"Ruins do not speak. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear their dead whispering."

The day of the trip had finally arrived. Excitement buzzed through the air as students gathered their bags. Even Aiden, known for his constant laziness, looked unusually ready—well, ready enough.

The bus pulled up in front of the dorms. Ryu and Aiden joined the others as they loaded in, bags in tow, claiming their seats.

The journey started off peaceful—at least for some. Aiden was already asleep, head tilted back against the seat, his breathing calm. Ryu sat beside him, earbuds in but not playing anything, quietly watching the green hills roll by outside the window. The landscape was calming, the gentle sway of the bus making the world seem to slow down.

But peace never lasted long in a bus full of teens.

Near the back, a group of loud students started talking over each other, their laughter growing more obnoxious with every passing minute. It was enough to make the bus rattle with noise. That’s when the new teacher, Miss Riko, stood up from her seat and delivered a sharp scolding that sliced through the noise like a knife. Silence returned, and for the rest of the ride, everyone kept their voices down—mostly.

Soon, the bus rolled to a stop near the Royal Beczethone Ruins, where an ancient museum waited, holding relics from a time even their grandparents hadn’t lived through. The students filed out, some grumbling already about having to learn anything on a trip, others buzzing with curiosity.

Inside, the group wandered through dusty halls and glass displays: enchanted gauntlets once worn by legendary generals, rune stones said to contain traces of ancient beast magic, and fragments of long-lost weapons recovered from forgotten battlefields. Despite the significance, most students just nodded politely at the exhibits and took blurry pictures for social credit. They were more of the “let the past stay in the past” type.

After hours of quiet tours and dry lectures, they finally arrived at the inn booked for the night. As soon as they reached their rooms, most students flopped onto their beds and passed out.

But the night was far from over.

As soon as the teachers returned to their own quarters, things took a different turn.

“Alright, it’s time for real history,” one of the students whispered with a mischievous grin.

A small group gathered in one of the larger rooms. Alina was in the center, clearly excited, while Lena clutched a pillow like her life depended on it. The plan? Ghost stories.

They went around in a circle, each tale darker than the last. Some pulled from local legends. Others were completely made up on the spot. But the mood changed with every story. The flickering candlelight added to the atmosphere, making each creak in the floor feel like paranormal footsteps.

"You know," someone whispered, "they say these ruins are haunted."

Lena let out a squeak and buried her face.

Despite getting nearly caught twice by passing teachers, they managed to bluff their way through. That is, until their luck finally ran out. A final warning sent everyone scurrying back to their rooms, and the ghost stories were officially over.

The next morning, the students were divided into small groups for the survival simulation exercise. It was the highlight of their field trip—a mock test designed to prepare them for real-world missions outside the safety of national borders.

Each group received only one emergency phone. Everything else—navigation, food, shelter—they had to handle on their own. Of course, hidden teachers would be observing and ready to step in if needed.

Mr. Scalor Prince, their veteran survival instructor, stepped forward.

“Listen up,” he called. “You’ll be setting up your own tents tonight. Boys and girls will sleep separately, but collaboration is allowed. Use your heads. Work smart.”

Ryu’s group included:

Aiden – lazy, but dependable in a pinch

Karl – cool-headed and good with planning

Ren – athletic, sharp, quick to react

Kyle – a new member, tall, and part of the basketball team

The girls sorted themselves into teams too. Soon, everyone was scattered across the designated area, getting to work.

Ryu naturally took charge.

“Aiden, you’re with me. Let’s grab firewood.”

Ren and Kyle headed off to collect water from a stream nearby, while Karl went hunting for edible fruits in the brush.

After a short stroll ,they cooked and enjoyed their simple meal and then made their way back to the tent. Aiden didn’t even bother taking off his shoes—he collapsed face-first onto the mat and was out like a light within seconds.

Ryu chuckled to himself. “He could sleep through an earthquake…”

He was just about to lie down too, ready to catch some rest, when the flap of their tent rustled.

“Heyyy, mind if we hang out for a bit?” Alina’s head popped in, eyes already sparkling with trouble. Lena stood behind her, hesitating but curious.

Aiden groaned from under his sleeping bag. “No. Absolutely not.”

Ryu smirked. “Ignore him. Come in. Just keep the volume down.”

With a grin, Alina ducked inside, followed closely by Lena, who sat down with a pillow tucked against her chest. Within moments, the quiet tent became lively again. They pulled out a deck of cards, told dumb stories, shared snacks, and laughed over nothing.

Even Lena, who had been scared out of her mind during the ghost story session the night before, was now fully engaged. The warm crackle of the fire outside, the soft glow seeping in through the tent fabric, and the easy camaraderie made the whole thing feel cozy—like a sleepover more than a school trip.

All except for Aiden.

He lay with his back turned to everyone, a pillow over his head, clinging to the last sliver of patience he had left. With each loud laugh or shriek, his eye twitched.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore.

He sat up slowly, pushing the pillow aside. His hair was a mess, his glare murderous.

"Okay," he said, voice low and even, “get. Out.”

The tent fell silent.

Ryu blinked. “Whoa, easy there.”

Aiden pointed at the entrance. “Talking? Fine. Whispering? Tolerable. A whole party while I’m trying to sleep? No. Out.”

The girls exchanged quick glances, suddenly sheepish.

Lena stood up first. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to bother…”

Alina scratched the back of her head, chuckling nervously. “Okay, okay, we get it. We’ll leave.”

Before Aiden could say another word, the girls grabbed their things and slipped out with a few muffled giggles trailing behind them.

The second the tent flap fell shut, Aiden let out a long, heavy sigh and collapsed onto his mat again.

Ryu was still sitting up, staring at him. “You didn’t have to go full death glare, y’know.”

“Sleep is sacred,” Aiden mumbled. “So is silence.”

Ryu just shook his head, laughing softly. “You’re something else.”

Finally, the tent went quiet.

Adventures and jokes could wait until tomorrow. For now, sleep finally had its turn.

Ryu was the first one awake—as usual.

Stretching under the dim morning light, he stepped outside into the crisp dawn air. The forest was still sleepy, the sunlight just starting to peek through the canopy. A soft breeze rustled the leaves, and the river not far from their site babbled gently.

Feeling restless, he wandered toward the riverbank. The sound of running water was calming, and the peace was a welcome contrast to last night’s chaos.

Then he saw it.

Half-buried in the sand, near the edge of the river, was a stone. Not just any stone—this one had delicate rune carvings spiraling across its surface, catching the morning light like tiny threads of silver.

He crouched beside it, brushing away some dirt. The symbols were old—maybe even ancient—and they pulsed faintly with a strange energy.

But before he could study it further, he glanced up and noticed how high the sun had risen.

His eyes widened.

“Crap—what time is it?!”

Panic surged through him as he jumped up and sprinted back toward camp, heart thudding.

By the time he reached the tent, everyone was still knocked out cold.

Well—almost everyone.

Kyle was already up, sitting cross-legged near the edge of the tent with a book in hand. The faint rustle of a page turning was the only sound.

Ryu blinked, catching sight of the cover. His face lit up.

“Wait... is that The Name of the Wind?”

Kyle looked up, adjusting his glasses. “Yeah. Fifth edition. Thought I’d kill time while everyone else acts like corpses.”

Ryu grinned and plopped down next to him. “I love that book. Kvothe’s journey? The magic system? It's genius.”

Kyle raised a brow, surprised. “Didn’t peg you for the fantasy nerd type.”

“Please, I live for well-written magic systems,” Ryu said, grinning. “What part are you at?”

“Just got to the part where Kvothe starts learning sympathy.”

Ryu's eyes lit up. “Ah, that’s when things get really good. The way he manipulates heat—it’s so clever.”

Kyle chuckled. “You sound like you’ve read it five times.”

“Six, actually.”

The two continued geeking out for a few minutes, sharing their favorite moments and discussing the worldbuilding. It felt… natural. Easy. Like they’d known each other longer than just a few days.

Then Kyle paused, closing the book and giving Ryu a more serious look.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”

“Why do you always support Aiden?”

Ryu blinked. “Huh?”

Kyle tilted his head. “I mean… you’re sharp, responsible, kind of the guy everyone looks to. Aiden’s... well, Aiden. Half the time, it looks like you’re dragging him along like a bee stuck to a hive.”

Ryu’s grin slowly faded. He looked away, expression softening.

“Aido is…” he hesitated, “…similar to me. At least, who I used to be.”

Kyle stayed quiet.

“There’s something in him,” Ryu continued, voice lower now. “Something that might not look impressive right now, but… it could be.”

Kyle watched him closely. “Hope?”

Ryu nodded once, thumb brushing over a small, pale scar on his wrist.

“I don’t want him to end up like someone I knew.”

Kyle didn’t push further. He just gave a slow nod.

“To be honest, if it weren’t for you,” he muttered, “Aiden would probably be that guy everyone forgot was even in the class.”

Before Ryu could respond, Karl stirred.

“Ugh… what are you nerds whispering about at dawn?”

Kyle looked smug. “Just books.”

Then Ren sat up with a loud gasp. “WAIT—WHAT TIME IS IT?!”

Everyone froze.

Ryu turned toward the tent flap, heart skipping.

Rin fumbled for his watch and shouted, “IT’S 8 A.M.!”

Ryu’s face paled. “What?!”

Without hesitation, he lunged for Aiden—who was still snoring peacefully—and grabbed him by the collar.

“WAKE UP!”

And with that, Ryu tossed Aiden right out of the tent.

THUD!

A collective wince passed through the group.

“Oof,” Kyle muttered.

“Harsh,” Karl added.

Rin just gave a low whistle.

Outside, Aiden groaned from the ground, staring at the sky in disbelief. “What the hell, Ryu…?”

“You’ve been sleeping like a fossil! We’re behind schedule!” Ryu snapped.

Aiden yawned, still half-asleep. “You couldn’t just shake me awake?”

Ryu grinned. “That was a wake-up call. You’re welcome.”

The others glanced at each other, sighing.

“He’s an unusual one…” they said in unison.

As Aiden dragged himself up and dusted off, the rest of the team followed suit, grabbing their gear and preparing for the day ahead.

The hours passed with exploration. The students wandered the nearby woods, stumbling upon moss-covered ruins and half-buried artifacts—most of which were probably just junk, but they liked to believe they were ancient relics of great historical value.

They laughed, joked, and documented their finds, returning to camp tired but satisfied as the sun sank into the trees.

By late evening, the tents were up, the fire was crackling, and their supplies were neatly stacked. As they sat around the flames, the group shared stories and laughed while munching on the fruits Karl had picked—though he complained endlessly about the bug bites he earned collecting them.

After dinner, Ryu stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna check on the other groups. Aiden, you’re coming too.”

Aiden groaned. “Do I have to?”

“Yup.”

“You’re like a human alarm clock from hell,” he muttered, but still got up.

The two wandered from group to group, joking around and offering help where it was needed. The air was cool, the stars slowly filling the sky above. The peaceful sounds of the forest surrounded them.

When they finally returned to their tent, Aiden collapsed instantly, out cold in seconds.

Ryu had barely sat down when two heads popped into the tent.

Alina and Lena.

“Mind if we join for a bit?” Alina grinned.

Ryu shrugged. “Sure. Just don’t break anything.”

For the next half-hour, the tent filled with soft chatter, teasing, and light card games. Even Lena, who had jumped at every ghost story the night before yesterday, was laughing now. The fire outside cast a soft, cozy glow across the fabric walls.

Aiden, however, was not amused. Every burst of laughter chipped away at his patience. Eventually, he sat up, face dark.

“Alright. Enough. Out. All of you.”

The entire tent froze.

Ryu blinked. “Dude. Chill. What are you doing? We were just talking!”

“You call this talking? It’s practically a concert in here!”

The girls exchanged glances. Sensing danger, they quickly packed up and left.

Aiden flopped back onto his bedroll. “Finally.”

Ryu shook his head. “You didn’t have to go full rage mode.”

“Not my problem,” came the reply. “Now let me sleep.”

Ryu didn’t press it. Instead, he stepped out of the tent and walked toward the river, the memory of Aiden’s harsh tone still lingering.

As he reached the shoreline, something caught his eye.

A faint glow.

He approached and found the same rune-covered stone from earlier in the trip—only now, it pulsed with a soft, bluish light. Looking around, Ryu noticed more stones along the riverbank, each carved with similar symbols, forming what looked like a path.

Curious, he followed them.

The farther he walked, the quieter the forest became. No wind, no rustling—just silence. A thick mist began to rise, wrapping around his legs like a cold blanket.

After ten minutes, he emerged into a clearing. Cracked pillars loomed on both sides, covered in spirals and circles. At the center stood a massive stone structure, like a shrine or temple, covered in glowing runes.

But as Ryu stepped closer… the mist vanished.

Suddenly, everything changed.

Instead of a ruined structure, he found himself standing in a tranquil, glowing garden. Trees with hanging pink blossoms arched over a narrow stone path. The air shimmered under the moonlight. At the path’s end stood three tombstones, surrounded by glowing flowers that swayed gently despite the still air.

Ryu’s breath caught. The beauty was unreal.

He took a step forward, eyes wide.

A grin spread across his face.

“I think this should be our next exploration site…”

Chapter End