Chapter 5
Morning broke through Dorm D in soft bands of pale light, painting golden lines on the polished floors. The air was tense with anticipation—today marked the beginning of real combat training.
Astern stood in the mirror, adjusting his uniform: light battleweave marked with the crest of Class 1-D. Beneath the surface, his aura stirred faintly, responding to the threads woven from spiritual alloys. It was the first time he wore something designed for combat.
Kaela ran into the hall still pulling her boots on. "Do you think they'll make us fight each other again today? Or maybe they'll test us on actual techniques?"
Lunaria emerged from her room already equipped and composed. "Doesn't matter. They're not here to protect us—they're here to provoke growth. Pain sharpens ability."
Kaela groaned. "You sound like one of those ruthless mentors from the epic scrolls."
They joined the other first-years in the central courtyard of the Fractured Ring. A dozen instructors hovered above on platforms of light. The lead among them was a tall angel with a single wing of obsidian and the other of shimmering gold. His voice thundered.
"I am Instructor Vireon. Today, you will begin forging the foundation of your combat essence. No more protective fields. No more simulated blows. Today, you learn what it means to bleed."
Some students flinched. Others, like Astern, remained still.
"Each of you will be paired and assessed by your control, reaction, and spiritual expression. You may withdraw if injured—but you will not advance."
Rylen leaned toward Astern. "He wasn't kidding about bleeding."
They were separated into pairs. Kaela faced a slender boy who wielded radiant chains. Lunaria was set against a sharp-tongued girl with venomous mist. Astern was placed across from a silent first-year with a broadsword nearly his height.
The match began.
His opponent charged immediately, blade swinging with sheer strength. Astern didn't dodge—he glided. A half-step back, palm raised, deflecting the strike with the flat of his wrist. His aura rippled—half light, half shadow.
A second strike came, faster. Astern blinked to the side, shifting as though the wind had carried him. Then he stepped forward, aura surging like a pulse.
He tapped the broadsword wielder's chest.
A burst of force exploded outward, knocking the opponent several meters back.
Gasps followed.
Instructor Vireon nodded slightly. "Unorthodox technique. Excellent control."
Kaela's fight ended with a narrow win—she used wind bursts to deflect the chains, finishing with a sharp kick to her opponent's jaw. Lunaria won with ruthless precision, freezing the battlefield mid-match, then stepping around her opponent to lock her in place.
After the training, the class gathered for feedback.
"You three," Vireon pointed to Astern, Kaela, and Lunaria, "will advance to Tier B evaluations next cycle. Prepare for elevated training."
Astern's chest tightened. They were climbing ranks faster than expected. And the attention it drew wasn't all praise.
That night, as he sat by the Dorm's rooftop garden, Lunaria joined him, carrying a plate of celestial fruits.
"You're hiding your strength," she said without preamble.
"I'm hiding everything," Astern replied quietly.
She bit into a pale plum. "You know that won't last forever. This academy was built to uncover people like you."
He turned to look at her. "And what are you hiding?"
Lunaria held his gaze. "That I'm not here to win. I'm here to prepare."
"For what?"
"For what's coming."
A silence passed between them, heavy but mutual.
Down below, Rylen and Aeris were helping organize the other students for the academy's upcoming house trials—a competition that would pit dorms against each other in simulated missions.
Astern stood. "Then we better not fall behind."
As he turned to leave, Lunaria called out, "Astern."
He paused.
"I don't care what you are. Just don't lie to us."
He didn't answer. But this time, he didn't walk away with a smile either.
He walked away with resolve.