The morning sky over Aezrith was clear, but not everyone inside the Academy walls shared the sky's serenity. Behind the seemingly peaceful daily routines, troubling reports from beyond the borders had started to pour in—and not all of them carried good news.
Kael stepped into the Central Tower Library, a place he often visited when seeking calm. Towering walls lined with ancient tomes, the soft glow of magical crystals hanging between stone pillars—this sanctuary always brought him peace.
He didn't expect to see anyone else there.
A girl stood behind an old wooden table, dressed in a royal-blue gown. Her reddish hair was neatly braided, and her eyes shone as brightly as the morning sky. Though she appeared graceful, there was a faint weariness in her expression.
Kael recognized her. They had crossed paths several times in the library and had grown fairly familiar with each other.
Princess Seraphine Valeria Ignis Aezrith, second heir to the Aezrith throne.
> "Princess?" Kael greeted her softly.
Seraphine turned, offering a faint smile.
> "Kael Rynthier. There's no need for titles here. I'm just… Seraphine. A regular Academy student reading a book."
Kael chuckled lightly.
> "In that case… it's good to see you again, Seraphine."
They sat in a quiet corner of the library, at an old wooden table facing a large window. Warm sunlight spilled across the table's surface.
> "You know," Seraphine began, flipping open a thick book, "every time I read a report from the border, it feels like the world is moving too fast. Neighboring nations are collapsing under rebellion. And the rebels… they're not just trying to overthrow their own rulers anymore—they're starting to attack our borders too."
Kael turned to her calmly. "Is that why my father hasn't been coming home lately? How bad is it out there?"
Seraphine sighed gently.
> "Rebel forces have appeared again. This time not just on the western front… but in the southeast as well. Even small towns like Windorn have suffered damage. We've already sent aid to our allied kingdom, but… it seems these rebels have powerful allies. They're too organized. If this keeps up, that kingdom may only have 25% of its territory left before it falls."
Kael fell silent, eyes drifting to the page of a book he hadn't even started reading.
> "Is this… turning into a war?"
Seraphine didn't answer right away. Her eyes gazed out the window at the sky.
> "Not an open war. Not yet. But… something is coming. And I don't think we have much time to prepare."
The air grew still, the silence heavy.
Kael clasped his hands together atop the table.
> "The Academy might look like a normal school. But everyone knows—this place is where the kingdom's future pillars are forged."
Seraphine looked at him, her golden eyes shining with quiet resolve.
> "And I believe… you are one of those pillars, Kael."
Kael offered a small smile, but didn't answer directly. He only said:
> "I don't know if I'm worthy. But… I won't run from what I have to do."
Seraphine nodded, then stood slowly.
> "Thank you for listening. Sometimes… I just need someone who sees me not as a princess, but as a friend."
> "In that case, come by anytime. I'm pretty good at listening," Kael replied warmly.
They smiled at each other. And as Seraphine walked away, a soft floral scent lingered in the air—an elegant trace of her presence.
---
Academy Courtyard – A Meeting of Two Forces
By late afternoon, Kael strolled to the back courtyard of the Academy—a quiet spot where students often trained without interruption. He didn't expect to run into anyone there.
Lancer stood beneath a tall tree, sharpening his sword with a strip of dark cloth—a relic of his clan.
Kael approached without a word.
Lancer glanced up and nodded slightly.
> "Kael."
> "Lancer."
For a moment, only the wind spoke, rustling the leaves overhead.
> "The next exam… I heard it involves team-based trials," Lancer began.
> "Yeah," Kael replied, folding his arms. "And I think we'll be facing each other again."
Lancer gave a faint smile—rare for him.
> "Maybe. But I don't care who's on my team. I'm only waiting for one thing… our duel. A real one. No interruptions. No tactical schemes. Just you and me."
Kael met his gaze with equal seriousness.
> "You want to test yourself again?"
> "No. I want to be sure of one thing… that I truly am the stronger one. Or… to know exactly where the wall is that I must break."
Kael nodded.
> "Then we'll meet there. I won't hold back."
> "Good," Lancer said. "Because I want to see with my own eyes what makes everyone keep saying the name 'Kael Rynthier'."
> "And I want to see… if you really are as dangerous as everyone fears."
They locked eyes. No hatred. No malice. Just mutual respect… and burning resolve.
The wind carried fallen leaves around them. And in that quiet courtyard, two of the Academy's finest stood face-to-face—bound by an unspoken promise of a coming clash.
A clash that the whole world would feel.
[Eastern Edge of the Border Town – Windorn]
Night had fallen over the small town of Windorn, one of the easternmost defensive outposts near the southeastern border.
Night watchmen stood alert atop the watchtower. There was no sound except the whisper of the wind and the rustling of dry branches. Magical torches burned faintly, casting a cold blue glow.
Suddenly, the sharp clang of metal echoed from the forest beyond. One guard turned his head sharply.
> "Did you hear that?" he whispered.
The other nodded. They readied themselves—spears lifted, enchanted eyes activated.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Something shot out from the trees. A black blur flew toward the tower—and in seconds, the entire upper level erupted in dark flames unlike any known magic.
A cloaked figure in violet, wearing a metal mask, stood atop the rubble. In his left hand, a swirling orb of hissing magic pulsed with unstable energy.
> "This is just the beginning," he muttered, his voice deep and cold.
From the shadows behind him, rebel troops emerged—not many, but well-trained and moving in tight formation. They slipped through the eastern edge of the town, silent and deadly.
One of the remaining city guards—an officer—raised his sword and shouted:
> "Another assault! Send word to the Capital! This isn't a random raid—they know our positions!"
But before he could trigger the emergency signal, the masked figure raised his hand and fired a blast of dark magic into the sky, striking the main signal tower. The airborne communication crystal shattered on impact.
The crystal's last glow flickered—and died.
Windorn could no longer call for help.
And that night, the skies above Aezrith's borders were filled once again with screams, explosions, and clouds of magic fog curling over rooftops like a suffocating storm.
---
[Chapter End]
Meanwhile, far within the walls of Aezrith Academy, Kael and Lancer parted ways with their own silent resolutions... unaware that the shadow of war was no longer just creeping in.
It was real.
Not in dreams.
Not in lessons.
But in their homeland.
And none of them knew...
That on this night, history had begun writing its next bloody chapter.