Elaina woke to the bell, somehow both tired and rested. She hadn’t gotten enough sleep, for sure, but the sleep she’d had was deep enough that she wasn’t completely exhausted. She pulled away from Carline’s arms, peeling herself from the warmth of their embrace and Tira’s sheets. “Come on,” she said, covering her chest with one arm and nudging Carline awake with the other. “We can sleep again after breakfast.”

Carline stretched in the bed, eyes still shut. “Yeah…” She was beautiful as she sat up, messy head of black hair, peach nightgown covering her bosom as she threw her arms up into the sky and yawned. She finally opened her eyes, gaze falling on Elaina’s body.

Both girls blushed, Elaina turning and putting on the underwear she’d brought from their room, back facing Carline. She could tell she was still being watch, still being admired from behind, as Carline wasn’t moving at all. Once Elaina started putting on her shirt she finally heard Carline rustling out of bed.

The finished getting dressed in silence, Carline returning to Tira’s private washroom to put on most of her clothes before finishing up in the main room. “Ready?” Elaina asked. 

“Sure,” Carline said, still looking exhausted. It wasn’t like Elaina hadn’t had an ordeal the day before, but she knew that Carline had spent longer than her actually dealing with the program, had spent hours healing students, some unsuccessfully, even after Elaina herself was safe and sound. 

The halls were quiet too, the normal boisterous nature of young adults crowded together subdued by the aftermath of the attack. There was a heaviness in the air, a blanket of fear over the entire school that suffocated the energy that normally burned through it.

The cafeteria was different though, abuzz with murmurings, whispers throughout. No food was being served yet, even though Elaina and Carline had arrived late. “Maybe another announcement from Professor Calivahn?” Elaina asked as the waded through the room to empty seats. She’d done one at dinner the night before, detailing the stricter curfew. 

“Not Calivahn,” Carline said, pointing. “Look.”

Elaina’s eyes cast across the room, glancing over the faculty table before stopping in the middle. Alonse. He was sitting at the center of the table, his usual spot, staring out across the room, eyes glazed over, face harrowed. “How in the stars is he back?” Elaina muttered, disbelief over what she was seeing. He’d gone to the capital, a week’s trip at least, and now come back? “It’s only been a couple of days.”

“Came back after hearing about yesterday,” a voice said from behind Elaina. She turned, seeing a hagard Tira take her seat next to her. “I’ve always known he was fast, but not that fast. Has a speech to give once more people arrive.”

Elaina gaped at the new arrival. Her eyes were bloodshot, dark circles underneath them, overpowering the gentle pink makeup  “Tira, you look…”

“Horrible? Yeah. I’m going to sleep after this. Now that Alonse is back he and Calivahn will coordinate stuff while I rest.” She let out a long yawn, head drooping forward as she finished. “Wish I could just go to sleep now though. Been up since… Well, been up since early yesterday morning I guess.”

“Maybe you should—”

Elaina was cut off by the sound of silence, the room abruptly stopping all chatter. She turned, seeing Alonse standing. “Good morning,” he said. “I say that, though it’s hard to imagine a worse one. 

“We’ve lost faculty, students, friends. I’m sure there is much confusion over the nature of the attack last night, and I wish I had more answers for you. I can tell you what I do know, that there was an incident earlier this weekend involving a monster that left behind corpses similar to those of the starhounds that attacked here.”

A wave of whispers crashed over the room, one word repeated throughout them, “starhound.”

“Yes, that’s right. When I was in the capital the kingdom was hesitant to announce the existence of such a corpse, didn’t want to stir up undo panic. With a good deal of our student body having fought them though, some having died to them, I feel it is only right to confirm their existence.

“Not since the Night Wars have we faced creatures such as starhounds, and never in recorded history have we encountered the likes of those who seemed to be commanding them in battle. I feel it is also important for you to know that this is seemingly not an isolated event. While there has been no other coordinated attack of the magnitude like we saw last night, there have been other sightings of monsters not seen since the Night Wars as well.”

The blanket of fear was tightening, squeezing the sound out of the room once more, the students, faculty too, all staring in horror as the headmaster spoke. “There are two courses of action I was presented with before I left the capital. One is to increase security measures here. Tighten curfew, request guards from the capital, prevent students from leaving the grounds at all.”

The murmurs started again. Elaina couldn’t make out many individual words, but the general vibe was one of distaste for the idea. “I sense that idea is not very popular,” Alonse said. “There is the second option, of course, of simply shuttering Endrin Academy and sending all students home until we can ascertain why such an attack happened last night.” The murmurings ceased, students staring wide-eyed at the suggestion. How long would that mean the school being closed? 

Alonse chuckled, a bit of a smile growing on his pained face. “I thought not. These are the two options presented to me by the kingdom, but it is of course important to remember that this institution is independent. It shares a name, yes, but not leadership. I gave up the crown all those years ago because I wanted to direct this school, and so it would be foolish of me to bow to it now if I saw a different path forward.

“This is a school for the elite. You are the elite. I have confidence that had this attack happened a few months down the line, it would have been an entirely different story. It is unfortunate that so many first years were caught unawares, unable to fully help, but it would be a disservice to them and the nation to deprive them of their education. For those who wish to go home, you may do so. Take the second option, and return to your families. You may return next year if you wish. But for those the carry the will of King Endrin, I ask you to stay. There will be no strict curfew, no lessons canceled after today. 

“You will all learn to fight, and we will aggressively pursue practicum activities. The nation needs heroes, now more than ever, and I intend to deliver them. For those who will stay and fight, give me your oath now. We will fight any threats that come, and I promise you, we will avenge those who have fallen.”

There was an uneasy calm for a moment, before a lone student stood. “I will,” Prisma said, tears in her eyes, almost like she’d been crying nonstop since the night before. 

One was all it took to start. Waine stood up next, followed by the rest of his crew, and then the oaths rolled across the room, students standing up from all corners and shouting their agreement. “Stand,” Tira said, already up. Elaina obeyed, Carline jumping up right after. None of them swore anything, but it was clear which way the room was going, and Elaina knew Tira was right. They couldn’t be the only ones sitting after all was done.

The unease in the room was gone, replaced by violent fervor. Elaina could still feel that unease though, like it had been bottled up and shoved inside of her instead of covering the hall. She knew the real extent of the threat that was out there, and she had a sinking suspicion many students had just signed up for their own deaths.