Sorra – The Rising Flame
The courtyard was alive with noise. Students swarmed Sorra Grey the moment she stepped out of the dueling arena.
"Was that really Blood Magic?"
"She fought Lord Vale and won!"
"But that name—Grey… I thought that house was wiped out!"
Whispers turned into rumors, and rumors into awe. Some looked at her with respect, others with fear. But Sorra ignored both. The victory wasn't about fame—it was about survival, about proving that she and Nova still existed.
By the time she reached her dorm, her energy had burned to embers. She sat on the edge of her bed, hands trembling. The cuts from her Blood Spear glowed faintly before fading into thin silver scars.
She thought of Nova—his calm presence beside the forge, his steady voice guiding her hand on the hammer. Still protecting me, even from miles away, she thought, a small smile touching her lips.
A knock came at the door.
"Sorra?" It was Nico Lunar, still in his training uniform, his hair disheveled from rushing over. "You really outdid yourself today. Arden's family is furious."
Sorra let out a quiet chuckle. "He'll live. His pride might not."
Nico grinned. "The instructors want to move you to the Advanced Division. You'd be sparring with upperclassmen, maybe even the elite squad."
Her eyes widened. "Already?"
"You earned it. But… that name, Sorra—Grey. It's spreading fast. If the wrong people hear about it—"
"I know." She stood, her shadow long in the candlelight. "But I won't hide anymore. The Greys forged weapons that shaped Terra's history. If anyone wants to challenge me for that name, let them try."
Nico's expression softened. "Then I'll stand beside you, no matter who comes."
Outside, the Academy bells tolled noon. The sunlight gleamed against the towers of Silvercrest, casting fire-colored reflections across the windows. For the first time in years, Sorra Grey felt that maybe—just maybe—the ashes were behind her.
Nova – The Masked Adventurer
Far from Silvercrest, beneath a red dusk sky, Nova Grey—known to the world only as Corpse—walked through the shattered ruins of an ancient fortress. The corpses of monsters lay in heaps around him, their twisted bodies still smoking from battle.
He wiped his blade clean and sheathed it across his back.
"Too easy," he murmured, the voice distorted by his mask.
To the Adventurer's Guild, this had been a Class A Extermination Quest. To Nova, it was just another test of the skills he'd forged himself. Total Creation now allowed him to craft not only weapons but abilities themselves—Infinite Mana, Concealment, Sword Mastery, and more. Yet he knew the truth: each new creation came with a price.
He knelt beside one of the fallen beasts. The wounds leaked a faint violet glow. "Cursed energy… same as the last time," he muttered. "Someone's tampering with the monsters."
Then came the voice.
"You're far from civilization, Corpse. Most adventurers wouldn't dare walk here alone."
Nova spun, his hand on his sword. From the darkness stepped a figure cloaked in silver, face hidden behind a mirrored mask.
"Who are you?"
"A messenger," the stranger replied, voice smooth and cold. "I've been sent to find the one who wields Creation and Destruction."
Nova froze. "No one should know those names."
"And yet someone does," the stranger said, stepping closer. "The world shifts again, Grey heir."
The mention of his bloodline made Nova's eyes narrow. "You've said too much."
He moved. Faster than sound, his blade cleaved the air—but the stranger blocked with ease. The clash rang through the ruins like thunder. Sparks burst around them as the earth cracked beneath their feet.
The stranger chuckled. "Good. You'll need that fire soon."
Then, as suddenly as they'd appeared, the figure vanished in a wisp of silver mist—leaving behind a single sigil burned into the stone: a phoenix crowned in flame.
Nova knelt, brushing ash from the mark. "That crest…" His breath caught. It was unmistakable—the emblem of the Royal Family of Terra.
He stood slowly, the wind tearing at his cloak. "If the royals are moving again… then this peace really was just an illusion."
He looked to the stars, their light fractured by the haze of smoke and dust. For the first time in years, he felt it again—the faint pulse of his bond with Sorra, flickering like a heartbeat far away.
"Stay strong, little sister," he whispered. "We're not done yet."
The Next Morning
The world of Terra never slept.
At Silvercrest Academy, dawn broke over the spires, and Sorra stood once again at the edge of the training field. Her body ached, but her mind was calm. Every whisper, every stare from her fellow students only fueled the fire within her.
"That's her—the Grey girl."
"She beat Lord Vale."
"They say her magic burns hotter than a dragon's breath."
Sorra ignored them all. The wind around her stirred as if answering her heartbeat, the faint red glow of her mana crackling like embers in the air.
Across the field, Instructor Renford approached. "You're improving, Miss Grey. But power alone won't save you in the trials ahead."
"I know," Sorra replied. "That's why I'm still training."
Renford smirked. "Good answer. There's talk of sending a team to investigate disturbances near the northern border. If you keep this up, you may find yourself chosen."
She bowed lightly. "Then I'll be ready."
As he walked away, Sorra gazed up at the rising sun, the crimson light catching her hair. For a fleeting moment, she imagined Nova standing beside her again, the smell of steel and smoke in the air.
Somewhere out there, he's still fighting, she thought. Still protecting me.
Meanwhile, miles away beneath that same sunrise, Nova knelt by a campfire outside the ruined fortress. The silver sigil lay in the dirt beside him.
He traced the crest with a gloved finger. "The royal family's crest… Why show it to me now?"
A faint vibration pulsed in his chest—the bond he shared with Sorra. It flared for just a heartbeat, then faded again.
Nova smiled under the mask. "Still alive. Still burning bright."
He stood, pulling his hood back up and tightening his gloves. The forest whispered around him, heavy with the scent of rain. He turned toward the distant peaks of Silvercrest.
"House Grey isn't finished," he said softly. "We were forged in fire. And fire… always rises again."
He disappeared into the mist, a shadow walking toward destiny.
And far away, within the marble halls of the Academy, Sorra's flame burned higher than ever—two souls on different roads, walking toward the same storm.