The capital's central plaza buzzed with life, bathed in the golden glow of floating lanterns. Music echoed from distant instruments while vendors hawked glowing fruit and enchanted pastries. The sky, dusted with stars, served as a perfect canvas for the festival's magic.
Lucien strolled through the crowd, a relaxed smile playing on his lips. A silver-haired girl walked beside him, her golden eyes scanning everything—and yet, nothing seemed to interest her.
Liana.
She was graceful, almost ethereal, but her expression remained impassive. Cold. Distant. Like the warmth of the world couldn't quite reach her.
Lucien didn't mind. He was used to the silence between them. It was a comfortable one.
"Lucien Arkanveil?" a voice called out, gruff and loud.
Lucien turned as a dwarf with a thick, braided beard and rugged armor pushed through the crowd, gripping a tankard of ale in one hand and a smoked leg of meat in the other.
Ulgrim.
The dwarf stopped short, eyeing Lucien with a flicker of curiosity—and caution. "Didn't expect to see the devil of the trial walking around like he's at a garden party."
Lucien smiled faintly. "Depends on the garden."
Ulgrim chuckled. "Fair enough."
His eyes shifted to Liana. She returned his gaze briefly, then looked away without a word.
Ulgrim blinked. "Friendly bunch, huh?"
"She's just selective," Lucien said, half-smirking. "And unimpressed."
Liana said nothing.
Ulgrim scratched his chin. "Well, you've got a cold one here. I'm Ulgrim, son of Stonehearth. Just got into the city after the trials. Thought I'd see what the hype was about."
Lucien offered a hand. "Lucien."
They shook. The dwarf's grip was firm. Respectful.
"And she?" Ulgrim tilted his head toward Liana.
"Liana," Lucien answered simply. "You'll get used to the silence."
Ulgrim nodded. "Might be refreshing, honestly."
The three of them moved together through the crowd. Ulgrim sampled food at every stall. Lucien politely declined. Liana barely glanced at anything edible.
"I heard some of you lot got scouted by Masters already," Ulgrim said between bites. "Any truth to that?"
Lucien shrugged. "Some talk. Nothing official."
Liana gave a quiet, "Hmph."
Ulgrim raised a brow. "You're not excited?"
"No," she answered without looking at him.
Ulgrim let out a soft laugh. "You two really are opposites."
They stopped by a fireworks booth as enchanted sparks whirled overhead in the shapes of mythical beasts—griffins, phoenixes, sea serpents.
A child squealed nearby, and Lucien turned to look, watching a group of students throw magic-infused rings into glowing hoops. The joy in their eyes was honest. Pure.
He looked away.
Ulgrim was watching him. "You thinking about what comes next?"
"Always," Lucien said.
They passed a small stage where illusionists performed light shows. Liana watched for a moment, then turned away with a quiet breath, her eyes narrowing.
"Too flashy," she muttered.
Ulgrim grinned. "So you do talk."
Liana didn't respond.
They found a quiet place to sit—a stone bench near a slow-moving stream lit by glowing lilies. The music from the plaza drifted to them, soft and distant.
Ulgrim leaned back with a sigh. "Been a long time since I saw a festival this loud."
Lucien looked over. "Not a fan?"
"Used to it. Dwarves celebrate with hammers and stone songs, not all this floating glitter."
Liana sat with her arms folded, eyes on the lanterns drifting above. She didn't speak, but Lucien could tell—she was listening.
"You two close?" Ulgrim asked, nodding at them.
Lucien gave a vague smile. "We met long before the trials."
Ulgrim gave Liana a sidelong glance. "She always like this?"
"Haha" Lucien laughed.
Liana's golden gaze flicked toward him. "And you were louder."
Ulgrim laughed. "A match made in silence and sarcasm."
The wind stirred. The lanterns bobbed gently in the air, casting shifting light over their faces. People around them were dancing now, couples spinning slowly in tune with the music.
Lucien didn't move.
Liana, too, remained still—detached from it all.
Ulgrim stretched. "Still, I'm glad I ran into you. You're not what the rumors make you out to be."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "And what do they say?"
"That you're a manipulator. Arrogant. Dangerous."
Lucien smiled. "Only some of that is true."
Liana turned her head, eyes sharp. "None of it concerns you."
Ulgrim chuckled. "Didn't say it did. Just wanted to see for myself."
The crowd began to thin. Stalls started closing. The lanterns were dimming now, gently falling like drifting stars into the stream.
Ulgrim stood. "Well, I'll be seeing you both around. Looks like we've got three days of freedom left."
Lucien nodded. "Then classes begin."
Liana stood as well, brushing a speck of dust from her cloak. "Finally."
Ulgrim shook his head with a grin. "You two are something else."
He walked off, whistling as he disappeared into the thinning crowd.
Lucien and Liana remained by the stream, the water reflecting the last few lanterns floating overhead.
"Think he'll survive the year?" Lucien asked quietly.
Liana didn't look at him. "He's not a fool."
Lucien smirked. "Then he's ahead of most."
The lanterns flickered one last time and faded into darkness, leaving only the stars.