- Chapter: The Path Beyond the Wall
Astral Academy – Summit Courtyard / Garden of Still Winds – Late Afternoon
The wind whispered across the wide courtyard as students milled around, exchanging stories and preparing for their next training cycles. But Anay stood alone near the central fountain, his gaze fixed toward the southern gates.
He had trained relentlessly in the days following his duel with Sato. Not in the spotlight. Not with spectacle. Alone—in the shadowed corners of the training fields, under moonlit skies, against wooden dummies and elemental dummies until his limbs trembled. All in preparation for one goal.
To leave.
He wasn't running away from the academy.
He wasn't rebelling.
But something inside him knew—he had grown too comfortable within these walls. If he was to grow into the strength he sought, it wouldn't come just from lectures or even mock battles.
He needed to experience the real world.
The outside.
But Astral Academy's rule was clear: no student could venture beyond the safety of the outer perimeter without an Elder accompanying them. It was more than policy—it was survival.
So he waited.
Then, from the distant archway beyond the meditation gardens, two figures emerged. Both cloaked in faded travel gear, dust clinging to their boots and shoulders. Yet their steps remained light, purposeful.
Kael and Liora.
Anay felt a flicker in his chest—recognition not just of strength, but familiarity. The air seemed to shift slightly around him as they passed through the garden arch.
Liora noticed first. She slowed, eyes narrowing slightly.
Kael turned, then grinned. "Hey... look who's brooding by the fountain."
Anay smiled faintly and raised a hand. "Welcome back."
Liora offered a soft nod. "We heard about the spar with Sato."
Kael raised an eyebrow, mock serious. "He didn't cry, right?"
Anay chuckled. "He held his own. Barely."
They passed with a casual wave, disappearing into the Elder Tower to report their mission. But the seed had been planted.
Anay turned toward the Summit Garden.
Summit Garden – One Hour Later
Twilight draped the sky in lavender and deep indigo. The Summit Garden, with its silent koi pond and softly glowing spirit lamps, felt untouched by time. Anay stepped through its ancient stone gate once more.
Kael and Liora were already there.
Liora sat beneath the large willow tree, her boots off, toes dipped in the pond. Kael leaned against a curved pillar, absently sharpening one of his twin blades.
Neither was surprised to see him.
Kael looked up. "Took you long enough to come ask."
Anay blinked. "How did you—?"
Liora raised a hand, silencing him with a faint smile. "You wouldn't train as hard as you did just to stay inside the walls."
Kael sheathed the blade. "So, say it."
Anay inhaled deeply.
"I want to go outside. To train. To grow. I can't stay here and wait for strength to come. But I can't go alone. I need an Elder—someone I trust."
His gaze met both of theirs.
Kael let out a low whistle. "He is learning."
Liora stood, brushing off her cloak. "You already know the risks."
"I do," Anay said. "But I also know I'm ready. I won't slow you down."
Kael paced slowly around the edge of the garden, thinking.
"It won't be like the island. Out there, no one saves you with a buzzer or pulls you out if you fall too far."
Anay nodded. "I understand."
Kael stopped.
"Good. Because we were going to ask you to come anyway."
Anay looked up, surprised.
Liora added, her voice warm but firm, "We'd rather have someone with potential and clarity than a hundred students chasing glory."
Kael grinned. "And besides, I need someone to carry the camp gear."
Anay laughed. "I knew there was a catch."
They stood together under the fading sky, the breeze tugging at their cloaks.
For a moment, there was no academy, no ranks, no duties.
Just three people bound by something quieter and stronger than rules.
Kael extended a fist. Liora followed. Anay raised his.
The three hands met.
Kael said softly, "We leave Tommorow"
Liora looked into Anay's eyes. "Pack light. But bring your will."
And so, the path beyond the wall—and into the unknown—was finally open.
Summit Garden – Dusk to Nightfall
The wind settled as the stars blinked into view above them.
some time after silence
The trio stood in silence for a few moments longer, the moon casting a soft silver light over the Summit Garden. Crickets hummed in the background, and somewhere in the distance, a bell rang — marking the final hour of the day.
Kael broke the silence first, glancing sideways at Anay with a sly grin.
"So," he said, tilting his head. "How've you been surviving while we were gone? Aside from beating Sato into the floor?"
Anay chuckled and sat on the stone bench beside the pond. "Training. Morning, noon, and night. Got a few bruises from wooden dummies I'd rather not talk about."
Liora smirked. "Let me guess—trying to look effortless for when someone walks by?"
He raised a brow. "You wound me."
Kael dropped onto the grass with a relaxed sigh, folding his arms behind his head. "Honestly, though… we noticed. You've been pushing harder than anyone. Even when no one was watching."
Anay's tone softened. "I guess… I've just felt like I was standing still. Like everyone around me was moving forward, and I was waiting. I hated that feeling."
Liora nodded slowly. "That feeling means you're ready. It's what separates the strong from the stagnant."
Kael added, "And the wise from the reckless."
There was a brief silence, punctuated only by the soft ripple of water in the pond.
Anay looked at them both. "You've been outside the walls more than any of us. What's it like? The world beyond?"
Liora's eyes reflected the moonlight. "Unforgiving. Beautiful. Alive."
Kael sat up. "Everything we do inside the academy—the drills, the strategy lessons, the elemental training—it's like learning to swim in a pool. But once you step out there, into the territories or the forgotten regions… it's an ocean. No edge. No safety rope."
Anay nodded slowly. "Then it's exactly where I need to be."
Kael smiled, proud and thoughtful. "Good answer."
Liora walked over to him, tossing him a sealed parchment. "Mission outline. We'll brief you in the morning. Your job tonight is to sleep. No last-minute training, no meditating under waterfalls, no punching walls."
Anay blinked. "That was one time."
Liora raised an eyebrow. "And the wall still has the dent."
They all shared a laugh.
Kael rose, brushing off his coat. "Meet at the Southern Gate by sunrise. Bring only what you can carry on your back."
Liora added, "And Anay…"
He looked toward her.
She held his gaze firmly. "Whatever you're carrying inside — the doubt, the pressure, the need to prove yourself… leave some of it behind. We're not taking you out there to test you. We're taking you because we believe in you."
Anay's chest rose with quiet breath. "Thanks."
Kael gave him a light pat on the back as they turned to leave. "Oh, and Anay?"
"Yeah?"
"You ever try to be a hero alone out there — and Liora will personally drag your unconscious body back. Just a warning."
Liora smirked but said nothing.
Anay watched them walk into the shadows between the trees, their silhouettes eventually swallowed by the twilight.
He stayed there a moment longer.
Looking out beyond the Summit Garden, past the tower, past the horizon only visible in his mind.
The world was waiting.
And this time—he wouldn't face it from within walls.
He stood.
The wind rose behind him as if the very air itself had heard his decision.
Tomorrow, the path beyond the wall would open.
And he would walk it — not alone, but with those who understood what power truly meant.
Not glory.
But growth.
Not domination.
But understanding.
Not fear.
But courage.
He turned toward the academy one last time before heading back.
Whispering quietly to himself, just before the night consumed the last light—
"Let's see what waits on the other side."
Chapter: The Path Beyond the Wall (Continuation)
Astral Academy – Anay's Dorm Room | Night
After there talk anay moved towards his room excited for Tommorow where he was excited.
The night air carried a gentle chill as Anay made his way back through the dimly lit paths of the academy. The usual chatter from other dormitories had quieted; most students were either asleep or tucked away in their studies. But for Anay, sleep would have to wait.
His heart felt light. Not from relief—but from purpose.
He reached his door and quietly stepped inside.
The room was small, neat, and simple. A shelf stacked with scrolls, a low bed with a folded blanket, and a single window overlooking the vast courtyard of Astral Academy. Moonlight spilled through the curtains, casting soft stripes across the floor.
Anay leaned against the door for a moment, his breath steady. Then—he smiled.
"I'm really going," he whispered to himself, almost in disbelief.
He crossed the room and placed his hand against the wooden frame of the window, gazing out. Somewhere out there—beyond the gates, beyond the familiar trails and daily drills—was a world untamed. A world that didn't care about rankings, dorms, or written scores. A world that would challenge him not as a student... but as a person.
And now he'd finally get to face it.
He turned back to his room and knelt beside his travel bag. Carefully, he began packing. Not in a rush, but with deliberate focus.
A few energy capsules. Extra robes. Rations. Basic field tools. He paused, then added a folded cloth with the Astral Academy insignia—not as pride, but as a reminder of where he began.
He looked toward the small shelf and selected one scroll: "Survival Strategy – Tier II". He had memorized it a long time ago, but still… old habits die hard.
After a few minutes, the bag was ready. He zipped it and set it by the door.
Then he lay on his bed, eyes open, hands behind his head.
Above him, the ceiling seemed farther than usual—like the sky itself was stretching.
His mind drifted not to fear, but to possibility.
Would I meet beasts stronger than I've ever faced? Witness places the academy never mentions? Discover something... within me I haven't seen yet?
He smiled again, this time softer.
Kael, Liora—he was glad it was them. Not just because they were strong. But because they understood. They didn't treat him like a student chasing approval. They treated him like someone ready to walk the path.
And maybe… that's all I ever needed.
His eyes grew heavy.
And for the first time in a long while, Anay fell asleep not burdened by pressure or goals—but with quiet excitement humming in his soul.
Tomorrow, he would step beyond the wall.
And then he was ready.
Volume 1 finished thanks for the support
Thank you friends