Chapter 27: First Carving!
The sun crept in through the glass of the dorm window like a nosy old neighbor, painting soft orange streaks across the room as Ren's eyes fluttered open.
There was a lingering warmth on his skin, the kind that whispered, Today is important.
He yawned, stretched like a cat waking from a nap after a decade, and rolled off the bed with a bit more elegance than necessary.
His feet touched the cool floor, and a shiver ran up his spine—not from the cold, but from anticipation.
Today, he would make history... his history. But first, the basics.
He showered quickly, humming a tune that suspiciously sounded like a boss battle theme, then wolfed down a hearty breakfast of spiced meat rolls, sweet buttered toast, and a cup of something suspiciously caffeinated.
There were classes this morning—just a few orientation sessions introducing the basic rules of the surface, the academy, some do's and don'ts of the loom, and an overly cheerful instructor who looked like she had never held a weapon in her life but insisted on using words like "soul synergy" and "danger zones" in every sentence.
Ren took it all in with the grace of a smart scientist pretending to be a student.
He paid enough attention to not get kicked out, took mental notes where necessary, and when the classes wrapped up by noon, he practically vanished from the room like a ninja escaping a paperwork ambush.
One odd thing lingered in his mind though.
Where the hell was Lia?