The academy's air was thick with tension the morning a carriage arrived at the main gates, escorted by a contingent of elite guards from one of the Top Ten Families. Word had spread quickly: a family heir of high rank, personally observing the Bronze initiate rumored to defy centuries of hierarchy, had arrived.
Cael Ardyn observed from the shadows, his crimson pulse faint beneath the surface, sensing the subtle movements of life energy in the approaching heir and his entourage.
Finally, he thought, they send someone they cannot ignore. Let us see how they fare against what they do not understand.
Selene walked alongside him, now more confident in her abilities. Her eyes were sharp, tracking the aura fluctuations of the approaching group.
"They're not just scouts," she whispered. "That aura… they're trained to strike, to test, and—"
"Yes," Cael interrupted softly, "they are here to observe and eliminate. And they underestimate the Blood Immortal once again."
The heir dismounted gracefully from the carriage, his aura vibrant, layered, and unusually strong for someone of Silver rank. Tall and imposing, with eyes that gleamed with both curiosity and challenge, he stepped forward. Around him, subtle energy pulses emanated from his body, small threads of suppression magic dancing just beneath the surface.
"My name is Dorian Valerius," he announced, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard. "I have come to assess this… anomaly you call the Bronze initiate. I am told he defies the rules of the academy and even the expectations of the families."
Students fell silent. Whispers spread like wildfire. Even some instructors stiffened, unsure of how the heir would interact with Cael.
Cael stepped forward, calm, letting his crimson pulse rise faintly beneath his skin—a subtle but undeniable warning. His aura was nothing like mana or typical suppression energy. It resonated with life itself, ancient and unbroken.
"Dorian Valerius," he said, voice low, measured, carrying the weight of centuries. "I am Cael Ardyn. And I do not require permission to exist, nor will I allow the blood of life to be tampered with under threat or fear."
Dorian's eyes narrowed, impressed yet challenged. "Bold words for a Bronze-ranked student. Do you understand the consequences of your arrogance?"
Cael tilted his head, crimson aura pulsing faintly around him. "I understand them all. And they matter little to one who has lived a thousand years and seen betrayal, death, and the rise and fall of empires. What matters is survival, control, and mastery."
Selene stood slightly behind Cael, her blood ribbons swirling subtly, responding to the tension in the heir's life force. She was alert, ready to act but restrained by her teacher's silent command.
Observe, Cael's mind communicated silently. Learn when to strike… and when to wait.
Dorian's expression shifted slightly. He moved subtly, testing boundaries, weaving threads of suppression energy across the courtyard. The aura pulses were small, almost imperceptible—but Cael's blood responded instantly. Threads of crimson slipped through the air like living sinews, sensing the life patterns of the heir, deflecting and subtly destabilizing without direct confrontation.
Selene's eyes widened. "Teacher… it's like the blood itself knows their movements!"
"Yes," Cael murmured. "Life is predictable to those who can read it. Observe and learn."
For the next hour, Dorian tested them in a controlled engagement. He sent small attacks, both physical and infused with mana, designed to provoke reaction and gauge control. Selene, guided by Cael, learned to extend her blood ribbons to anticipate attacks, redirect energy, and influence balance.
By the end of the session, Dorian stepped back, clearly impressed but wary. His aura fluctuated faintly, betraying his own calculations.
"You are… remarkable," he admitted. "Not simply for your Bronze rank, but for control. I will watch closely. The families will hear of this… and they will act. But I see potential—perhaps even a value in keeping you alive."
Cael's eyes narrowed faintly. "Survival is not a gift. It is earned through mastery."
That evening, whispers among students grew louder. Dorian's arrival had changed everything. Even instructors debated the implications of Cael's growing influence. Some advocated expulsion, citing danger to the academy's hierarchy. Others proposed observation and control, curious about what mastery over blood could achieve.
Selene, exhausted but exhilarated, turned to Cael. "We've done it… we survived the heir himself."
Cael nodded faintly. "Survival is the first step. The families will escalate. Stronger, subtler, more cunning. And the world beyond this academy is far more dangerous than a Silver-ranked heir."
Meanwhile, far below in the abyss, the Demon King's eyes gleamed crimson.
"Yes," he murmured, voice echoing across the void. "The heir arrives, the disciple awakens, and the Blood Immortal strengthens. The mortal world flinches, unaware of the shadow preparing to descend. Soon… blood will remember."
Cael pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the faint pulse of life that resonated within him—a reminder of centuries of betrayal, mastery, and power reclaimed.
The world has changed. But the Blood Immortal… remembers everything.
The first heir had arrived. But for Cael Ardyn, the true challenge was only beginning.