A man walked onto the raised podium at the far end of the hall. His presence alone demanded silence.
He was tall, with silver hair that swept back neatly, and his eyes carried the faint glow of runes, evidence of someone deeply attuned to Aether. His robes bore the insignia of the Academy: a stylized flame wrapped around a sphere of light. The faint outline of pointed ears gave away his race— an elf, though his features were more severe than elegant.
When he spoke, his voice filled the hall effortlessly, neither loud nor harsh but steady and commanding.
"Welcome, new Awakeners," he began. "I am Instructor Ardyn Vale, of the Division Council. Today marks the first day of your journey as Aether-bound souls."
His gaze swept across the hall, pausing briefly on Lucien before moving on.
"You stand here because you have done what most of the world cannot— you have responded to Aether. You have connected to the flow that governs existence itself. That alone makes you exceptional. But remember this…" His tone hardened. "Privilege does not equal purpose."
The air seemed to grow heavier as he continued.
"You will train here, live here, and be tested until the academy determines you are ready to walk beyond these walls. When that day comes, you will be Rift Walkers, explorers of the unknown, defenders of every race that still clings to life across Elarion. The Rifts are spreading, and the world is breaking. Our purpose is not comfort, but survival."
The crowd was silent now. Even the cockiest of the new Awakeners stood a little straighter.
Ardyn's tone softened slightly. "The academy is your forge. Here, you will learn discipline before freedom. Learn before you act. Humble yourselves, for ignorance kills faster than any monster lurking beyond a Rift."
Then, after a brief pause, he gestured to the side of the podium where several other instructors stood beside glowing orbs. "Now, to the matter of today's assessment."
The room seemed to come alive again as the students shifted, tension rising.
Ardyn clasped his hands behind his back. "This evaluation will determine where you begin in the academy. Your class path, elemental resonance, and your initial Division placement. Advancement is possible through performance and contribution."
He motioned to a large crystal sphere on the stage that glowed faintly blue. "When your name is called, step forward, place your hand on the Resonance Crystal, and let the Aether flow. The result will reveal your Rank, Class, and Division."
He looked around the hall, his eyes sharp. "The divisions are structured as follows."
He raised his hand, and glowing lines of light appeared in the air, forming a pyramid-like shape.
"Division Five is the foundation— Ranks F to E. Division Four holds Rank D. Division Three is for Rank C. Division Two, Rank B. Division One— the Apex Class, houses Ranks A to S, the prodigies who shape the academy's legacy."
He paused, his tone shifting to one of reverence. "And beyond that… lies the Unranked Tier. Ranks SS to SSS. No such Awakener has emerged in over sixty years."
A murmur ran through the crowd.
Ardyn continued, his voice carrying a trace of respect. "The last was Master Caelum Dray, a human-born from Valoria. His Soul Core ranked SSSan impossibility by every known measure. They called him the Architect of Dawn. He could manipulate Rift energy itself, reshaping entire battlefields during the Third Rift War. His research birthed half the protective wards that keep Aetherion aloft today."
Lucien listened quietly. Caelum Dray. He'd seen the name before, carved onto one of the academy's old relics mentioned in books. A man who had transcended what it meant to be mortal.
Ardyn's tone hardened again, snapping them back. "Do not expect to reach such heights. Aspire to learn, not to boast." He then nodded to the assessors. "Begin."
A woman beside the crystal began calling names, and one by one, Awakeners stepped forward. The hum of Aether filled the hall each time someone touched the crystal.
The first was a human boy who looked barely sixteen. The crystal glowed with bright orange light.
"Race: Human. Rank: B." the assessor announced. "Class Path: Warrior. Type: Offensive—flame resonance with enhanced body control."
Cheers came from the human crowd. The boy grinned, bowing quickly before moving to the side of the stage where instructors waited to escort him.
Next came an elf girl with long pale hair and confident steps. The crystal shimmered in hues of blue and white, brighter than before.
"Race: Elf. Rank: A. Class Path: Caster. Type: Elemental and illusion-based Aether affinity tied to celestial sources."
The hall filled with gasps. Even Ardyn's expression softened slightly.
Lucien could almost feel the pride radiating from the elves nearby.
After her came a beastfolk boy with gray fur streaked with silver. The light that emerged from the crystal took the form of a spectral wolf.
"Race: Beastkin. Rank: A. Class Path: Summoner. Type: Spiritual beast cultivator."
A few students cheered. The beastkin nodded curtly and stepped down.
The process continued: humans, dwarves, elves—all showing their resonance, all waiting for approval.
Then the hall stirred when a new name was called.
"Lord Darius Veyne, of House Veyne."
A hush fell.
The young man who stepped forward wore deep blue robes embroidered with golden threads. His short black hair and piercing gray eyes carried confidence that bordered on arrogance. Even the instructors seemed to treat him differently.
Lucien could feel the shift in the room. The respect, the envy, the irritation.
When Darius placed his hand on the crystal, it flared so bright that several students shielded their eyes. The light darkened, swirling into deep purple shadows before bursting outward like smoke.
The assessor spoke loudly, her tone tinged with awe. "Race: Human. Rank: S. Class Path: Caster. Type: Shadow manipulation through pure Aether control."
Applause broke out from the human students. Darius turned slightly, his lips curling into a smirk as if the result had already been expected.
He met Lucien's eyes briefly on his way down, a flicker of amusement passing across his face. "Half-bloods can still watch from the sidelines," he said softly, just enough for Lucien to hear.