Upstairs, Riche and Vinelyn stepped quietly into their room.
Mihel was still awake, lying on the cot and staring at the ceiling. When he heard them enter, he turned his head slightly and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"You know… after that man jumped out the window, I could have sworn all the lanterns on the street went dark."
The two paused.
"For a few seconds," Mihel continued slowly, "everything below was pitch black. Then the lights came back on again. Just like that. No one there to light them."
He inhaled deeply and let the breath out through his nose.
"I'm sure that blue diamond we saw shining… whatever it was… that's what changed everything."
Riche lowered himself onto one of the wooden boards and opened his pack, checking inside to make sure of the presence of his Slate's glow.
Still there.
"Well," he said at last, closing the bag, "there's no point worrying ourselves sick tonight. We'll talk to Kidt about it tomorrow."
He lay back on the board and, despite everything that had happened, exhaustion claimed him almost instantly.
Vinelyn knelt beside his pack, whispering a short prayer under his breath. When he finished, he gave Mihel a quiet nod.
"Good night."
Within minutes, he too was asleep.
Mihel remained awake longer than the others, replaying the fight over and over in his mind. The blue light. The sudden shift in pressure. The lanterns going dark.
None of it made sense.
Eventually the thoughts blurred, the questions faded, and sleep pulled him under.
***
Morning came quietly.
Mihel woke without remembering when he had fallen asleep. A cool breeze drifted in through the broken window, brushing against his face.
Across the room, Riche was already awake.
He stood near the window, his blonde hair neatly combed and catching the sunlight. His brown coat hung properly over his shoulders, and for the first time since yesterday he looked calm, almost refreshed.
The washroom door creaked open.
Vinelyn stepped out, wiping his face with a cloth. His silver hair damp and clung to his head. When he noticed Mihel stirring, he smiled.
"Go wash up. Mister Kidt could arrive any moment now. It's already around seven Eos."
Mihel groaned softly as he pushed himself off the cot and shuffled toward the washroom.
Inside, he paused in front of the cracked mirror.
A pale, tired face stared back at him. His dark hair had grown long and unruly, falling messily around his eyes.
'I'll need to cut that soon.'
He pushed the strands back and splashed water onto his face. After brushing his teeth with his wooden brush and quickly relieving himself, he dried his face and stepped back out.
Riche and Vinelyn were already ready to leave, their packs strapped across their backs and their weapons secured at their sides.
"We decided to bring our Slates with us," Riche said, tossing Mihel his pack. "Not risking leaving them here."
Mihel nodded, slinging the bag over his shoulder before fastening his sword to his belt.
The three stepped into the hallway where Vinelyn knocked on the girls' door.
A moment later it opened.
Midia stepped out first, her brown hair tied into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder. Halise followed behind, her bow slung across her back and her pack in hand.
"Morning," Midia said.
The boys returned the greeting and together they descended the stairs into the lobby. Riche glanced behind the counter as they entered.
He frowned.
Cred wasn't there.
Instead, the thin, warty man stood behind the counter, wearing the same crooked smile as before.
"Leaving early, eh?" he said, his voice slick with mock politeness. His eyes slid across the group as they passed. "Didn't see your master outside."
He gave a quiet snicker as they walked out the door.
Outside, the sun blazed brightly overhead. The moment they stepped out, all five squinted against the sudden light.
They didn't have to wait long.
A familiar black coat soon appeared at the end of the street, fluttering lightly in the morning breeze. As the figure approached, his slicked-back hair gleamed just as neat and polished as the day before.
Mihel felt himself relax without meaning to.
There was something about Decurion Vidoria Kidt. A calm presence that settled the nerves simply by standing nearby.
Kidt approached with his usual easy smile. "Good morning, kids. Why carry your-"
Then he paused.
His expression shifted the moment he noticed their faces.
"Are you all alright?" he asked, frowning slightly. "Why does everyone look like you guys saw a ghost or something?"
Riche cleared his throat and stepped forward.
He explained everything. Their exploration the previous evening. The stranger in the room. The fight, the blue diamond, and the man's quick escape through the window.
"And I swear," Riche added flatly, "if you say this was another Exousia test, I'll have to talk to the Legatus about it myself."
Kidt's smile had vanished. He listened with a thoughtful expression, one hand slowly rubbing his clean-shaven chin.
"Hmm."
For a moment he said nothing.
"No," he said at last. "I can assure you that wasn't us."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Was anyone hurt?"
Midia answered quickly. "Mihel was stabbed in the side. I cleaned the wound, but he should probably see a Healer Destined."
Kidt nodded calmly. "Then we'll handle that first."
He gestured down the street. "Come. We'll head to the Citadel. You can find a Healer there. And you'll all need to collect your Exousia coats today as well."
With that, he turned and began walking.
The group followed along the same road they had taken the previous day. They passed once more through the central square, the statue of the Founder looming silently above them, and continued east.
Soon the Citadel came into full view.
Even after seeing it from afar the previous evening, standing before it now was overwhelming.
The structure towered above the city.
Massive pillars rose along its front, supporting wide stone ledges that climbed toward the sky. At the very top sat an enormous dome, ringed with golden spikes that glittered in the sunlight.
Tall windows lined the walls, each framed with golden borders that caught the morning light. The entire building was carved from polished stone, its sheer size and symmetry giving it an almost oppressive grandeur.
It truly deserved its name.
The Citadel of Niktha.
The entrance itself was a colossal stone gate. Bronze plates were embedded across its surface in intricate patterns, each one gleaming faintly.
'The Exousia certainly enjoy intimidating people,' Mihel thought as they waited before the towering barrier.
He watched silently as Kidt stepped forward.
The Decurion placed one palm against the gate.
Immediately the air shifted.
A strong wind burst outward from where he stood. Kidt's black coat whipped violently behind him, yet he himself remained completely still, as if rooted to the ground.
A low rumble echoed through the stone.
Slowly, the enormous gate began to rise.
Stone ground against stone as the massive slab lifted upward, leaving a widening gap beneath it just large enough for them to pass.
Kidt glanced over his shoulder and gestured for them to enter. The five recruits ducked under the floating gate and stepped inside the Citadel.
Kidt followed after them.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the massive gate descended again behind them with a deep, trembling thud.
Inside the Citadel, the lighting dimmed considerably. Tall stone walls swallowed most of the daylight, leaving only scattered lanterns to illuminate the vast interior. Even so, the place radiated an immense grandeur.
People moved everywhere.
Clerks rushed through corridors with stacks of papers. Soldiers strode past in black coats. Messengers hurried between stairways. Everyone seemed to be moving with urgent purpose, as if the Citadel itself never paused to breathe.
Mihel turned his head constantly, trying to absorb everything at once. The walls were lined with intricate carvings and metal inlays that twisted into elegant patterns. Even the pillars seemed sculpted with deliberate care.
Vidoria led them up a grand staircase of white marble. Each step was etched with delicate patterns that caught the faint light as they climbed.
When they reached the next floor, however, the atmosphere changed.
The luxurious carvings and polished stone gave way to something far simpler. The corridor here was plain and practical. From behind one wooden door came a loud chorus of voices, coughing, and hurried footsteps.
Vidoria pushed the door open.
Inside was a convent, a place where Healer Destined carried out their work.
Beds lined the walls. Patients sat or lay upon them while several healers moved between them, working quickly and speaking in low tones. The air smelled faintly of herbs and warm metal.
"Wait here," Kidt told the others, guiding Mihel further inside.
He stopped before an elderly man working at a small desk.
"Good morning, Klerk," Vidoria said with a casual grin. "Here you go. A new recruit to patch up, just like I promised."
He gently pushed Mihel forward.
The old man looked up slowly.
He had gold-rimmed glasses perched on a bulky nose, and his white hair curled in wild swirls, clearly untouched by any comb.
"Destiny," Klerk muttered.
Without another word he pulled out a thin silver blade. A soft green glow flowed from his body and wrapped itself around the blade like mist before he lifted it toward Mihel's forehead.
Klerk's eyes narrowed as the light flickered.
"Long gash across the chest," he murmured. "And a deeper wound at the side. Both poorly treated." He clicked his tongue.
"Sit."
Mihel obeyed as the old man pushed him into a nearby chair.
Klerk lifted Mihel's shirt and pressed the glowing blade lightly against the older wound across his chest. As the green light traced the cut, Mihel felt a strange tingling sensation.
The skin slowly pulled itself together.
Tiny invisible forces seemed to stitch the torn flesh back into place.
Then Klerk turned to the more recent wound at Mihel's side.
This time he produced a thin needle and carefully threaded a stitch through the gap. When the thread was tied, the glowing blade passed over it once more.
The wound sealed instantly, leaving only the stitch behind.
Mihel clenched his teeth throughout the process.
When Klerk finally stepped back, he gave the boy a brief, approving smile.
"Well then," he said. "I'm Klerk. Come find me anytime you need healing."
Before Mihel could respond, the old healer had already hurried away to attend to another patient.
Mihel returned to the others waiting in the lobby. They immediately gathered around him, staring at the now-closed wound with amazement.
"That fast?" Midia said, leaning closer.
Mihel glanced down at the neat stitch.
'Destiny truly is powerful,' he thought quietly.
Vidoria clapped his hands once.
"Well then," he said. "Let's head to the classrooms. Today is only theory. A small introduction to things you may have already heard about."
They descended the marble stairs once again and followed Kidt through another corridor.
Eventually they arrived at a modest room.
There were no doors, just an open entrance. A single window overlooked the city outside. Inside stood a few scattered chairs and a wooden board mounted on the wall. A small holder beneath it contained several pieces of chalk.
Vidoria picked one up and turned toward his new students.
He smiled slightly.
"Alright," he said.
"Let's begin with Destiny."