UNMEI: Pantheon's Game-Chapter 119: Step Forward

The wooden sign of the inn swayed gently in the evening breeze as Dune stepped through its doors, shoulders heavy with thoughts. The innkeeper, a stout man with a thick beard and a perpetual smile, greeted him instantly.

"Back already, lad?" he said, beaming. "Heard about what happened, congratulations on passing the test. That was a damn show!"

Dune offered a small nod and forced a faint smile. "Thank you."

He climbed the creaking stairs in silence. The warm scent of roasted meat and old wood followed him up to his room. As the door shut behind him, he walked over to the couch and sank into it. The soft cushion gave way beneath his weight, but his body remained stiff, like he'd turned to stone.

Atlas had joined the Ceresey family.

Ned... had become a Rodeny.

And him?

He was just Dune. No great house, no guiding purpose. What would he do now? Train in the academy? Study? That was all that remained, wasn't it?

His teeth clenched as he stared blankly at the wall.

He'd tried to save Ned. Fought for him. Bled for him. But in the end... maybe this was better.

Maybe Ned didn't need him anymore. Maybe he'd never been enough to begin with.

The thought dug in deep, an ache swelling in his chest. He stood, footsteps slow as he walked toward the door, reaching to open it.

I already gave Arech's letter to Ramires, I wonder... did Mindya pass the test? I won't be surprised if she didn't—

The door slammed open.

And something launched at him.

"I PASSED! I PASSED! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

Dune stumbled back with a grunt, arms flailing as a blur of limbs tackled him to the floor. A familiar voice shrieked right in his ear.

"Mindya—?!"

Her bright eyes gleamed, her fanged smile wide as she bounced on top of him like an overexcited puppy. "Dune!!"

She grabbed his collar and shook him wildly, rattling him like a ragdoll. "I saw you! I watched your fight when you saved Ned!! You were like, boom! WHOOSH! And then that face you had, so serious!"

She leapt up suddenly and imitated his stern expression, puffing out her cheeks and squinting her eyes like she was trying to look cool.

Then she mimed a slow-motion punch through the air. "And then BAM! Right in his ugly face!"

Dune stared at her, dazed and breathless.

Then a chuckle escaped him. Soft at first, then growing into a small laugh.

Mindya spun in a circle. "Where are the others?

Dune sighed. "Well... it's just me now. Atlas and Ned have chosen their own paths."

She stopped and gave him a sideways glance. "What are you talking about?"

He blinked. "What?"

"I'm still here, boy!" she said with a grin, throwing her arms up. "Don't you forget it!"

"How did you even find this place?"

Without waiting for a response, she darted around the room, inspecting everything, the bed, the desk, the window, even poking her head into the bathroom.

"Woahh, so rich! You got your own bathroom?? This is like royalty!"

Dune rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "You can get your own room, you know..."

Mindya slumped dramatically onto the bed, groaning. "I don't wanna! Don't you wanna hear about my test? I almost died! But I didn't! Wanna know how??" She leaned in like she was about to reveal the secrets of the universe.

He gave her a tired smile. "I guess I have time."

"YES!!" She jumped to her feet, fists in the air.

Eventually, they agreed to move to a room with two beds. As Mindya tossed herself onto one and claimed it. Dune settled into the other.

She went on and on, retelling her test in dramatic, exaggerated detail, each enemy she fought had suddenly grown fangs, claws, or multiple heads in her version.

Dune watched her with quiet amusement.

He should've still felt broken after everything that had happened. But for some reason... her presence made it easier to breathe.

"So that's it?" Dune asked, brows raised as he looked over at her from his bed. "You fought monsters in a closed space? For how long?"

Mindya puffed her cheeks, crossed her arms, and leaned back dramatically. "Hours! Maybe even more! But I didn't give up, not once!"

Dune blinked. "Seriously?"

She grinned wide, eyes sparkling with pride. "I'm in S-Class, Dune. S-Class!" She leaned forward on her elbows, smug. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Dune sat up straighter, startled. "Wait, you're in S-Class? With me?"

"Duh," she said with a playful flick of her hair.

"Obviously."

There was a pause, then he chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That's... really good. Impressive, honestly."

Mindya beamed, visibly glowing from the compliment. "I know, right?"

For a moment, the room was quiet except for the soft hum of night outside. Then Mindya plopped back against her pillow and gazed at the ceiling. "The academy starts tomorrow... are you excited?"

Dune stared at the ceiling too. He didn't answer immediately.

"...I guess," he said at last. "Let's just try to stay out of trouble okay?"

Mindya turned her head to face him across the narrow gap between their beds. "Of course."

She grinned.

Another silence passed, softer this time. A peaceful one.

Then Mindya's voice came again, quiet now, almost shy. "Hey... Dune?"

"Hm?"

"I'm really glad we're in the same class."

Dune looked over at her. She was smiling at him, not her usual wild grin, just a simple, genuine one.

He smiled back, warm and tired. "Me too."

She pulled her blanket up to her chin, still facing him. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The candle between their beds flickered once... then went out.

.

.

.

"Wake up. Wake up, dummy! Wake up! We're late!" Mindya's voice rang out like an alarm wrapped in panic and chaos.

Dune groaned, rolling over in bed. "Five more minutes..."

"No!" Mindya trued to push him off the bed, just as he shot up in alarm, and their foreheads collided in a sharp thud.

"Ouch!" she yelped, falling back on bed, holding her head.

Dune winced, rubbing his forehead. "What time is it?"

Mindya scrambled up and pointed at the old metal clock hanging crookedly on the wall.

"That!"

Dune's eyes widened. "We only have twenty minutes! Are you stupid?! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!"

Mindya blinked. "I don't know how to read clocks."

Dune just stared at her.

Mindya shrugged. "It's not my fault!"

"AGHH—!" Dune growled, running around the room, searching for his academy uniform.

Finally dressed, more or less, they ran down the stairs two steps at a time, Dune still buttoning his long jacket while Mindya rubbed her eye mid-yawn.

As they walked through the inn's dining hall, Dune sighed. "Okay, listen. A clock works like this, short arrow means the hour, long hand means the minutes. There's sixty minutes in an hour. Got it?"

Mindya, munched on a piece of bread and mumbled, "Short arrow is minutes... and long is... dinner... im hungry..."

...

...

Finally, they stood outside the inn, breathing hard, the wind brushing their still-wild hair.

Mindya looked down at herself, then at Dune. "Well. We did it."

Dune sighed. "Barely."

She grinned, stretching with her hands behind her head. "First day of academy. Let's crash it."

"Just be normal."

They took off down the stone path, the academy's towering structure visible in the distance, together, ready or not.

Atlas walked with his head slightly lowered, hands tucked into his pockets as the towering walls of the academy came into view ahead.

The stone gates, carved with ancient symbols of Neba, stood tall and intimidating, a reminder of where he stood now.

His first day as an S-class student.

His first step toward getting stronger.

Toward understanding Neba and Zeten deeper, mastering them instead of being crushed by them like in that fight.

His thoughts swirled heavy in his chest. The loss against Azrael still echoed in his mind, every blow, every helpless second.

But today wasn't for sulking. Today was for moving forward.

As he neared the academy gates, voices caught his ear.

"...you still don't get how clocks work, do you?" Dune's voice, sounding a little exasperated.

Mindya's bright laugh followed, "Nope! But I still got ready faster than you, dummy!"

Atlas's gaze lifted, and his face lit up without meaning to.

There they were. Dune and Mindya, walking side by side, chatting and bickering in their usual way. The sight felt... grounding. Familiar. Like something solid in the middle of all the confusion swirling around him.

"Hey!" Atlas called out with a crooked grin as he picked up his pace.

Mindya spun around, her eyes shining. "Atlas!!"

She launched herself at him without hesitation, smacking his shoulder with a playful kick. "You were sooo cool in that fight! But also—" she started to laugh, pointing a finger at him,

"you totally got wrecked at the end! Like bam, flying off like a ragdoll!"

Atlas winced, chuckling despite himself. "Yeah, yeah, thanks for the reminder." He rubbed his shoulder where she kicked.

Dune stepped up, his eyes scanning Atlas carefully. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice quieter, but edged with genuine concern.

Atlas's grin softened. He let out a breath and nodded. "Yeah... I'm okay. What about you?"

His gaze flicked, just for a second, toward Dune's eyes,searching. "And... Ned? You holding up?"

The weight between them was brief but heavy.

Before Dune could answer, Mindya slid right in between, throwing her arms around both of their shoulders with surprising strength.

"All we have to do is keep moving forward!" she declared, voice bright and certain. "Ned will get strong, we'll get strong, everyone will get strong! So we just gotta keep up!"

Atlas blinked at her, then laughed. "I guess."

Dune shook his head with a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah... yeah, you're right."

Three of them stood in front of the academy gates, the weight in their chests feeling just a little lighter.

And then, without another word, they stepped forward, passing through the academy walls side by side, their paths still tangled together despite everything that had changed.

[ End of Part 2: Stars Of Change ]