Night had fallen over Astraeus Dominion, but the academy was far from silent. Arcane lights drifted in the sky, illuminating the floating towers, and the faint hum of protective wards buzzed through the air like a heartbeat.
Kael sat on the edge of his dorm bed, staring at the note the cloaked figure had left behind:
"Do not trust them. The first test is not above ground. Tonight, find the underground path."
He didn't know who the figure was ally or manipulator but instinct told him they were right.
The Descent
The corridors were empty. Most students slept or patrolled their own House floors, unaware of the world beneath their feet. Kael moved carefully, feeling the faint pull of magic guiding him.
After several turns and dead-ends, he found it: a sealed door hidden behind an enchanted tapestry. Sigils he didn't recognize glowed faintly on its surface.
Taking a deep breath, he whispered:
"Authority."
The door vibrated and then shattered inward without a sound, as if reality itself had obeyed him.
Inside, the underground corridors stretched endlessly stone tunnels lit by pulsating blue crystals, walls carved with symbols of Houses long forgotten.
It smelled of damp earth and ancient magic.
This… isn't in any map, Kael thought. And that's exactly why I'm here.
First Ally
A shadow moved ahead. Kael tensed, ready to defend himself.
"Relax. I'm not here to fight," a voice said, calm but sharp.
From the darkness emerged a boy around Kael's age, pale, with messy silver hair and glasses reflecting the blue light. His crest, faint but unmistakable, glowed softly a hidden branch of the Chrono House.
"I'm Lysar," the boy said. "I've been… watching you. That magic you used in the Ring… it's Authority, isn't it?"
Kael swallowed. "How do you know?"
Lysar smiled faintly. "Not many can awaken that power, and survive. Most… die, or get erased. You're lucky or cursed."
Despite the warning, Kael felt a flicker of relief. At least someone here understood him.
Secrets Beneath the Academy
The tunnels weren't just empty halls. Old classrooms, abandoned training arenas, and sealed doors littered the underground. Some walls had murals depicting battles of the past students fighting alongside monsters, Houses warring over ancient treasures, magic so raw it warped the stone.
"This is where the academy hides the things they don't want you to see," Lysar whispered. "Artifacts, forbidden knowledge… sometimes, students who fail."
Kael's stomach twisted. So this is what they meant when they said the school is a battlefield…
As they walked deeper, a faint hum resonated through the corridors. It wasn't magic from the walls. It was alive. Watching. Waiting.
"Be careful," Lysar said. "Authority draws attention. Someone's already here… and they don't want you alive."
First Trial Below
Suddenly, a shadow detached from the tunnel walls a rogue guardian construct, a leftover of old experiments, animated by chaotic mana. It lunged at Kael.
Kael barely had time to react. He raised his hands, instincts guiding him: "Authority!"
The construct froze mid-strike. Its magical energy twisted, then imploded inward, leaving a smoking crater in the floor. Kael stumbled back, chest pounding.
"Authority is dangerous," Lysar said quietly. "It's powerful, yes… but every time you use it, the academy notices. And the Houses will hunt you down, if they can."
Kael nodded. Fear and exhilaration mixed in equal measure. So this is survival. This… is what it means to exist here.
End of Chapter Hook
The tunnel stretched ahead like a living thing, humming with secrets and dangers. Kael clenched his fists.
Somewhere in the shadows, a pair of red eyes glimmered. Silent. Watching. Judging.
The Houses will not forget me. But neither will I forget them.
He tightened his cloak around his shoulders and stepped forward, deeper into the underground.
The real test had only just begun.