The stonehide lawachurl was fast, but Instructor Xiao was faster. He launched himself high up into the air before plunging down with a jade polearm. The lawachurl was knocked backward and roared with rage, but Xiao wasn't done with it yet. Again, he jumped and plunged. Jump. Plunge. His attacks were relentless. The lawachurl barely had any time to recover, and it no longer held an amber glow.

"Boring!"

In mid-air, Xiao horizontally dashed from side to side with his Anemo-infused weapon. He struck the lawachurl in the head, and bits of Geo broke off as it began to crack and fall apart. The lawachurl bellowed in pain before falling onto its back, crumbling away into dust.

I closed my jaw which had somehow fallen open. So this was the Conqueror of Demons' full strength. He removed the mask and turned his face away as he hung it back onto his belt.

Professor Morax stood next to me with his arms crossed. "It would appear that was the only monster to be dealt with. Am I correct?"

I nodded.

"Then, we should get you to safety. If we are attacked, you do not have to worry. My shield will hold until we reach our destination. No matter what comes your way, nothing will be allowed to hurt you."

"I can make it on my own."

"Are you sure? Xiao and I have taken care of quite a few monsters thus far, and while their numbers are dwindling, evil still walks on Academy grounds."

"With the shield, I'll be fine," I insisted. "You're right about the monsters—they're still lurking. I don't want to detract you from taking them down."

Xiao marched over to where we stood. He looked upset. "The limit to one's power is self-destruction. Answer me. Why do you persist?"

"Huh?"

"What he means to say," Professor Morax stepped in to explain. "Is why were you out here fighting the stonehide lawachurl on your own? It would have done you better to escape rather than fight. Knowing the limits of your power is necessary to survival."

"I didn't stand a chance. I knew that going in, but I had to distract the lawachurl from attacking another classmate of mine. Thankfully, she was able to escape."

"I should have known better than to trust the administration in charge of security here." Xiao folded his arms. "It comes as no surprise that Morax and I were the ones to come to your aid. From now on, rely on us. If you awake to a knife at your throat, if monsters dig their claws into you, if death comes knocking at your door…call out my name. I will be here when you call."

I nodded slowly. "Okay."

How quickly could they respond to that call? What if they were out of hearing range? What if they were engaged in a separate battle or handling important matters? Though, as my instructor, I had full trust in Xiao's capabilities—especially after watching him take down the lawachurl all on his own.

"Good. Then I will take my leave. There are still demons about. Morax?"

"Stay well, Lumine," Professor Morax said. "Make sure to get checked out at the infirmary when this is all over."

"I will."

He smiled at me and stepped back to stand by Xiao. They shared a mutual glance at each other before disappearing into thin air. Xiao vanished in a haze of Anemo and shadows, while Professor Morax flashed away in a beam of gold.

I was alone again. Though, I didn't feel truly alone. Professor Morax's shield still surrounded my body, and the Geo energy humming around me felt like his presence was still watching over me. I reached out to touch the shield, but it moved away as I got closer. Interesting.

With my protection guaranteed, I didn't focus as much on stealth and took the quickest route to the auditorium. The areas I passed through were empty, and I hoped Ellin took this route as well.

When I finally caught a glimpse of the auditorium, it was a hard sprint from there. Today had been undoubtedly one of the longest days of my life, and that lawachurl was the ugly cherry on top. My body was drained, and I happily pulled on the door handle to let myself in.

It wouldn't budge.

"Seriously?" I grumbled and tugged harder.

Still nothing.

"State yourself," a muffled voice sounded from the other side.

"It's Lumine!"

The voice didn't say anything in return. Instead, the handle jiggled in front of me, and I heard the clinking of locking mechanisms being undone. The door opened up just a crack, and a pair of golden eyes stared at me.

"Lumine, it really is you." It opened wider to reveal Professor Baizhu standing on the other side. "Marvelous, we've been looking for you. Come on in. It's not safe to leave these doors open for too long."

He ushered me inside and shut the door behind him. As I stepped over the threshold, Professor Morax's Geo shield faded away. Despite now being safely indoors, the absence of the Geo energy left me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

I watched as Professor Baizhu attended to the multitude of locks lining the door, resecuring each one and double-checking the handle before facing me. We were in a small reception area meant for receiving attendees and holding coats, but it was currently decked out in weaponry.

"In case there is a breach," Professor Baizhu explained. "I must say, it is a relief to see you, Lumine. I feel terrible for sending you off into the forest, essentially separating you from all possible aid when the monsters attacked. Qiqi is not with you? Did the two of you get separated?"

I shook my head. "Please, don't feel bad. There's no way either of us could have known this would happen. As soon as Qiqi and I saw what was going on, I escorted her to the infirmary myself. She said it was protocol for her to be there, and I didn't want her going on her own."

"Blessed Archons, you have my sincerest gratitude. The underclassmen are in the main auditorium hall. There are refreshments and first aid available, though if you are in need of more intensive care, you will have to visit the infirmary another time. Judging from your state, I assume you've run into monsters?"

"A few. I have minor scratches and probably some bruises, but besides that, I'm doing alright. You wouldn't happen to have a spare set of dry clothes, would you?"

Professor Baizhu chuckled "A battle with Hydro, was it? I'm afraid not, though we do have blankets if you need to stay warm. We actually just had a student run in here not too long before you showed up. She grabbed two."

"Ellin? She made it?"

"She was worried sick about you as well. What was it, a stonehide lawachurl? How did you manage to deal with that all on your own?"

"I didn't. Professor Morax and Instructor Xiao saved me."

"An unstoppable duo. It's a good thing those two stepped in. If it were someone like me, well, Dendro can only go so far. Besides, though all professors at the Academy must have some level of combat skill, my specialty lies in the pharmaceuticals."

"Why do all professors need to know how to fight? Is it for emergencies like this?"

"No." A shadow crossed his eyes. "A raid like this never should have been possible. With such an unprecedented occurrence, I'm sure the administration will take better measures to ensure everyone's safety. It is strange, though. There have never been any signs of potential weaknesses or breaches in the barrier."

"A barrier? Is that what's been keeping monsters away from the island?"

"Precisely. Celestia Academy harnesses a great amount of power to cut off the negative energy that monsters typically emanate. I won't go into the specifics, my lecturing time is done for the day, but just know that it should be near impossible for monsters to have spawned within the barrier."

Professor Baizhu had said there were no weaknesses, but he didn't know about the monsters in the forest days ago. I had warned Katheryne, and she assured me the issue would be taken care of and that the Academy knew what they were dealing with. Evidently, things got way out of hand, and now I wondered if Katheryne told anyone at all. Since the professors had no idea, what did she do with that information?

"Hey, professor! I brought you some water in case—oh. Sorry, I didn't see you were talking with…Lumine?" Thoma entered with a bottle of water in hand, nearly dropping it when he saw me. "Thank goodness you're alright! Wait, areyou alright? You look…we should get you some first aid."

I couldn't possibly look that bad. Sure, my clothes were tattered, and some blood seeped through the fabric. Sure, my ribs ached whenever I drew in a deep breath. Sure, I found it a bit difficult to focus on one object without getting dizzy. Okay, first aid it was.

"I'd like to sit down now."

Thoma took my hand. "Follow me. You're freezing."

"I had a bit of an altercation with a Hydro samachurl, hence the soaked clothes."

"If you stay in those, you'll risk catching a cold."

"Baizhu said there were no extra uniforms. The only other option would be to take off all my clothes, but I'm sure no one wants to see that happen."

"No…yes." Thoma sputtered, his face turning red. "You're right. What I meant to say was yes, you're right. Taking your clothes off would be…There is an alternative."

He led me to the main hall of the auditorium. The seating area was sprinkled with underclassmen here and there, while the wide stage also had students occupying its space.

It was transformed into a place where students could lie down or even sit in groups with each other. Tables were set up and stacked with water, fruit, and medical supplies to treat minor wounds. I noted that while most of the people here were students, a few guards were placed by the exit doors as well.

"An alternative?"

He nodded and gestured to the closest seat. "Please, sit right here. I'll be back with some supplies."

Not sure where he was going with this, I sat down in the surprisingly comfortable seat. It was large enough to fit two people even, plush and perfect for lounging. How anyone could sit here and listen to a speech without falling asleep was beyond me. A wave of tiredness came over me, and I contemplated whether I should take a nap or not when Thoma came back.

With him, he brought a cloth, water, and…was that a mop?

"You want me to clean? Did I drip too much water on my way in here or something?"

"What?" He chuckled lightly. "Of course not. The water is for you to drink. The cloth is to help clean your wounds. This mop here is for me. While I am quite familiar with housekeeping, this isn't for anything like that. I didn't want to take away from the weapon rack, and I figured a mop would work well enough."

"To do what?"

"When I activate my elemental skill, I create a Pyro shield," he explained. "Because it's made from Pyro, it naturally gives off heat. While I cannot share my shield with others, I was thinking being in close proximity would get the job done of drying off your clothes."

I smiled. "That's your polearm, then?"

Thoma laughed and kicked into the air, swinging the mop. The familiar Pyro shield was lightly decorated with dancing flames and surrounded his body. I could feel its heat from here.

"I never noticed how warm it was before."

"That's because you've never gotten cold enough. Do you think this will work to dry off?"

I considered it. "Your shield feels warm from here, but it might not be enough to actually dry all…this. You'll have to come closer."

"I can sit in the seat next to you."

I patted the extra space beside me. "There's enough room here."

He hesitated.

"Come on, I'm not getting any drier."

Thoma obeyed and sat close to me. I instantly felt the shift in temperature. Being next to his shield had graced me with a bit of warmth, but being inside his shield amplified the heat a lot. At first, I thought it might be too much and that I'd start sweating, but my body soon got accustomed to the heat. I relaxed.

"Are you sure it's not too hot?" Thoma asked and I turned to look at him. Our faces were close. "Pyro can be a lot to handle if you're not used to it."

"It's perfect." I smiled, and his face reddened like before. "Though, you still seem to be getting used to it."

He looked away. "I do feel…warm. How about I help clean up those scrapes?"

"They're not that bad."

"I don't want you to risk infection. What happened out there, anyway? When you weren't here for attendance, it took all my willpower to refrain from looking for you myself. I know you're fully capable of being on your own, but I still worried."

"I wasn't there during the initial attack. And my journey to the auditorium was met with a few hilichurls, but the main cause of these injuries was a stonehide lawachurl."

Thoma gasped and turned back to face me, olive eyes clouded with concern. "Archons, a lawachurl? And you only have a few scrapes? That's amazing."

I cringed. "I might be bruised in other places. My head smacked into the ground, too." I pressed a hand to my temple to soothe the pressure that had been building up. "Professor Morax said I should visit the infirmary."

"I second that."

"For now, I just want to sleep." I leaned back into the seat as fatigue took over me, and my head fell onto Thoma's shoulder.

"I'm really sorry, Lumine. You can't sleep just yet."

"Why not?"

"You might have a concussion, so we need to keep an eye on your condition for a few more hours," he sighed. "What if you fall asleep and don't wake up?"

I grumbled in annoyance.

"You can still rest here, just no sleeping, okay? I'll watch over you."

"Okay," I whispered, fighting off sleep. Though, sitting this close to Thoma didn't make it easy. "Mm, cozy. You make me warm, inside and out."

"So do you."

Thoma lightly nudged my head resting on his shoulder, and I jolted awake. "You're not sleeping, are you?"

"No."

"You're drooling."

Was I? I quickly wiped at the corner of my mouth only to find it was dry. "I was not."

"So, you did fall asleep."

I rolled my eyes. "If you don't want me falling asleep so bad, then maybe you should make your shoulder less comfy."

"Your clothes are finally dry," Thoma said and dispelled the shield.

The warmth surrounding us fell away, and a wash of cool air settled over me. He was right. I thumbed my shirt fabric to find it was bone dry. My previously damp hair had also fluffed out, and I was no longer akin to a wet sock.

"Does that feel better?"

I cracked a smile and stretched my limbs. "Much. Thanks, Thoma."

He returned the smile. "Now, let me take a look at those scrapes. A few have already begun to scab over, but I want to make sure all that dirt is cleared out of the way. We don't want to slow the healing process."

I watched as Thoma wet the cloth he brought. "Does it really matter? I'm sure a bit of grime won't affect Barbara's healing energy."

Thoma sighed. "You should know that Barbara and the rest of the infirmary's healers aren't available to fix just any wound. Using their skill takes up energy, just as with any Vision. Minor scrapes are best left to heal naturally on their own so they can focus more on major injuries."

"That makes sense. Especially if people engaged in battle are hurt badly. You're right. I don't want to waste their time on a few cuts. Barbara would be better off healing something that can't just be ignored."

"Like a concussion."

"I know, I know. I already said I'd be getting my head checked out."

"It wouldn't be the first time you prolonged a needed visit to the infirmary," he reminded. "And a potential head injury is far more serious than a twisted ankle or burned wrist."

I scowled. "It's not like you to scold me."

"You think so?" He looked at me expectantly. "What am I like, then?"

What was Thoma like? I inhaled deeply as I thought about the question. From our very first class together, Thoma has been nothing but kind and supportive. He lent me his notes, spent extra time helping me study, and constantly motivated me to do my best. Despite the times when Childe would try intimidation tactics, Thoma didn't back down. Without his guidance and affirmations, I didn't know if I would have been able to make as much progress in both my academics and confidence. He was resilient and loyal. Sweet and understanding. I couldn't think of anyone better to rely on.

"Someone who I want to keep by my side."

The lingering energy from Thoma's shield must have been present, for I felt warm once more.

His lips parted. "Do you really mean that?"

"I'm glad Professor Minci paired us together on that first day. What a disaster my life would have been if I ended up with one of the Twin Mages."

"Me too." He angled his body to face me properly as we shared the single seat. "I'm glad it was you, Lumine. To be honest, I was nervous when it was announced that second-years would serve as mentors. However, after seeing you and your devotion to class and helping others, genuinely…I wouldn't dream of being with anyone else."

Now, I realized the warmth neither came from the remnants of Thoma's shield nor our shared body heat. My body tingled with the warmth of Thoma's sincerity. The light thudding of my heartbeat grow louder in my ears, and a soothing weight also settled in my chest. Thoma was someone I wanted to keep close. And yet…I felt ashamed.

I haven't been fully honest with him. Not once has Thoma given me a reason to not trust him. Not once has his unwavering support faltered, so why did I hesitate to tell him about my Anemo power that day? Why did I continue to keep it a secret? All this time, I've been struggling to figure out how to improve my Anemo skill alone, but it didn't have to be this way. Thoma was here for me.

"Thoma, I have to tell you something important."

"Wait." He took my hand in his. "So do I. Let me be selfish just this once, please? I want to speak first."

Silently, I nodded for him to continue.

"Lumine…" He held my hand tighter, eyes looking down into mine. "I—"

A loud bang interrupted what Thoma was about to say, and we both jolted in surprise. The sound came from the auditorium's foyer where Professor Baizhu watched the main entrance. Everyone stopped what they were doing to see what the disruption was.

"We can't find her," a bold voice declared. Diluc. "We've searched the whole campus, Professor. Inside and out. The monsters are all gone, so where is she?"

"Be more gentle with the weaponry, Mr. Raginvindr," I heard Professor Baizhu tut. "Why don't you go further inside and take a seat? Maybe you'll calm down after—"

Diluc all but yelled. "How can you expect me to be calm?"

"We found these two, at least," a feminine voice echoed. Jean. "They were holed up in the apothecary. It seems the monsters wanted nothing to do with Professor Kreideprinz's work. Razor seems to be doing fine, but Bennett will need to go to the infirmary as soon as possible."

Unsurprisingly, Bennett was one of the unlucky students injured in the raid. While I hoped he was doing alright, I couldn't help but marvel at the auditorium's efficient sound design. Even from the audience rows, I could clearly make sense of the conversation being had in the foyer. It helped that I was familiar with their voices, but the acoustics were stellar in projecting even their emotions.

Diluc asserted loudly once more. "There. We've done our report. Now, I'm going back out there to find her."

"Mr. Ragnvindr," Professor Baizhu spoke with an even tone. "I can assure you, you will have no luck in finding Lumine out there."

It was me they were looking for? I blinked in surprise, forgetting that the team of upperclassmen sent out to locate missing students didn't know that I was already here. I thought to announce my presence, but then I heard Kaeya speak. They were together after all.

"He's right, you know," his smooth voice rang out. "We've been operating on high alert for an extended period of time. It would be best to rest now and continue our search later."

"I don't want to hear that from you," Diluc snapped. "After you let Childe go off on his own, slaying monsters with no regard for our mission. Do you even care that she might be gravely wounded? That she could be—"

"Of course, I care," Kaeya cut in. "I'm worried about Lumine. Archons, I didn't bother stopping Childe's rampage because he was getting those monsters out of our way. Though technically a second-year, he insisted on joining the group. He's…I know he wants to find her, too."

Diluc grunted. "He can't possibly have the capacity to do so. All that man knows is battle and bloodshed. There's no getting through to him the severity of any situation, let alone Lumine's safety. He would risk her life if it meant getting his way."

"You don't know that, brother."

"I know enough," Diluc seethed. "Do not call me that. I am an only child."

An uncomfortable silence.

"We will rest here a moment," a newcomer cleared her throat. "I am well aware that our spent energy will do no good in assisting our search for the last student. I myself do not know Lumine on a personal level, but as a fellow peer and member of the student council, I swear to enact proper vengeance on the Abyss Order if she is mortally wounded."

"Thank you, Miss Lawrence," Professor Baizhu sighed. Eula, then. "Though, I must urge all of you to just enter the main hall already. It would relieve a great deal of…stress."

The sound of shuffling feet grew louder as the group entered the auditorium. Diluc was first to enter, head down with a deep frown creased onto his face. He snatched a bottle of water from one of the stage tables and merely clutched it in his fist. Kaeya followed in after him with a placid expression, not at all affected by Diluc's harsh words. Then, Bennett and Razor filed in alongside Eula and Jean. Thoma and I were in the audience where light from the illuminated stage did not fully reach the shadows, so I didn't think they noticed me sitting there.

Razor had scratches all over his body, blending in with the majority of his scars. Bennett leaned on Eula with a noticeable limp. From here, I couldn't clearly see what ailed him, and I wanted to ask how he was doing and let the group know that I was, in fact, alive. I stood from the cushioned seat, giving Thoma's hand a light squeeze before letting go and walking down the side aisle toward the stage.

Kaeya was the first to notice. He had unscrewed the cap of his own water bottle and was about to take a sip. It never made it to his lips. "Lumine," he breathed, eye widening.

I waved. "Hi, sorry for worrying you guys. I know you must have spent a lot of energy searching, but I made it here not too long ago and—"

Kaeya swiftly crossed and hopped down from the stage to where I stood, crushing me into a hug. "You're alive."

My bruised body screamed at the sudden pressure, and I wheezed. "Kaeya…ow."

He quickly let go only to rest both hands on my shoulders, scanning me from head to toe. "You're really here," he whispered. "Albeit, a bit banged up."

"Lumine?" Diluc appeared at Kaeya's side. "Where have you been?"

"Here and there. The forest, initially."

Diluc frowned. "We searched the forest. At least, the portion in close proximity to Academy grounds. I would have searched this whole island if I could."

"I ended up at the infirmary to make sure Qiqi was safe, she's the—"

"I know who she is." He crossed his arms, suddenly stern. "Why didn't you immediately go to the auditorium? Better yet, why didn't you just stay at the infirmary?"

"Qiqi insisted I go where assigned. I ran into a few other students who needed my help and—"

"You should have come directly here."

"I'm here now."

"You're hurt."

"I'm not the only one," I countered, casting a glance at Bennett.

"You should focus on yourself, on your own safety." Diluc pressed his lips together as if he wanted to say more.

Kaeya interjected. "Normally, I would say Lumine can do as she likes."

"I didn't ask—"

"But I have to agree with you, Diluc," Kaeya finished. "You promised me, Lumine. You promised me you wouldn't put yourself in unnecessary danger."

I shook my head. "I promised I would try to not get hurt. When I saw others that needed my help, I helped them. You would do the same."

Ellin showed up, then. She was huddled under a load of blankets with Huffman beside her. She astutely ignored him, and though Huffman's eyes clearly lingered on her, he soon turned to face me. Ellin stepped up to Kaeya, looking the fiercest I'd seen her all day. After an impromptu battle with hilichurls and escaping the stonehide lawachurl, that really meant something.

"Be mad at me," she demanded. "Not Lumine."

"If it weren't for her, I'd probably be half dead by now," Huffman confessed. "Lumine saved my life."

"And she showed me strength," Ellin continued. "In that way, she saved me too. I know that you…you Vision holders think you're all that. I know you probably think we can't handle ourselves, but Lumine is proof that we can do it. On our own, we are capable."

I smiled at her and she gave me an aggressive thumbs-up.

"I know." Kaeya looked from her to me, and his shoulders deflated. "Trust me, I know. That won't stop me from worrying."

"I made a promise to you, Lumine." Diluc pushed past Kaeya and lowered his voice so only I could hear. "I don't believe in broken promises, but I failed you today. And for that, I apologize."

I widened my eyes. "Don't be sorry. Me getting stranded out there had nothing to do with you. And, if I'm being honest…I don't remember what your promise was."

"You don't?"

Whatever he had promised me, it was at a time when my mind was beyond retaining any valuable information. I'd spent days after the Pinkity Drinkity incident trying to recall the promise Diluc briefly mentioned, but nothing came to mind. I had hoped it was something minor, and that it would be fine if I didn't know the details, but it must have been important if he brought it up at a time like this.

"Lumine hit her head." Thoma appeared behind me, resting a hand for comfort on my shoulder. I leaned into the familiar warmth. "It could be that her memory loss stems from that."

It most certainly did not.

I noticed Diluc's eyes flick to my shoulder, and his eyes narrowed. "She should go to the infirmary. Memory loss inducing head trauma is more severe than a concussion."

Thoma moved closer to me. "I know. We were waiting for the raid to be over with."

"They're all gone."

I gasped. "Really?"

"Really." Diluc's hard expression softened at my hopeful tone. "Campus is once again secure."

That was a huge relief to hear, but the victory didn't soothe me as much as it should. How long would this peace last?