When the last echo of the confrontation faded against the marble of the School, the four young people descended the steps like those emerging from a storm, transformed. Ian, Makia, and Aelius—the adopted children of the powerful House Bekkart—walked with the serenity of those who know their destiny. At their side, Kael moved more lightly, his face illuminated by newfound relief.
In front of the crystal gates that flanked the Celestial Gardens, their transport awaited: a vehicle of futuristic design, with aerodynamic lines, almost liquid. Its mirrored surface absorbed the evening light without reflecting anything more than elegance. It bore no noble crests: luxury needed no introduction.
In the distance, two figures watched them in silence: Rhygar and Isolde. Their eyes followed the young people's every step. Rhygar maintained his enigmatic smile, as if he already knew how this story would end. Isolde, more reserved, only watched, attentive.
Aelius was the first to board the vehicle, taking the front seat. Ian and Makia settled in back, while Kael let himself fall with a sigh. The vehicle started silently, propelled by the flow of Aetherion, leaving behind the vibrant echo of the School.
During the journey, the glances between the siblings were knowing, as if they shared unspoken secrets. A contained laugh floated in the air, brief as a flash. For the first time in a long while, they could breathe.
Kael, looking out the window, saw the stars beginning to peek between the clouds. He felt a strange peace. For an instant, the world seemed forgiving.
The silhouette of the School disappeared on the horizon, wrapped in shadows. The vehicle floated unhurriedly between the suspended platforms, until a sudden maneuver shook it abruptly.
The driver, a lean man, maintained a discreet demeanor. But there was something strange about him. His face, small and almost childlike, as if a child lived trapped in an adult body, revealed erratic handling: he turned sharply, defying all logic of stability.
"Does that guy know where he's going?" Makia murmured, gripping the armrest.
"We're headed straight to crash into a wall or something," Ian responded, holding back laughter.
"Well, at least we'll die in style," Kael added sarcastically.
In the front seat, Aelius cast a quick glance toward the driver, his eyes narrowed in a gesture that mixed suspicion and amusement. A contained laugh appeared on his lips, as if he already knew something the others still didn't.
Suddenly, the vehicle braked hard just outside House Bekkart.
A silhouette appeared before them, outlined against the orange glow of the sky. There was no impact, only absolute silence. The entire automobile stopped before the mere presence of that man.
Erect, imposing, he wore armor of burnished graphite that devoured the light. A white cape billowed at his back. His face, serene and youthful, framed by long white hair to his shoulders and eyes of icy blue, was unmistakable.
"Dad!" Makia exclaimed with her voice broken by emotion.
Alistair Bekkart. Supreme Minister of the Celestial Gardens. Architect of the floating world. One of the Five Legendary Warriors. Living legend. But, to them, their father.
Kael, though he had no blood ties with him, lowered his gaze with respect.
The driver turned the wheel clumsily, and in the movement, his black wig fell to the floor like a plucked bird. The secret was exposed: beneath the dark glasses and sober suit was Alena, her orange hair falling like a cascade of lava over her shoulders and her emerald green eyes shining with amusement, sparkling with contained laughter.
"Seriously, Alena?" Makia huffed between surprise and resignation. "Again with the disguises…"
"Hey, I had to make it interesting," Alena replied with a smile. "Besides, I needed to see if you trusted me… spoiler: you don't."
Ian burst into laughter that infected the others.
Makia couldn't help but notice Aelius, who was trying to maintain a serious expression while barely containing a laugh. "You knew about this, didn't you?" she snapped with narrowed eyes. "You're irresponsible! Alena is a child!"
Aelius blinked, made a dramatically solemn gesture and straightened up as if he were the most mature of all, causing Makia to burst into laughter at his ridiculous attempt to seem serious and reliable.
Alistair approached the vehicle with a serious expression, but with an amused spark in his eyes.
"How did it go?" he asked. "I hope the exam really shook you up, because what's coming… that will be real."
"Yeah… let's say it wasn't exactly a walk in the park," Makia murmured, rubbing her neck.
Alistair opened the door for Aelius.
"Everyone out. There's no time to waste. The world doesn't wait for anyone, and much less for the distracted."
One by one, the young people descended. The cool night air greeted them like a silent warning.
Alena got out last, holding the wig in her hand like a trophy.
"Thanks for the scare, Alena," Kael said, still laughing. "You made me see that even in the sky we're not safe."
"That's my mission," she said with pride.
Alistair placed his hand on Kael's shoulder, firm and warm.
"Every path, even the most erratic, teaches something. Today you learned to trust even when you don't see the wheel."
The siblings' laughter rose through the sky. They finally arrived at House Bekkart, illuminated by the amber light of twilight.
The great door opened and Anya Bekkart appeared in the doorway. Her honey-blonde hair fell like silk over her shoulders, and her honey-yellow eyes shone with warmth and determination. Very attractive, recognized as one of the most beautiful women in the Empire, her smile alone was enough to make them feel at home.
"Welcome, children," she whispered, embracing each one. With Alena, she sighed sweetly. With Makia, she paused a moment longer, as if seeking answers not yet revealed.
While embracing Makia, Anya couldn't help but let out a small sigh charged with nostalgia and tenderness. Her golden eyes clearly caught the mix of pride and conflict in her gaze, and for an instant she felt sorry for her. She knew, without Makia saying a word, the feelings she held for Ian, the weight of an emotion that hadn't yet found how to express itself and the confusion that brought her. It was a silent truth that the adoptive mother couldn't change, but that made her look at her with a deeper affection, almost protective.
In the main hall, an imposing table awaited them. Freshly baked bread, exotic fruits, meats in gleaming sauces, and cups of shimmering nectar decorated the dinner. The aroma was tempting, almost hypnotic.
"Is this for us?" Ian asked, while with one hand he devoured an enormous piece of bread and left crumbs all over the table.
"You won your first battle," Anya responded, with her characteristic tenderness, arranging the young people with a maternal gesture. "Today we celebrate that. The rest will come in its time."
Kael looked at everything in amazement.
"I've never seen anything like this."
"Now this is your home too," Anya told him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Alena, between Aelius and Makia, left the wig in her lap and let out a playful laugh.
Aelius remained serious, observing the scene with a slight smile that was barely noticeable, shaking his head like one who patiently accepts his sister's mischief.
Alena frowned at the table, looking at the empty seats on one side.
"And Grandpa and Sofia?" she asked, with a thread of sadness in her voice.
Makia sighed, with a touch of melancholy:
"Sofia decided to take the exam alone."
A brief and charged silence settled between them, each processing the absence in their own way.
Alistair crossed his arms, firm but serene:
"She decided it that way. We must respect it."
Anya nodded, with her usual tenderness:
"Yes, it's her process."
Ian frowned, annoyed, gently hitting the table:
"What do you mean alone? At least she could come have dinner and sleep at home!"
Aelius, for the first time, agreed vehemently:
"This time, Ian is right."
Ian looked at him surprised, and through gritted teeth added with contained rage:
"What do you mean 'this time'?"
Everyone burst into laughter, relaxing the tension, while Alena lowered her gaze with a touch of sadness:
"I miss Sofia… it's been many days since she's come."
Anya caressed her shoulder:
"She decided it would be this way. Let's trust her."
Alistair nodded, firmly:
"That's true."
Makia lowered her voice, with a solemn nuance:
"We haven't even run into her at the exam, among so many people… but I know she must do this."
"And by the way… where's Grandpa?" she asked with curiosity.
Alena smiled sadly:
"Yes… because he's not here. I wanted to play with him, but Dad said Grandpa had a lot of work today."
"I see," Makia said, with a sigh that mixed understanding and melancholy.
Ian, Makia, and Alistair began to devour the food without contemplation: meat with their hands, fruits torn without a knife, bread disappearing as if by magic. Their laughter and exaggerated gestures filled the table with amusing chaos. Kael could barely contain his laughter at such a spectacle, while Alena watched enchanted.
"Ian! Makia! Alistair!" Anya scolded them gently, but with a firm edge. "You always eat as if there's no tomorrow, you know? Please!"
"What?" Ian interrupted with his mouth full, pointing to his meat as if it were a trophy. "It's just so good!"
"Yes, I can't stop!" Makia added, while devouring another fruit with both hands. "It's impossible to resist!"
"Hmph, of course, of course…" Alistair muttered, with a piece of bread in his mouth, raising his cup at the same time. "I can't stop eating either, it's delicious!"
Kael could barely contain his laughter at the scene, and Alena clapped amused. Aelius, serious as always, watched the chaos with a subtle smile and contained laughter, as if saying "these three will never change."
"In a week will be the Entrance Exam. Prepare yourselves," Alistair said, standing up, still chewing with dignity while trying to organize the table. "What you've experienced until now was only a warm-up."
"We're going to train as if the world ends tomorrow," Ian said, between bites of bread, his voice full of enthusiasm and crumbs falling on the table.
"Just make sure not to hurt yourselves beforehand," Alistair added, making a gesture with his hand while swallowing quickly. "Even the best steel breaks if you strain it too much. Rest when you must. Strike when the time comes."
"And never forget to smile," Anya added, with a warm smile that softened the intensity of her words. "A light mind is sharper than any sword."
"Then let's toast to balance," Makia proposed, raising her cup while biting an enormous piece of meat, without losing her smile.
"And to kicking that exam's butt," Kael finished, raising his cup, while Ian devoured another piece of bread as if it were the last in the world.
The Week of Tempering
The next day, the back gardens of House Bekkart transformed into a relentless training ground. Ian and Makia began with speed races over the suspended platforms, dodging obstacles that appeared without warning. Each jump, each turn was a test of reflexes and endurance.
"Come on, Makia, don't fall behind!" Ian shouted, launching himself over a floating monolith as if it were made of paper.
"Don't even try to catch me!" Makia responded, passing him with an incredible sprint, while dodging energy barriers that surged from the ground.
Aelius, on the other hand, concentrated on his mental and physical control. Stones, swords, and staffs levitated around him, spinning in complex patterns that demanded coordination and precision. Each movement was measured, exact.
"Watch out for the sword, Kael," Aelius called to him with a serene voice. "You don't want to cut yourself while learning to control the elements."
Kael, by the pond, practiced the combination of fire, water, and wind. His flames sparked, his currents intertwined, and the air responded to his will. Each repetition demanded him to his limits, but his progress was evident; the elements seemed to flow naturally through him.
"That's it, Kael!" Alena encouraged, balancing between ropes and posts like an acrobat, throwing small floating stones at him to test his reflexes. "Don't let the water catch you!"
"Hey, watch my feet!" Kael shouted between laughs while dodging the projectiles.
As the days passed, the training became increasingly harder. Ian, Makia, and Kael challenged each other, increasing the intensity until each jump, strike, and maneuver seemed impossible. Aelius watched them and adjusted his own practices, seeking perfection in every detail. Alena, tireless, invented obstacles and tests to keep them alert and entertained at the same time.
"No rest!" Ian shouted, while climbing a tower of changing gravity. "If we stop, we lose!"
"I'm not going to lose!" Makia answered, taking a leap that launched her over a field of levitating thorns.
Each afternoon, upon finishing, the young people returned exhausted, with aching bodies and hearts beating a thousand times. However, the satisfaction was clear: each of them had progressed as if they had trained for years. Endurance, speed, control of their powers, even coordination and concentration, had increased by leaps and bounds.
And as a reward, each night the food disappeared in a matter of minutes, especially in the hands of Ian, Makia, and Alistair, who devoured everything enthusiastically while Kael, Aelius, and Alena watched them with smiles between surprised and amused.
By the time the seventh dawn arrived, everyone felt transformed. Fatigue no longer crushed them; it had become part of them, as if they had developed new wings ready to fly. The extreme effort had created a new level of power and confidence in each one, preparing them for any challenge that might come.
Path to the Final Forge
The morning of the exam arrived with the solemnity of an announced battle. Ian, Makia, Aelius, and Kael got ready and settled into the vehicle, in silence. No one spoke, but each felt the moment's tension.
Kael finally broke the silence, looking ahead:
"Are you ready?"
"No. But that's never stopped me," Ian answered with a half-smile, as if the gravity of the moment couldn't touch him.
"I just need to get there. The rest… I'll figure out step by step," Aelius murmured, concentrated and serious, his gaze fixed on the road.
Makia, on the other hand, couldn't take her eyes off Ian. Her heart beat strongly, mixing nerves and confusion. His every gesture seemed amplified: a movement of his hands, a slight curve of his lips, the way his shoulders relaxed with confidence. She forced herself to breathe deeply, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions that confused her and made her feel alive. "Is it admiration… or something more?" she wondered, while Ian's closeness made a constant tingling run through her stomach.
For an instant, she wished the journey would never end, that the route would extend just so she could observe him, feel him close and not have to deal yet with what was beginning to awaken inside her.
"If there's a destiny waiting for me, it better be ready," she murmured, trying to sound firm, but internally her heart screamed the opposite.
Meanwhile, Aelius maintained his usual composure, serious and calculating. Kael alternated between excitement and curiosity, oblivious to the turbulent feelings beginning to emerge between Makia and Ian.
When the towers of the School of the Archangels rose among the clouds, like steel lances pointing to the sky, the tension increased. The words of Alistair and Anya still resonated in their minds:
"The sky doesn't protect those who hesitate."
"Victory is yours."
Before the colossal gates, Ian turned to his siblings and Kael:
"Let's go. Today begins the story the world won't forget."
The stone doors opened before them like wings ready to measure their flight. Makia held her breath, conscious that each step toward the exam not only tested their abilities, but also the strength of something deeper, something that pushed her to look at Ian differently, to feel that the external battle was only a reflection of what was beginning to occur in her heart.