The hallways were eerily quiet as I made my way back to the dormitory. My footsteps echoed, each sound bouncing back at me like a haunting reminder of what I'd been through. The bandages under my shirt clung to my skin, irritating the still-tender scars beneath. Every breath felt heavy, not just from the physical ache in my ribs but from something deeper—a weight I couldn't quite shake. It had been weeks since the tournament, but the memories still played on a loop in my mind. The clash of blades, the scent of blood, Sera's screams when she thought I wouldn't get up—all of it lingered like a shadow that refused to let me go. By the time I reached my door, my hand was trembling. I hesitated, staring at the knob as if it were a challenge I wasn't ready to face. This was supposed to be home, my sanctuary, but it felt different now. Smaller, colder, lonelier. The faint scent of wood polish and parchment greeted me as I stepped inside, and I froze. The room was untouched, just as I had left it. My desk was still cluttered with books and notes from before the tournament. My bed was neatly made, a stark contrast to the chaos I felt inside. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and stepped further in.
But then, something caught my eye.
There, standing proud on its rack beside the desk, was my armor. It gleamed faintly in the dim light, polished to perfection, as if mocking me. Someone must have brought it back from the arena, but I couldn't bring myself to approach it. Instead, I sank down onto the edge of my bed, my gaze fixed on the armor. My reflection stared back at me in its polished surface, distorted and faintly ghostly. For a moment, I thought I saw someone else—Veylara, maybe, or the masked scythe user I had fought—but I blinked, and it was gone.
"Get a grip," I muttered under my breath, rubbing a hand over my face.
I leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees, and stared at the floor. The quiet of the room pressed in on me, amplifying every little noise. The creak of the bed beneath me, the faint rustle of leaves outside, even the distant hum of other students going about their lives.
I should have felt relieved to be back, but all I felt was… hollow.
For the next few days, I barely left the dorm. I told myself it was to recover, that the pain in my ribs and shoulders was reason enough to avoid the world outside. But deep down, I knew it was something else. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of the tournament. The faces of my opponents, the fear in their eyes, the blood on my hands. And then there was Sera—the way she had fought so fiercely, her crimson magic flaring like a wildfire. I couldn't forget the way she'd looked at me afterward, her sapphire blue eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. It wasn't just relief. There had been guilt there, too. Regret. And it gnawed at me, because I didn't understand why.
At night, the whispers came back.
"Noctis…"
I bolted upright more than once, my chest heaving as I scanned the room for the source of the voice. But there was no one there. Just shadows stretching across the walls, taunting me with their silence.
It was on one of those quiet, sleepless evenings that the knock came. I flinched at the sound, my heart leaping into my throat. For a moment, I just stared at the door, half-convinced that I'd imagined it. But then it came again, softer this time. With a grunt, I pushed myself to my feet, wincing as the motion pulled at the healing wounds on my side. My hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment before I finally turned it.
The door swung open, and there she was.
Sera stood in the hallway, her golden hair catching the light like a halo. Her sapphire eyes met mine, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. She was smaller than me, but there was a presence about her that made her seem larger than life. "Noctis," she breathed, her voice trembling slightly. And then, before I could respond, she threw her arms around me. The force of her hug caught me off guard, and I stumbled back, my sore ribs protesting. We toppled over together, landing in a heap on the floor. "Ah—Sera, careful!" I managed to gasp, trying to shift without aggravating my injuries. But she didn't move. She stayed there, clinging to me like I was the only solid thing in the world. "I missed you," she whispered, her voice muffled against my shirt.
I blinked, startled by the raw emotion in her tone. "I… I missed you too, but—" "No," she interrupted, lifting her head to look at me. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. "You don't understand, Noctis. I thought I lost you. When you didn't wake up—" Her voice cracked, and she shook her head furiously. "I thought I'd never get to see you again."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I reached up to place a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what else to do. "Sera, I'm here now. I'm okay." She let out a shaky laugh, though it sounded more like a sob. "Okay? You call this okay?" She gestured to the bandages peeking out from under my shirt, her expression twisting with guilt. "You almost died, Noctis. And it's my fault."
"Your fault?" I frowned, pushing myself up on my elbows. "Sera, that's not true. You saved me." But she wasn't listening. She shook her head again, golden strands of hair falling into her face. "I should have told you. I should have—"
"Told me what?" I asked, my voice rising slightly in frustration. "Sera, what are you talking about?" She froze, her mouth opening as if to say something, but then she closed it again. The guilt in her eyes deepened, and she looked away. "It doesn't matter," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm just… I'm sorry."
She stood abruptly, reaching down to help me up. I hesitated, still trying to process everything, but I took her hand. As soon as I was on my feet, she stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's getting late," she said, her tone distant now.
"Sera—"
"Goodnight, Noctis."
And just like that, she was gone.
I closed the door and leaned against it, staring at the empty room before me. The silence felt heavier now, suffocating in a way it hadn't before. What had she been trying to tell me? And why couldn't she say it? I sank down onto the edge of the bed, my thoughts spiraling in a hundred different directions. Sera's voice echoed in my mind, tangled with the whispers I'd been hearing at night. I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to push it all away, but it was no use. Sleep wouldn't come easily tonight. It never did anymore.