"This doesn't make any sense," Noah muttered. "If tournaments have always been optional, why would they suddenly make one mandatory? What changed?"

  Krai was still staring at his phone. "I don't know. But if they're calling it mandatory and saying they've changed the rules..."

  Leon looked around the classroom again. The reactions were varied. Some students—mostly those in the D3 section—had expressions that could almost be called excited. A competitive gleam in their eyes, like this was an opportunity they'd been waiting for. Others looked nervous, hands gripping their phones tighter than necessary, faces pale.

  It was difficult to read some of them. Alvin sat at his seat tried to look composed but there was some worry in his expression. Rone was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, face carefully neutral. Whether he was pleased or concerned was hard to tell.

  The D4 section was mostly fear. Quiet, suppressed fear that showed in hunched shoulders and darting eyes. A few students were already whispering frantically to each other, trying to make sense of what this meant.

  Leon felt Noah grab both him and Krai by the hems of their shirts.

  "We should leave," Noah said quietly. "Before Rone decides to cause more trouble."

  Leon nodded. They gathered their bags and headed for the door. The other two D4 students who'd been punished with Krai were already waiting outside in the hallway, keeping their distance from the classroom.

  They fell into step together, a small group moving through the corridor toward the building exit. Other students were leaving too, flowing out of various classrooms, all talking about the same thing.

  Leon walked between Noah and Krai, half-listening to the conversations around them. His mind was still processing everything.

  Then he coughed. Just once, but it caught in his throat oddly.

  "You okay?" Noah asked, glancing over.

  "Yeah, I'm fine." Leon cleared his throat.

  They kept walking. But after a few more steps, Leon's vision blurred slightly at the edges. His breathing felt heavier than it should, like the air in the corridor wasn't quite reaching his lungs properly.

  He blinked hard, trying to clear it. His heart was beating faster. Not racing, but noticeably faster than normal.

  "I'm going to hit the bathroom real quick," Leon said, trying to keep his voice normal. "I'll meet you guys outside."

  Noah stopped and turned to look at him more carefully. Leon knew he'd noticed something. His face felt hot, and he could feel sweat forming at his temples.

  "You sure you're alright? You're sweating."

  "It's just hot in here." Leon forced a small smile. "Seriously, go ahead. I'll catch up in a minute."

  Noah hesitated, studying his face. Krai had also stopped, watching silently.

  "Really," Leon insisted. "I'm fine. Just need a minute."

  Noah finally nodded, though he still looked uncertain. "Alright. We'll be outside."

  They continued down the corridor—Noah, Krai, and the other two students. Leon watched them go for a moment, then turned and walked quickly in the opposite direction, toward the bathrooms.

  His heartbeat was definitely faster now. Each pulse felt too strong. The corridor seemed longer than usual. Why did everything look slightly off?

  He pushed through the bathroom door. Empty, thank god. He went straight to the sink and turned on the cold water, gripping the edges of the basin.

  His vision swam again. And then—

  A flash. An image forcing itself into his mind.

  A ribbon. Blood-soaked, dark red against pale fabric. The image sharpened, became clearer. The ribbon was tied around something. A hand. No—a wrist. The wrist of a statue.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  Leon's head throbbed. He squeezed his eyes shut but the image persisted, getting more detailed. The statue was strange, wrong somehow. A man with three hands. Two on the left side of his body, one on the right. The right hand—the one with the ribbon—was pointing. Directing toward something.

  Where? What was it pointing at?

  His head pounded harder. Leon gasped and turned the water on full blast, splashing it over his face once. The cold shock helped but didn't clear the image.

  He splashed again. Harder this time, water soaking into his shirt collar.

  A third time. The icy water ran down his neck, his chest. Finally, finally, the image began to fade.

  Leon gripped the sink, breathing hard. His vision slowly cleared, the bathroom coming back into focus. The throbbing in his head dulled to a manageable ache.

  His heartbeat was still elevated but gradually slowing down. He was soaked—shirt wet, hair dripping, water all over the counter.

  "What the hell was that?" he muttered to his reflection.

  He looked terrible. Flushed face, bloodshot eyes. Like he'd just finished running.

  Leon grabbed paper towels, trying to dry his face and neck. His hands were shaking.

  "Okay. Okay, think." He spoke quietly to himself, trying to rationalize it. "I didn't sleep at all last night. Was up preparing for Krome's practical. And the night before that... what, three hours? Maybe?"

  When was the last time he'd actually gotten a full night's sleep? He couldn't even remember. A week? Two weeks?

  "This is what happens when you don't sleep, stupid," he told his reflection. "Your brain starts making things up. Hallucinations. Stress hallucinations."

  That had to be it. Sleep deprivation could cause all kinds of symptoms. He'd read about it in psychology class back in high school. Visual hallucinations, auditory ones, paranoia, confusion.

  "I need to stop doing this." Leon took a deep breath. "No more all-nighters. No more three hours of sleep. I need actual rest or I'm going to completely lose it."

  What good were decent grades if he couldn't function? If he was seeing blood-soaked ribbons and impossible statues in the middle of the day?

  He stared at himself for another moment, making the decision firm in his mind. Proper sleep schedule. Starting tonight. Even if it meant not finishing all the reading for tomorrow.

  Leon turned off the faucet and dried off as best he could. His shirt was pretty soaked, but there wasn't much he could do about that now. He took a few more deep breaths, waiting until his heartbeat felt completely normal again.

  Then he headed out.

  Noah was waiting near the building exit with the other two D4 students. When he saw Leon approaching, his eyes immediately went to Leon's wet shirt.

  A grin spread across Noah's face. "Dude. What were you doing in there?"

  Leon frowned, confused. "What?"

  Noah made an exaggerated gesture with his hand, a rubbing motion that was unmistakably crude.

  Leon's face immediately flushed hot. "What?! Nothing like that, you idiot!"

  His voice came out louder than intended, almost a squeak. A few students walking past turned to look.

  "I just—it's water! I was splashing water on my face and it got on my shirt!" Leon was stuttering now, which only made it worse.

  Noah burst out laughing. Full, genuine laughter that made him bend over slightly. "Oh my god, your face right now! You look like a tomato!"

  "Shut up!" Leon's cheeks burned even hotter. "It's not funny!"

  "It's a little funny," one of the other two D4 students said, trying not to smile.

  Noah was still laughing.

  "You're an idiot," Leon muttered, but without real heat.

  "you're like an innocent kid, too easy to mess with," Noah said, finally getting his laughter under control.

  They started walking toward the dorm area. Leon noticed something and looked around.

  "Where's Krai?"

  Noah's expression shifted to something more neutral. "He left already. Said he had somewhere to be."

  "Oh." Leon glanced back toward the academic building, as if Krai might still be visible. "I've never actually seen him at the dorm. Does he live somewhere else or something?"

  The two D4 students who'd been walking with them exchanged glances. One of them—the shorter guy with messy hair—spoke up. "I'm Ethan, by the way. Ethan Brooks. And this is Ludwig."

  "Nice to properly meet you guys," Noah said. "I'm Noah, this is Leon."

  "We know," Ethan said. "You helped us earlier. Thanks for that."

  "Don't mention it."

  Leon brought the conversation back. "So about Krai—does he not stay at the dorm?"

  "He lives with family," Marcus said. "His older sister works somewhere in Valorian City, under the academy's jurisdiction. Students are allowed to live with relatives if they have them working here."

  Leon's eyebrows rose. "Really? I didn't know that was an option."

  "It's in the student handbook," Ethan added. "But most people don't have family working in the city, so it doesn't come up much."

  Noah nodded. "Yeah, I remember reading something about that now. Makes sense. If you have relatives here, why pay for a dorm room?"

  "What does his sister do?" Leon asked.

  Ethan shrugged. "No idea. Krai doesn't really talk about personal stuff."

  "Noticed that," Noah said.

  They continued walking. The sun was getting lower, the light turning golden across the D region streets. Other students were heading back to their dorms in small groups or walking alone.

  Dorm Four came into view ahead—the main building with its weathered facade where Leon had first arrived weeks ago. From the back, two additional buildings connected to it, the three structures forming a rough U-shape that housed the D4 students. Students were filtering through the main entrance, the usual evening routine beginning.

  "Well, we're in the second building," Ludwig said as they approached the main entrance. "See you guys tomorrow?"

  "Yeah, see you," Noah replied.

  Ethan and Ludwig headed off once they were inside, turning down a corridor that led to the connected buildings. Leon and Noah continued straight, climbing the stairs to the second floor of the main building.

  The hallway was busy with students coming and going, conversations echoing off the walls.

  Leon and Noah reached room 204. Noah unlocked the door and they went inside.