It was a beautiful morning in Umbralis, though beauty in the capital of Nyxvale was unlike anywhere else. A young teenager stepped out of his room, stretching with a groan. His blond hair was messy from sleep, and his eyes still heavy with drowsiness. With sluggish movements, he made his way to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and took a quick shower, letting the cold water wash away the last remnants of sleep. After drying off, he buttoned up his student uniform—a crisp black suit with silver embroidery, the official attire of the Umbralis Covenant School.
Stepping outside, he inhaled the cool morning air. The city, veiled in its signature shades of darkness, was slowly waking. The black-stone streets glistened under the soft morning light, and the towering structures of Umbralis shimmered in muted hues of purple and white.
As he waited, a sleek, levitating bus hummed toward him, its metallic surface reflecting the city's eerie glow. The entrance slid open, revealing a floating cube within.
"Choose your destination," the cube's mechanical voice chimed.
"Front Hall of the Umbralis Covenant School," he replied, stepping inside.
The bus moved smoothly through the city. Ron leaned against the window, watching as the metropolis unfolded before him. Though Umbralis was known for its darkness, the dawn gave it an ethereal beauty—soft glows of artificial moonlight lined the roads, and towering buildings stretched toward the sky like silent sentinels. Birds, dark-feathered like the city itself, flitted between lampposts, their morning songs weaving through the hum of passing trains and hover-cars.
Before long, the bus slowed to a stop.
"You have reached your destination. Have a pleasant morning," the automated voice announced.
Ron stepped off, taking in the vast front hall of the school—an enormous courtyard that doubled as a garden, a signature of Umbralis Covenant School. Unlike the vibrant floral displays of other nations, the gardens of Nyxvale were steeped in mystery. Rows of towering black-leafed trees lined the pathways, their branches twisting in elegant arcs, forming natural archways over the cobblestone paths. Beneath them, dark blossoms—Night Veils, Umbral Lilies, and Eclipse Roses—lay in wait, their petals tightly shut in bud form, conserving their beauty for the moonlight.
A gentle breeze stirred the garden, making the closed buds tremble slightly, as if breathing in the morning air. During the day, Nyxvale's flowers remained dormant, conserving their colors and fragrances for the night. It was a peculiar yet mesmerizing sight—an entire garden resting, waiting for its true awakening when the sun dipped below the horizon.
Ron walked along the garden path, his polished shoes tapping lightly against the stones. The school building itself loomed ahead—an imposing structure of black marble with silver-tinted glass windows. Though most of its lights remained off, the grand entrance shimmered with faint, magical energy, a protective barrier ensuring only those authorized could step inside.
He reached the security gate, where a scanner flickered to life, casting a pale glow over his face.
"Please confirm your ID," a robotic voice requested.
"AA00001, Grade 10, Class 001, Second Year," Ron responded, standing still as the system processed his information.
"State your name."
"Ron Mutler."
"Prove it."
Ron smirked slightly at the challenge. "I own a coffee shop."
"Identity confirmed. Welcome, Sir Ron Mutler. Your classes will begin in one hour and thirty minutes."
With a soft beep, the gate unlocked. He stepped inside, moving toward a stone bench nestled under the shade of a tall, twisting tree. Sitting down, he pulled a book from his bag and placed his glasses on his nose. The morning was quiet, the only sounds being the distant hum of the city beyond the school walls and the occasional rustling of leaves.
As he flipped the pages, he couldn't help but glance at the resting flowers once more. There was something poetic about it—how Nyxvale's beauty wasn't meant for the day but for the darkness. A beauty that thrived in the shadows.