The wind was gentle that morning, carrying the scent of wet earth and fallen leaves.
Eberhard Weiss opened his eyes to the pale light filtering through the branches above him.
He was lying beneath an old apple tree, its roots twisted around the hill like a guardian that had stood there for centuries.
For a moment, he didn't move. His head throbbed faintly, and his body felt heavier than usual.
"...Another dream?" he murmured, rubbing his temples. His voice trembled slightly.
He sat up slowly, brushing dirt from his uniform. The ground was cold, and his fingers were trembling. He looked around.
He saw the same countryside, the same quiet fields of Apple Town. It was small, peaceful, and painfully ordinary.
From the distance, a woman's voice called. "Eberhard! You'll be late again if you don't move!"
He turned toward the voice and saw a woman standing by a wooden fence. Her hair was light brown, tied carelessly, and her hands were still dusted with flour from baking.
"Good morning, sister," Eberhard said quietly, standing and stretching.
"Morning? It's nearly noon," she replied, sighing. "I swear, you'll never survive Blackfen Academy if you start your day like this."
He smiled faintly. "I didn't sleep well. It's the dream again."
She frowned. "The one about that voice?"
He nodded. "It felt too real this time. Like… I wasn't supposed to wake up."
"Then it's good you did," she said, her tone softening. "Dreams can't hurt you. Reality can."
"You always know how to make things comforting."
"Someone has to. Now hurry. You're supposed to leave today, right?"
Apple Town was quiet as always. Its cobbled paths, small houses, and apple orchards stretching endlessly toward the horizon were all familiar to Eberhard.
Everyone knew everyone, but no one truly knew him.
The people in town often whispered when he passed.
"That's the Weiss boy."
"The one who got accepted into Blackfen? Impossible."
"I heard he cheated."
He pretended not to hear. He had learned long ago that silence was easier than defending himself.
At eighteen, Eberhard was not remarkable. His Affinity was weak, barely registering on the measurement crystal.
When he was tested at twelve, the crystal only flickered faintly.
It was a mix of Ether and Terra, the rarest and most incompatible combination. Most laughed at him, calling it useless.
Yet somehow, he had passed the entrance exam for Blackfen Academy.
People said it was luck. Others said it was charity.
But he knew the truth.
He had spent every night studying, observing, and practicing while everyone else was sleeping. He wasn't strong, but he was determined.
Blackfen Academy was more than just a school. It was the heart of the Kingdom of Cindralis. Every noble house sent their heirs there, and every peasant dreamed of stepping inside its gates.
Graduates became knights, scholars, and advisors. They earned gold, honor, and power.
To the world, entering Blackfen meant wealth.
To Eberhard, it meant something else.
His parents had vanished on an expedition ten years ago—a mission led by the Academy itself.
They had never returned. Their last letters spoke of ruins older than history, of voices in the dark, and of something they called The Genesis Core.
Eberhard had promised himself he would find what they left behind.
He tightened the strap on his small bag and turned to his sister.
"Are you sure you'll be alright alone?" he asked.
She smiled faintly. "You're the one heading to a new life, not me. Don't worry about this little town. I'll manage."
"I'll send money once I can," he said.
"You'll send nothing until you eat properly first," she replied, placing her hands on his shoulders. "And Eberhard… don't let them get to you again."
He looked down.
"I know."
"You've worked harder than anyone I know. Even if they don't see it, I do."
For a moment, he felt warmth in his chest. He nodded. "I'll make it worth it."
The carriage smelled faintly of wood and smoke. Eberhard sat in the back seat, his hands resting nervously on his knees. The driver, an old man with a straw hat, glanced at him through the mirror.
"First time going to Blackfen, lad?"
"Second," Eberhard said. "I visited once for the exam."
"Ah. You one of those scholarship kids?"
He hesitated. "Yes."
The driver nodded. "Lucky one, then. Most would sell their land just to get in. That school's the ladder to the sky if you climb it right."
Eberhard forced a smile. "I'm not interested in money."
The driver raised a brow. "Then what are you interested in?"
He looked out the window, watching the orchards fade into distant hills. "Answers."
The road stretched endlessly. Hours passed. The sun dipped behind the mountains as they approached the city.
Blackfen City was enormous.
It was a vast sprawl of gray stone towers, crowded markets, and the faint glow of Affinity lamps. Steam-powered carriages rolled down the streets, and floating lights guided the paths at night.
Eberhard's thoughts, however, were trapped in that dream again.
He remembered the white light, the voice, the words Second Genesis. His heart raced at the thought of it. It was just a dream, he told himself. But no dream had ever felt so real.
When the driver asked a casual question, Eberhard stuttered, "Y-Yes, sir. I'm… fine."
The old man chuckled. "Nervous, huh? Don't worry. Everyone's nervous before their first day. Just remember, Blackfen eats the weak and praises the bold."
Eberhard tried to laugh, but it came out awkwardly.
By the time he arrived at the Academy's outer district, the clock tower's shadow was already long.
The streets leading to the gates were filled with students in uniform. Some with magical instruments, others with familiars or enchanted gear. They all looked confident, glowing with strength and promise.
Eberhard kept his head down. He walked quietly, clutching his admission papers.
He was halfway across the plaza when he noticed a small girl kneeling near a fountain, trying to gather scattered books.
He crouched beside her. "Are you alright?"
The girl looked up, startled, then nodded. "Y-Yes, thank you."
He smiled faintly and helped pick up the books. For a brief second, their hands brushed, and a faint spark of blue light flickered between them.
"What was—"
GONG.
The sound thundered across the city.
The clock tower struck nine.
Eberhard froze. His eyes widened. No. No, no, no.
He turned toward the distant academy gates. The bells rang again.
He was late.
He ran. His boots slapped against the cobblestone as he weaved through crowds.
"Excuse me! Where's the Academy's main gate?" he shouted.
"Straight ahead, past the plaza!" someone replied.
He sprinted faster. His bag bounced against his shoulder, his breath ragged. The massive gate ahead was closing, the golden insignia of Blackfen gleaming in the sunlight.
"Wait!" he yelled.
Guards stood by, watching the last few students enter. The gate creaked loudly, descending inch by inch.
He pushed harder, every muscle burning.
And just as the gate was about to close, he jumped, barely sliding through the gap before it sealed behind him.
He hit the ground hard, rolling across the marble floor.
A hundred eyes turned toward him.
Students stood in neat rows, their expressions varying from curiosity to annoyance.
They were all so different.
Some had hair of silver, eyes of flame, wings, and faint glows of magic.
Eberhard coughed, then stood up quickly, bowing his head. "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
A few students laughed quietly. Others whispered.
He straightened his uniform and tried to hide his shaking hands.
A voice echoed through the air.
"Welcome, students of the 79th generation."
Everyone turned. A man in a black coat stood on a high platform, his voice amplified by magic. His hair was white, his gaze sharp as steel.
"You are here because you survived the entrance trials," he said. "You stand among the brightest in Cindralis. But brilliance alone will not save you. You must prove your worth."
The air thickened with tension.
"This year," the man continued, "we will divide all one hundred fifty of you into five groups based on your Affinities. Flame, Aqua, Terra, Gale, and Ether. Each group will be sent to a different region for your first quest."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Your task is simple. Return within one week with proof of your cooperation and strength. Fail, and you will not remain here."
Eberhard's chest tightened. First quest… already?
But before he could think further, a sharp pain shot through his skull. He clutched his head, staggering slightly.
Images flashed before his eyes. He saw a dim room and a man's trembling hand holding a small metal object.
A click.
Then a loud crack.
He saw someone fall as blood spread across the floor.
The man turned toward him, eyes wide with terror.
"Don't—please—don't—"
The gun turned his way.
Eberhard gasped and stumbled backward, his breathing ragged.
The world blurred. The students' voices faded.
What… was that?
He stood frozen, trembling, as the echoes of that dream, or memory, burned into his mind once more.