The morning sun broke through the ivy curtain in sharp, dusty needles of light. Caelum stood at the mouth of the cave, watching the mist burn off the forest floor. He felt the vibration before he heard the footsteps—a heavy, rhythmic thudding that spoke of heavy armor and disciplined Aether.
**Commander Varkas** exploded through the foliage, his face a mask of fury. Behind him stood a squad of Academy Guardians, their spears leveled.
"Caelum!" Varkas roared, his voice echoing in the cave. "The cells were ordered back by midnight! You've been missing for eight hours in a Class-4 Void Zone!"
He stopped short as he saw the state of the camp. He saw Isolde—the Academy's pride—wrapped in Caelum's spare cloak. He saw the remains of the Void-Colossus's core in a pile in the corner. He saw Xavia and Lyra looking refreshed and more powerful than when they left.
"We were delayed by a Colossus-class threat," Caelum said, his golden eyes meeting Varkas's without a hint of fear. "The other cells would have been consumed. I chose to stabilize the reagents rather than risk a retreat in the dark."
Varkas looked at the girls, then back at Caelum. He noticed the **Gold Gauntlet** on Caelum's arm—a familiar he hadn't seen before. The Commander's anger was slowly being replaced by a grim, professional awe.
"You took it down?" Varkas asked, his voice dropping to a low growl. "A Colossus? With three first-years?"
"With my team," Caelum corrected, his hand resting on the hilt of his belt. "And as you can see, Commander... the results speak for themselves."
Varkas sighed, signaling his men to lower their weapons. "The Headmaster is going to have your head for this, boy. Or he's going to give you a medal. Either way, get them moving. The carriage is waiting at the treeline."
As they walked back, Isolde stayed close to Caelum, her hand occasionally brushing against his. She was silent, but her **diamond-blue eyes** were no longer cold—they were searching, looking at him with the look of a woman who had finally realized that her world didn't belong to the Academy anymore. It belonged to the Gold.