Meanwhile, elsewhere in Zendor…
In an ancient, sunlit temple nestled within the golden city of Sol'varya—capital of the Sun Elves—a serene hush lingered under the high arches of enchanted stone. Rays of sunlight poured through crystal skylights, casting warm hues over sacred murals and molten-gold tiles.
A woman knelt in solemn prayer beneath the open roof of the temple's central sanctum. Her hands were clasped, her face turned toward the rising sun above. Draped in a golden robe adorned with intricate red elven carvings, her sun-kissed skin shimmered in the light. Thick blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her golden eyes gleamed with both power and weariness. Elongated ears framed her face, each decorated with finely crafted golden earrings that glinted with the breath of the dawn.
"The time for prophecy has come," she whispered. "We must find the chosen one from Pandora. The Dark Mage King grows stronger with each passing day, and I fear the time we have left is dwindling. His army... it darkens the horizon."
A voice from behind interrupted her reverie, sharp but respectful.
"We have already taken measures to reach Pandora, Saintess," said the other woman with a hint of vexation. "We should be able to depart within two months—assuming the humans don't complicate things further."
The Saintess turned to face the speaker. The second elf stood tall in elegant robes woven with solar glyphs and delicate lunar runes. Her skin was pale, almost luminous, reminiscent of the Moon Elves, and her platinum hair flowed like liquid silver. Two pendants hung around her neck—one in the shape of the sun, the other a half-moon. Her golden eyes were both proud and conflicted.
"Are you doubting the prophecy. Lyra?" the Saintess asked, her tone gentle but firm.
"No," the elf replied, crossing her arms. "But I fail to see how a single human can turn the tide. They've been battling demons for two decades at most. We have been at war for nearly a century. The only reason we remain in stalemate is because the demons cannot cross the Sea of Nokoraine and reach the other continents. How could a human—and a Sun and Moon Elf alliance—be our salvation?"
"You claim to believe," the Saintess said with a knowing smile, turning back toward the rising sun, "and yet you question so much. Perhaps... it is not the prophecy you doubt, but the part you must play in it."
A flush rose on the younger elf's cheeks.
"You..."
Back in Pandora.
The soft hum of Fort Aetherhold stirred gently in the early morning. Inside his room, I stirred awake, blinking groggily at the faint glow filtering through the curtains. A glance at the digital clock told me it was just past five in the morning. I had slept for nearly ten hours straight.
No dreams. No nightmares. Just sleep.
I yawned and stretched before dragging myself to the kitchen. The cool tile met my bare feet, and I moved by muscle memory, fixing up a quick breakfast—eggs, toast, and black coffee. There was something almost normal about it, even in a place like this.
After finishing, I took a quick shower. The warm water chased away the lingering stiffness in my limbs, and I caught myself looking in the mirror again. My body still didn't feel entirely like mine. Taller. Leaner. Sharper.
Once dressed, I decided to head out. My room might be luxurious, but it still felt a bit too quiet.
The the stairs of the dormitory were empty, echoing with faint whispers of wind from the open mountain top. I made my way down the spiraling stairs and into the central garden. The air was crisp, touched with the clean scent of dew-covered leaves. The sky overhead was still a shade of indigo, stars fading as the sun prepared to rise.
I took a slow walk around the edge of the garden, passing the doors leading to different facilities. The tree in the center caught my eye again—tall, ancient, and dignified. And beneath it, sitting alone with a book on her lap, was a woman I hadn't seen before.
She looked to be around my age, maybe a little older. Blonde like Raj, with sharp features softened by quiet grace. Her posture was relaxed but aware, She glanced up as I approached.
"Didn't expect anyone else to be up this early," she said.
"Neither did I," I replied. "Couldn't sleep anymore. The silence was... strange here."
She gave a small smile. "It takes some getting used to."
"I'm Kade," I offered. "Kade Voss."
"Claire," she said, closing her book. "Claire Chandresh."
I blinked. "Wait… as in Raj Chandresh?"
She nodded. "He's my brother. Don't hold it against me."
I chuckled. "He seems intense."
"He is," she said, looking toward the horizon. "But he has his reasons."
There was a pause, and then she looked at me with curious eyes.
"You're the new recruit everyone's whispering about. The one who blasted a twenty-foot boulder?"
I scratched the back of my neck. "Uh... yeah. That was me."
"Not bad," she said, amusement in her voice. "Try not to die before breakfast tomorrow."
I laughed. "I'll do my best."
And for the first time since arriving, I felt something like ease.
Even if only for a moment.
Shortly after Claire left, I wandered back into my apartment, feeling oddly adrift.
With nothing better to do, I flopped down onto the couch and switched on the TV. But instead of a channel or news broadcast, a black-haired woman appeared on the screen. She stood with her arms clasped behind her back, speaking with clear, measured authority.
"Pleasure to meet you, new hunter," she said. "Oh, and please don't respond—this is a recording. I'm here to give you a deeper insight into our organization. If you would, press the blue button on your remote to proceed."
I blinked. "She really looks like Commander Lira…" I muttered under my breath. Still, I picked up the remote and pressed the blue button.
The image shifted slightly, and her voice resumed.
"First, we'll discuss your role in the organization. As a newly Awakened recruit, you will undergo comprehensive training. You'll learn about the nature of demons, corrupted beasts, and rift anomalies. Following your orientation, you'll receive combat instruction, team-based exercises, joint missions, and eventually—solo deployments.
"Your training period will last approximately two months under a designated mentor. Today's evaluation will determine your assigned path.for now understand these necessary details."
She paused, then the screen presented me with three options:
Organization Hierarchy
Hunter Ranks
Hunter Skill Store
"Guess I'll go step by step," I murmured, selecting the first.
[Organization Hierarchy]
The screen displayed a sleek diagram, each rank glowing softly in blue.
1. Rookie
New recruits who survived the World of Despair.
2. Hunter
Fully trained. Takes part in regular demon hunts. Can work solo on low-threat missions or in squads for more serious operations.
3. Elite Hunter
Veteran combatant. Leads field teams. Handles high-risk solo assignments and rift containment.
4. Warden
Strategic overseer. Coordinates regional operations and supervises multiple teams or a fortified location.
5. Commander
Among the strongest. Directs entire branches of the organization—like Fort Aetherhold.
I leaned back, arms crossed. So where do Damon and Raj fall? I guessed Elite or Warden at least.
I clicked forward.
[Hunter Ranks]
This one looked more straightforward:
Divine Order {I} – Level 10
Divine Order {II} – Level 20
Divine Order {III} – Level 40
Divine Order {IV} – Level 60
Divine Order {V} – Level 80
Divine Order {VI} – Level 100
So I've just started scratching the surface… I thought, remembering the absurd difference between my power and Damon's. Still, I was closing the gap faster than most. I think?
Curious, I selected the final topic.
[Hunter Skill Store]
The moment the screen loaded, a massive list appeared in front of me—dozens, no, hundreds of skill books. The prices were… outrageous.
One common healing skill was listed at $1,000,000.
I blinked twice. Did the seller forget a zero… or add too many?
Just then, that same skill dimmed slightly. Someone had purchased it.
"…Maybe the buyer's the one with a screw loose," I muttered.
Others were priced in Aether Crystals—Common, Uncommon, even Rare. Some offered devastating offensive skills, others rare movement techniques or magical detection abilities. It was a treasure trove, but clearly one you needed serious backing—or power—to access.
Before I could scroll further, the screen flickered.
A command appeared in bold white text across a black background:
Come to the garden at 7:30 a.m. sharp
— Commander Lira Velan
I stared at it for a moment, then looked at the time. It was already approaching 7 a.m.
Looks like the day's just getting started.