"Even the faintest star still burns beneath the endless night."
The sky over Aetherion shimmered like melted glass, streaked with soft strands of gold and violet. Bells rang through the courtyard clear, measured, almost holy.
Eryndor Caelis paused at the edge of the marble steps, clutching his admission scroll. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the feeling of standing somewhere that hummed with power.
Around him, students in deep blue cloaks moved like currents of color. Spells glimmered above their palms, laughter mixing with faint crackles of mana. Eryndor inhaled, the air sharp and humming against his skin.
He had imagined this moment so many times. Yet now, surrounded by brilliance, he felt smaller than ever.
A stray gust tugged his hair loose. He reached up to fix it and that was when he noticed him.
Across the hall stood a figure leaning lazily against the grand pillar, sunlight pooling behind him like it belonged there. Tall, elegant, and effortlessly confident, the boy's uniform was half-buttoned, his tie undone. His eyes, a striking shade of liquid gold, caught the light and seemed to look straight through Eryndor.
Luca Veyren.
Even the whispers around the courtyard shifted when someone said his name. The top student. The genius of elemental control. A rumored heartbreaker.
And he was looking at Eryndor.
For a heartbeat, neither moved. Then Luca's mouth curved into something between amusement and curiosity. "You're standing in the way," he said, his voice smooth but unhurried.
Eryndor startled, stepping aside quickly. "Ah sorry. I didn't realize…"
Luca pushed off the pillar, closing the distance with lazy grace. The scent of frost and cedar followed him. He stopped close enough that Eryndor could see faint sparks dancing along the edge of his cuff a harmless display of control, or maybe a quiet flex of power.
"No harm done." Luca's gaze lingered. "You're new."
Eryndor nodded. "First day."
"Thought so." Luca tilted his head. "You look like you'd rather be anywhere else."
That earned a small, nervous laugh. "I'm just… adjusting."
Luca's eyes softened, almost imperceptibly. "You'll get used to it. Or it'll swallow you whole. Depends which comes first."
The words might've sounded cruel from anyone else, but the tone was strangely gentle like he was warning him, not mocking him.
Eryndor forced a smile. "Comforting."
"Didn't say I was trying to be."
Something flickered in Luca's eyes then, a spark of recognition or interest. He glanced briefly at Eryndor's hands. "You holding that scroll for decoration, or do you plan to open it before graduation?"
Eryndor blinked, realizing he'd been clutching it so tightly his knuckles had gone pale. "Right. Um… now, I guess."
"Good choice," Luca murmured. "I'd hate to watch someone faint before orientation."
The tease was light, but it left warmth blooming in Eryndor's chest. He unrolled the parchment quickly, pretending not to notice the faint smirk playing on Luca's lips.
Students were starting to gather at the gate. The dean's voice echoed across the courtyard, calling names, assigning dorms. Luca stepped back but didn't look away.
"Caelis, right?" he said.
Eryndor blinked. "You know my name?"
"Everyone knows who gets accepted with a zero-mana record."
The words stung. He looked down, but Luca added, almost softly, "Doesn't mean you don't belong here. Sometimes the quiet ones make the loudest noise when it counts."
Eryndor looked up again, caught off guard. Luca's smile was faint, unreadable, but his eyes those golden eyes were steady.
Then the bell rang again, breaking the moment.
Luca straightened his collar and took a half-step closer, close enough that the space between them pulsed with unspoken tension.
"See you inside, Caelis," he said, voice low. "Try not to trip on your own awe."
Before Eryndor could think of a reply, Luca was already walking away sunlight catching in his hair like a halo of molten gold.
Eryndor let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His pulse thudded against his wrist, too fast, too warm. He glanced at his reflection in the polished marble floor and wondered why, for the first time in years, his magic the magic he thought was gone seemed to stir faintly beneath his skin.
The Great Hall of Aetherion was a cathedral of glass and light.
Crystals floated near the ceiling, refracting sunlight into shifting ribbons of color that danced over marble and silk banners. The air pulsed faintly with magic raw, wild, and alive.
Eryndor moved among the crowd, his steps careful. Every glance that brushed against him felt heavy, judging. "Zero mana," someone whispered. "How'd he even get in?"
He lowered his gaze, clutching the strap of his satchel. He told himself he didn't care. He'd grown used to being the odd one the quiet, powerless boy who didn't quite fit.
But here, in this sea of brilliance, the absence of power felt louder than ever.
A pulse of light flared on the stage.
The Headmaster appeared tall, silver-haired, his robe flowing like a living mist. "Welcome, students of Aetherion," his voice boomed. "Within these walls, you will be tested. Not merely in skill but in truth."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
Eryndor felt it before he saw it: the prickle at the base of his neck, the faint vibration beneath his feet. Something ancient stirred within the room or within him.
He blinked hard, and for a split second, the world shifted.
Every spark of mana around him flared brighter, as if reacting to his breath. The crystal lights trembled faintly overhead.
Then silence.
When he opened his eyes again, everything was normal. No one seemed to notice.
Except Luca.
From across the hall, Luca was watching him. Elbows propped on the back of a chair, chin resting on his hand lazy, amused, yet too focused to be casual. When their eyes met, Luca didn't look away. Instead, a slow, knowing smile curved his lips, the kind that said I saw that.
Eryndor's heartbeat jumped. He tore his gaze away, heat rising to his face.
Maybe it was a trick of light. Maybe his nerves were playing games.
"Students!" The Headmaster's tone snapped through the noise. "Pairing evaluations begin tomorrow. You'll be tested in mana resonance compatibility. Choose wisely who you partner with your bond may define your future."
Whispers exploded instantly. Names, reputations, alliances all shifting like the tide.
Eryndor's stomach sank. He had no one. No mana, no reputation.
"Guess you'll be the one left over, huh?" someone snickered behind him.
Before he could turn, a voice answered low, even, and dangerous.
"Funny," Luca said. "I don't remember asking for your opinion."
The crowd hushed. Eryndor froze.
Luca had crossed the space between them in seconds, standing just slightly behind him now. The air felt heavier, the scent of frost sharp against the warmth of the hall.
The boy who had mocked him stammered, then backed away. Luca didn't bother looking at him. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his words close enough that Eryndor could feel the whisper of breath against his ear.
"You should keep your head up," Luca murmured. "People mistake silence for weakness."
Eryndor swallowed hard. "You didn't have to"
"I didn't." Luca's eyes glinted. "But I wanted to."
A long pause stretched between them. Around them, the noise of the hall seemed to blur, fading into a distant hum.
Then Luca straightened, his usual smirk returning. "See you at the pairing test, Caelis."
He turned to leave, the movement fluid, effortless but just as he did, a flicker of light burst near Eryndor's hand.
It was faint a spark, gold and white but unmistakably mana.
The parchment he was holding curled slightly at the edge, glowing with symbols that hadn't been there before. The magic faded as quickly as it appeared, leaving a faint warmth pulsing against his skin.
Gasps whispered through the nearest students.
Eryndor froze, panic rising. He hadn't cast anything. He couldn't.
From across the growing circle of attention, Luca looked back.
For a brief, charged moment, their eyes met again. No mockery this time only quiet astonishment, and something else… a spark of recognition.
Then, slowly, that infuriatingly calm smile returned.
"Looks like you're full of surprises, Caelis," Luca said softly, almost to himself.
Cliffhanger:
And before Eryndor could respond, the hall erupted in noise, professors rushing forward, students whispering. The light above them dimmed for a heartbeat as if the academy itself had felt something shift.