[ Location: Lucem Fermius Academy - Grand Atrium ]
The Wraith's engine died, leaving a profound silence in its wake. Sephorae stepped out, the heavy fabric of his white cloak sweeping against the pristine pavement. The courtyard was empty. He'd forgotten. Classes were in session. The silence was unnerving, a stark contrast to the usual buzz of activity he remembered from a lifetime ago.
So, you're finally here, he thought, the words a hollow echo in the silence of his own mind. This is what this place looks like.
The academy was breathtaking, a masterpiece of architectural genius and staggering opulence. The buildings were carved from pure white marble, their towers reaching for the sky like gleaming spears. The windows were made of enchanted glass that shimmered with a soft, ethereal light, and the grounds were a lush, manicured paradise of emerald green lawns and vibrant, exotic flowers. It was a world away from the desolate wastelands he'd just crossed, a sanctuary of learning and power that felt more alien to him now than any demon's lair.
He walked through the empty courtyard, the sound of his boots echoing in the unnatural quiet. Beneath the white cloak, his body felt heavy, anchored by the metal of his mask and the dark weight of the arm hidden in his left sleeve.
He found his way to the main building, the Grand Atrium, a cavernous space with a vaulted ceiling painted with a swirling, cosmic mural that moved slowly, mimicking the actual constellations. As he stepped into the room, the sensors detected his presence. The ambient lighting shifted, and the large, holographic screen that dominated the far wall flickered to life.
Headmaster Elara Vane's face appeared, looming large over the empty hall. Her expression was serious, her eyes sharp as they scanned the feed.
"Attention, students and staff," she said, her voice amplified, echoing not just through the Atrium but into every classroom and training hall in the facility. "We have a special announcement. Sephorae Vespera has returned to the academy."
The Ripple Effect
The broadcast cut through the concentration of the entire student body.
In the Advanced Stellar Combat arena, Nathaniel Brightmore paused mid-swing. He was clad in a sleek, black training uniform with silver trim at the collar, sweat glistening on his forehead. He lowered his training blade, a look of genuine disbelief washing over his features.
"He's alive?" Nathaniel whispered, looking up at the arena screens. Around him, the other students began to murmur. The shock wasn't just that Sephorae had returned; it was that the Vespera family had claimed he was gone for good.
Back in the Grand Atrium, Sephorae stood motionless before the giant screen. He could feel the energy of the school shift. Even through the walls, he sensed the sudden, collective surge of curiosity, followed immediately by a darker, malicious undercurrent of contempt from those who remembered the boy he used to be.
On the screen, Headmaster Vane's gaze seemed to lock onto him. Through the camera feed, she read the energy signature of the figure in the white cloak and silver mask. Her eyes widened imperceptibly.
He was alive, yes. But the energy he radiated was... wrong. It wasn't the fiery, arrogant mana of the Vespera heir. It was cold. Broken. It felt like the void between stars. She identified the feeling instantly: Detachment.
"Sephorae Vespera," she said, her voice regaining its calm, though laced with an undercurrent of urgency that only the most perceptive would notice. "Please report to my office immediately."
The screen faded to black.
Sephorae didn't sigh. He didn't brace himself. He simply adjusted the collar of his white cloak, turned toward the administrative wing, and began the long walk to meet the woman who held his fate in her hands. The silence of the Atrium swallowed him once more, but the peace was over. The sharks knew he was in the water.