Reincarnation: Beyond Mortal Bounds.

Riven's fists clenched so tightly that the knuckles turned white as he stormed down the corridor, each step pounding with the force of his fury. His mind was a whirlwind of rage, and his entire body felt like it was trembling with suppressed violence.

"Damn that fucking Vaelorian and his fucking 'mighty-than-thou' attitude!" Riven cursed under his breath, the words bitter and hot on his tongue.

What the hell is the older boy's problem, anyway?

One minute Vaelorian was acting like he was the nicest, most generous person in the world—smiling, offering to train him, healing him—then all of a sudden, he starts pulling stunts like this?

Riven ran his hand through his hair in frustration, he could still see Vaelorian's smug face, that self-satisfied smirk twisting his lips, the way his eyes flickered with amusement just before vanishing behind that stupid handsome face of his.

Why the hell is he messing with him?

Riven's fists clenched tighter as he pushed open the door to their shared room with a loud bang. And then—immediately—the scent hit him. A faint, intoxicating aroma of expensive perfumes and rare oils.

"Everything smells like Vaelorian."

His eyes darted across the room, instinctively narrowing. The pristine shelves gleamed like they belonged to some porcelain collection, every item meticulously arranged—neatly folded clothes, gleaming artifacts that shimmered like there held hidden stories.

Everything was so...Vaelorian, a picture of perfection, of control.

"God, I hate him so much!"

Riven's jaw clenched as he stepped further inside. Without thinking, he grabbed a nearby vase—an ornate, delicate thing, probably worth more than his own life—and with a surge of fury, he hurled it against the wall. The vase shattered into jagged shards with a sharp crash, scattering across the polished floor like a storm of glass. His breath hitched, a mixture of relief and rage coursing through him.

Next, he yanked open drawers—clothes, jewelry, even Vaelorian's prized books—tossing them out in a wild storm of destruction.

He kicked over a chair, sending it crashing to the ground, ripped down a curtain, and finally, with a furious yell, tore down a silk tapestry, the fabric tearing like paper in his hands.

The room was a mess—clothes strewn across the floor, furniture upended, the air thick with his anger, the scent of destruction lingering like a storm's aftershock.

Riven stepped back, panting, chest heaving as he looked around at the chaos he'd wrought. His eyes burned with a fierce, blazing intensity.

"There! That should get under his perfect princely skin."

A wicked smile curled on his lips, a moment of silence, then he turned to leave, the storm inside him momentarily sated—sedated, even.

No way Vaelorian would want to share a room with him after that mess. Hell, maybe he'd even decide he didn't want to see or train Riven again. And honestly? That suited him just fine, right?

-----

Riven walked down the corridor after destroying Vaelorian's belongings, the world seemed a little clearer, a little lighter. His mind was a bit free from the storm he was feeling earlier.

He was still lost in his own world and then, out of nowhere, a voice cut through his thoughts—sweet, curious, and a little hesitant.

"Hello? You're Riven, right?"

Riven froze, startled. His head whipped around to see a girl—brunette, bright-eyed, with a cheerful smile—getting right into his face. She had a cute, innocent charm about her, her expression eager and friendly.

"Um… yeah! And who are you?" Riven managed, voice rough from the fury still simmering beneath.

"I'm Mira Lune," she said brightly, stretching her hand out as if they'd known each other for ages. "Your new class partner!"

He hesitated for a moment, then shook her hand, a little bewildered. "Oh… yeah. I almost forgot that happened" he muttered, trying to mask the residual anger in his tone.

Her smile faltered just briefly, and she tilted her head in confusion.

"Pardon?"

Riven shook his head, a half-smile flickering on his lips as he tried to smooth over his rough mood.

"Hi, Mira Lune. Nice to meet you, you have a nice name," he said, his voice sounded softer now.

"Thanks!" she beamed, her face lighting up. "Nice to meet you too. And you have a beautiful name too!"

Riven hesitated. "Thanks," he replied. His mind was still racing from the storm he'd just caused. He was supposed to be with Anya, brainstorming ideas for their history project—like yesterday. Now he's back to square one and everything was a mess because of that asshole.

He took a breath, trying to regain his composure.

"I was supposed to—uh—meet up with Anya so we could brainstorm and stuff..." he started explaining then paused when the brunette just looked at him blankly, "that's my old class partner!" he clarified.

"Oh, okay," she said softly, understanding flickering across her face.

"Yeah. So… shall we get to it? There's not much time until lunch is over," Riven added quickly, eager to get something done. He gestured toward the common area, and she nodded eagerly, following him.

As they walked, Mira Lune broke the silence.

"So, what do you think our project should be about?"

Riven hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was thinking about doing a story about one of the great houses—mine, maybe?"

It would've been easy to convince Anya, since she seemed interested in him, but now he's not so sure that's going to happen.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Mira Lune said brightly, eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Can we include artistic illustrations? I've been itching to do some drawing lately."

Riven blinked, surprised. "You draw?"

She nodded happily, a grin spreading across her face.

"Yeah! I love drawing. It's kinda my thing."

"Hmm…" Riven thought, a small flicker of hope sparking.

Maybe this project wouldn't be a total disaster after all.

He was planning to use this project as a way to learn more about his new family—he has learned that there are four major houses that had contributed to the fight and rebuilding the empire after the great war.

According to what he'd learned, they hold power based on their ranks, and House Ashbourne is currently the last in the ranks. Which is probably why his new father was desperate, he wants to climb higher.

Riven needed to understand everything he could about his house, maybe that could help him in coming up with a plan to get his family recognized by the emperor. That might even help him in his mission.

"Mira Lune! An artistic illustration sounds like a fantastic idea," Riven said, a genuine smile forming. The girl's face lit up even more.

"I knew you'd like it! We're definitely going to get good grades on this," she said happily.

They made their way to the common area, which was mostly empty now—some campers had already gone back to class. It was the perfect spot to settle in. They found a quiet corner and took their seats.

"So, what's our strategy?" Mira Lune asked, eyes hopeful.

Riven thought for a moment, then nodded. "Let's focus on the contributions of Duke Ashbourne during and after the great war."

Mira Lune nodded eagerly. "And… what if we add a twist?"

Riven raised an eyebrow. "A twist?"

She grinned mischievously. "What if we include your recent victory in the empire exams?"

He blinked. "My victory?"

She nodded shyly. "Yeah. Coming in second in the entire empire is a big deal, and Ms. Thorne is a sucker for overachievers. We could make that a part of our story."

Riven hesitated, because he had no idea what she was talking about but then, he smiled. Whatever works right?

"That's a good idea, Mira Lune. "You're pretty smart, you know?"

She tossed her hair with a sassy grin. "Yeah, I'm pretty."

Riven chuckled. "What? I said you're pretty smart, not pretty." he clarified.

"Same difference!" She replied winking, and Riven couldn't help but laugh.

For the first time since he woke up, his smile was genuine, his laughter carefree. And what a relief it was.

The storm of his anger had cooled, replaced by a strange sense of ease. Mira Lune might actually be the partner he needs. She seems chill—not his type, so he doesn't have to worry about getting physical or repeating yesterday's disaster of a kiss.

She also seems fun, at least with her, he wouldn't be bored.