The morning sun poured golden light over the vast stone courtyard of Aurelia Academy, gilding its majestic towers and intricate stained-glass windows with a regal glow. Today was the Entrance Evaluation, the first test every new student had to pass — not to be accepted, but to be understood.
Students were gathered in long rows, all dressed in the deep indigo uniform robes of Aurelia's first-year initiates. Some whispered nervously, others looked confidently at the instructors. Near the back, standing awkwardly yet calmly, was Kaito.
He tugged at the stiff collar of his borrowed academy robe, still unsure how he had ended up here. Only days ago, he had been chasing butterflies with Lina in Elderhart. Now he stood among nobles and prodigies.
"Next," called a stern instructor in polished armor. "Approach the crystal."
A massive, radiant Arcane Crystal floated midair on the ceremonial platform. It pulsed with energy — a living fragment of the world's magical essence. Touching it would reveal one's affinity — fire, wind, water, earth, light, darkness… or none at all.
Whispers buzzed through the crowd as nobles displayed their lineage-given talents. The son of Marquis Halsten lit the air aflame with a single touch. The daughter of Archmage Cerys summoned a swirl of silver wind.
Kaito watched them all, heart steady but uncertain.
"You're up," said the instructor.
He stepped forward.
---
The Touch
The moment his fingertips brushed the crystal, everything changed.
A silence fell.
Not the absence of sound — but a silence that rang, like a bell in reverse. The crystal, instead of glowing with a specific color, began to vibrate. Then it shuddered — violently.
Gasps rang out from the watching students.
"What's happening?" someone muttered.
A sudden explosion of light burst from the crystal — not red, or blue, or green, but a blinding golden hue. Wind howled outward. The instructors stepped back instinctively. Several students shielded their eyes.
Then, just as suddenly as it started, the light died.
The crystal cracked faintly, glowing with strange golden veins.
And Kaito… stood still, stunned.
In that instant of contact, he had heard her again.
> "Your soul remembers. When you protect… you awaken."
> "They won't understand you, not yet. But the world needs you."
> "Shine quietly, child of light."
The voice had been soft, almost like a dream — but warm, familiar. The same voice he had heard when he died in the other world.
He took a shaky step back.
The instructor stared at him. "What… was your name again?"
"Kaito," he replied quietly.
---
A Confusing Result
After a long silence, murmurs began to build.
"No element?"
"What was that golden burst?"
"Did the crystal break?"
Another instructor stepped forward and touched the crystal. The golden veins dimmed but didn't vanish.
"This… has never happened before," she murmured. "Not even among the royal heirs."
Duke Arashima, standing among the observers on the upper balcony, watched the scene unfold with interest. Mira, seated beside him, had risen halfway from her seat, wide-eyed.
"That's him," she whispered. "The boy who saved me."
Kaito walked back to the line, confused but not afraid. The voice in his mind had filled him with something more powerful than fear — a quiet, burning certainty.
---
The Shadow Among the Nobles
Among the gathered first-years, a dark-haired boy leaned against one of the pillars, his arms crossed.
He had said little all morning.
But now, as the golden light faded and the crowd's awe turned into chaos, his eyes narrowed. He stared at Kaito with a look that was not shock — but recognition.
> So… you're alive.
> You don't remember me… do you?
The boy — known here as Ryuu Ashenford, heir to one of the noblest houses — gave no indication of his thoughts. He turned his eyes away as instructors tried to calm the crowd.
But inwardly, something long buried stirred.
The brother he thought he had lost… was here. And didn't even realize who he was.
---
Later That Evening
The dormitories at Aurelia were separated by rank — nobility, elite families, and "special cases." Kaito's room was tucked beneath the oldest wing of the building, near the academy gardens. Small, humble, but peaceful.
He sat on the bed, fingers trembling as he recalled the light that had surged through him. It hadn't felt like any specific element — it had felt like everything. Fire and water, light and shadow, wind and stone — and something more.
"Is that… magic?" he whispered aloud.
There was a knock at the door.
He stood and opened it to find Mira standing there, arms crossed, violet eyes studying him intently.
"You broke the crystal," she said flatly.
"I didn't mean to," he replied honestly.
Mira studied him for a long moment. "You're not a noble. You didn't grow up with magic. You shouldn't have been able to… do what you did."
"I know," he said.
"Then how did you?"
Kaito hesitated. "I… don't know. But when I touched it, I heard a voice. I've heard it before."
Mira's eyes widened slightly, her sharp mind instantly curious. "A voice?"
"From someone powerful," he added, lowering his voice. "Someone… divine."
Mira took a step closer, intrigued. "You're not like the others, are you?"
"I don't think so," Kaito admitted.
For once, Mira didn't scoff or retort. She nodded once and turned to leave, pausing at the door.
"If you hear the voice again… tell me."
Then she was gone.
---
In the Silence of Night
The moon hung high over Aurelia. Somewhere in the quiet, Ryuu sat in the observatory tower, watching the stars.
A servant entered. "Young Master Ryuu, shall I—?"
"Leave me," Ryuu said calmly.
Once alone, he allowed himself a breath.
> So, you've begun to awaken.
> But you still don't remember the truth.
He looked down at his hand — the faint trace of his own magic pulsing dark red along the veins.
> You'll remember someday, brother.
> And when you do…
> What side will you choose?