The sun spilled golden light over Arcane Academy's floating towers as the bells chimed six times—morning had broken over Eldoria's skies. Students from every corner of the continent filled the marble courtyard, dressed in color-coded robes based on their ranked class: red for E-Class, green for B-Class, blue for A-Class, and white trimmed in gold for S-Class.
Rael adjusted the pristine white robe they'd given him. He tugged the collar uneasily. Gold thread traced the sigil of the Academy—a phoenix rising from an open book—but it felt more like a target than an honor. All eyes turned toward him as he stepped across the courtyard toward the S-Class tower.
"That's him," whispered a student. "The one who summoned a solar spirit during the trial."
"No noble house… No lineage records… How did a nobody get into S-Class?"
"He's probably a fluke. Let's see how long he lasts."
Rael ignored the murmurs. He'd learned long ago how to filter noise. A prince trained for war had no time to worry about what sheep said.
The S-Class tower loomed ahead—sleek, spiraling crystal architecture suspended in midair by arrays of floating glyphs. A drawbridge-like bridge of mana extended toward it, pulsing with spiritlight. Rael crossed it without hesitation.
At the top, a wide circular platform opened into a training hall, classroom, and study dome. This was S-Class territory.
And they were waiting for him.
Four other students stood inside. Each turned to meet him in their own way.
A girl with crimson hair, tied in elaborate loops, stood with arms crossed and flame-patterned gloves on her hands. She examined Rael like he was a challenge she had already decided to defeat.
"Late," she said curtly.
"I wasn't," Rael replied, eyes calm.
She stepped forward. "Eris Vaeloria. Daughter of the Magmara Dukes. Fire specialist and top of the class before you."
Rael nodded once. "Rael."
"That's it?" Eris narrowed her eyes. "No house? No title?"
"No need."
A low scoff came from the side. A tall figure leaned against the wall, sword strapped to his back, black hair tied neatly. He looked like royalty dressed for a war parade.
"Of course," the boy said. "Peasants never know their place."
"Raiden Voss," Eris said without looking at him. "He thinks he owns the academy."
"I don't need to think it," Raiden said coolly. "My family funds half of it."
"Congratulations," Rael said. "Try buying humility next."
Raiden's eyes narrowed, but before the tension could ignite, a soft yawn drifted from the corner.
A girl was lying on one of the floating chairs in the library alcove, arms draped lazily behind her head, her silver hair cascading down like moonlight. She blinked at them sleepily.
"Already fighting?" she said. "So loud in the mornings…"
"Lyra Dreamshade," Eris said with a sigh. "Don't expect much from her. She sleeps more than she studies."
Lyra smiled faintly. "And still placed third."
Rael studied her for a moment. Her gaze flicked to him briefly—sharp, too sharp for someone half-asleep.
And then, the fifth member stepped out from the summoning circle in the back room.
She had soft hazel eyes and long brown hair that shimmered with faint spirit light. Her robes were simpler than the others, hands clasped in front of her nervously. She looked at Rael, then looked away.
"I-I'm Evelyn Solstice," she said with a gentle bow.
Rael returned the nod. "Rael."
Eris rolled her eyes. "He doesn't say much."
"I like that," Evelyn said softly, to everyone's surprise.
Raiden scoffed. "This class is a joke. A noble, a layabout, a spirit mutterer, a glorified torch, and… whatever you are."
Rael walked past him. "Keep watching. Maybe you'll learn something."
"Enough."
A voice cut through the air like a blade of wind.
The platform shimmered, and Headmistress Lira Moonshade stepped onto the training floor, her silver staff in hand. She was dressed in high formal robes today, her hair tied in a sleek braid, the Academy's crest pinned to her shoulder.
"S-Class is not a place for petty rivalry," she said. "It is a battleground for prodigies. You five will compete against the world and yourselves. You will fight, study, and survive together. If you fail, there is no safety net."
Her gaze swept the group. It lingered just a second longer on Rael.
"Your first day begins with discipline. Combat. Theory. Magical control. Each lesson harder than the last. You've earned this spot—now prove you deserve it."
She vanished in a shimmer of violet mist.
Rael took a breath. This was it—the real training.
---
Combat Class – Arena Floor
The S-Class arena was a gravity-defying battlefield suspended in open sky. Floating platforms spun slowly across the field, each one enchanted with elemental runes—fire, water, stone, wind. Professors stood in the corners, watching.
Their instructor, a grizzled war mage named Master Darnath, barked orders.
"You want to be elite? Show me!"
Pairs were called up for one-minute bouts. Rael watched as Evelyn fought Lyra, with the latter using wind jets to redirect Evelyn's cautious summons. Eris blazed across platforms with fire bursts, defeating her opponent in seconds. Raiden's swordplay was ruthless and exact.
"Rael," Darnath growled. "You're up. Against Raiden."
Rael stepped onto a rocky platform. Raiden smiled, unsheathing his mana-coated blade.
"No spirit tricks this time," Raiden said. "Let's see your footwork."
Rael summoned his wooden training sword and nodded.
The bell rang.
Raiden attacked first, his strikes fast, brutal, dancing between stabs and feints. Rael dodged and parried, eyes calm. He didn't counter—he analyzed.
"Too passive," Raiden spat, slashing in a wide arc.
Rael ducked, twisted behind him, and tapped Raiden's exposed back with his blade.
Point. Match.
Stunned silence.
Even the professors raised eyebrows.
Raiden's mouth twisted. "Lucky."
Rael said nothing. The way of the Solari Ascendants had always been: Let skill speak louder than ego.
---
Magic Control Class – Spirit Resonance Chamber
Here, students practiced channeling mana through elemental prisms to harmonize their aura.
Most students struggled to align their flow.
Rael focused, breathing in rhythm. A Solari breathing technique from memory, passed from father to son.
The prism before him glowed—not just once, but across all five cores: fire, wind, earth, light, and void.
A collective gasp.
"Is that...?" one instructor whispered. "A five-fold harmony?"
"No normal child could—"
"Enough," said Lira, appearing again. "He's not normal. Let him be."
Rael stepped away quietly. He hated attention. Power was a necessity, not a performance.
---
Later – Floating Garden Balcony
The day ended with study in the floating gardens, where spirit flora blossomed in the moonlight.
Rael sat on a bench, reading the academy's history texts when someone dropped beside him with a sigh.
"Congratulations," Eris muttered.
"For?"
"Showing off. Everyone's talking about you. Again."
Rael closed the book. "You care a lot about rankings."
"It's everything. If you're not the best, you're nothing."
Rael turned to her. "What does your family expect?"
"To be perfect," Eris said bitterly. "No room for failure."
Rael said nothing, but she noticed his hand clenched for just a second.
"…What about yours?" she asked, quieter.
"They're gone."
Eris blinked, then looked away.
"…Sorry."
Rael nodded. "Don't be. Just… don't lose yourself chasing approval."
She didn't answer. But she didn't leave either.
---
Night – Tower Dormitory
The S-Class dormitory was lavish—each room private, enchanted for study, rest, and training. Rael stepped inside his, closed the door, and dropped the mask.
He collapsed on the bed.
He'd drawn attention again. Too much.
The resonance chamber had nearly revealed the truth.
Ember Ascension was still dormant beneath his skin, burning like a sleeping sun. If someone noticed…
He stared at the ceiling.
I have to be smarter. Stronger. Hidden.
A knock at the door.
He tensed.
"Rael?"
It was Evelyn.
He opened it.
She stood nervously, hands behind her back.
"I… I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what?"
"For being kind to me. You didn't laugh during spirit class. Most do."
He softened. "You did well. You listen to your spirit. That's more than most summoners."
She blushed. "I hope we can be friends."
Rael hesitated. Friends. He hadn't had one in a long time.
"…Sure," he said at last.
She smiled. "Goodnight, then."
As the door shut, Rael leaned against it, thoughtful.
Maybe not everyone here was a threat.
---
Midnight – Observatory Tower
High above the Academy, where the stars whispered ancient secrets and spirit winds glided across open skies, Headmistress Lira Moonshade stood in silent thought. Her silver robes shimmered faintly in the moonlight, blending with the ethereal glow of the runes circling the spire.
A crystal orb floated before her, pulsing with soft threads of memory magic. It replayed scenes from earlier that day—Rael's five-core resonance, his lightning-fast movement against Raiden, the way he suppressed his aura instinctively.
Lira's sharp eyes narrowed.
"Controlled… precise… but not learned here."
She waved her hand, and the orb shifted to show Rael's arrival at the Academy. The trail of solar residue from his entrance still lingered in the ether—a power not seen since…
Her voice was quiet, yet weighty with knowing.
"You're not from this world, are you, boy?"
She turned away from the orb and gazed at the stars.
"The Solari Ascendants… I thought your kind were lost to the gods."
The wind stirred her cloak as if in answer.
Lira closed her eyes briefly, ancient memories rising—of firelit skies, divine battles, and a clan that once defied a god.
She opened them again.
"I don't know why you're here," she murmured, "but Eldoria's fate may now burn with your ember."
Below, the tower remained still. The stars kept their silence.