"Let's see the wall"
Back then, Apollo observed Klint and the others, and he noticed how they evaded the wall where the engravings were located. It's as if they deliberately avoided going there. Apollo knew why, so he wanted to take them there again.
Once more, they walked back to the library; the cold night air nipped gently at their cheeks as they followed the winding path toward the remaining decent building inside the shrine, the small lanterns on the side slowly lit along the company of the pale glow of the crystal above them. Walking silently, Apollo could sense the growing tension among the seniors; however, he also wanted them to get the closure they needed and end the wha-ifs they always had.
As they entered, the first years fell silent, but they walked ahead as if leading the second years toward the wall. Then they stood at the sideline, letting their seniors co through.
Klint and his friends felt a rush of nervousness. Their eyes traced the wall, rembering to write the ssages they had left behind. Then when their eyes darted towards the lone wall with tiny engravings. They knew imdiately it was the wall they couldn't write on. The giant stone wall was always filled with hand-engraved academy years and generations of the Lower Class etched into its surface. So were crooked, others neat. Many were accompanied by small drawings, emblems, or even short inscriptions. So even have a full story of how their last day as first year was spent. It was the very wall that Klint wished to write on, just like how the previous class representatives did so. Unfortunately, he could no longer do so.
"Class 593 - We walked through fire, and we're still here."
"Class 697 - No one believed we'd survive. We did anyway."
"Class 799 – Forgotten, but not broken."
"Class 800 - Screw the academy I'm gonna graduate"
Joshua, Klint, Elara, and the rest of the forr first years of Class 2798 stood quietly, their eyes fixed on the empty corner of the wall — the place where their class year should have been but never was.
"We never made it here," Elara murmured.
"Yeah too bad we almost did it," Daniel added softly. "If only I didn't get sick at that ti."
Rembering the bet Joshua couldn't help but clasp his head, the guilt returning as well as the pain of losing.
The silence turned heavy. Grief wasn't a loud thing; it was still, aching, like a mory that wouldn't leave. Like a scar that can't fully heal even when ti has already passed.
Apollo stepped forward, his voice was soft but clear.
"Then return, co with us."
The others turned to him.
"Co to the party. Talk to the rest of the seniors. Be with us not as guests or ghosts of the past, but as people who deserved to be here all along. And if after that you still choose to leave, we'll respect it."
His gaze didn't waver. "But at least give yourselves the ending you were denied"
The old Lower Class looked at one another.
"I always thought that accepting that bet at that ti was the only choice we had and leaving was the acceptance we could only do, but now," Klint finally said.
"But now you have another choice," Alicia added gently.
Klint chuckled a bit as he helplessly said, "I already know what will I decide the mont I take that ticket"
Then he looked at his friends and added, "So? What about you people?"
Joshua kept looking at the wall, silent Ashe knew deep inside what he wanted. Gathering his breath he turned his gaze towards his friends and with a smile he said, "I'm in"
There were no cheers, no grand proclamations. Only solemn nods… and a shared, silent agreent.
The moon shines brightly to provide light, and then, from the steps of the abandoned shrine, it continues to guide them to the dark forest. And at the heart of that dark and shady place, the dorm awaits
When they arrived, they were greeted by the soft sound of music, the scent of warm bread and fire-roasted vegetables, and the distance they saw the dorm staff all line up to welco them.
"Welco dear guest"
The butler said as he bowed down along with other servants, showing both respect and gratitude for coming.
"Let guide you inside"
Brutus said as he leaned forward to show them the entrance to the great hall of the dormitory. Two giant doors then swung open, revealing a hint of what's inside. Having a glimpse of what was waiting for them, the forr first years felt a rush of nervousness; though they had co prepared, they still couldn't completely calm down.
"Let's go, everyone!" McKenzie was excited as he pulled Elara towards the door while Apollo gently pushed Klint to help him take it forward.
"There is no turning back now," he smiles mischievously, earning a chuckle from Klint.
...
They had arrived at the senior's Dormitory, which houses the third years and beyond. However, despite their seniority, they, too, couldn't hide their panic and excitent as they saw multiple silhouettes entering.
"Here they co" Livy whispered as she tightly held the party pop and floating glitter bomb. Then one of the tenth-year students nad Danny looked up, and in his hand held one sphere that held magic inside it. It was supposed to show a mini fireworks display that would light up the currently black ceiling.
Then, at the signal of Ericson, all kinds of explosions happened; fireworks erupted, rising towards the ceiling and devouring the darkness in hand. The beautiful and bright fiery sparks then turn into crystal-like material that turns into a chandelier that cascades like flowing jewelry.
"Welco ho!" a voice cried out.
A giant banner then flows in while confetti and glitter sparks into the air. In Apollo's opinion, it was chaotic. Arms outstretched. Food shoved into hands. And cheers echoed into all corners while all kinds of food was served.
Elara was swept up in a hug by a fourth-year who rembered her previous feat in beating up a student from a High class before; Joshua, on the other hand, was overwheld when a giant-like fifth-year student dragged him to eat with them.
While the previous first-year students were enjoying their ti, Apollo and his friends weren't spared and were included in the party.
Agnes was handed a hot drink by soone who used to sneak treats into the lower-class dorms.
Arabella, on the other hand, was confused as she saw her na, her actual na, handwritten on a welco banner.
"Why am I included in there?" She continues to wonder, blankly staring at it.
The dorm was glowing basking into the night with all sorts of music played and by their request. The pillars were lit with colorful lanterns, paper butterflies fluttering across the windows, and old banners of previous years hanging proudly from the rafters. It was truly a wonderful welco for the class that took a long to return to their place inside the academy.
---
The celebration continued until daybreak. Though it wasn't grand in Apollo's opinion, it was one of the best parties he had ever attended. There here was laughter, music, and a sense of belonging; no one was left out, and no one was left behind.
They shared stories. First years shared stories on how Alicia always burned soone in the cafeteria while Samael shared a similar experience. From the embarrassing stories of their training, the story switches from the juniors to the seniors. A new story was told, and everyone laughed, cried, and clapped in disbelief and awe as the story unfolded.
"Wait why do I feel this story is familiar?" Gemini muttered while Braiden, who was sitting right next to him, could only nod his head.
"It's familiar to too," he added as he tried to rember.
"It's familiar because it's one of the stories left by the seniors inside the shrine," Klint explained. Then another senior stood up to narrate his story.
As he sang and even danced while storytelling, the others fell into disbelief with another familiar story. That senior, on the other hand, couldn't believe that his random scribbles weren't forgotten but instead lived on to be read by Apollo's generation.
"I didn't know anyone read that note in that dairy," one senior said, wiping his eyesof tears from laughing to much.
"I morized it," Mckenzie replied proudly.
"What?"
"Why?"
"Those aren't supposed to be rembered!!"
Joshua laughed as he heard the exchange between McKenzie and a tenth-year student. It seems whatever the content of the note can make even a 23-year-old embarrassed.
While the sun began to rise but the party was still on, Apollo decided to stand beside the wall, finally feeling drained from all the interactions he had for the entire night.
"They still having a blast" he just chuckled as he saw the happiness they all had"
Then, from the hall, his eyes darted towards the sky, scanning it as the stars began to fade away as the light broke through the night. Beside him, Klint stared at the empty space, his back lay flat on the ground exhausted but happy.
"Hey," he suddenly called, and despite the ongoing chaotic noise, soone answered him.
"Yes?" Even without saying each other's nas, they seem to know whom the words are ant to.
"Think we can still carve our nas?"
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