Chapter 4
The first morning in Sanctum Astrae broke with a sky painted in hues of lavender and gold. Artificial light from the sunstone array simulated dawn, but the energy in the air was real—a charged hum that passed through the walls of Dorm D like breath through lungs.
A bell chimed from somewhere deep in the academy, reverberating like a sacred heartbeat.
Astern awoke before it rang, already seated at his desk, reviewing the orientation pamphlet left on his tablet the night before. A map of the academy sprawled across the first page: central towers, combat fields, the Aether Spire, and the ethereal Bridge of Ascent connecting them all.
Kaela groaned as she sat up, her curls tangled, wings half-unfurled. "Ugh, did anyone else feel like their dreams were too loud here?"
Lunaria stepped out of her room already dressed in the ash-gray robes of Class 1-D. "Get used to it. The Aether field surrounding this place is dense. You're not just dreaming—you're syncing."
Kaela blinked. "Syncing with what?"
Lunaria glanced at Astern. "With whatever's waiting inside you."
Their first lecture was held in the Hall of Genesis, a cathedral-like chamber with stained-glass windows that shifted scenes depending on the lesson being taught. Today, the windows displayed celestial maps and swirling stars.
Principal Seraphon stood at the center dais, robed in white and gold, his eyes sharp as ever.
"Today," he began, "you enter not as citizens, but as aspirants of balance. Angels are not guardians of peace—we are architects of order. And order, children, must be earned."
He raised a hand. A spectral screen flickered into life behind him, showing a pyramid with glowing lines.
"This is the Hierarchy of Awakening. From Tier 1—those newly emerged—to Tier 5, where the soul begins to fragment under the pressure of its own power. Beyond that is Ascension. A realm very few reach. You will be monitored, tested, and if you are found lacking, you will be sent home."
Kaela swallowed hard.
Seraphon gestured again, and the screen changed to show seven glowing sigils—symbols of the core attributes.
"Most of you will manifest one. Few will master two. Fewer still... will discover a hidden affinity. The path of the awakened is long, dangerous, and lonely."
His gaze swept the hall.
"Tomorrow, your training begins. For now, tour the grounds. Know your battlefield. Because the war has never ended—it only waits for weaker generations."
The hall dismissed with a pulse of golden light. Students murmured, some elated, others terrified.
Astern walked in silence beside Kaela and Lunaria until Rylen caught up to them near the outer stairs.
"Thoughts on the old man's speech?" Rylen asked, hands tucked behind his head.
Kaela shrugged. "He's intense."
Lunaria murmured, "He's not wrong."
They passed through the academy grounds—lush gardens floating mid-air, training courtyards paved in celestial stone, waterfalls that defied gravity, and halls lined with statues of legendary angels long gone.
At the heart of the campus stood the Aether Spire, reaching like a needle into the sky. Lunaria stopped to admire it.
"That's where all knowledge is stored. Even restricted archives, sealed by voice, blood, and essence."
Rylen smirked. "Only upperclassmen or those ranked Gold or higher can access the restricted section. You planning to sneak in already?"
"No," she said. "Just preparing to."
Kaela giggled. "Of course you are."
They continued their tour, eventually arriving at the sparring arena known as the Fractured Ring. Inside, second-years practiced under the supervision of a floating automaton—a training guide shaped like a flaming spear.
One student, tall and armored in scaled wings, noticed them. He approached with the casual swagger of someone who never had to try too hard.
"Well, well. First-years from Dorm D?" His voice was slick with amusement. "Hope you're enjoying your final moments of pride before real training begins."
Kaela frowned. "We passed the same trials as you."
He laughed. "Sure, but let's see how long you last in live combat classes. Names matter here. And unless you're from a capital, you're just meat for the blade."
Astern stepped forward. "Then I suppose it's a good thing blades don't scare me."
The older student narrowed his eyes. For a moment, his aura flared—but so did Astern's. A pulse of pressure rolled through the air.
Before things escalated, Aeris appeared from the corridor, arms crossed. "He's not worth your energy, Astern. Let insects buzz."
The second-year scoffed and walked away.
Rylen whistled. "That was fun. Welcome to academy life."
Later that night, back in Dorm D, Astern stared out his window as the simulated stars moved across the artificial sky.
In the reflection, his eyes glowed faintly.
The academy would test more than his strength.
It would test the weight of the name Umbrenox.
And the truth hidden deep within him.