Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece
Chapter 186: Back at the Academy [2]

Chapter 186: Back at the Academy [2]

The morning air was crisp. Carrying the faint scent of dew and freshly cut grass as the first light of dawn painted the sky in soft hues of gold and pink.

The academy grounds were quiet. With only the sound of footsteps hitting the cobblestone path.

Reo and Luna ran side by side. Their breaths coming out in small clouds.

Both looked tired, a little anxious, and clearly frustrated.

It had been two weeks since the Black Gate incident. Two weeks since their friends had vanished into that cursed dungeon.

Serena, Eleanora, Cedric, and Cassian had returned last week to the academy.

But Kyle... Kyle had still been unconscious in the hospital.

And then. The news broke, the hospital had been attacked.

No one knew who did it. No one knew why.

Reo’s hands curled into fists as he kept running. "Instructor Aurelia was seen near the faculty quarters a few days ago," he said, breathing hard.

"You think that means Kyle’s back?" Luna asked, brushing a strand of silver hair from her face.

"Hope he is."

They turned the corner near the training field. The tall academy spires cast long shadows over the ground.

Usually, the mornings were full of chatter from students. But today, it was quiet. Everyone was still uneasy.

Then came a voice.

"Man, you two are slow."

Reo nearly tripped. Luna came to a sudden stop.

Leaning against a tree nearby stood someone they almost didn’t recognize.

White hair.

That was the first thing Reo saw. Not silver like Luna’s, but snow white, with blue at the tips.

His eyes, once mismatched. One blue, one black—were now both a glowing, electric blue.

Reo stared. "Who the hell—?"

Luna’s breath caught in her throat. Then, slowly. She smirked. "Well, well. Look who finally decided to wake up."

Kyle grinned. "Miss me?"

Reo’s jaw dropped. "Kyle?! What the hell happened to you?!"

Luna tilted her head, eyeing him up and down. "Huh. Now we really do look like siblings."

Kyle laughed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Guess I’m officially part of the ’mysterious ice mage’ club now."

Reo didn’t say anything.

He stepped forward in two quick strides and pulled Kyle into a tight hug.

Luna rolled her eyes. But her smile showed the relief she felt.

"You idiot," Reo muttered, voice thick with emotion. "Don’t ever disappear like that again."

Kyle chuckled, giving him a few pats on the back. "No promises."

Reo pulled back, gripping Kyle’s shoulders. "Are you okay? What the hell happened? The hospital—"

Kyle’s smile faded a little. "It’s... a long story."

They stood in silence for a moment.

Then Luna sighed. "You’re buying breakfast."

Kyle blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," she said. Turning around and heading toward the academy gates. "You owe us at least three stacks of pancakes for making us worry."

Reo nodded. "And extra syrup."

Kyle looked at them both. Then let out a small laugh and shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Pancakes it is."

And just like that, they walked together to the cafetaria.

———

[The Cafeteria]

The moment Kyle stepped into the cafeteria. The world seemed to pause.

The clatter of trays. The hum of conversations. The scraping of chairs. All of it faded for a second as heads turned, one by one, toward the white-haired boy standing in the doorway.

Luna smirked beside him. "Told you they’d stare."

Kyle sighed. "Yeah, yeah."

He tried to stay relaxed, keeping his face calm. But he could feel it. The eyes. Curious stares. Shocked faces.

And more than a few girls who had completely stopped eating, wide-eyed as they watched him.

Reo, of course, made it worse.

He threw an arm around Kyle’s shoulders like they were on stage. "Ladies and gentlemen. The man of the hour! Back from the dead and looking fashionably pale!"

A few people laughed, mostly nervously.

Kyle rolled his eyes and shoved him off. "Shut up."

They grabbed their food. Pancakes stacked high, fluffy eggs, buttered toast, fresh fruit, and walked to their usual table near the big window.

The whispers started up again. Soft at first, then louder.

— "Is that really him?"

— "What happened to his hair?"

— "He’s even hotter now."

— "Right?! That glow is insane..."

Kyle ignored it. He was used to being stared at by now.

Luna sat across from him. The morning light making her silver hair shine. She looked at him for a moment. then grinned.

"You know. If you start wearing all black, you could really pull off the mysterious ice mage look."

Kyle chuckled. "Hard pass."

Reo stabbed his pancake like it had insulted him. "Come on, man. You vanish for two weeks, then show up like some kind of anime character. That’s not normal."

Kyle took a slow bite of toast. "Neither is your face, but here we are."

Reo gasped, clutching his chest. "Luna, he’s bullying me."

Luna sipped her tea without blinking. "Deserved."

Kyle opened his mouth to say more. But stopped.

The air around their table shifted.

A quiet, cold presence settled over them like a chill breeze.

Serena Blackthorne stood nearby, arms crossed. Her amethyst eyes locked on Kyle.

No one said a word.

"You’re alive," she said, voice calm but flat. Still, something was hiding underneath.

Kyle leaned back. "Yeah. You sound disappointed."

A flicker of irritation passed through her eyes. But it was gone in a second. "Are you okay?"

The question caught all of them off guard. Reo’s grin froze. Luna raised her eyebrows.

Kyle hesitated. "...I’ll live. Wanna join us?"

Serena paused. Then gave a small shake of her head. "I’ll see you in class."

And without another word. She turned and walked away, her boots echoing across the floor.

Silence followed.

Reo’s mouth was still open. Luna lowered her cup slowly.

Kyle just sighed and picked up his fork again.

Reo finally spoke. "Did Serena Blackthorne just—"

"Yep," Kyle said.

Luna set her cup down. "Huh."

Reo leaned forward, whispering like the walls could hear. "Okay, no. You don’t just do that. What happened in that dungeon?"

Kyle shrugged. "We became friends, I guess."

Reo threw up his hands. "Friends?! You and Serena? The same girl who once stabbed a guy just for winking at her?"

Luna smirked. "Guess near-death experiences change people."

Kyle kept eating. "Something like that."

The bell rang, cutting their conversation short.

They stood up to leave, and once again. Kyle felt the wave of stares from the nearby tables.

Luna bumped him gently with her elbow. "Get used to it, Snow Prince."

Kyle groaned. "Don’t call me that."

Reo laughed. "Too late. It’s perfect."

And with that, they stepped back into the sunlight. The whispers growing louder behind them like an approaching storm.

———