Ares spent the rest of the day lost in thought. His recent conversation with the headmaster had sent his mind spiraling, forcing him to question everything.
But it wasn't the headmaster who made his mind spiral the hardest. It was the prince.
Did he know about the new curriculum? Is that why he gave Ares the letter of recommendation?
But if that were true—why?
Why would the prince want him to travel to the Wildlands?
Could it just be a coincidence?
After all, Ares didn't even enrol in the academy right away. How could the prince have planned something so far in advance?
Ares couldn't begin to understand the prince's motives. Ever since receiving that letter, he had found himself second-guessing everything—and everyone. Doubt came first now, trust a far distant second.
With a deep sigh, he pushed the thoughts away from his mind. Overthinking wouldn't help. What mattered now was the task ahead. Soon, he and his group would be leaving for the Wildlands, where they were expected to gain real battle experience in these war-torn times.
He pulled out a thick piece of paper—his schedule. Unfolding it carefully, he stared at the neatly written words in dark ink.
But before he could finish reading, the letters began to shift.
His eyes widened in disbelief as the words rearranged themselves. In mere seconds, his entire schedule had changed. All his classes had vanished, replaced by just two entries.
Group Meeting and Personal Preparations.
Ares froze, staring at the paper. Questions flooded his mind—how could the academy alter words written with ink? Was it some form of magic?
But before he could dwell on it any longer, sudden realisation hit him like a hammer.
His Group Meeting was happening right now.
"Damn Headmaster!" he cursed under his breath, breaking into a run down the academy's crowded halls.
Most of the academy was still a maze to him, and so he found himself doubling back more than once before finally finding the right classroom.
He burst through the door, breath catching in his throat.
Four figures turned to look at him.
One of the figures, more familiar than the rest, greeted him with a nod and a smile.
"Selene," he recognised her instantly—the girl who'd helped him find the lecture hall on his first day.
And next to her…
"Must be Lucian," Ares thought, eyeing the lanky student standing beside her—the one who'd arrived even later to that same lecture than he had.
"And you are?" a voice cut in sharply.
Ares turned his head toward the sound. Two boys stood there, nearly identical down to the last freckle—same sharp jawline, same piercing gaze, and both with their heads held high.
"The headmaster's sons… were twins?!" The realization hit him like a punch to the chest. Somehow, that detail had never occurred to him, and now, here they were—looking at him like he'd just stepped in something foul.
Before he could respond, one of the twins spoke again, his voice carrying a faint edge of smugness.
"Cat got your tongue?"
"Huh?" Ares blinked.
"Your name," the twin clarified, crossing his arms.
"Ares,"
"Ares... I'm sure you must know who I am?"
"Caelum?" Ares guessed, his tone uncertain. He only knew the names of the students in his group, not their faces… and even if he did, how much would that help with identical twins?
"What?! I'm Castor! C-A-S-T-O-R," the boy snapped, his voice rising.
Behind him, Selene giggled softly, covering her mouth as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
The irritation spreading across Castor's face only made her laugh harder.
"Yeah, yeah," Ares muttered, clearly unbothered by the drama. His attention shifted toward the man standing beneath the fluttering banner.
It was their supervisor.
A tall young man with dark brown hair stood with his arms crossed, light silver armour gleaming faintly from the sun piercing through the window. He looked composed, calm—and far too serious for someone who was meant to lead a group of kids into the Wildlands.
"I see you're all here," the man said, his voice calm and measured. "My name is Victor Highseor. As I just explained to your peers, I will be your supervisor."
Ares gave a small nod, though his mind snagged on the name. "Victor Highseor… why does that sound so familiar?"
"I've already covered the essentials," Victor continued, "but I'll give you a brief recap. We depart in six months. During that time, you've been removed from all standard classes, giving you full freedom to prepare in whatever way suits you best. You're welcome to attend classes if you wish, but your personal preparations should take priority. If you need guidance or support, you may come to me. Otherwise… I'll see you all when the time comes."
Without another word, the supervisor turned on his heel and left the room.
Selene—a girl Ares had only briefly noticed—looked as though she was about to speak to him. But before she could, he was already moving, slipping out of the door and heading straight for his dorm.
Minutes later, he was already lying on his bed.
It wasn't long before exhaustion crept in and claimed him. The boy drifted into a deep, dreamless slumber.
He woke up to a new day. Then another. And another.
The days began to blend together, and before he knew it, the day of the departure had finally come.