Lucien stirred awake to a soft, glowing light brushing against his face. Lyra hovered above him, her light pulsing with a playful rhythm as if nudging him awake. For a moment, he just lay there, blinking at the faint shimmer that filled the dorm.
"I'm awake," he muttered, voice rough with sleep. Lyra didn't seem convinced and twirled around him, flickering brighter in protest.
"Alright, alright," he said, smiling faintly as he sat up. "Today's the big day, I remember."
Across the room, Cael groaned and rolled over. "You're too cheerful for this early," he said, his voice muffled under his blanket.
Lucien laughed. "You'll thank me later when we're not late."
"Fine, fine," Cael said, forcing himself up. "I still can't believe we're actually doing this today. First Rift. My stomach's already regretting breakfast."
Lucien began dressing in his academy uniform, fastening the light armor given to new recruits. It wasn't much, just reinforced leather plates with a small energy seal over the chest, but it was better than nothing. Lyra floated beside him, quietly watching, her light reflecting softly off the polished metal.
By the time they stepped out of the dorm, the corridors were alive with noise. Students rushed in groups, voices filled with nervous energy. It was impossible not to feel it, that strange mix of fear and excitement that hung in the air like a storm waiting to break.
When Lucien and Cael reached the assembly ground, dozens of awakeners were already gathered. The wide courtyard shimmered faintly with containment barriers, keeping their energy from flaring out of control. The air buzzed with chatter.
"Do you think we'll actually fight monsters?" someone asked nearby.
"My brother said the academy uses weak ones for the first test," another replied.
"I heard someone got injured last year," a girl whispered, clutching her staff tighter.
Cael grinned. "Guess we're not the only nervous ones."
Lucien scanned the crowd. There were so many faces, some filled with confidence, others pale and tense. He kept his hands in his pockets, calm but alert. He didn't like crowds much, and the noise made it hard to think.
Then came the voice he least wanted to hear.
"Well, look who decided to show up," Ryn's tone sliced through the chatter like a knife. His smug grin was impossible to miss as he stood with his usual group of followers. "Didn't think you'd make it, border boy."
Lucien met his gaze without a word. Cael sighed beside him, already bracing for trouble.
Ryn smirked, eyeing the faint light beside Lucien. "And there it is. The famous summon I heard about. A wisp, huh?" He laughed, loud enough for others to hear. "Guess Division Five's getting creative with decorations now."
The laughter that followed was expected, the kind that came from people too afraid to stand on their own.
Lucien didn't react. He just stared back, his expression unreadable. Lyra, however, pulsed faintly, her light flaring for an instant like she wanted to strike back.
"Hey," Lucien said softly, lowering his voice for her alone. "Ignore him. He's not worth it."
Lyra's glow dimmed reluctantly, the faint vibration in the air calming down.
Cael looked at him, half-smiling. "You're handling that better than I would."
Lucien shrugged. "You can't win arguments with idiots. I'd rather save my energy for what actually matters."
Before Ryn could push things further, the same instructor from the previous day appeared. His presence immediately shifted the air, silencing the crowd. His calm yet commanding aura drew every gaze toward him.
"Good morning, initiates," he began. "I trust you're all prepared for what lies ahead."
He wasn't alone. Several figures stood behind him, clad in heavier gear and marked with the academy's insignia. Their eyes were sharp, scanning the crowd with the ease of people who had seen far too many battles.
"These are riftwalkers," the instructor continued. "Veterans who've survived countless explorations. They'll be accompanying us today, not to fight your battles, but to ensure none of you die before learning how to fight your own."
A few nervous laughs rippled through the students.
The instructor's tone softened slightly. "Accidents do happen, but don't let fear cripple you. This exercise is meant to teach, not destroy. Remember, courage isn't the absence of fear, but the control of it."
Lucien listened quietly, his attention unwavering. The man's words struck a chord in him. Fear was familiar, he had lived in it for years, but he had learned that fear could also sharpen the senses.
After the introductions, the groups were ordered into formation. Lucien and Cael joined the middle line as they followed the instructors through the academy's south gate, heading toward the Rift Zone.
The path wound through a dense forest, and the air grew heavy with Aether the closer they got. Eventually, they reached a clearing, and there it was, the Rift.
It stood at the center like a wound in reality itself, a swirling oval of blue and violet light that bent the air around it. The hum of energy was constant, pulling at their Aether veins even from a distance.
The students fell silent, awe and fear reflected in their eyes.
Lucien stared at it for a long moment. He remembered the Rifts at the Veyren Border, wild, uncontrolled, tearing the world apart without restraint. Those had screamed chaos. This one, though, was contained. It pulsed rhythmically, almost like a living thing breathing within its cage.
"Looks stable," Cael murmured, trying to sound confident.
"Stable doesn't mean safe," Lucien replied quietly.
The instructor turned to face them. "This Rift is classified as an E-rank, a controlled environment maintained by the academy. Inside, you'll face low-tier monsters, beasts like horned boars, lesser drakes, and shadow wolves. Their behavior patterns are predictable, but that doesn't make them harmless. Underestimate them, and they'll kill you."
A murmur spread through the students. The names alone were enough to stir unease.
A/N:
The real adventure is about to begin, please stick with me as Lucien's walks down the path of true strength.
It's a bit slow paced in the beginning, but his exponential growth is one to watch out for jn future chapters.
Also, Leave Comments and Reviews, Also send powerstones to support.