The sun was barely rising, casting a pale glow over the forest. The scent of damp earth and pine filled the air as I walked through the trees, the soft crunch of leaves beneath my boots being the only sound that dared to break the morning stillness.
The storm last night was the biggest I had seen, and this morning the forest was quiet, almost too quiet. A faint mist hung in the air, cool against my skin as I moved further into the forest. My heart pounded in my chest- not from fear but from something else, something I couldn't quite place. The trees seemed to watch me, their gnarled branches twisting like ancient hands reaching out in silent greeting. I tipped my head in respect, and my hand clenched around the letter, crumpling it as frustration leaked out.
The letter from the Academy was clutched tightly in my hands. My eyes lowered to the familiar seal the elders had shown me; it was unmistakable-Draconia Academy, where warriors and mages alike were trained.
I took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air; the thick scent of pine and wet earth instantly calmed me. My mind raced with questions I had long buried. The Academy-was I ready for such a world, so far from the peace of Terranova, my home? Could I face what lay beyond the trees, the danger, the unknown? This forest was all I had known my entire life, but I had known this day would come.
I could not stay here forever.
Turning, I made my way to the clearing where Thalor, Neria, Pyris, and Zephor stood waiting. I hadn't called them, the forest had when it sensed my distress. Their figures, like ghosts, loomed over me, their forms shifting as their elements moved within them, the elements that had given me life. They were not just guardians- they were my teachers, my protectors, my family. Yet, even as they watched me with determination and serene expressions, I knew they understood the choice I faced.
I was summoned. There was no second option.
"Adelina," Thalor spoke, his voice deep and steady like the earth beneath my feet, "this is your path now. The world beyond will need you."
Neria's gaze was gentle, her water-blue eyes filled with the soft wisdom of ages. "You were always meant for more than this forest, child. I could see it. Go, learn what you must."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. The last time I had cried was a decade ago and now, the feeling of leaving home for what could be the last time ever burned my eyes. "I'll go," I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips, but once spoken, they felt like a promise, "they expect a boy."
The elders stepped forward in unison and moved closer to me. Pyris spoke, "We will help you with that my dear, here this ring has our enchantments carved into it, you can be in disguise whenever you wish."
"Won't they take it from me?" I ask and take the beautiful, delicate ring from his warm hands.
Zephor, the air elder finally spoke, her voice filled with sadness, "It will be invisible to everyone but you."
I looked at her, the elder dearest to my heart. While Neria is like an older sister to me, Zephor is like the mother I never had. I reached out to hold her hand and smiled, my face wet with tears I hadn't known were falling.
The sun shone brightly as it woke up the world around me. The baby spirits whispered and muttered in excitement for the new day, while I steeled myself.
The decision made, I turned back towards the forest's edge, knowing the world beyond would test me in ways I couldn't yet imagine. I just prayed I was strong enough to come back home.
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I knew the secrets of Terranova like I knew how to breathe. It just came to me and it never left. The enchanted forest, hidden from the world's eye housed the purest of elementals. It let no one in or out, a sanctuary and a prison.
But to me, the vast kingdom of the elementals was my life, my purpose. I knew everyone here, knew each corner of the forest, where to go, what to do. I spent eighteen years here and now it was suddenly time to leave the only place where I belonged.
I stepped outside the comfort and warmth of my house and into the early morning chill. My bags were all set and ready with clothes-trousers, shirts, socks, and some personal hygiene products. I pulled my cloak closer to my body trying to suck in all the warmth I could.
This was my home, I was raised here. But as I looked back one last time, I could feel the weight of what I was about to leave behind. The ring on my right hand seared my skin with its danger.
Thalor's deep voice rumbled through the ground, a reminder that the earth itself would always be a part of me. "The world will call you, child. And you will answer."
Neira's presence swirled around me, cool and fluid. "You are ready, Adelina. The magic of this place has prepared you for what lies ahead. Go, find the answers you seek."
Pyris' warmth brushed against me like a flame, urging me to the forest's edge where a foreign light shone. "You carry the fire within you. Do not let fear quench it."
Xephor, ever elusive, whispered in the wind, "Your wings are ready. The world awaits. They will try to clip you, try to tie you to the ground, but you will soar, and they will watch."
I closed my eyes, letting their words wash over me. The time had come to step into the world beyond, to face whatever truths Draconia Academy might reveal. I could no longer hide behind the protective barrier of the forest. It was weakening and so were the powers of the elements with the impending doom of the undead.
With a final glance at the home I had known, I turned away, walking toward the path that would lead me to the Academy. To my future. My heart pounded, but it wasn't fear that stirred within me, something else, something stronger. Something that overshadowed all my other senses and calmed me down.
A new chapter of my life was about to begin.
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Draconia Academy.
A dream for many, but to me, it was nothing more than a prison—the worst kind. A place where innocence was stripped away, where morals were shattered, and where children were forged into heartless monsters under the guise of warriors for war.
Over a thousand years ago, the first dragon rider, Neris, rose to legend. By sheer chance, he bonded with a dragon, an event that changed history. In his excitement, he spread the word, but his discovery only ignited conflict. The five kingdoms, eager to claim this newfound power, waged war before settling on a fragile truce. Neris became a teacher, training students—some who followed him with unwavering loyalty, others who served their kings with quiet obedience.
They sent him on countless missions. At first, he fought for noble causes—purging villages plagued by monsters, taming the wild beasts born of magic. But soon, the kingdoms' hunger for power grew. They sought not only control over creatures but dominion over the dragons themselves—prideful, majestic beings who bent to no one.
Then came their final demand.
"Bring us the Monolith of Origins, and you shall be free. Everyone dear to you will be rewarded beyond measure, and you may live the rest of your days as you wish."
Neris was a kind man—too kind. He had obeyed their commands, believing he was saving lives. But in the end, the kingdoms only showed him what he wanted to see.
So he and his riders embarked on their deadliest mission yet, crossing endless lands, treacherous seas, and towering mountains. They soared through scorching suns and deadly storms, pushing forward until they reached the heart of the world—Vangore.
There, the Monolith of Origins awaited. A nexus of all magic, guarded by creatures beyond comprehension. Neris and his comrades fought relentlessly, cutting through waves of monstrous defenders. Victory seemed within reach—until the final guardian emerged.
An ancient dragon. A creature so old, so powerful, and so fiercely bound to its duty that it laid ruin to everything in its path.
When the dust settled, only Neris remained.
Broken, bleeding, he crawled toward the Monolith, desperate. The magic pulsing within it could do the impossible—it could bring the dead back to life. He reached out, hands trembling, touching pure, unfiltered magic. And in the end, it drove him mad. He perished, consumed by the very force he sought to wield.
Soon after, the Monolith of Origins turned pitch black, absorbing the blood of fallen dragons and riders. From its corrupted depths, Vikhar emerged—an entity of pure malevolence, born from death and despair, with an insatiable hunger to consume the world.
Slowly, it built an army. Parasitic creatures slithered into the minds of warriors, twisting their thoughts, warping their magic. Loyal soldiers became puppets, their wills shattered, and their power turned against their own.
War was inevitable.
It has been nearly a century since Vikhar last appeared, but his influence lingers. His pawns creep in the shadows, sowing chaos where they can, a chilling reminder that he is never truly gone. The entrance to Vangore disappeared, and so did the Monolith of Origins.
In memory of Neris's tragic fate, the kingdoms established Draconia Academy—a united institution where magic and warfare became the foundation of every soldier's mind.
A place of dreams for many.
But not for me.
I longed for the plains of Terranova, where I could roam barefoot on the damp morning soil, free from the chains of the never-ending war.
Yet, here I stood on a brick road, under the archway of the Academy's entrance.
I tightened the cloak around my shoulders, grateful for the spell placed on the ring. My reflection in a passing window confirmed short-cropped brown hair, a sharper jawline, broader shoulders, the same brown eyes, and longer limbs. To the world, I was no longer Adelina Eude, an orphan of the forest, but Aiden, a young man traveling to join the Academy.
The letter had called me that. Aiden Eude. Maybe my parents had kept my gender and identity hidden from the head council, was it for my safety? That didn't explain why I was abandoned in the middle of nowhere half-dead eighteen years ago.
I felt out of place like a shadow slipping unnoticed through the brightness of this city. Everything here seemed so rigid, so orderly. In the forest, life pulsed freely, untamed, and alive. The forest was bold but so very quiet. I could already feel a headache forming. Here, the streets were carefully carved into the land, as if nature had been bent to the will of humans.
Ahead, the Academy gates loomed, and even further in the distance, a magnificent castle-like structure could be seen, where- I assumed- the classes would be held. The gates were carved with intricate depictions of the school's history, and sprawling battle scenes stretched across the stone. But beyond those gates was where my true test would begin. I wasn't here to marvel at the school's grandeur. I was here to find answers--to uncover the truth about my family and my place in this world.
As I approached the gates, the guards straightened, their polished armor catching the sunlight. One stepped forward, his eyes scanning me with practiced precision.
"Name and purpose," he said, his tone formal but disinterested.
Good.
I straightened my back, lowering my voice as I had practiced. "Aiden Eude. Summoned to Draconia Academy."
The guard's gaze lingered for a moment as if assessing my worth before he stepped aside and motioned me through. The gates creaked open, revealing the heart of the Academy's lawn.
For the first time, I felt a pang of doubt. The forest had prepared me for many things, but this...this was a world of stone and steel, of people who would look at me and see something I wasn't. Could I truly belong here?
I shook the thought from my mind and asked another question to the same guard, "Where's the Admission Center?"
"Take a right from the main entrance. Go straight after that," the guard replied, tilting his head to nod at the large open circle area in the distance with a massive fountain flowing. I smiled politely and stepped forward. I slowly made my way to it, pushing through the excited crowds of students and heavy bodies of soldiers, tightening my grip on the straps of my pack so it wouldn't get stolen.
As soon as I stepped inside the Academy, I turned right and sped down the hallway. Opening the letter from the Academy, I snatched the ticket from it and raced down to make it in time for the entrance ceremony.
The students loitering in the hallways were a blend of races, their attire making them citizens of different kingdoms. A dwarf with a braided silver beard argued with a vendor over the price of a crystal trinket. A tall elf in a dark cloak glided past, his gaze fixed ahead as though the chaos of the station didn't exist. A group of shifters, their eyes sharp and golden, gathered near the far wall, murmuring in hushed tones.
I clutched my pack tighter, the reality of my journey settling heavily on my shoulders. This wasn't just a step into another world; it was a step into the unknown.
Following the signs etched into the stone walls, I made my way to the Admission Center. Falling behind the long line, I waited as upper-year students reached me seeking my letter.
I presented the shimmering purple ticket with the golden seal. He studied it for a moment before nodding. With a flick of this wrist, the parchment transformed into a glittering bracelet.
"First time?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
I nodded.
"Don't worry," he said, stepping aside. "The hallways know where to take you. If you ever need to visit or want to go anywhere, just have this bracelet with you, the privilege of being a Draconian student."
Mumbling a thank you as he tied the bracelet around my wrist, I stepped inside the hum of magic growing louder, and the noisy hallway instantly quieted. The interior was just as extraordinary as the exterior--rows of plush seats arranged in small areas, each one softly lit by orbs of light floating near the ceiling. The windows weren't glass but some kind of enchanted barrier that shimmered faintly, giving a view of the clear sky outside.
I found an empty couch near the back and set my pack on my lap, letting out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Through the window, I could see the distant dragon riders flying and returning from their summer missions, and soon enough I felt it, Terranova becoming a distant memory.
I leaned back, letting the rhythm of the silent magic in my blood soothe my nerves. For the first time since leaving the forest, I had a moment to think. My mind once again raced with questions; "What would this place be like? Would anyone see through my disguise? Would I find the answers I was looking for?
A flicker of doubt crept in, but I pushed it aside. I had made my choice, and there was no turning back now. Somewhere beyond these halls, my destiny awaited- in a place of legends, of power, and perhaps of redemption.
The receptionist's strict voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Aiden Eude, please head to room 87C to meet with your advisor."
I looked up as the woman fixed her thick glasses and pointed to her right to a set of rooms, giving her a quick smile I hurried off ignoring the chilled atmosphere and hostile looks.