Morning light poured into the modest inn room, streaking across the wooden floor in soft golden beams. I awoke slowly, my body still aching slightly from the journey, but there was something different today—an energy in the air, a promise of new beginnings. Today, I would register at the academy.
I rose, splashed water on my face from the basin in the corner, and took a moment to collect myself. From a forgotten sky to a village that had both sheltered and rejected me, from Mira's gentle wisdom to the echo of divine power still humming quietly in my soul… it had been a long road to this moment. I reached into my satchel and pulled out the token Mira had given me.
The token shimmered faintly in the light. It was a smooth, circular medallion—bronze with veins of pale blue running through it like lightning trapped in metal. Engraved upon it was a symbol I'd seen once before in a dream: a sun with wings, the Mark of Divine Origin.
I held it tightly, then tucked it into the inner pocket of my tunic before heading out.
---
The academy's front gates were even more impressive up close. Massive arches of white stone rose high into the air, inscribed with ancient glyphs that shimmered faintly. Guards stood on either side of the entrance—not soldiers, but robed figures whose presence alone discouraged any foolishness. Beyond the gates, the sprawling campus stretched out like a city within a city: towers and halls, gardens and training grounds, marble stairways winding like veins through knowledge and power.
I followed the signs to the main hall for registration. The crowd inside was thick with students—some confidently chattering in groups, others standing alone like I was. They came from every part of the realm, judging by their dress and accents. For a moment, I hesitated at the threshold, feeling that creeping doubt again—do I really belong here?
Then I felt the warmth in my chest, subtle but sure. The mark.
I stepped forward.
A long row of counters ran along the far wall, each with an instructor seated behind it. Students queued at various desks, documents and tokens in hand. I joined a shorter line and waited my turn. When I reached the front, a sharp-eyed woman with silvery hair and a crimson robe glanced up at me.
"Name? And affinity with any element" she asked briskly, her quill already poised.
"Aether, and Eart..th, I can manipulate earth." I said.
"Good. Region of origin?"
I hesitated. "A small village… near the edge of the southern forest." Not exactly a lie, but not quite the full story either.
She gave me a measured look, then nodded. "Token?"
I reached into my tunic and withdrew the bronze medallion. As I placed it on the desk, her fingers froze mid-motion. She leaned forward, studying the symbol intently. The fiery symbol on the token pulsed softly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Where did you get this?"
"A woman named Mira gave it to me."
The name clearly meant something. Her eyes widened slightly. "Mira of Vel Thalion?"
"I… I think that's what she called herself once."
The woman stood abruptly. "Wait here."
She left the desk, taking the token with her, and disappeared through a side door. Whispers rippled among nearby students. I kept my head down and waited.
After a few tense minutes, she returned, accompanied by a man in deep blue robes trimmed with gold. He was tall and dignified, his presence commanding the attention of the entire room without saying a word.
"This is the one?" he asked, his gaze falling on me.
"Yes, Head instructor," the woman replied.
He nodded once, then turned his eyes on me fully. "Aether. A rare name… and an even rarer token." He handed it back to me with quiet reverence. "This is not just an entry seal—it's a mark of patronage from Mira herself. She was once the High Dean of this academy. Few have received her blessing."
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond.
"You are hereby granted entry into the academy," he continued, gesturing for the clerk to resume her duties. "Your dormitory and orientation details will be issued now. Welcome, student Aether."
He turned and walked away without another word, his robe whispering against the marble floor.
---
I was handed a parchment with my dorm assignment—Dormitory 3B, in the eastern wing—and a student insignia: a small silver badge shaped like a flame. I pinned it to my cloak and exited the hall, still reeling.
The dormitory wing was quieter, nestled beside a small grove of trees and a stone fountain. As I walked the clean halls, I passed other students who gave me curious glances, some friendly, others guarded.
3B was a modest room but comfortable. Two beds, two desks, a wardrobe, and a window overlooking the courtyard below. I didn't have a roommate yet, and I was grateful for the silence.
I stood by the window, watching as other students filed into their dorms and carried their trunks up the steps. The city beyond gleamed in the afternoon sun.
Here I was, in a place of legends and learning. The road ahead would be difficult—I could feel that in my bones. But for the first time since fal
ling from the sky, I felt a strange sensation rising in me.
Hope.
---