I stared at the vast palace in awe, situated just beneath the radiant divine tree, its roots spreading through the forest, surrounded by numerous oak trees. The car halted in front of the front gate, and the cool night air greeted us, a faint scent of moonlight lingering in the air.
"The moonveil estate welcomes the esteemed guest, " a woman at the gate announced gracefully. "Would you please bring forth your hand?" I extended my hand, she dipped a quill in a glowing vial, and traced a rune across our hands. A slight warmth swept up my wrist.
"What's this for?" I asked.
"A rune that will let you through the protective barrier. Without it, your entry won't be permitted," she explained.
We walked past shimmering fountains and a garden full of flowers that gleamed faintly under the moonlight. Eventually, we reached the main gate, and inside, the voices of people could be heard, accompanied by a faint hum of music played by the musicians.
"Don't be nervous," Asher muttered, placing his hand on our shoulder. "If anyone asks your origin, just tell them you are my disciple." I nodded.
As we stepped inside, several pairs of eyes focused on us, some friendly, some curious, and others assessing. The Moonveil estate was much more magnificent from within, the glass ceiling above reflecting the gleaming starlight into the spacious hall, which was permeated with golden light.
"Kristen!, Asher!"
A mellow voice echoed through the hall. Sir Gerald approached us with steady steps, along with Alina, who was dressed in an emerald dress, which accentuated her eyes beautifully. She approached us with a graceful smile.
"Rayne, Zeilona," She greeted warmly, "How have you been doing?"
"We've been doing well, Miss Alina. I must say I didn't expect you to see me here as well."
"Well… I wasn't planning on attending the ball either at first, but things changed at the last moment." She murmured shyly.
"By the way," she glanced at us, "Your dress looks so pretty, it's unreal, you're even wearing rings, it looks gorgeous."
"...T-thanks"
Gerald looked at us with a curious gaze, "I am glad you are doing well. You both look much stronger than when I first saw you."
"We appreciate it," I said, bowing slightly.
"I heard Asher has taken you in as his disciple, honestly. I didn't believe it at first when the rumor reached me. Since he is known for refusing to take anyone under his wing. But seeing you here, I suppose the stories were true after all."
We chatted for a while before more people started surrounding Kristen, Lylia, and Asher with greetings and questions.
Alina grabbed our hands, dragging us out of the crowd. "This…is exactly why I hate going to such events," she grumbled.
"Is it always like this?"
"Yeah…Women flock around my brother since he is a potential marriage candidate, and others cling to Kristen and Lylia, trying to get favors. Asher rarely attends such events, so everyone's especially eager to talk to him."
"The pressure in these balls can be suffocating," Alina grumbled.
"How about we get something to eat? I am sure you must be hungry," Zei suggested. Alina's eyes lit up as a small chuckle left my mouth. Everything was going great so far.
We headed towards the dining area and sat at a table. The waitress brought us glasses of champagne, the bubbles rising like tiny stars. We savoured some sweets and pastries.
"So," Alina began, "how has your training been?"
"It's going well, with the pace we are progressing, we might be able to catch up in time for the enrollment exams this year."
"That's wonderful," she murmured, "I love for us to attend the academy together."
"That would be great, though I am not so confident in passing since I haven't even awakened my attribute yet."
"I am sure you will succeed, don't worry about it," She assured gently.
"...I really hope so."
"That reminds me," Zei asked, "Alina, didn't you mention you weren't going to attend the ball? What made you change your plan?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you… Someone I have known for a long time is coming, so I am here to meet him." As we were chatting, someone approached us, or to be more precise, approached Alina.
"My lady," A man whispered in Alina's ear, "Would you give this man the honor of your first dance?" His white hair stood out from everyone else.
Alina's shoulders stiffened the moment the man's voice reached her ears, as if recognizing the voice. She turned her head sharply, meeting the man's crimson gaze. Without uttering another word, she rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around him.
"Icarus! Is it really you?" She muttered.
"Yeah…it's me," He said softly, a gentle smile touching his lips. "I'm glad to see you're doing well, Alina. I've missed you." As the words left his mouth, he was jabbed with a cane in his abdomen. He looked at her with a confused look.
"It's been a YEAR! Why didn't you contact me, you rascal? Do you have even the slightest idea of how worried I was?" Alina lashed out.
"Ow....I'm sorry, " He coughed. "I was restricted from communicating with anyone during my expedition," he blurted helplessly.
"Don't give me bullshit reasons," She spat. It was the first time I had seen her show such temper
"I swear I'm not lying, I'll explain everything to you later in detail," He pleaded, but still got hit one last time.
After a few moments, she sighed, her gaze softening slightly.
The man glanced in our direction, attempting to change the topic of conversation, "Who might these people be?"
"Oh, I forgot to introduce you to each other."
"Rayne, Zeilona, this is Icarus. He has been with me since childhood. Icarus, meet Rayne and Zeilona, they are Asher's disciples."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Zei and I bowed politely.
"Oh, you don't have to do that." He replied, "If anything, I should be thanking you for taking care of Alina, she can be a bit too much to handle sometimes." He narrowly dodged another blow from her cane.
"Stop spouting nonsense, you scoundrel." Alina blurted, "It was rare to see such a side of her. They must have known each other very well for them to act like this in front of each other."
"So are you really Sir Asher's disciple?" He questioned.
"That is correct." I replied, "Why is there a problem?"
"No, it's just that I assumed you would be crowded by people. Since Sir Asher is such a renowned warrior."
"I guess, people are still wary of us," I said. "It's okay, though, we don't mind, it's rather peaceful this way."
"That's one way to see the bright side, " He chuckled."Are you also going to join the military this year?"
"We intend to," I answered, "but getting accepted or not is another matter entirely."
"Icarus's father is a professor at the Eleithiyan Imperial War Academy." Alina bragged.
He laughed."She's right. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
"We really appreciate it."
He glanced around. "It looks like the Generals are not here yet, so we still have some time. How about a tour? I am sure sitting here surrounded by so many gazes must be suffocating."
"That sounds great," I glanced at the center. Kristen and Asher seemed to have gone somewhere, so it should be fine to wander around a bit.
"I heard there is an observatory at the top," he added, "the view from there is said to be truly ethereal."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go," Alina murmured excitedly.
We ascended the grand staircase, People casually stealing glances at us.
"What is it like at the academy?" I asked.
"It's great, actually, though it tends to push you to your limits to make you a capable soldier. You will be put in extreme situations and will have to make hard decisions."
"What kind of extreme situation?" Zei asked
"You'll fight Profane beings," He said quietly, "Mindless beings who know no mercy and gouge on their prey, tearing them apart while they are alive, even the smallest mistake can lead to a brutal death."
"Of course, there are supervisors and professors present, monitoring the tests. Casualties are rare but not zero."
"That's…" I swallowed hard.
Seeing my expression, Icarus smiled, "You may think that this might be too extreme, but it's necessary to make them realise that once they step onto the battlefield, anything can happen, and hesitation and ignorance can cost lives."
He continued, "In the academy, you'll form a combat unit. Where each person has a specific role, a war strategist will be the mind of your unit, informing you about the enemy's coordinates and how to move forward with minimal casualties. Then, there are the vanguard and strike teams, whose role is to fight on the frontline and clear the path forward. Then there are support roles like medics or snipers who watch your flank. All of these combined make a single unit, whose aim is to neutralise the source of profanity while vanquishing the creatures."
"That's quite harsh," Zei muttered, "Do all students have to go through such hardships?"
"Don't worry, the first-year students are kept away from the battlefield, they learn combat, study strategies, how to survive, and hone their skills first. Only after passing the requirements, they are deployed onto the battlefield." He explained.
"With each victory your unit gains, your rank will grow as well. There are 12 ranks in the academy, from Iron to Radiance." He continued, "In the academy, your rank is your everything, no matter what your background is, whether you are an orphan or the son of a noble."
"That's quite a lot of information," Alina muttered.
"They have made some changes for this year's students, but it should be the same for the most part."
"Are you going to join the academy this year as well?" I asked.
He nodded, "Yes, my goal is to become a war strategist. But to command and be responsible for the lives of others is an endearing task."
"If you are already feeling the weight of responsibility, then you are on the right path. I am sure you will become a great warrior." I reassured
He smiled faintly, "Thank you."
After the long walk through the moonlight corridors, we reached the observatory. The moment we stepped inside, the night sky unfurled above us. The vast tapestry of stars stretched across the night sky, moonlight pouring through the glass dome bathed everything in a calm, ethereal glow.
"It's beautiful," Zei whispered.
"I didn't know anyone else would be here." An unfamiliar voice echoed through the glass room, breaking the silence.