Lucius' room was not what he expected.
When the door slid open, he braced himself for something functional and sterile, maybe even cramped. He'd imagined shared bunks or something barely livable, the way academies usually treated students regardless of pedigree.
Instead, the lights flickered on and revealed a space that was... comfortable.
The floor was made of light-colored wood panels, polished just enough to catch the gleam of the overhead lights. A large bed with a firm but welcoming mattress sat in the center of the room, covered in navy-blue sheets. To the side was a reading table with a matte surface, wide enough to host a dozen books and a couple of monitors. Above it hung a sleek, adjustable light that responded to hand gestures.
In the corner stood a shelf-- short, but filled. A complete set of Academy textbooks rested neatly there, their spines pristine and unread.
The wardrobe opened with a hiss and revealed pressed uniforms already tailored to his measurements. The air smelled faintly of sandalwood, likely from a hidden diffuser.
Lucius let out a low whistle.
"I could live here."
He stepped inside, tossed his bag onto the bed, and ran his hand along the bookshelf, reading off the titles.
Monster Biology: Revised Edition.
Blessings and Their Limitations.
New World Geography.
He paused at that one.
"Boring already."
The next day started with grey skies and a class that practically bled apathy.
Lucius sat near the back of the lecture hall, his head tilted just enough that he could appear engaged while letting his mind wander. The hall was large, tiered, and cold, built more for capacity than comfort. On the board, a glowing map shifted slowly between overlays of landmasses and colored regions.
Professor Henley, a man whose beard was longer than his patience, waved his hand across the screen and spoke in a voice that carried no urgency.
"Due to the First War and subsequent loss of territory during the Titan emergence, the previous global structure collapsed. Entire continents submerged, were fractured, or rendered uninhabitable. As a result, the world is now divided into seven regions, named after the lost continents."
The map stopped shifting. It showed two massive landmasses: the remains of Asia and Europe. Outlined over them were new borders.
New Africa. New Antarctica. New Asia. New Australia. New Europe. New North America. New South America.
Lucius stared at the map.
He understood the logic. Nostalgia painted over ruin. But the names felt empty. Like the world couldn't admit it had moved on, so it tried to recreate what it had lost.
"The majority of human civilization now resides within these regions," Henley continued, tapping at the screen. "Each is governed independently but operates under the Global Alliance Treaty, maintained through the Temple Accords."
Lucius stopped listening.
His eyes shifted to the window. Clouds rolled by in lazy spirals.
He didn't care about treaties. He didn't care about New World politics. The only thing he cared about right now was surviving whatever this academy had in store for him.
When the class finally ended, he let out a sigh so deep it felt like it came from his bones.
Alex appeared beside him like a ghost, clutching his textbook to his side.
"That was annoying."
Lucius didn't argue. "You're telling me."
Alex continued, his voice almost insulted. "I already knew all of that. Word for word. Why do people waste time saying things to people who already know it?"
Lucius smirked. "I didn't know shit, but yes. It was very annoying."
Alex blinked. Then grinned. "Fair."
Their next class wasn't mandatory.
Or rather, it was, but the choice was theirs: Elemental Theory or Combat Fundamentals.
The hallway outside the lecture hall split into two branching corridors. Above one door hovered the glowing sigil of a flame wrapped around a crystal. The other had the emblem of two crossed weapons.
Lucius looked to Alex. "Combat?"
"Combat."
They moved together toward the path marked with the crossed blades.
The corridor was narrow, lit by hanging lights that buzzed faintly. As they reached the door to the Combat class, it slid open with a metallic hiss.
From within, a man stepped out.
He was old, though not in the way of fragility. His frame was lean, his posture perfect. Twin swords were strapped across his back in an X. His head was tilted slightly, and across his eyes was a black cloth, tied tight. He gave no indication of surprise, yet Lucius knew immediately, he was blind.
The man paused. His head turned slightly, as if catching something in the air.
His voice came out calm, measured.
"That's a good weapon."
Lucius glanced down at his katana.
The words weren't kind or condescending. Just honest.
Then, without another word, the man stepped back into the classroom.
Lucius stood in silence for a moment longer.
He looked down at his sword.
Maybe it wasn't just rust and memory after all.
He stepped forward.
And entered the class.