The next day at school, Takeshi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He'd barely slept, his mind racing through the weird dreamworld, the reflections, and most of all—Asami.
It was lunchtime. Takeshi sat by the window in the cafeteria, picking at his food. His usual crowd of friends was scattered around, but he wasn't paying much attention. His eyes kept darting to the entrance, waiting for her to show up.
But she didn't. Asami didn't come to lunch.
His heart skipped. He tried to focus on his food, but the strange, uneasy feeling in his chest wouldn't go away. Every time he thought about her, it was like there was something more—something he wasn't seeing.
"Hey, Takeshi."
He turned to see Riku standing next to his table, grinning like usual. "You're looking like a zombie today. What's going on?"
Takeshi forced a smile. "Just tired."
Riku leaned in, lowering his voice. "You really need to stop thinking about Asami so much. She's probably just busy or something."
Takeshi blinked. "I'm not thinking about her."
"Uh-huh," Riku said, not believing a word. "Well, whatever. But you gotta stop stressing. You're way too tense. You've been acting weird ever since that night."
Takeshi didn't answer. He wasn't sure how to explain it to Riku. How could he?
The Drift was still messing with his head. Every night, the dream world felt more real. And his power? It was growing stronger, but also dangerous.
He glanced around the cafeteria. Everyone was laughing, talking, enjoying the day. But the weight on his shoulders felt heavy. He wasn't just a regular high schooler anymore. Not after everything he'd seen in Nehvarra. Not after his Drift awakened.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Hey, Takeshi."
It was Asami.
She was standing right in front of him, looking at him with that same unreadable expression. She wasn't wearing her usual cold demeanor today. Something about her seemed... different. More fragile, maybe.
"Can we talk?" Asami asked, her voice soft.
Takeshi blinked. "Uh, sure."
He stood up and followed her outside, away from the noise of the cafeteria.
They stood by the side of the school building, the air cool against his skin.
Asami crossed her arms, looking down at the ground. "I've been thinking a lot... about you."
Takeshi's heart thudded in his chest. Was she talking about that? About the dream world? About Nehvarra?
"Listen, I know you've been... acting strange," Asami continued, "but there's more going on here than you know. And I'm not sure how much I can explain, but... you're not the only one with secrets."
Takeshi frowned. "What do you mean?"
Asami took a deep breath, looking up at him. "I've been keeping an eye on you because... you're different. But it's not just your Drift. There's something else. Something older."
Takeshi's pulse quickened. What was she talking about? Older?
Before he could ask more, Asami's eyes flicked to the side, a sharp look crossing her face. "We're not safe here. Not anymore."
Takeshi was about to ask what she meant when, without warning, the world around them shifted.
One second, they were standing outside the school. The next, they were standing on the edge of a vast dark desert, sand swirling around them, the air thick with a strange energy.
"What...?" Takeshi gasped, looking around.
Asami stepped forward, her face serious. "This is Nehvarra. And it's not safe anymore."
Takeshi's head spun. How? Why? Why was he here?
Asami's voice was low. "Something's hunting us. Something more powerful than you can imagine. And we can't run away anymore."
Before Takeshi could speak, a shadow flickered across the desert. Something huge moved in the distance, a shape so dark it seemed to swallow the light.
End of Chapter 9.