Riven's boots echoed against the polished stone of the academy corridors, each step a reminder of his duel and the countless trials that had shaped him. The weight of his sword on his back was a comfort and a burden alike, proof of what he had achieved without a drop of mana.
The whispers and laughter from the orientation hall still burned in his mind. Mana-less. Classless. Outsider. Words meant to humiliate. Words that had only sharpened his resolve.
Turning a corner, he nearly collided with someone.
"Oh! Riven?"
He froze. His eyes met a familiar face — silver hair catching the sunlight, faint flickers of uncontrolled fire at her fingertips.
"Lily…" His voice was quiet, almost disbelieving.
She smiled, a mix of relief and amusement. "I didn't expect to see you here… at the academy."
Riven's posture softened slightly. "You're… Ignis Lily?"
"That obvious, huh?" she said, laughing softly. She extended her hand, then paused, memory flickering. "We… grew up together, didn't we? Back at the village, before everything… changed."
Memories came rushing back: the younger Riven practicing sword strikes in the dirt, Lily stumbling with sparks of fire erupting uncontrollably, the afternoons spent laughing, bickering, learning, and protecting each other from scolding elders.
Riven exhaled slowly. "Yeah… childhood friends. Seems like a lifetime ago."
She studied him, noting the tension in his shoulders, the sharp edge in his gaze. "You're… different now. I can see it."
"I've had to be," he said simply. "No mana. No miracles. Just… steel."
Lily's lips curved softly. "And yet… you survived."
For a long moment, they stood in silence, the hum of the academy around them. Then Lily tilted her head, playful as ever. "Guess we're both a little… broken in our own ways."
Riven let a small chuckle escape. "Maybe. But some things don't change."
As they began walking together, the corridors of the academy stretched before them like a living maze of marble and crystal. Students bustled past, some carrying tomes, others moving in small groups, already sizing one another up. From high balconies, nobles leaned over railings, eyes sharp, measuring.
"Look at them," Lily said, nodding toward a group of nobles whispering and pointing. "Already trying to see who's weak. Who they can trample first."
Riven's jaw tightened. "Let them. I've never cared for their approval."
The two passed under arches etched with the academy's crest, sunlight spilling through stained glass, illuminating the grand halls. Lily glanced at him with a teasing smirk. "Still brooding, huh? Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"I won't," he replied quietly. "And I won't lose to anyone either."
They passed classrooms, practice halls, and lounges, observing the hustle of new students. Riven's eyes flicked to the ones attempting flashy displays of mana. He felt the old edge of envy, the gnawing reminder that he could never rely on it. But it no longer slowed him — if anything, it drove him faster.
Finally, Lily turned toward the staircase leading to their dormitories. "Well, this is my floor. You'll be fine, Riven. Just… don't let the academy break you."
"I never break," he said, his voice low. "Just… adapt."
She laughed softly. "I'll hold you to that."
As they reached her door, they paused, glancing at each other. A quiet understanding passed between them — the bond of childhood, the unspoken promise to survive this new world together.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the academy, Kairo was arriving at his own quarters. The corridor was quiet, the faint scent of polished wood and incense in the air. Igron had already gone ahead to his room, leaving Kairo alone. He ran his crimson eyes over the door numbers, finally stopping at his assigned room.
With a calm push, he entered. The room was modest but clean — a standard dorm for new students. Sunlight streamed through the tall window, casting geometric patterns across the floor. Kairo's gaze swept the room, assessing, cataloging, noting the absence of distractions.
Alone, he allowed a small sigh — rare, almost imperceptible — as he let the quiet of the room settle over him. Outside, the academy buzzed with life, the distant laughter and whispers of nobles reaching his ears. He didn't flinch. He had faced more than this already.
Soon, paths would cross. Riven and Lily descending their staircase. Kairo emerging from his room. The threads of fate tugged tighter, ready to weave the next stage of the academy's story.