This was the mont when the floor was given to the one the academy considered its jewel: Liam Dawnflare.
He slowly ascended the stage, accompanied by two mbers of his faction. His silver hair fell over his shoulders in impeccable waves, his very pale green eyes fixed on the room with no apparent emotion. He wore a pure white outfit, embroidered with golden threads, and a cape matching his family crest. Cold, haughty, confident—like all elves. His voice rose into the air, calm, assured, articulate.
But Daemon wasn’t listening. His attention had already drifted elsewhere.
Instead, he observed the faction leaders, scattered throughout the audience or standing near the screens.
Liam Dawnflare, heir to the elven kingdom, dominated his faction, "Arrow." It was the most noble of the factions, composed almost exclusively of elves or very powerful half-elf bloodlines. Their domain was pure magic and intellectual elitism. Their recruitnt level was extrely selective.
To his right stood Leonard von Arcadia, imperial prince of Arcadia. His faction, nad Dominus, rivaled Liam’s in power. Unlike his rival, Leonard wore a martial appearance: black uniform, golden pauldrons, reinforced gloves. He had blond hair and hard, piercing blue eyes. His troops ford the tactical elite of the academy: swordsn, strategists, martial arts masters. He stood tall, straight, discussing in a low voice with his right-hand man.
Arthur Aurora, on the other hand, remained apart. Seated in the center, surrounded by a small circle of loyalists, he wore the colors of the Holy Cathedral. The faction he led was known as Lumina. Considered the "child of prophecy," he possessed a calm, almost ascetic charm. His blond hair was short, his eyes a matte gold. His gaze seed to fix on sothing beyond the mont. He never participated in the academy’s internal conflicts, but his power was undeniable. He was allied with Leonard, and his paladins maintained order in the neutral zones of the campus.
A little further away, leaning against a column, stood Setsuna Hizashi, a tanned-skinned alfuman with fierce features. She belonged to the Wolf race, marked by yellow eyes and visible fangs when she smiled. Daughter of a forr S-rank adventurer and disciple of Henrik Folker, she led the Moon Guard faction. Her faction consisted of individuals with strong lineages, very united. She maintained a special relationship with Eden Folker, and in each of his returns, he was always part of the Moon Guard.
Two other figures also drew attention: Jaedan River and Isra MoonShade of the Crimson faction.
Finally, in the shadows, almost withdrawn but irresistibly captivating, Kara Geb Bentham drew glances. Leader of the "Sceptre" faction, she had an obvious provocative side: half her head was shaved, the other adorned with long chestnut locks. Piercings adorned her ears and brow. Despite her small stature, her generous chest and elegant silhouette exuded a dangerous authority. Her steel-gray eyes seed to see and judge everything. And Daemon was part of her faction.
The speech ended, and a bell rang. The official welco was coming to a close.
The next day would be the first-year combat. It was a tradition: a quick tournant where each new student could showcase their potential. It was also a strategic mont for the factions: to recruit those who promised to go far, spot hidden talents, or trample future rivals.
Each faction gathered privately, discussing potential candidates, refining their choices, and organizing strategies.
Daemon, however, did not involve himself in all this. He strolled nonchalantly through the corridors, hands in his pockets, looking blasé. He was not interested in power struggles or recruitnt plans. Officially, he could even be exempt from certain classes, as his mission results were already solid. He would take advantage of it.
As he passed by a classroom, a detail caught his attention. Out of curiosity, he stopped. Inside, about thirty students were seated, all focused. The majority were commoners, who had co with the hope of climbing the ranks through rit. They listened to a professor explaining sothing, a hologram swirling in the center of the room.
Daemon leaned against the fra of the slightly open door, without making a sound.
The professor, a lean man with rune-encrusted glasses, spoke in a clear voice:
"Cultivating and studying is important. But to survive, you need power. Can anyone tell what paths are possible to follow?"
A hand went up. A girl with tied-back hair and a confident voice answered:
"Yes, Nilia?"
"The paths to follow can be divided into nature and type."
"Correct, continue."
"There are mainly two types: martial artists and mages."
Daemon raised his eyebrows slightly.
"To beco a powerful martial artist, you need a solid physique and relentless training. The goal is to awaken your Aura. Martial arts vary, but the most powerful have secret family techniques. For us commoners, we can learn better ones if we join a faction or beco a master’s disciple; otherwise, we’re limited to basic manuals."
Daemon rembered soone like that. A commoner who had spent his life repeating the sa technique, day after day. That person had ended up becoming a seven-star. And he had beco a real nightmare on the battlefield.
’Better to fear the one who has practiced a basic Art a thousand tis than the one who practices an Epic Art a dozen tis,’ he thought silently.
"The greatest swordsman is Emperor Rê IV, an eight-star. The most renowned archer is Queen Kethra Dawnflare. And Tristan Sehkt, of the Nean tribe, is the most powerful lancer."
The professor nodded, satisfied.
"And for mages?"
"It’s more difficult. You need a predisposition, a sensitivity to mana, which is more common among elves. You have to ditate, study magical circles, and wait for awakening. So can unlock an elental affinity or a special ability. The most common affinities are water, fire, earth, wind. Others, rarer, include tal, magma, lightning, ice..."
"Good. And so combine both types."
"Like Luxia von Arcadia, a mage and a swordswoman."
The professor pointed to another section of the hologram.
"Now, let’s talk about nature. Who can tell more?"
A boy raised his hand:
"There are three natures: lineage, pact, and contract."
"Explain."
"Lineage is tied to blood and ancestors. It’s typical among Alfumans. A pact is an agreent with a celestial or demonic being. So are chosen at birth by the seven Archangels, like Arthur Aurora. And finally, a contract is a union with a spirit: fairy, naiad, sylph, etc. These spirits are classified into levels: common, rare, epic, and mythical, the latter still being a rumor to this day."
Daemon turned away from the door and resud his journey. He had heard enough. Nothing new for him, but it was always good to see if this information was still correct.
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