prove a point.

  On the far side, Aiden stood over the fire pit, turning skewers with his usual focus. Beside him, Elijah sat eating quietly, his expression tired yet faintly amused. “I’m starting to wonder if either of them will ever be full,” he muttered.

  Almost on cue, Elisa lowered her chopsticks, leaning back with a small sigh. “I yield.”

  Violet froze mid-bite. Then, with a satisfied huff, she set her bowl down and stretched. “Victory.”

  The others broke into laughter.

  “You’re paying for that meat,” Aiden said flatly, his eyes never leaving the fire.

  Violet twisted around, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Please. The amount I ate wouldn’t even dent your wallet. But fine, I’ll repay you.” She stood, brushing her jacket off, before pointing her finger directly at Zane. “Starting with you.”

  Zane froze. “…What?”

  “You’ve improved since Fort Goliath,” Violet said with a lazy smirk. “A little. But your style still needs reworking.”

  The others hushed, eyes flicking between the two.

  Violet didn’t stop there. She shifted her gaze to Elisa, who was still sipping her tea calmly. “And you. You lack uniqueness. I can tell half your movements are copies of mine.”

  Elisa’s brow arched, but she didn’t argue.

  Violet turned next toward the rest of Aiden’s squad. “Tessa. Casper. Think more during fights, less charging in headfirst. Oliver, don't leaning too much on Arcveil. Try new things. Daisy…” she tilted her head, her tone surprisingly softer, “…figure out your Grace again. Seek enlightenment.”

  Then her eyes slid to Rei. “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Rei blinked. That was… all?

  Finally, Violet looked at Andrei. She stared at him for a long second, then simply gave a thumbs up. “You’re good enough.”

  The group burst into mixed laughter and groans. Andrei only shrugged, accepting it.

  Violet let out a wide yawn, stretching her arms high. “Well. That’s all I came here for.” She turned, already heading for the shadows.

  “Wait,” Elisa called after her. “Why are you even here, really?”

  Violet waved a hand dismissively without turning around. “For the food. Thanks.”

  And with that, she vanished into the night.

  The fire crackled in her absence, filling the silence she left behind. Slowly, the group’s attention returned to the flames, to each other. Plates scraped, cups clinked, and conversation began again.

  By the time Aiden set down the last pan, everyone had gathered closer to the fire’s warmth. Someone suggested a song, another suggested a story, and eventually the circle found its rhythm again.

  Rei leaned back, staring into the blaze. The warmth brushed across his face, golden eyes reflecting the flames. For the first time since Ariel’s words, he felt a quiet clarity. Maybe this was what she meant.

  The past weighed heavy. The future loomed. But here, now, in this circle of firelight and laughter. This was the present.

  And he would have to decide what to do with it.

  [End of Chapter]