Mai tugged at the formal collar of his graduation robes, the stiff fabric irritating his neck. The courtyard of Windy Peaks Institute buzzed with celebration—students laughing, parents snapping photos, professors offering congratulations. The late afternoon sun casting a golden glow over everything, making even the school's weathered stone walls look warm and inviting.

Iruminai stood beside him, his blue eyes reflecting the celebration lights strung above the courtyard. His hair, usually tied back haphazardly, had been combed into something almost formal, though a few strands had already rebelled loose.

Mai's tail swayed behind him, betraying the stoicism he was feigning.

"Mr. Raizu! Mr. Shalt! Congratulations to both of you."

Mai turned to see Professor Corven, their Lunox Studies professor, approaching. His usual disheveled appearance was replaced by a surprisingly well-kept presentation—his coat was pressed, his graying hair tied back, and not a single scuff mark on him. The transformation was so stark that Mai almost blinked twice, wondering if the man had been replaced.

"Thank you, Professor," Mai said, giving a small bow with a smile on his face. Iruminai followed suit.

The professor gave a smile and bow of his own. "The peaks have been echoing that you two are heading to Arcury for the Edgewater entrance exams. Is that right?"

Mai exchanged a quick glance with Iruminai. "Yes, sir. We plan to leave in a few weeks."

Professor Corven nodded, stroking his short, freshly cut beard. "Excellent. Before you leave today, I'd like you both to stop by my office. There are some things I'd like to go over with you two for your journey to Arcury."

"We'd appreciate that," Iruminai responded.

"Perfect. In the meantime, I'll leave you two to the festivities. Once again, congratulations." The professor said, patting the boys on their shoulders before walking off to congratulate other graduates.

The duo chatted with a few other professors that walked over to them before they made their way through the crowd. Mai followed behind Iruminai as they weaved between clusters of celebrating families. Finally, the two broke through the crowd, making their way out of the courtyard and inside.

As they started up the stairwell, Iruminai slowed. “Hold up—I need to grab something.” He cut into a side hallway and disappeared through a door. Mai leaned against the wall, watching the last bits of sunlight filter through the tall windows until Iru came back out, swinging a backpack over his shoulder with a grunt. “Left it in my locker,” he said offhandedly, tightening the straps before falling back in step with him.

The pack thumped lightly against his back as they walked, their footsteps echoing through the corridor. Mai’s fox ears twitched at the rhythm, catching the slight rasp of the strap rubbing against Iruminai’s shoulder.

"Remember when we got lost here on our first day?" Mai asked.

Iruminai laughed. "You mean when you insisted you knew a shortcut to the alchemy lab, and we ended up in the basement storage?"

"Hey, we found those old textbooks. I thought they were good reads." Mai said defensively.

They climbed the familiar staircase, their pace slowing as they reached the upper floors.

The rooftop door creaked open, revealing the panoramic view of Phasbar that Mai and Iruminai had come to love. The city sprawled before them, afternoon light glinting off distant windows while shadows lengthened across the streets below.

Mai settled near the edge, legs dangling over the side. "Hard to believe we won't be coming back here."

"Six years gone just like that." Iruminai joined him, leaning back on his hands. "Remember that time we snuck up here to see that blood moon?"

"And nearly got caught by the night guard," Mai added, smiling at the memory. His gaze drifted across the city skyline before turning to his friend. "Iru, are you really sure about Arcury? It's so far from everything you know."

Iruminai didn't answer immediately. The breeze ruffled his dark blue hair as seconds stretched into a full minute.

"Yes," he finally said, his voice quiet but certain. "I've thought about it a lot. I can't stay cooped up in Phasbar forever." He straightened, a familiar determination settling across his features. "That's not what I want. And it's not what my father would have wanted either."

Mai felt the certainty in his words press against him, sharp enough to silence any doubt. He stood up, brushing off his robes and extending a hand to pull Iruminai to his feet.

"We'd better go see Professor Corven then."

Iruminai followed Mai as they made their way downstairs. Arriving at the professor's office, the door stood ajar. Mai's sensitive ears picked up the rustling of papers before they even knocked.

"Oh! Great to see you two, come in!" The professor called before their knuckles touched the wood.

Mai entered first, taking in the organized chaos of the office. Books stacked in precarious towers, specimens in jars lining shelves, and maps covering nearly every inch of wall space. Despite having visited dozens of times over this last year, Mai always noticed something new—today it was an oddly familiar small crystal formation, pulsing with blue light on the corner of a shelf. When he glanced back a moment later, it was gone. The shelf looked ordinary again, leaving only the unsettled question of whether he’d imagined it.

"Please sit," Professor Corven gestured to the two chairs facing his desk. "I'll cut right to the chase. There's been an increase in aggressive Lunox Beast activity along the trade route to Arcury."

Mai's ears flattened slightly against his head, a reflex he couldn't control when concerned. He caught Iruminai's eye, noticing his friend's subtle shift in posture.

"What kind of beasts should we be looking for?" Mai asked, leaning forward.

The professor pulled a large map from beneath a stack of papers, spreading it across his desk. "The areas near the cities—here and here—are relatively safe," he said, pointing to marked circles on either end of the route. "Guards patrol regularly, and the beasts know to keep their distance."

Mai studied the map, memorizing the landmarks and terrain features.

"But this area," Corven continued, his finger tracing a region near the halfway point, "has become increasingly dangerous. Reports of pack attacks have doubled in the past month."

"Pack attacks?" Iruminai asked.

"Wolf-like species, primarily. A variety of different kinds have been spotted. Most hunt in groups—but it's the lone hunters you really need to watch out for."

Mai's tail twitched nervously behind him. "Are there alternative routes we could take?"

"All paths to Arcury cross through similar territory," Corven replied. "Your best bet is to travel with a caravan or hire protection."

"We'll prepare accordingly," Iruminai said firmly. "Thank you for the warning, Professor."

Mai nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you. This information is invaluable."

As they stood to leave, Mai took one last look at the map, committing the danger zones to memory. The journey ahead suddenly felt more daunting.

Iruminai hoisted his backpack over his shoulder again with a quiet grunt. “Feels heavier than when we came in,” he muttered, adjusting the strap. Mai smirked faintly, assuming it was just Iru’s habit of over packing notes. Neither gave it a second thought.

Mai folded his last shirt, tucking it into a worn travel pack. Three weeks of planning had passed quickly, and tomorrow they'd be leaving Phasbar behind. His dorm room looked bare now—walls stripped of maps and sketches, shelves emptied of books, the small crystal collection carefully wrapped and packed away. Only the essentials remained out for the morning.

A knock at his door dragged him out of his thoughts. He'd been so absorbed in his packing that the evening had slipped away unnoticed, the room now bathed in the amber glow of sunset through his small window. Setting down the journal he'd been considering whether to bring, he crossed the nearly empty room.

Mai opened the door to find Iruminai standing there.

"How's the packing coming along?" Iruminai asked, stepping into the nearly bare room.

Mai gestured to the organized stacks of belongings. "Almost done. Just deciding what books are worth the extra weight."

Iruminai nodded, moving to help fold a blanket Mai had left on the bed. "So what's our travel plan? We never really settled on the details."

Mai couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "Actually, I found a group of adventurers heading to Arcury for the upcoming Gale Trial. They were more than happy to let us tag along."

"Adventurers?" Iruminai's eyebrows rose. "That's… actually perfect."

"I thought so too," Mai said, carefully placing the journal inside his bag. "They're trained to deal with Lunox Beasts, so we'll be safer with them than traveling alone."

Iruminai nodded, visibly relieved. "Smart thinking. When are they planning to leave?"

"Early morning," Mai replied, his tail swishing slightly as he worked. "Like, before-the-sun-rises early."

Mai paused his packing, looking at his friend carefully. He'd noticed Iruminai had been more withdrawn lately, especially when discussing their leaving.

"Have you told them yet?" Mai asked.

Iruminai's head stilled for a moment. "No… I haven't had the chance to."

Mai watched Iruminai's expression carefully. The slight tightening around his friend's eyes, the way his shoulders tensed—all the subtle signs Mai had learned to recognize over their years together.

Mai turned back to his packing, clasping the leather strap of a book closed, before tucking it neatly into his bag.

"You know," Mai said casually, not looking up from his task, "if you want to talk about it, I'm here." He kept his tone light, making it clear there was no pressure. "Or we can just finish packing and grab something to eat."

Mai watched Iruminai's expression soften, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

"Thanks," Iruminai said, a small but genuine smile breaking through his serious demeanor. "And food sounds perfect right now. I've been packing all day and completely forgot to eat."

Mai nodded, setting down another worn book he had been holding. "The pizza place by Mirrorbay?" Mai suggested, already knowing the answer. It had been their go-to spot for years.

"You read my mind," Iruminai replied, moving toward the door. "I'm craving a slice of pepperoni and sausage right now."

Mai grabbed his jacket from the hook on the door, slipping it on as they headed out into the corridor. They’d taken these stairs a hundred times, but tonight the climb down carried a weight it never had before.

"Do you think we'll miss it here?" Mai asked quietly as they descended.

Iruminai glanced at him and thought for a moment. "Parts of it, definitely. But we've got better things waiting for us at Edgewater."

Mai's tail swished in agreement as they pushed through the main doors into the cool evening air. The stars were just beginning to appear above Phasbar's skyline, tiny pinpricks of light against the deepening blue. Overhead, floating islands drifted lazily, their crystal clusters scattering the moonlight into pale streaks that washed the streets in color.

"Come on," Iruminai said, nodding toward the city streets. "Let's get that food before they close. I'm starving."