The rain drizzled softly outside the academy's arched windows, blending with the murmurs of students in the library. He sat by the farthest window, flipping through the pages of an old book with care. His eyes searched the text, though his mind wandered far from the printed words.
No one really knew much about him. A student with decent grades, polite enough to keep out of trouble, and quiet enough to remain forgettable. He preferred it that way—being just another face in the academy's endless crowd. The less attention, the better.
"René," the librarian had said earlier that week. "You're always buried in books. Don't you have friends to study with?"
He'd only shrugged in response, offering a faint smile before slipping away to his usual corner. It wasn't that he disliked people, not exactly. He just found it easier to keep his distance. People came with expectations, and he preferred the simplicity of solitude.
The rain picked up for a moment, pattering harder against the window before settling again. Rene closed his book, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed outside. The courtyard was nearly empty, except for a few students rushing to escape the downpour. A small group huddled under an umbrella, laughing as they navigated the puddles. He wondered briefly what they were talking about—likely exams or rumors, the usuals.
He walked over to the bookshelves and placed the book he was reading back where he had found it. Two girls around the corner seemed frustrated, sighing as they looked around for a specific book.
"It had a red dragon and swords on the cover, right?"Â
Upon hearing her description, his fingers skimmed the titles until they landed on the one she was looking for. He pulled it out and approached her quietly.
"Here." he said, holding the book out to her.
"Oh! Yes, that's it. Thank you."
He nodded, quickly turning to leave to his dorm room. The encounter barely registered with him. It was just another interaction, brief and inconsequential. That's how he preferred them—short, simple, and easy to forget.
His dormitory was on the far side of the campus, a modest building nestled between the main hall and the gardens. As he climbed the stairs to his room, he overheard snippets of conversation from the common area below. More rumors, he assumed. The academy always buzzed with them—who had failed their exams, who was dating who, and lately, stories about a strange new student.
"She's… odd, don't you think?" someone whispered.
"Maybe. She never goes to any classes, apparently she's constantly wandering around."
"I heard she's some kind of genius, though."Â
René ignored the chatter and continued to his room. The rumors didn't interest him. Everyone at the academy had their quirks, himself included. If this new student was anything unusual, it wasn't his concern.
This was Lux Eterna Academy. Though to many, it was more than an academy. It was the largest in the world, one and only of the nation. It had a unique open-doors policy, letting alumni and visitors in with no problem after the normal schooling hours. There were classes and clubs for learning about nearly everything. The worlds history, languages, combat, mystical energy, literature, and far more. Anyone outside of this country wouldn't believe that such place is considered an "academy", it was unlike any other.
Looking towards the floor as he walked, René nearly bumped into a girl.
"Ah, sorry." he muttered, taking a step back.
"You're René, right?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. Her voice was light, but there was a strange, almost commanding undercurrent to it.
He froze for a moment, his brow furrowing. "Do I know you?"
"Not yet." she said, her smile widening ever so slightly. "But I'd like to change that. Would you mind coming with me for a moment? Somewhere private."
"Why?"Â
"It's important. Just come with me. It wont take long."
René exhaled through his nose, weighing his options. "Fine. But if this is some weird club recruitment pitch, I'm walking."
She laughed softly before bringing him over to a vacant classroom nearby.
"All right." he said, crossing his arms. "What's this about?"
She closed the door behind her, and for a moment, she stood there, as if trying to gather her thoughts. Then she turned, her expression no longer carrying the polite smile she'd worn earlier.
"Call me Nihara. I don't like to get violent, but there's something I must show you first, and if you tell a single soul, I will kill you. Will you walk off or listen to my potential deal?"
"Uhh... I guess I'll listen."
With that, wings emerged from her backside. They were a mix of black, dark blue, bits of purple and white.. they looked galaxy-like.
An Angel? but those wings.. are those really angel wings? or perhaps a special one... He thought.
"I am the Void Angel. The only of my kind. Yes, an all-defying being, as you humans would call me. I propose a deal to you. I absorb dark energy in order to get power, so I'd like you to help me cleanse the world. But here's the thing—I'm not thinking of disposing of you once my goals complete. Nor do I wish to use you for purely my own gain. You get a say in the deal, too."
"Out of the thousands of people here, why choose me? Its not like I specialize in combat."
"Okay, former wielder of the Dusk Blade."
"Don't tell me... you can see memories... Wait, no, you've been here looking through documents and such everyday, haven't you?"
"I certainly cant see memories, but yes, that's what I've been doing. For weeks."
"Well anyway.. the deal... I'm not sure whether I want to accept or not."
"That's fine. You get some time to get comfortable around me. Two weeks is your deadline, got it?"
"I understand. May we meet in the cafeteria tomorrow, after the normal classes are over?"
"Mhm. See you."