The classroom still buzzed with murmurs after the results had been read.
So students were already comparing points, others congratulating the top ranks. But Professor Sylvia’s sharp clap cut through the chatter.
"That’s enough," she said firmly. "You’ve heard your results. Don’t let numbers alone define you. Now, all of you—head to Ground Zero for training. I will join you after I finish preparing for the upcoming academy events."
A chorus of "Yes, Professor!" filled the room.
Chairs scraped against the floor as students began leaving in small groups. Excitent filled the air; Ground Zero was infamous for its intense training.
Kael, however, didn’t linger. The mont Sylvia dismissed them, he packed his belongings quickly.
His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the one that the little boy’s mother gave him. Its dark sheen and faintly glowing runes still bothered him.
He needed answers.
He hurried through the academy’s long corridors, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor until he reached the library.
The tall wooden doors creaked as he pushed them open, revealing rows upon rows of shelves that stretched toward the ceiling.
Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight cutting through the high windows.
Inside, Professor Alera was cataloging scrolls at a side desk. She was a woman in her early thirties, with sharp, intelligent eyes and long hair tied neatly behind her.
When Kael approached, she looked up.
"Kael?" she asked, surprised. "Shouldn’t you be training with your classmates?"
He bowed slightly, placing the sword on the desk. "Professor Alera... I need your help. This sword. Could you examine it for please!?"
Alera studied the weapon carefully, her brows knitting as she touched the hilt.
A faint glow sparked under her fingers.
"You’re right," she said softly. "This isn’t sothing a first-year should be carrying. Where did you—"
Kael hesitated. "It... ca into my hands during the break. That’s all I can say for now."
Her gaze lingered on him, sharp but curious. Then she sighed. "Very well. I’ll examine it thoroughly. Leave it with ."
"Yes, Professor."
"Wait here for a while," she instructed. "I’ll need to consult so records."
Kael nodded and stepped away as Alera carried the sword into a separate chamber behind the library shelves. Left alone, he turned his attention to the rows of books.
"I should make use of this ti..." he muttered, walking along the shelves. He was searching for maps—anything that could give him a broader understanding of the lands outside the academy, the old ruins, and the forbidden areas.
Minutes passed. He scanned spines, pulled out scrolls, flipped through dusty tos.
Found nothing about the book of maps.
The frustration grew heavier with each fruitless search.
"Where are they?" he whispered, running a hand through his hair.
As he turned a corner, his eyes caught sight of a second-year student sitting at one of the reading tables.
A girl. She had long, silky black hair that cascaded over her shoulders, catching the light like a waterfall of midnight.
Her features were delicate, her lips soft pink as she quietly flipped through the pages of a thick volu.
The sunlight streaming from the window seed to fra her face perfectly, making her look almost ethereal.
Kael froze. His heart skipped a beat.
Then he noticed what she was holding. The book in her hands was a map book.
His eyes widened. "Of all people..." he muttered under his breath.
He hesitated for a mont, debating whether to approach. His palms grew a little sweaty.
She was beautiful—so much so that he suddenly beca aware of his own plain clothes and ssy hair. But he needed that book.
Summoning his courage, he stepped forward.
"Um... excuse ," he said carefully.
The girl looked up, her deep brown eyes eting him. For a second, Kael forgot to breathe.
"Yes?" she said, her voice was soft.
"That book..." Kael pointed awkwardly, his face warming. "It’s... it’s about maps, right? I’ve been searching everywhere, but I couldn’t find a single copy."
The girl tilted her head slightly, then gave a small smile.
"Yes, it’s a volu on continental maps. You’re looking for this?"
Kael scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed.
"Y-Yeah... If it’s not too much trouble, could I... maybe look at it after you’re done?"
She chuckled softly, closing the book just a little. "You can sit with if you’d like. I don’t mind sharing."
His eyes widened in surprise.
"R-Really?"
She nodded. "I’m Selena," she introduced herself warmly. "Second-year. And you’re Kael, right? I heard Professor Sylvia call your na before midterm in class."
Kael’s cheeks turned even redder.
"Y-Yeah... I’m Kael."
Selene slid the book slightly toward the center of the table.
"Co on then. Let’s see together."
Kael sat down, still flustered, his heart pounding louder than it should.
For a mont, he almost forgot his frustration, distracted instead by Selena’s graceful presence.
Kael sat stiffly at the wooden table, his hands resting awkwardly on the edge as Selena slid the book closer.
The parchnt slled faintly of dust and ink, but the drawings within were anything but ordinary.
Each page was filled with sprawling maps, intricate runes, and notes scribbled in the margins by past scholars.
Selene tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she opened to the first page.
"Since you were searching so desperately, I assu you have so reason for needing maps?"
Kael hesitated. He couldn’t tell her the truth about the dark power. Still, he needed help.
"I... I just want to understand the lands better. If we’re going to be sent on missions or trials outside the academy, I don’t want to be lost."
Her lips curved into a faint smile. "A practical reason. I like that." She tapped the map. "Then let’s start from the north."
Northern Elaris
She turned the page, revealing a map shaded in icy blues and grays.
"The North is harsh," Selena began.
"Mountains dominate the horizon, and snow covers the land for most of the year. The people there are hardened by war and cold. If they held events, they will go only in sumr ti"
Her finger traced a jagged keep etched in ink.
"This is Frostbane Keep. Once a fortress of kings, now it’s a bastion for the Council of Clans. Decisions that shape Elaris are made there."
Kael leaned closer, curiosity sparking. "The council... I’ve heard of them. So they really rule from Frostbane?"
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