Above the crowd, a mesmerizing display of magic burst to life, painting the sky with brilliance. Two opposing energies emerged, one a radiant golden light that shimmered like molten sunlight, the other a deep, pulsating blue that rippled like the depths of an uncharted ocean. They arced gracefully across the heavens, leaving trails of sparkling stardust in their wake.
The two forces moved in perfect synchrony, spiraling and weaving through the air like celestial ribbons engaged in an eternal dance. The golden light flared with warmth and vitality, its energy radiating outward in glowing waves, while the blue pulsed with a mysterious intensity, drawing the eye into its endless depths.
As the crowd watched in awe, the energies met in an intricate spiral, their movements becoming faster and more complex. The sky seemed to vibrate with anticipation as the ribbons tightened into a glowing helix, spinning faster and faster until they became a single, blinding orb of light.
With a soundless explosion, the orb shattered, releasing a cascade of shimmering energy that rained down upon the crowd. Sparkling motes of every color—fiery reds, verdant greens, crystalline whites, and vibrant purples—drifted gently through the air like falling stars. The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices rising to meet the splendor as the colors reflected in their wide, awe-struck eyes.
The display lingered for a moment longer, the motes fading slowly like echoes in the wind, before the sky returned to its calm, sunlit blue.
As the final motes of shimmering light faded into the clear morning sky, the crowd was left in a hushed, almost reverent silence. The sheer scale of the magical display had rendered even the most restless students momentarily still. Then, breaking through the quiet, a voice rang out—a rich, hearty voice that seemed to resonate from everywhere and nowhere at once.
“Welcome, students and families, to Aetherion Academy’s Entrance Ceremony!”
The words were warm and commanding, carrying an unmistakable sense of pride and excitement. Heads turned instinctively, eyes darting through the crowd and across the academy grounds in search of the speaker. But no matter where they looked, there was no clear source.
The voice continued, unperturbed by the murmurs rippling through the gathered audience. “Today, we stand at the threshold of another chapter in Aetherion’s proud history. For centuries, this academy has served as a sanctuary for learning, a crucible of talent, and a beacon of hope for wizards across the realms. And now, you—our newest aspirants—are here to continue that legacy.”
A faint ripple of applause began among the families, growing in volume as the students exchanged glances, some nervous, others eager.
“Aetherion is more than a school,” the voice declared, its tone deepening with gravity. “It is a place where magic becomes more than a tool—it becomes art, discipline, and the very essence of what defines us. Here, you will be challenged. You will be tested. And, if you are willing, you will be transformed into something greater than you ever imagined.”
The voice softened slightly, as if addressing each student individually. “Some of you stand here confident in your abilities, ready to prove yourselves. Others carry doubt, uncertainty, perhaps even fear. Let me assure you—all of you belong here. Every journey begins with a single step, and today, you take yours.”
There was a pause, as though the speaker were giving the crowd a moment to absorb the weight of the words. Then, the voice brightened again, its energy lifting the atmosphere.
“As wizards, you are not simply inheritors of tradition; you are creators of destiny. The magic within you is not a gift, but a responsibility—to innovate, to inspire, and to lead. Each spell you cast, each boundary you push, contributes to a tapestry of knowledge that grows stronger with every generation.”
The voice carried on, its deep, commanding tones weaving a narrative of inspiration and promise. The words seemed endless, a steady stream of encouragement and gravitas that held the crowd in rapt attention.
The crowd listened closely, their eyes fixed on every corner of the grounds, straining to locate the source of the voice. The rhythmic cadence of the speech lulled many into a trance-like state, their focus narrowing as the words seemed to resonate directly in their minds.
Elias was no exception. He scanned the crowd from front to back, searching for the speaker with a furrowed brow. It was impossible to pinpoint where the voice was coming from—it felt like it was everywhere at once, omnipresent and unrelenting. The longer he searched, the more his thoughts seemed to tangle, the words looping in his head like a melody he couldn’t shake.
Unnoticed by most, a girl standing not far from him shifted her posture. Her spirit, a shimmering, delicate figure perched on her shoulder, leaned close to her ear. Its translucent form pulsed faintly as it whispered something inaudible. The girl blinked once, her expression softening as she and her spirit slowly closed their eyes.
The crowd around her continued to search for the voice, oblivious to her sudden stillness. The girl’s calm, unmoving figure stood in stark contrast to the fervent energy of the students and families craning their necks, desperate to catch sight of the mysterious speaker.
One of the students nearby noticed the girl’s sudden stillness however. Amid the bustling, searching crowd, her calm, unmoving posture stood out like a lone flame in the darkness. The faint glow of her spirit caught his sharp eye, its presence whispering of knowledge beyond the crowd’s grasp.
“A spirit that knows something,” he muttered under his breath, narrowing his gaze at the serene look on her face. “Figures.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Kiran flashed a quick glance toward Elias—still scanning the crowd with mounting frustration—and allowed a small grin to tug at his lips. Turning back toward the girl, he took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, following her lead.
The noise around Kiran ceased instantly, like a curtain had fallen between him and the world. The constant hum of magic, the murmur of the crowd, even the booming resonance of the announcer’s voice—all fell away, leaving an uncanny stillness. It wasn’t just silence—it was an absence, a vacuum where sound and sensation once existed.
The warmth of the sun on his skin felt distant, muted, as though he had stepped into an entirely different space. The air seemed heavier, almost tangible, pressing softly against him but carrying no sound or movement. His heartbeat echoed faintly in his ears, the only reminder that time was still moving.
It was as if he stood alone in an empty room, vast and undefined, the edges of the space obscured by an unseen boundary. The crowd that had been jostling around him moments ago felt impossibly far away, their presence reduced to faint impressions in his mind.
Kiran hesitated, the surreal nature of the moment unsettling. Cautiously, he opened his eyes, half expecting to find himself in another world entirely, Instead, he found himself sitting in a chair in an unfamiliar office.
The room was dimly lit, its only source of light coming from a window to his left. Papers were strewn across a desk in front of him, their edges curling as though they had been shuffled and forgotten countless times. One glance was enough to tell Kiran that whoever owned this desk didn’t care much for organization.
Faint sounds of a crowd drifted in from outside, muted but discernible, as if they were just on the other side of a thick wall. Curious, Kiran stood from the chair, his footsteps muffled against the worn wooden floor. He took a step toward the window, drawn by the faint noise.
“You know it’s rude to ignore,” came a voice from behind him, smooth and almost amused.
Kiran froze, his breath catching in his chest. Slowly, he turned around to face whomever it was that had spoken.
It was a girl, her appearance striking yet understated. She wore a flowing, dark green cloak embroidered with intricate gold patterns that shimmered faintly, hinting at an enchantment woven into the fabric. Beneath it, a fitted tunic and trousers of deep black gave her a sleek, almost regal silhouette. A delicate necklace rested against her collarbone, its pendant glowing faintly, pulsing in time with an unseen rhythm.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Her face was framed by long, midnight-black hair that cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, its sheen catching the faint light in the room. Her eyes, sharp and piercing, seemed to hold an endless depth, as though she could see through every layer of pretense. There was a serene confidence about her, a quiet beauty that demanded attention without effort.
Floating just above her shoulder was a spirit—a slender, translucent figure that shimmered with ethereal light. It radiated an aura of quiet power, its presence lending an air of mystery to the girl.
Kiran’s breath hitched as recognition struck. He had seen her before—standing calmly in the courtyard, her presence unmoving amidst the chaotic crowd. The spirit above her shoulder confirmed it.
“It’s also rude to stare,” the girl said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of amusement.
Kiran blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He quickly straightened, realizing how obvious his reaction must have been. “I—uh,” he started, before clamping his mouth shut, unsure of how to respond.
The girl tilted her head slightly, her piercing eyes locking onto his. The faint glow of her spirit seemed to pulse in rhythm with her gaze, amplifying the air of quiet authority she exuded.
She was standing in a kitchenette in the corner of the room, holding a simple cup of water. The light caught the rim of the glass, casting a faint reflection onto the counter. She took a small sip before starting up again.
“Anyway, do you happen to know where we are?” she asked, her tone casual, as if this were an everyday occurrence.
“Huh? Oh… no, I don’t,” Kiran stammered, scrambling for an answer. He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing around the unfamiliar office. “I just… woke up here. Same as you, I guess?”
The girl raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by his fumbling. She placed the cup down with a soft clink and leaned against the counter, her expression thoughtful. The spirit floating above her shoulder shifted slightly, its translucent form flickering like a flame in a gentle breeze.
“Well,” she said after a moment, her gaze drifting toward the cluttered desk. “Whoever owns this place clearly isn’t great at keeping things in order.”
Kiran took another look at the desk, his eyes scanning the chaotic jumble of papers and scattered quills. “I guess not,” he said, his voice trailing off as he searched for something—anything—to anchor the conversation.
Quickly running out of things to say, he turned his attention to the window. The faint sounds of a distant crowd still reached his ears, their murmurs and cheers blending into an indistinct hum. Yet, as he looked out, his breath caught.
They were high—far higher than he expected. The window offered a view of sprawling rooftops with Aetherion Academy''s campus, and further still, the city of Illumnis stretched out like a tapestry below, but the courtyard where the ceremony had been was nowhere to be seen. From this vantage point atop what seemed to be a massive spire, the world below felt impossibly far away.
He pressed his palm lightly against the glass, as if doing so might bridge the gap between him and the life he had left just moments ago. “We’re so… high up,” he muttered, more to himself than to the girl.
But it wasn’t the girl who responded to his mutterings.
“It’s all a matter of perspective,” a voice said smoothly, carrying a tone that was equal parts amusement and authority.
Kiran spun around, his hand already in the process of forming his wand, a faint shimmer of sand beginning to coalesce in his palm. Standing behind him, halfway between himself and the girl, was a man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
The man’s appearance was striking—not for any ostentatious feature but for his sheer composure. He was tall, dressed in simple but impeccably tailored robes of midnight blue, edged with subtle silver embroidery that shimmered faintly under the room’s dim light. His dark hair was neatly combed, and his eyes, sharp and penetrating, seemed to take in everything about the room in an instant.
He smiled faintly, his gaze flicking from Kiran’s half-formed wand to the girl’s calm but curious expression. “Now, now,” he said, raising a hand in mock surrender. “No need for dramatics. You’ve already passed the first test by making it here.”
First test? Kiran thought to himself, his brow furrowing as the sand continued to spiral in his palm. He wasn’t about to surrender control, not just yet. His gaze followed the man closely, every movement measured as he lowered his arms and began to walk leisurely past both Kiran and the girl.
The man moved with an air of unbothered confidence, paying no mind to their wary stares. He came to a stop behind the cluttered desk, surveying the chaos as though seeing it for the first time. “Oh, do please excuse my mess,” he said, his tone light and conversational. “All the magic in the world, and yet none of it seems to make paperwork disappear.”
He lingered there for a moment, his sharp eyes scanning the haphazard piles as though searching for something specific. Then, with a soft snap of his fingers, his expression shifted to one of quiet affirmation, as if he had just solved a puzzle.
The man leaned back slightly, his faint smile curling into something that bordered on mischievous. “As a quick reward for making it here,” he began, gesturing with a casual flick of his wrist, “let me show you something interesting.”
Kiran’s grip on his coalescing sand tightened, his eyes narrowing. The girl beside him remained still, her spirit hovering quietly above her shoulder, its translucent glow dimming slightly as if anticipating what was to come.
The man snapped his fingers again, and the room began to change. The walls shimmered and bent, their edges dissolving into streaks of light that spiraled outward. The desk and its clutter seemed to blur and stretch before vanishing altogether. In their place rose a vast, open expanse—a sprawling landscape of stars and floating islands suspended in an endless void.
Kiran stumbled slightly as the ground beneath him shifted, becoming a translucent platform that seemed to hover in the nothingness. The faint hum of magic filled the air, resonating through the space as if the very void around them was alive.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” the man asked, stepping forward onto the edge of the platform, his steps casual despite the dizzying drop below. “This place exists between moments, a sliver of time carved out for those who earn it. Consider it a glimpse of the possibilities that lie ahead… if you’re bold enough to take them.”
Stunned, Kiran barely registered the shift in his surroundings. His eyes darted between the endless void and the floating islands, each one glowing faintly as if imbued with its own unique magic. It was only when he tried to tighten his hold on the sand in his palm that he realized something was missing.
The sand was gone. The coalescing spiral he had been carefully maintaining was no longer there, and more alarmingly, he hadn’t even noticed when it disappeared. His well was still expending mana, feeding into nothing, as if the very magic he controlled had been snatched away.
Likewise, the girl’s calm demeanor began to falter as she glanced at her shoulder. Her spirit, the constant presence she had relied on for as long as she could remember, was gone. She blinked, her hand reaching up instinctively to touch the empty space where it once hovered.
“Something wrong?” the man asked, his tone laced with knowing amusement. He turned back to face them, his sharp eyes glinting with satisfaction. “You’ll find that this place has a peculiar way of leveling the playing field. Here, there are no crutches, no tools. Just you.”
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He turned to face Kiran and the girl, his expression one of quiet intensity. “In truth, magic is limitless. It is not a tool, but a language—one that evolves with every word, every thought, every imagination that dares to shape it. The only boundaries it knows are the ones you impose upon yourselves.”
He gestured to the floating islands above them, each one pulsing faintly with vibrant energy. “Every student who walks through the gates of Aetherion Academy comes with their own spark, their own vision of what magic can be. Here, you will learn to fan that spark into a flame, to transcend the formulas and traditions that bind you and carve your own path into the infinite.”
The man’s faint smile returned, and he inclined his head slightly, as if tipping a hat that wasn’t there. “I am Caelus Darion, Headmaster of Aetherion Academy. And if you are willing to step beyond the limits you’ve known, then I am willing to guide you.”
Before Kiran could muster a word, Caelus smiled and clapped his hands together. “We’ll see each other soon enough,” he said, his voice carrying a quiet finality.
In the next instant, Kiran felt a sudden shove from behind, forcing his eyes open. The surreal void vanished, replaced by the bustling courtyard of Aetherion Academy. The announcement was winding down, the voice of the announcer fading into a steady hum as the crowd began to stir.
Blinking, Kiran looked around to reorient himself. His gaze landed on the girl, who now stood with a serene expression, her hand gently clasped around the slender fingers of her spirit. The ethereal figure shimmered faintly, its presence as calming as it was powerful.
A faint smile tugged at Kiran’s lips before his attention shifted to Elias. He couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as he spotted his friend, practically sleepwalking, his head bobbing back and forth like he was fighting to stay awake.
“And now, it is my honor to welcome these aspiring hopefuls,” the voice boomed, regaining the attention of the crowd. “May your journey here ignite the flames of your potential, and may Aetherion Academy be the forge where your brilliance is shaped!”
The crowd erupted into applause, the energy of the ceremony reaching its peak. Students clutched their wands tightly, some grinning with determination, others still caught in the haze of awe and nervousness.
Kiran clapped along absently, his mind still reeling from the surreal encounter in the void-like room. His gaze flicked back to Elias, who had finally stopped bobbing his head and was now standing a little straighter, his grip tightening around his wand as the gates began to shimmer.