Chapter 3
The sky above Sanctum Astrae shimmered like crystal, dotted with flying carriages and streaks of celestial energy. Astern had never seen so many angels in one place. The academy's silver towers seemed to stretch into the stars, etched with runes that pulsed like breathing stone.
They stood at the threshold with hundreds of other first-years, many from the capitals. Their clothes were finer, weapons sharper, and attitudes heavier with arrogance. Yet even they stared in awe as Principal Seraphon descended from the sky, his presence alone causing some to kneel.
He spoke with a voice that echoed in bone.
"You who seek to ascend... welcome to Sanctum Astrae."
The written exam came first—a test not just of memory, but insight. Questions on angelic law, demonic invasions, the Seven Attributes, and the wars of old. Astern wrote swiftly, not from study, but from years of stolen knowledge. Lunaria finished second. Kaela third. More than half the orphans failed.
Then came the strength assessment.
A glowing monolith stood at the center of the training field. One by one, students struck it with their full might. Numbers and lights burst forth, measuring not just physical force, but spiritual energy and potential.
Kareth tried first. "134."
Dalen: "120."
Miraq: "127."
Kaela: "168." The crowd murmured.
Lunaria: "175." Eyes narrowed.
Astern stepped forward.
He struck not with brute strength, but flow. His fist shimmered with a soft aura—the hidden layer of his Eidros surging outward.
The monolith flared.
"197."
Gasps followed. Whispers too. A commoner? From a slum?
Then came the attribute test.
A crystal orb floated in the air, drawing in the student's aura to determine their affinity and tier. One by one, students stepped forward.
Kaela glowed with the Radiant Light attribute—Tier 3.
Lunaria's aura surged cold and sharp—Frost Veil, Tier 4.
Astern approached.
The orb trembled before pulsing violently, bathing the field in light and shadow. An attribute unknown to most. A dual nature. Umbracelestial.
Tier... 4. Just beneath awakening.
But the instructors exchanged knowing glances.
There was more hidden in him.
The final test began: one-on-one sparring. Combat within protective fields that would prevent lethal harm. Astern faced Miraq first.
The bully smiled cruelly.
It ended in ten seconds.
Astern's movements blurred. One strike, clean and soft, and Miraq was on the ground, dazed.
The judges looked impressed. Not just with power—but control.
When the trials ended, only eight passed. From Duskvale, only Astern, Kaela, and Lunaria remained.
They were assigned to Dorm D, the dorms for exceptional candidates outside the capitals. As they stepped into their new rooms, two older students from royal families approached.
One smiled, a boy with bright gold eyes. "You're the kid who hit 197, right? I'm Rylen, House of Seraphyne."
The other, a quiet girl with silver hair, nodded. "Welcome to Sanctum Astrae."
Astern bowed slightly.
The wind was shifting.
And for the first time in his life, he was stepping into it willingly.