*Location - Abydos Desert*

Nyx found herself wandering the vast expanse of the Abydos desert, the weight of recent events pressing heavily on her mind. She glanced down at her transformed appearance—the scythe in her hand, the demonic horns, the chains adorning her body—and sighed.

"Maybe I went a bit too far," she muttered to herself, the desolate landscape offering no response.

The enigmatic figure from her vision lingered in her thoughts.

"Who the hell is he?" she wondered aloud, frustration evident in her voice. Their last encounter had been during a moment of unconsciousness, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Her mind drifted to Seia, recalling the primal fury that had overtaken her friend.

"Acting like a damn animal," Nyx mused. "Ignoring the fox part, she was more like a grizzly bear."

The memory of Nagisa's sacrifice surfaced, bringing a pang of guilt.

"That damn idiot," she whispered. "Mika was alive; all we needed was to stabilize her. But no, Nagisa had to play the hero."

The realization that returning to Trinity was now improbable weighed heavily on her.

"Seia's lost her mind, Nagisa's gone, and Mika... who knows?"

As she trudged through the desert sands, the silhouette of Abydos High School emerged on the horizon. The institution, known for its dwindling student body, seemed like a potential refuge.

Approaching the entrance, Nyx's thoughts were interrupted by the cold barrel of a gun pressing against her forehead.

"Who are you, and what's your purpose here, ueeh?" a lethargic voice demanded.

Nyx's eyes met those of Hoshino Takanashi, whose half-open eyes and disheveled appearance contrasted sharply with the weapon she wielded.

"I, uh, just want to be here," Nyx stammered. "I don't intend to cause harm."

Hoshino's gaze remained unimpressed.

"You think this old man would believe you?"

"Old man?" Nyx thought, puzzled. "She's clearly a woman."

Before Nyx could respond, another voice interjected.

"What's going on here?"

A girl with silver hair and fox-like ears approached—Shiroko Sunaookami.

"This girl has a gun pointed at me," Nyx explained, exasperated.

"Let's all calm down," Shiroko suggested. "We can sort this out."

Hoshino's eyes narrowed.

"Why are you carrying a scythe? It's not normal to lug around melee weapons. Guns are more practical."

Nyx shrugged.

"Maybe it gives me an advantage."

A sudden headache made her wince, memories of Seia's transformation flooding back.

"Come inside," Shiroko offered. "We can talk more comfortably."

Inside the modest classroom, the atmosphere was a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Who's the new girl?" Ayane Okusora inquired, adjusting her glasses.

"Her name's Nyx," Shiroko replied.

"Why's she carrying a massive scythe?" Serika Kuromi questioned, eyeing the weapon warily.

Hoshino, now reclining in a chair, interjected.

"This girl could be useful."

"For robbing banks?" Shiroko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, we're not robbing banks," Ayane retorted, exasperated.

"I think she's cute," Nonomi Izayoi chimed in, her cheerful demeanor lightening the mood. "But where did she come from?"

Hoshino examined Nyx's attire, noting the Trinity insignia.

"She's from Trinity General School."

The room fell silent, the weight of unspoken questions hanging in the air.

"I... I needed a place to go," Nyx admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

The Abydos students exchanged glances, the unspoken consensus forming.

"Well," Hoshino sighed, "I suppose you can stay. But no funny business, got it?"

Nyx nodded, relief washing over her. For now, she had found a temporary haven amidst the chaos of her existence.

Nyx sat on a dusty chair in Abydos High, staring out the window at the vast desert. She had been here for only a short time, yet she knew she had to be careful. She had no intention of letting them know what had happened at Trinity—Seia’s breakdown, Nagisa’s death, Mika’s unstable state. If any of that came out, she might as well start looking for another school.

"Ugh," she groaned, rubbing her temples. "If I mess this up, I'm screwed."

Abydos was already in a rough spot, barely keeping itself afloat. She had overheard conversations about the school's financial struggles—Kaiser Corporation owned most of their land, and they were drowning in debt.

It reminded her of something else… Yume's death.

Hoshino had been seen around Yume before, at least on occasion. Did she know? Did she care? Nyx shook her head. Not my business. She wasn’t about to go digging around where she didn’t belong. She just needed to lay low until things settled down.

Meanwhile, back at Trinity—

"She’s completely out of control," Sensei muttered, pacing the room as the loud, guttural growls of Seia echoed through the walls.

In front of him, a reinforced containment cage held what was once Seia. She snarled, her hands clawing at the bars like a feral beast. Her once composed demeanor had completely shattered—now she acted on instinct alone, barely resembling a human.

Rin stood beside him, arms crossed. "What should we do? There's nobody left in the Tea Party except Mika… and in her current state, I doubt we can trust her with this."

Sensei ran a hand down his face. "I've tried everything to bring Seia back. Every method, every technique… nothing works. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Rin sighed. "We can't leave Trinity in this state. Without a leader, everything will fall apart. We might have to shut down Trinity temporarily."

"Are you insane!?" Sensei snapped. "Where would the students go? Koharu, the others—they rely on this school! We can't just abandon them!"

Rin frowned, realizing he was right. They needed someone to take control. Someone who, despite their flaws, had power.

Someone like…

"Nyx."

The name lingered in the air for a moment.

"Nyx?" Sensei repeated, almost in disbelief.

"She may be reckless, but she’s strong. The students would respect her. If we can keep her in check, she might be the only one capable of stabilizing this place."

Before Sensei could protest, Mika walked into the room, her expression dark.

"If you're going to drag Nyx into this," Mika said coldly, "at least make sure she doesn't destroy Trinity in the process. I love this school—I won’t stand by and watch it fall apart."

Rin nodded. "We'll make sure she doesn’t cause any harm. But whether she likes it or not… we need her."

Back at Abydos…

Nyx sat up, feeling an unease settle over her. She didn’t know why, but she had the sinking feeling that her peace wouldn’t last long.

And she was right.