The hall was loud.
Two hundred students. Two hundred future soldiers pretending they weren't terrified. Like here was a social event or something.
I sat at the back, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded pretending not to care.
Aurora's voice from earlier still echoed in my head.
"My condolences… about your mother."
Condolences.
For a woman I never knew.
For a past that wasn't mine.
Ever since I woke up in this world, everyone looked at me with that same pitiful expression, like they knew some tragedy I didn't. I couldn't help but wonder who was she? A warrior? Someone powerful enough for people to still remember her name?
Before I could think further, the sound of boots striking marble silenced the entire hall.
He walked in without fanfare, but the air shifted instantly. Mana tightened. Conversation died. Even the lights dimmed a little, as if the room itself bent under his presence.
Ian Stormbringer.
The man who needed no crest, no title, no royal favor. A Transcendent. One of the few living beings who had broken through the mortal limit of power. No House claimed him, no kingdom owned him and yet, every ruler on the continent feared him.
Dark armor lined with silver runes. White streaks in his hair like lightning scars. His presence alone felt like standing under a storm.
He stepped onto the podium. No smile. No warmth. Just pure command.
"Welcome to Elarion Academy."
His voice was calm the kind that didn't need to shout to be heard.
"Some of you came here thinking this place is for prestige. For friendship. For glory. Let me end that delusion right now."
He paused, gaze cutting across the room.
It was like being seen through.
"This academy exists for one reason ... war. You are not here to play hero. You are here to train for the next Shadowborn invasion. You are weapons in the making."
The murmurs started quiet, nervous.
"The Shadowborn are silent now," Ian continued, "but silence is just the inhale before the scream. When they return, the weak will die first. The sentimental will follow."
A bitter laugh almost escaped me.
Brutal honesty.
I could respect that.
His words weren't for motivation they were a reality check. And the more he spoke, the more I realized how unprepared most of us really were.
The hall's walls shimmered, runes lighting up as the scene was broadcasted through mana crystals to the massive stadium outside. Nobles in their jeweled seats watched with wine and pride. Commoners filled the stands, cheering.
To them, this was a show.
To us… a warning.
Ian raised one hand.
"The exam begins now."
The world flashed white.
****
When my vision cleared, I was standing in the middle of a wide, grassy field.
A forest surrounded us in all directions. The air was thick with mana wild, raw, unpredictable. Above, a dome of faint light shimmered, trapping us inside the test zone.
Then his voice echoed again, projected from floating mana crystals in the sky.
"This year's trial will be different. No simulations. No illusions. You'll be fighting in the real world. The rules are simple."
A faint pulse of light traveled down my arm.
A wristband appeared silver, humming softly.
"Each of you is now part of a team of ten. That band will show your teammates, your rank, and how many Command Crystals your team has captured."
Command Crystals.
"Every team has one at their base. Protect it. Steal others'. The team with the highest number of captured crystals after four hours wins. But remember this is not a game of power. It's a test of adaptability, leadership, and how you act when the plan falls apart."
I glanced down at the glowing band on my wrist.
Names flickered into view one by one.
Aurora Ardenthal.
Auren Ardenthal.
Caelth Dorneveil.
Lucien Valecrest.
Serlene Maelora.
Ryn Dralor.
Yelena Frostbane.
Seris Alumira.
Noah Veylor.
Kael Stormbringer.
I exhaled slowly.
"Of course…"
The entire main cast.
The heirs, the prodigies, the headaches of every noble council.
Politics at its finest.
I looked up and sure enough, every face around me looked grim.
Aurora's brow furrowed, Caelth crossed his arms, and even Noah looked tense. Well I couldn't blame him, the only commoner in a group of powerful nobles.
I caught the last name again. Kael Stormbringer.
Related to the principal. Fantastic.
This was going to be one long exam.
****
In the mist of the cheering crowd, A boy no older than 10 was there, Silver hair glinted under the sun.
His small feet swung lazily, rhythmically tapping against the stone as he watched the massive crystal screen projecting the exam field.
The crowd roared. He just smiled faintly, eyes gleaming like liquid mercury.
A lollipop rested between his fingers, the candy catching the sunlight.
He tilted his head slightly, as if waiting for something.
Swing.
Swing.
And he kept watching silent, patient, amused.