Crestfall: Darkness Unveiled

Sosuke stepped back, taking in a wide view of his empty board. Notes and pictures of professors were scattered across his room, a chaotic testament to his growing obsession. "I doubt Rin or Ren want to help. I have to do this myself," he muttered under his breath. He placed a hand on his chin, eyes narrowing as he contemplated his sparse information. Reaching into the pile of notes on his bed, he pulled one out and pinned it to the board. With deliberate strokes, he wrote: Fact #1: Suspect is female.

Meanwhile, Ren and Rin walked through the hallway together after watching the tournament outside. Entering the cafeteria, they each grabbed some food. Ren spotted an empty table near the corner and made his way toward it.

"Hey, Rin, how'd it go last night? The stupid investigation thing," Ren asked casually as he sat down, setting his tray on the table.

Rin hesitated, her fingers tightening around her tray. "It—it was nothing," she stammered, sitting down across from him. She poked at her food nervously. "Just Sosuke… being an idiot."

"I figured as much. I mean, come on, the whole thing sounds crazy." Ren took a bite of his crystalfruit tart, shrugging. "Something that strange happening in a school like this? Never. I'd drop out before believing that."

"Heh… yeah." Rin's laughter was forced as she avoided his gaze. She shifted in her seat, her fork tracing aimless lines across her plate.

"Well… hypothetically, let's say you went in there and found some super crazy secret," Ren said, noticing her eyes darting all over the place. "What would you do?"

He stared at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Clearing his throat, he placed his spoon down. "Depends. If it was something like a… chained-up person or something, I'd probably want to figure it out. It's intriguing. But if it was something lame, probably not. I'd really only care if I could get something out of it. Think about the praise I'd get for uncovering this huge mystery!" Ren laughed, the sound echoing faintly in the bustling cafeteria.

Rin remained silent, her gaze fixed on her untouched food.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked, taking a sip of his drink.

"It's nothing. You… should ask Sosuke about last night. He'll probably give you a different perspective."

"Right… I'll keep that in mind."

Ren glanced around the cafeteria and noticed it was emptier than when they'd first entered. His brow furrowed as he spotted a horde of students rushing toward the exit. "What's going on with them?" Ren asked, pointing toward the growing crowd.

Rin turned her head, her eyes narrowing at the commotion. "Let's go check it out."

The two stood and followed behind the swarm of students, all eager to push through the cafeteria doors. Ren craned his neck, rising onto his tiptoes to see over the throng, but his view was blocked. Frustrated, he tapped the shoulder of the boy in front of him. "Hey, why is everyone trying to leave so bad?"

The boy spun around, his face lit with a wide grin. "You didn't hear? Gabriel Aurelius is here! They say he's looking for one of the students. I'm crossing my fingers it's me!" He turned back around, his excitement evident as the crowd surged forward.

Ren peered over a gap in the crowd as the volume increased. Gabriel was gone, he vanished.

Back in his room, Sosuke stood in front of his board, twirling a pen between his fingers. The distant commotion from outside reached his ears, faint but insistent, breaking the silence of his thoughts. He barely glanced toward the window, uninterested in whatever spectacle had captured the school's attention. His focus remained on the clues before him—the fragmented pieces of a puzzle that refused to fit together.

Sosuke's eyes darted to his door at the sound of a sharp knock. His heart leapt. Scrambling, he began frantically stashing his notes, tossing pictures into a box, yanking the board off the wall, and shoving it beneath his bed. "Come in!" he called, forcing an even tone.

The door swung open swiftly, but the figure standing there made time seem to freeze. Gabriel Aurelius. Alone. At his door.

"Hey, kid," Gabriel said with a casual smile, his presence commanding yet oddly disarming.

Sosuke's throat went dry. "W—what are you doing here?" he stammered, rising to his feet.

"I wanted to have a little chat with you," Gabriel replied smoothly. "You wanna walk around or take a seat in the hub?"

Sosuke hesitated, his thoughts racing. "I… want to sit."

Gabriel gave a slight nod and gestured for Sosuke to lead the way. They moved into the empty hub area, a quiet, open space devoid of its usual occupants. Sitting across from each other, the vast silence amplified Sosuke's pounding heart.

"How are you, Sosuke?" Gabriel began, leaning back in his chair. "Still settling in? It's only been a couple of months, right?"

"I'm… great," Sosuke replied, his voice trembling despite his best efforts to sound composed.

Gabriel smirked, brushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "Relax. Nothing bad's gonna happen." His voice was calm, almost soothing, but his piercing gaze betrayed an intensity that made Sosuke squirm. "I bet a lot of people are jealous of what you can do, huh?"

Sosuke forced an awkward laugh, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. "Maybe? I don't know. I haven't noticed."

Gabriel chuckled softly. "You're humble. That's good." He leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting. "Listen, I didn't come here to waste your time. I have something important to tell you—something I've only ever done twice before."

Sosuke blinked, the tension in the room thickening. "What do you mean?"

Gabriel's expression grew serious, and he took a measured breath. "I want to train you myself."

"What!?" Sosuke shot forward in his seat, his wide eyes brimming with disbelief.

Gabriel raised a hand, signaling him to stay calm. "Let me explain. If you agree, you'll come to my palace. I'll oversee your training personally. But this isn't just about honing your abilities." His eyes sharpened, the weight of his words pressing down on Sosuke. "If you come with me, you'll be joining our nation's military forces. Your decision will shape your future, Sosuke. It means everything."

"I don't know what to say…" Sosuke's voice trembled, his eyes wide as his mind raced with possibilities. He sat back, hands gripping the edge of the seat as if to steady himself.

"Think about it." Gabriel's gaze was steady, almost piercing. "I don't need an answer now, but I don't see any reason to decline."

Sosuke fidgeted, his fingers tapping nervously on his thigh. "H—how often will I get to see my friends?" His heart pounded as he awaited Gabriel's response, the question hanging in the air like a weight.

Gabriel leaned forward, folding his hands together thoughtfully. "I'll be honest. Rarely." He let the words linger before softening his tone. "If that's going to affect your answer, then… I suppose I could make adjustments."

Sosuke straightened up, the nervous energy in his body shifting into determination. "No, I don't just want to be able to see them often. I want them to come too." He locked eyes with Gabriel, his voice growing firmer. "They're just as, if not greater than me! There are a couple others in my class too."

Gabriel arched a brow, his smile thinning as he studied Sosuke's resolve. "Sosuke… I told you this is something I've only offered to two before. I can't just—" He stopped mid-sentence, leaning back as if reconsidering. A faint grin tugged at his lips. "Although, when I came here for the event, I sensed something different about you first-years."

Sosuke leaned forward, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "I'll agree if my friends—and a couple of other people I have in mind—can come with."

Gabriel chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "You realize who I am, yet here you are, trying to negotiate with me." He sighed, his expression shifting to one of reluctant amusement. "Fine. I'll see. I guess I'll have to come back another time, because I can't give you an answer now."

Gabriel stood, brushing an invisible speck off his sleeve as his gaze lingered on Sosuke. "Think carefully, kid. You might have just made this a lot more complicated for yourself."

Sosuke exhaled slowly, his hands finally relaxing as he watched Gabriel leave. The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air, and for the first time in a while, he felt both pride and fear coursing through him in equal measure. He shook himself back into reality and rushed back into his room. He pulled everything back out and focused his attention on his investigation once more.

Sosuke sat on top of his bed, thinking about his next move.

"I just got personally asked by the strongest person in the world to be trained by him. He asked me if he could train me. He asked me."