Chapter 5) The Golden Arcanum
The phoenix glided lower, wings slicing through the cool dawn air. The horizon blazed with gold and pink, and the world below slowly came alive.
Arvendis finally broke the silence, his voice steady but carrying weight:
"This… is the Golden Arcanum. Have you ever seen it before?"
Lucien's eyes widened. "No. Never."
A sudden brush of hair tickled his face, Serenya's soft pink strands, carried by the wind.
"The hell, what's with you?" he muttered, brushing it away quickly.
Serenya stirred, stretching as if waking from a long dream. She blinked at the sight ahead and gasped.
"Oh, are we already here? Good morning!"
Lucien didn't answer. His gaze was locked on the colossal structure rising ahead.
"Holy damn…" he thought, heart pounding. "It's massive. Bigger than anything I could've imagined…"
The spires of the Academy pierced the sky, shimmering as if woven from dawnlight itself. The phoenix slowed, circling gracefully until they landed right before the grand gates of the Golden Arcanum.
Lucien's chest tightened with awe.
"This is it. So many paths… so many damn possibilities. If I can make it here… if I can really enter this place… everything changes."
---
The phoenix landed with a heavy thud, talons scraping the marble at the gates. As they climbed down, the creature let out a piercing cry before spreading its massive wings and vanishing into the sky, flames trailing like ribbons behind it.
Lucien's eyes followed it until it disappeared into the dawn clouds.
"Damn…" he whispered under his breath.
Arvendis' voice cut in, calm but pressing:
"Listen well. In just a few hours, the Binding Ceremony begins."
Lucien jerked his head toward him. "Wait, what? Already?!"
Serenya blinked, rubbing her eyes, her expression twisting with surprise. "The ceremony? No way… it's today?"
Arvendis gave a rare, tight smile. "Fortune favors us. We made it in time. Serenya, you'll finally receive your beast. And you…" He turned sharply toward Lucien, gaze weighing on him.
Lucien tensed. "What about me?"
"Nothing for now. Just stick close to Serenya. She'll explain what you need to know. We'll sort out everything else after the ceremony. The ceremony cannot, must not, be delayed."
Before Lucien could say another word, Arvendis was already striding off, his cloak snapping behind him, disappearing through one of the side arches.
The two of them were left standing before the towering gates of the Golden Arcanum.
Lucien turned, and his stomach tightened. Groups of boys were streaming toward the entrance, well-dressed, polished, practically glowing with refinement. Silks, golden trims, crisp uniforms. They carried themselves like they owned the place, like princes marching into their throne room.
Some of them looked over, eyes flicking with disdain at Lucien's ragged clothes, his messy hair, the dirt of the forest still clinging to him. A couple even smirked.
Lucien swallowed hard, heat creeping up his neck.
Serenya leaned closer, her voice sharp but reassuring.
"Don't look at them. Don't even give them the damn satisfaction. Just follow me. We'll take our seats, and I'll explain everything once we're inside."
Lucien nodded stiffly, forcing himself to pull his gaze away from the glittering crowd and back toward the colossal gates opening ahead.
The gates swallowed them whole, and suddenly Lucien was inside the Golden Arcanum.
The place was… colossal. Towering pillars lined the corridors, glowing with runes that pulsed like veins of light. Voices echoed all around, a hundred conversations bouncing off the marble walls. Students hurried past in polished uniforms, some laughing, others serious, all of them looking like they belonged here.
Lucien? He felt like a shadow in a world of gold.
"We're heading to the Hall," Serenya said, brushing her rose-colored hair behind her ear. "The ceremony starts in just a few hours. We need to be ready."
Lucien nodded, though his throat was tight.
They stepped into the Hall.
And hell, Lucien's breath caught. He'd imagined something big, but not this.
The place was massive, almost cathedral-like. No seats, no neat rows. Just waves of students gathered around a vast open space in the center. Above, enchanted lights floated like stars, casting a golden glow. The air was alive with tension, whispers buzzing like a hive.
"This… this is where it happens?" Lucien muttered.
Serenya smirked. "Yep. Right there, in the center. That's where the beasts are called and bound."
She leaned closer, voice dropping just enough for only him to hear.
"They'll call us one by one. Your name echoes in this hall, you step forward, and then… the beast comes. What you get depends on your bloodline strength. The stronger the blood, the stronger the beast."
Lucien's chest tightened. Bloodline? Hell, what did he even have? Nothing.
Before he could ask, Serenya tugged his sleeve. "Come on. We need to register first."
She led him through the crowd, weaving past students until they reached a registration desk at the far side of the Hall. Behind it, a stern-looking mage with ink-stained fingers was scribbling names into a massive ledger glowing faintly with magic.
The line ahead of them crawled forward, the air thick with anticipation. Every student waiting looked like they were carrying entire dynasties on their shoulders.
Lucien swallowed hard.
As they neared the registration desk, Lucien leaned closer, frowning.
"Why the hell is everything happening so fast? I don't even get what's going on."
Serenya glanced at him with that careless smile.
"Oh, don't stress. I knew the ceremony was today. I just… got lost in the forest. That's all. We made it, so it's fine."
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"You're way too calm for someone who almost missed something this important."
She laughed softly, brushing her pink hair back.
"The point is, we didn't miss it." She grinned at him, as if that solved everything.
Lucien thought. "She's way too damn naïve."
The line moved forward, and finally they reached the desk. A thin man with round spectacles looked up, quill poised. His voice was flat.
"Name and age."
"Serenya Veylan. Age eighteen," she said, standing straight.
The quill scratched across the glowing ledger. "Next."
Lucien stepped up. The registrar barely glanced at him.
"Name. Age."
"Lucien Ardyn. Seventeen."
More scratching, then a small nod.
"Done. You'll be called when it's your turn."
Lucien stepped aside, exhaling, and Serneya bumped his shoulder lightly.
"See? Easy. Now let's get back to the hall."
He followed her, though his chest felt tight. Easy, huh? We'll see about that.
---
On the way back to the hall, Lucien muttered,
"This feels… too damn simple. You just walk up, say your name, and that's it? What if some random villager just strolls in and pretends?"
Serenya gave him a side glance, smirking.
"They wouldn't even get through the gates. You got in because I brought you. And Arvendis? He doesn't care who tags along, but he's not the one making the real decisions."
Lucien frowned, his voice dropping.
"…And what if I screw up? What if I don't get a beast at all?"
Serenya tilted her head, thinking for half a second, then shrugged.
"Then maybe you'll at least get a Common Rank. Better than nothing, right? You won't know unless you try." She smiled, light and careless, as if failure wasn't even an option.
Lucien stared at her, his jaw tightening. "Naïve. She's way too damn naïve. How can she laugh about this?"
By then they had reached the great hall again. The crowd had thickened, a sea of voices buzzing with anticipation. Suddenly, a sharp chime rang out, loud, commanding, silencing the chatter.
From the far side of the hall, a woman strode to the center. Her steps were quick, confident, her presence radiating authority and energy. She had a bright smile but her eyes were razor sharp, one of the Academy professors.
"Welcome, initiates!" Her voice boomed across the hall, strong enough to rattle the air. "Today marks the beginning of your true path! Today, you meet your bonded beast!"
The hall erupted in cheers, excitement sparking everywhere. The professor raised her hand, and the sound hushed almost instantly.
"This is no game. This is binding, for life. Step forward when your name is called, face what fate has set before you."
Lucien's stomach tightened. "Hell. This is real."