Far beyond the towering cities and spires of the Kingdom of Vaelond, hidden behind ancient warded walls and veiled by layers of magical mist, the very air shimmered with power. Here, in the heart of a secluded mountainous valley surrounded by sheer cliffs and roaring waterfalls, rested a stronghold forged for one purpose:
To shape legends. To sharpen skills.
The Grand Knight Academy of Vaelond.
A single orb of light shimmered into existence in the center of its vast coliseum, silent and unannounced. It pulsed, starting small as a pearl, then expanded to the size of a tennis ball. Lightning crackled within it. Smaller orbs, like droplets of starlight, began appearing around it. One by one, they were drawn into the growing mass. With each absorption, it pulsed louder, brighter, until it swelled to the size of a massive gate. Circular, shinning sky blue, energy twirling like a whirlpool, calm, harmless.
The portal had opened and then a flash and then came the first footfall. The aspirants, they were coming
One by one, the aspirants emerged from the shimmering gateway, their expressions twisting from exhaustion to awe. The portal had carried them into something beyond expectation. Ethan stepped out, Velina at his side, followed by Cael Verendis and his cronies. Last came the three knights who had been in charge of the trials for this year. Also thesame who where watching over them when they all were having a brutal and furious time across the Drazan Expanse.
The new coliseum dwarfed the previous one.
White stone bathed in morning light. Tiered balconies rising into the skies. Blue and gold banners waving gently with an unseen breeze, baring Vaelond' crest . Carved statues of past heroes lined the walls, each ten meters tall, chiseled in full battle regalia, eyes forever watching. Swords forever in their hands to fight and protect the lesser individuals
Massive stone arches wrapped around the academy's inner courtyard. Distantly, sprawling towers pierced the sky, their glass domes shining like stars in the daylight. In the far distance, a library floated mid-air, chained to the earth by golden bands of magic. Above all, four guardian statues, each shaped like a different beast of lore, watched the academy's heart. This was a knight academy but some magical effects could be seen, yet, not everywhere.
It was not a fortress. It was a monument. It was a forging ground. It was the nursing home for Squires to be shaped to legendary Knights who will take the crest of Vaelond higher, just like their ancestors did in their time.
Gasps followed. Ethan narrowed his eyes.
"What is this place..." Velina murmured.
The knights walked forward. The lead knight stepped onto a raised platform and cleared his throat, voice amplified by enchantment.
"Dear Aspirants," he began, "...you must be wondering where you stand, why we are here, and what comes next."
He paused. All eyes turned to him. The courtyard fell silent.
"Let me answer everything in a single truth. The trials... are over."
The words hit harder than a war drum.
"Yes," the knight continued. "The Drazan Expanse was your final trial. You have survived it. And you have proven yourselves—not just with your blades or skill... but your resolve. Your will to live. Your refusal to abandon others."
"From this moment forth..." he spread his arms wide, "You are no longer aspirants. You are now squires of the Grand Knight Academy of Vaelond!"
A heartbeat. Then the cheers exploded.
"WE MADE IT!" "YES!" "HOORAY!!"
The ground seemed to shake with their shouts.
Ethan didn't shout.
He only stared at the grand halls ahead, the stairs, the towers, the banners. He felt it again, the same pressure as the Leviathan Mark burned faintly beneath his tunic.
Not wrath.
Resolve.
"Silence," the knight called again, raising his gauntlet. "Now, all of you will be taken to the First-Year Squires Quarters. Rest. Heal. Tomorrow begins a new chapter."
A second knight stepped forward and motioned. "Follow me."
They marched.
As they walked, the sheer scope of the Academy revealed itself. Pathways layered across levels like branches of a tree. Streams of crystalline water flowed in the air beside stone bridges. Floating lanterns guided the way. Libraries. Armories. Training grounds forged of obsidian and white steel. Dojos built inside old trees. Open fields where mana storms brewed in magical domes for practice.
And yet, for all its beauty, it didn't feel... comfortable. It felt like a forge, a place where only the strongest would survive.
Eventually, the group arrived at a squat, stone building carved into the base of a cliffside. The stone here was old. Cracked. No enchantments. No beauty. Just rough, solid craftsmanship. The First-Year Squires Quarters.
The doors opened. Inside, the hall was dim, the torches flickering against the stone. A hallway lined with numbered doors.
Most were rooms with four beds.
Bare stone walls. No windows. Simple metal bunks. A basin. A crate for personal belongings. No enchantments. No comfort. Just enough space to breathe, bleed, and rest.
Ethan, Velina, and two others were directed into Room 17.
The room smelled of dust and iron. One torch flickered on the wall. The beds creaked.
Velina gave a dry chuckle. "Not exactly luxury."
Ethan smirked faintly, tossing his satchel onto a bed. "We didn't come here for comfort."
----
Meanwhile, further up the hall, Cael Verendis was shown his private room. Slightly larger. A window. A single clean desk. A better mattress.
He stood by the window, sneering.
"Let the worms fight over scraps," he muttered.
------
Back in Room 17, Ethan sat at the edge of his bed, unwrapping his right arm but not fully. He stood such way that his front couldn't be seen, perfect for his mark to stay hidden. The Leviathan Mark pulsed faintly, but the glow had faded. Still, the storm within... remained.
No longer a blaze. But a simmering tempest.
He exhaled.
"So this is the real beginning," he whispered.
And outside, in the night, the Academy gates sealed shut. A hundred new squires had Arrived. And among them, one who bore the Abyss.