001 –
"Come on, students! Everyone, take your seats. The lesson is about to begin!"
A middle-aged teacher stood in the center of the classroom.
She wore a white robe that radiated with light, and above her head floated a golden halo that followed her wherever she went.
Her wings were folded against her body, glowing with white and golden feathers.
She was… an Angel!
The students began sitting in their seats. They were between six and seven years old.
The classroom held thirty seats, arranged in three rows.
After every student had sat down, the teacher spoke in a gentle voice:
"Ahem… I welcome you all to Malvorin Academy!
I will be your teacher for the first school year.
My name is Teacher Lumiere. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
The students clapped warmly.
The sound of applause echoed throughout the classroom.
"Alright, alright, you're embarrassing me!" Lumiere said in a shy voice, placing her hands on her cheeks.
It was Lumiere's very first time working as a teacher.
She was extremely nervous, since this was her first class.
She was worried about the principal, who had strictly explained that the academy had very high standards, and that Lumiere would be evaluated by the students and their parents. If her evaluation did not meet the academy's expectations, she would be dismissed.
"Okay, this is a good start… I must do my best," Lumiere whispered to herself as she straightened her posture.
"Miss Lumiere, can I go to the bathroom?"
A boy stood up, holding himself between his legs, trembling.
"Miss Lumiere, when can I see my mom?"
A girl spoke with a shaky tone, tears filling her eyes.
"Miss Lumiere, will you marry me when I grow up?"
"Miss Lumiere…"
"Miss Lumiere…"
"Miiiss Lumiereeee!"
The voices of the students rose all at once, filling the classroom. Lumiere's expression stiffened in shock, and she screamed inwardly:
"EEEEEHHH?! Wh–what is this?! No one told me little kids are this noisy! At this rate, the principal will hear their voices, come here, and fire me for sure! What should I do? What should I do?!"
As she thought frantically, she whispered to herself:
"Well… I guess it's fine to use the Sacred Texts when no one else is around…"
Her expression shifted to something serious, her eyes sharp. A book appeared in front of her, floating in the air.
It was golden in color, radiating with light.
The classroom instantly fell silent. Every student's gaze was fixed on the magical-looking book, which emanated a warm and mysterious energy.
Lumiere placed her finger gently against her lips and spoke in a solemn tone:
"The God said…"
As soon as she uttered the words, the book opened on its own, its pages flipping rapidly. The children's eyes widened in awe, fear, and anticipation.
"The God said… All the wishes of the students in this classroom are granted!"
The book shone with a blinding light, filling the entire classroom and enveloping every student.
And in the very next moment—
every student was already seated in their chairs, as if all of their requests had been fulfilled at once!
Far away, in a grand office with a massive desk piled high with papers and a towering bookshelf,
an old woman sat. She had brown hair and wore round glasses.
The strange thing was… the desk was fifty times larger than she was!
She was a Dwarf—the Principal of Malvorin Academy!
"Who dares to use the Sacred Texts in my academy?"
she said, visibly annoyed.
Meanwhile, in Lumiere's classroom, the children were now listening attentively as she wrote on the wooden board:
"The First Cursed One."
"In today's first lesson, we will study the fundamentals established by the Heavenly Houses, which were derived from the Story of Creation."
"Teacher! My mother already taught me the basics of the Heavenly Houses!"
"Yes, and my father did too—he's a priest working in a Heavenly House!"
"Me too!"
"And me as well!"
Lumiere sighed softly and said:
"I know you all already know these basics. But this is the rule of Malvorin Academy—and of every academy in the capital, Titanor!"
The children shouted together:
"That's boring!"
"Alright, alright, I promise I'll make it fun!" she said with a smile.
She spread her radiant wings wide, light gleaming from them.
"Now, listen closely."
"The First Fundamental: The enemy of all creation is Iblis! He is the enemy of the Seven Heavens and the Seven Earths!"
"The Second Fundamental: Adam is the beloved of the gods… the Saint of Heavens and Earth, the savior of creation from Iblis, the one who defeated him!"
"The Third Fundamental: Adam said that Iblis will remain dead as long as no one believes in him, no one worships him, no one sanctifies him. Cursed is the one who believes in Iblis! Cursed is the one who harbors Iblis in his body!"
"The Fourth—and most important—Fundamental:
Do not follow the First Cursed One!
Do not believe in the First Cursed One!
Do not put your faith in the First Cursed One!"
"These," Lumiere concluded as she folded her wings back, "are the fundamentals of the Heavenly Houses, derived from the Story of Creation. Any questions?"
The children all said they already knew this, and that the lesson was boring.
Lumiere smiled faintly, then spoke in a solemn tone:
"Well then… shall I tell you something none of you know?"
The children shouted in unison:
"Yes!!"
Lumiere gestured toward the windows with her hand. They closed on their own, the room darkening. The children grew nervous.
"You all know the Story of Creation…
It says that each race lived in its own separate land, six in total—since there were six races:
Humans, Angels, Jinn, Dwarves, Beasts, and Giants.
It also says that what separated these six kingdoms was a colossal Ice Wall… and that one day, without reason, the wall collapsed, and the kingdoms were able to meet each other.
But… does any of you know the name of that Ice Wall?"
"The name of the Ice Wall? That's impossible! I've never heard of such a name before! Even my father, who teaches me religion every day, never mentioned a name!"
A boy in the front row spoke. He had twisted horns, dark skin, and crimson eyes.
He was a Jinn.
Lumiere's expression grew serious.
"Then hear this… The name of that Ice Wall is…
Antarctica."
"Antarctica? That colossal Ice Wall that fell mysteriously and caused the six kingdoms to unite? Impossible!"
The children muttered among themselves, shocked.
Lumiere suddenly heard faint footsteps. Alarmed, she waved her hand, and the windows opened again. Light returned to the room.
The door to the classroom creaked open.
At the entrance stood an elderly woman, barely one meter tall, staring sharply at Lumiere.
In a raspy voice, she said:
"The lesson is over. You may all leave.
And you, Lumiere… follow me to my office."
She turned and left down the hall.
"Oh no… she sensed me using the Sacred Texts?" Lumiere thought nervously.
As the children excitedly left the classroom, Lumiere gathered her books.
Before she could leave, a boy stopped in front of her.
"Miss Lumiere… may I ask you a question?"
She looked down and saw the horned boy with dark skin and crimson eyes. Smiling softly, she said:
"Go ahead, Seraph. What is your question?"
Seraph stammered nervously:
"Was it true, what you said? That the Ice Wall's name is Antarctica?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Then… can you tell me another thing I don't know?"
When the classroom was finally empty, Lumiere's expression darkened. She waved her hand—windows slammed shut, curtains fell, the door locked, and the room plunged into shadow.
Seraph looked around, trembling. His legs shook, yet he still felt a strange sense of safety… because, after all, she was an Angel.
In a solemn tone, Lumiere said:
"Alright, Seraph. Here's my question.
You know that in the fundamentals of the Heavenly Houses, the fourth one says:
Do not believe in the First Cursed One. Do not follow the First Cursed One. Do not put your faith in him.
So tell me… Who do you think the First Cursed One is?"
"The First Cursed One? That doesn't exist! Iblis is dead! No one worships him, no one believes in him across all six kingdoms! My father told me the First Cursed One is just a warning Adam left behind, so that Iblis would never be revived."
"Wrong!" Lumiere's voice thundered, her eyes glowing with shadow.
"Why else would the Heavenly Houses emphasize the Fourth Fundamental as the most important, the most dangerous, if there wasn't truly a First Cursed One—someone who believed in Iblis, and allowed him to dwell inside their body?"
"B–believed in Iblis? Am I dreaming? Miss Lumiere… are you saying the First Cursed One actually exists?"
"Yes… Do you want to know his name, Seraph?"
Her wings spread wide again.
But this time… they were black.
Stained with fresh blood.
Eyes opened across her wings, bloodshot and crimson, all of them glaring at Seraph.
His legs gave out. He collapsed, losing consciousness, but just before the darkness claimed him, he heard Lumiere's final words:
"His name is… Dante,
the First Cursed One!!!"