Kathlyn woke slowly, blinking hard against the early light spilling through the window.
Her head felt foggy not physically, but emotionally. A strange heaviness still clung to her chest, a leftover weight from everything she'd gone through inside the Prism. But worse than that… was the embarrassment.
Why… why had she broken down like that?
She closed her eyes, groaning softly as she buried her face in her hands.
"Why did I cry for him?" she muttered under her breath. "Out of all people, why did I cry because I didn't ask him to come with me?"
She squeezed her eyes tighter, trying to push the thought away. She had bigger things to focus on like preparing for the next trial, figuring out how to brace herself for the Prism's emotional manipulation and getting her own mental state back in order.
But when she finally turned over…
She froze.
Because there, slumped awkwardly in a chair beside her bed, was Kai.
Sleeping.
Head tilted slightly back, arms crossed, mouth parted just slightly like he was halfway to snoring. His hair was messy from the angle, his coat rumpled, one foot tapping lightly like he was fidgeting even in his dreams.
Kathlyn stared.
"…Cute," she whispered before immediately slapping both her cheeks. "No Focus."
She swung her legs off the bed, taking a deep breath. She needed to get dressed, clear her mind, and prepare for the day ahead.
But just before she slipped quietly out of bed… a mischievous grin tugged at her lips.
She crept over to Kai, crouched beside his chair, and with no warning —
WHACK!
"WEIRDO!!" she screamed.
Kai jolted upright with a startled yelp, nearly tipping the chair backward.
Before he could even process what was happening, Kathlyn grabbed him by the collar and, with a surprising burst of strength, hauled him halfway to the door — tossing him out with a loud, dramatic shout that echoed down the hallway.
"WEIRDO! STOP SNEAKING INTO GIRLS' ROOMS!!"
Every head in the hallway turned.
A couple of passing students stopped mid-step, wide-eyed. A pair of instructors looked over sharply. Even the janitor paused with his mop halfway across the floor.
Kai, landing on his feet (barely), blinked in confusion.
"Kathlyn—?"
The door slammed shut behind him.
A beat of silence passed.
"…I WAS CHECKING ON HER!" Kai called helplessly to the stunned onlookers.
A few students snickered behind their hands.
It was only a matter of calling someone a beautiful is a pretty big warning sign
Red-faced, Kai straightened his coat and exhaled hard through his nose.
Moments later, the door cracked open again, and Kathlyn peeked out completely calm, fully dressed, hair tied back neatly.
"Come on," she said smoothly, pretending like none of it had happened. "We're going to look at the Prism."
Kai squinted at her.
"…You're lucky you're my favourite character," he muttered under his breath as he followed.
They walked side by side toward the underground chamber, the tension between them now a strange mix of awkwardness, unspoken amusement, and quiet determination.
Kai occasionally side-eyed Kathlyn, still feeling the phantom echo of being accused.
Kathlyn, for her part, kept her face perfectly composed but every so often, a small, satisfied smirk twitched at the corner of her mouth.
By the time they reached the staircase leading down to the Prism vault, both of them had mostly regained their focus.
Mostly.
"…You're not going to pull that again when we're standing in front of the artifact, are you?" Kai asked warily.
Kathlyn gave him the most innocent look she could muster.
"I would never," she said sweetly.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
He didn't believe her for a second.
But together, they continued down, ready to face the next stage
Professor Mallet stood silently near the entrance to the sealed chamber, the faint glow of the Prism casting shifting blue and purple light across his lined face. His hands were clasped neatly behind his back, his long coat unmoving despite the faint magical hum in the air.
His gaze lifted as he heard soft footsteps approaching.
Kai and Kathlyn came down the corridor together not hurried, not tense, but with a quiet determination that clung to both of them.
Kathlyn was dressed in her reinforced combat gear, her braid in a ponytail, her jaw set. Her hands clenched and unclenched slightly at her sides as they walked, a sure sign she was trying to keep herself steady.
Kai, beside her, had one hand resting casually on the scroll tucked into his belt, the other stuffed in his pocket He wasn't grinning not his usual playful grin but there was still a glimmer of that strange, untamed confidence in his expression.
When they reached the chamber, both of them stopped.
Mallet inclined his head. "You're early."
Kai shrugged lightly. "Didn't seem like the kind of thing you show up late for."
Kathlyn dipped into a small, respectful bow. "Professor."
Mallet's sharp gaze flicked over both of them, reading far more than just their appearances reading their tension, their resolve, the way they stood side by side.
He gave a small exhale. "I won't pretend I know what you're about to face. Not even I can map the paths of these Prisms." His voice softened a fraction. "But I know this: they're unpredictable. They reflect more than magic Sometimes… they reflect you."
Kathlyn stiffened faintly, but she didn't look away.
Kai tilted his head. "So no big lecture? No dramatic warning?"
For a flicker of a moment, the professor's eyes softened. There was a faint, dry smile the kind you'd miss if you weren't watching carefully.
"I trust you'll figure it out."
Kai gave a light chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "
Kathlyn shot him a sharp side-eye but didn't argue.
Mallet unfolded his arms and stepped aside, allowing them a clear view of the Prism.
The great crystal pulsed steadily soft and rhythmic Its surface shimmered in blues, purples, hints of silver, glowing faintly like it was breathing
Kathlyn exhaled slowly, grounding herself.
"This is it."
Kai rolled his shoulders, the scroll now in both hands. "Guess we're doing this."
Kathlyn turned, giving him one last glance not sharp, not cold, but something more vulnerable.
"Ready?"
Kai gave a small grin. "Born ready."
And without waiting for Mallet to say anything else, the two of them stepped forward together, moving toward the glowing Prism as one.
Behind them, Mallet stood still, his face unreadable.
He watched as they approached the trial — two students, one sharp as flame, one reckless as wind and let a faint, nearly inaudible sigh escape.
"Good luck," he murmured softly, his words lost in the low hum of the Prism's magic.