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CHAPTER 4 — THE CENTRAL CITY
The journey took four long hours.
Four hours of endless sky, floating highways, and the distant glow of colossal towers.
When the hovercar finally slowed, Zerathos lifted his head from the window just as the clouds parted—revealing the beating heart of the Dominion.
Valenfort — The Central City
At the city's edge, a colossal silver crest shimmered in the sun — the Royal Insignia of the Obsidian Throne.
Past it stretched an expanse of marvels: vast streets lined with crystal lanterns, floating rails gliding overhead, massive spires reaching like spears into the heavens.
Each building — large or small, grounded or suspended in the air — pulsed with the faint hum of essence generators. Flying drones patrolled the skies.
And far beyond the skyline, carved into the cliffside like a monument to gods — stood the Obsidian Nexus Academy.
It wasn't just a school.
It was a fortress of glass, obsidian, and floating citadels.
Hay's voice broke the silence.
> "Okay, sleepyhead. Wake up. We're here."
Zerathos jolted upright, blinking hard. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
> "Well, if there's nothing else, at least you're alert," Hay said, stepping out. "You'll need that."
They descended from the car, standing before an enormous black gate lined with glowing runes. A few guards watched from high towers, their armor glimmering with embedded sigils.
> "Alright, boy. Listen carefully," Hay said, turning serious.
"This will be your new home — for the next six or seven years. If you want to survive that long, you follow three rules."
He raised a finger.
> "One — trust no one.
Two — get strong.
Three — never let anyone know all your moves. Always keep an ace hidden. There's only so far stealing and speed can take you here."
Hay paused, eyes narrowing.
> "Avoid the children of the Houses — the Elders, the wealthy. Cross them the wrong way, and you're dead. Nobody will care."
Zerathos frowned slightly. "What are… the Houses?"
Hay sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
> "Of course you wouldn't know. That's a headache. Well, you'll find out soon enough. Some kids like to talk."
"What should I do then?"
"Let them talk," Zerathos replied.
Hay grinned. "Excellent. Now let's move."
---
Academy Grounds
As they walked up the path, Zerathos noticed dozens of other recruiters — each accompanied by groups of hopefuls. The air buzzed with excitement, pride, and fear.
> "Each recruiter can bring in about eighty students," Hay explained. "There are ten recruiters per academy. That's roughly seven hundred students every new intake."
He adjusted his sleeve, smirking.
> "Though most don't make it. At the end, maybe four hundred graduate. But this year? This year's different. The talent pool is monstrous — something's in the air."
He glanced around at the other recruits. Some glowed faintly with Essence already awakened.
> "If Obsidian Nexus hits eight hundred this year, other academies will be around five to six hundred. It's going to be chaos."
---
The Six Houses and Their Villages
As they passed through the gates, Hay continued:
> "Here's how the power's divided. There are six Houses, each ruling a Village — except one."
He counted on his fingers as he listed them:
1. House Gravemont — Weapon forging & armor craft. Village: Virelow (Terra Essence).
2. House Virellen — Speed and aerial combat. Village: Lumnis (Aether Essence).
3. House Mirevale — Curses & vile manipulation. Village: Nocturne (Vile Essence).
4. House Vareth — Combat mastery, weapon arts. Village: Flaming. (Flare Essence.)
5. House Eclipsera — Cursecraft and forbidden alchemy. Village: Shattered Halo. (Umbra-Vile Hybrid.)
6. House Valenfort — Central City House. Home to Obsidian Nexus, under the General King Veyrion Kael.
> "Each House sends a hundred recruits — fifty from their House directly, fifty from their villages.
House Valenfort only sends twenty. The remaining two hundred eighty come from everywhere else — commoners, merchants, orphans, slum kids… like you."
He looked at Zerathos from the corner of his eye.
The boy nodded silently, absorbing everything like a sponge.
Hay couldn't help but smirk.
> Even in that tiny frame, he's sharp as a blade.
---
The Reception
They entered a marble hall where recruiters lined up in front of a floating desk.
Behind it sat a young woman in white uniform, her silver glasses glinting with embedded data lenses.
> "Ah, Hay. You're back," she said, scrolling through a holographic book of names.
"Let's see… this one's your fifty-fourth recruit?"
> "Yup. Done for the season," Hay said, stretching.
"Name: Zerathos. No surname. From the slums."
The receptionist raised a brow, eyeing the boy.
> "Slums? I know things are bad down there, but… he's—"
"Odd?" Hay finished for her.
"Yeah," she said with a faint shrug. "Anyway, head over to Edmond Hall."
She handed Zerathos a ring, a watch, and a metal tag.
---
Hay looked down at him one last time.
> "Alright, kid. Guess this is goodbye. That watch tracks your power level and class. The ring links you to your student profile. The tag? Don't lose it."
He straightened his coat.
> "Be strong. Don't get expelled. And… don't die."
Before Zerathos could answer, Hay vanished—his body flickering into shimmering particles of red essence.
---
Zerathos stood there for a long moment, the silence of the massive courtyard swallowing him whole.
Ahead stood Edmond Hall, a towering structure crowned with obsidian statues and banners of the Royal Crest.
He glanced at the digital display on his wrist.
> LEVEL: None
CLASS: None
He swallowed hard.
Then, clutching his tag tightly, he stepped through the massive doors of Edmond Hall.
✴️ End of Chapter 4