The halls of the academy were silent long after curfew, but the training courtyard was not. Beneath the pale glow of the moon, Justin Law moved swiftly across the stone floor, his strikes precise and relentless. The air hummed faintly with each swing, the rhythm of practice echoing against the empty walls.

He suddenly paused. Someone else was there.

At the edge of the courtyard stood another student, watching quietly from the shadows. Justin tilted his head slightly, the faint sound of music leaking from his headphones as his sharp gaze lingered. Instead of sending them away, he simply turned back to the center of the courtyard.

The next strike was different—an invitation.

Steel clashed and footsteps echoed as training began in silence. Movements adjusted instinctively, each action answered by another, the rhythm slowly falling into place beneath the quiet moonlight.

When the final strike faded, Justin lowered his weapon and glanced over his shoulder. A small, amused smile appeared on his face before he walked past, the music in his headphones growing faint as he disappeared back into the academy halls.

The courtyard fell quiet again, but the moon still hung overhead—witness to a training session that had changed something neither of them would say aloud. 🌙