The first light of dawn spilled across the cliffs of Aurion Valley, sliding over the crystalline towers of Spectrum Academy.
For the first time since the Vault incident, the Academy breathed again — windows gleamed, corridors hummed faintly, and the morning chime echoed softly like a sigh of relief.
In the Prism Hall, Lyra stood among dozens of students, her cloak catching golden hues that danced around her shoulders.
Everyone was quiet. The night before had left a shadow that none of them could explain.
Then, a familiar calm voice broke the silence.
Instructor Calden stepped onto the marble dais, his silver eyes brighter than usual — or perhaps warier.
"Good morning, Initiates."
"Last night," he continued after a pause, "the Academy recorded an anomaly — a pulse of energy from beneath the Hall. No one will speak of it outside these walls."
A murmur spread through the students. Lyra exchanged a glance with Draven, who gave a silent nod. They both knew what that "pulse" had been.
Calden raised his hand.
"Today's lesson: Resonance Control."
He gestured, and the hall walls expanded — transforming into a circular training arena. Dozens of glowing platforms rose from the floor, each one pulsing with a faint hue.
"Every color," Calden said, "sings at its own frequency. To master your hue, you must hear it — and make it answer you."
The students spread out.
Lyra stepped onto a golden platform; Draven onto crimson; Eira onto silver-blue.
As Calden's hand moved, a harmonic sound filled the air — not music, but a vibration that thrummed deep within their chests.
The crystals beneath their feet responded, flickering brighter or dimmer with each heartbeat.
Lyra closed her eyes, steadying her breath. The sound of her light was soft, like the faint hum of morning wind.
Draven's was sharper — like a drumbeat wrapped in flame.
"Let it flow," Calden instructed, his voice like a tether of calm. "Don't force it. Listen."
For the first time, Lyra felt her light move without trembling. It curved and pulsed in sync with the melody of others — like colors blending in a silent orchestra.
Suddenly, the sound changed. The golden light of her platform flared, mixing with Draven's crimson until a faint amber hue shimmered between them.
Calden froze.
That color wasn't part of any spectrum.
He opened his mouth to speak — but before he could, Headmistress Veyra appeared in the hall's upper balcony, her expression unreadable.
"Enough for today," she said calmly.
"Resonance training is complete. Dismissed."
The platforms faded instantly.
Calden bowed slightly, but the confusion in his eyes lingered.
As students filed out, Lyra turned to Draven. "Did you see that color?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. And it felt… alive."
From the balcony above, Veyra watched them leave, her eyes following the faint trail of amber light that still hung in the air.
"Amber…" she murmured softly. "A hue not seen since the dawn of the Seventh."
She turned to the silent crystal orb beside her — its surface faintly cracked from the Vault's awakening.
The crack pulsed once.
Then again.
The Academy's peace was only an illusion.