Chapter 1
Explorers, and merchants exchanged proud smiles as the ship drifted into the citadel's airspace. The sweet aroma of polished metal and floral perfumes spread through the cabin. Students buzzed with a mix of excitement and fear.
Celeste felt none of it.
Her chestnut hair was tangled from the long journey. She leaned against the window, watching bronze walls coated in machinery slide past beneath the clouds.
"You know behind all that silver is obsidian," Alvine said beside her, voice low. His blond hair looked like he'd tried to fix it but gave up halfway. "That dazzling light is just darkness in control."
"The walls are huge…" Celeste murmured, trying to shake off the heaviness in her chest. She still looked like she'd been crying.
"They weren't built to protect the capital," Alvine continued. "They were built to trap whatever crawls inside."
They had grown up on stories like that—tales told to keep village kids obedient.
"Ali, stop with the ghost stories. The Shadows of Varsa haunt criminals, right?" Celeste rolled her eyes. Doubt was practically her default expression.
"Be careful out there. I won't be around to protect you at that boarding school," he said. Alvine had strength—rare for a Capricorn. Different, like her.
"I'll be fine. I'm a badass. Those royals won't be a problem. And the shadows? Myths." Her voice carried farther than she meant. Students turned, whispering, judging her clothes and her confidence.
Their staring finally irritated Alvine.
"Hi handsome, why sit with a loser?" A brown-haired girl by her dress emblem was a Virgo. Her grey eyes stared directly at Celeste.. "Ya, Ali. Tell the beauty who has been taking glances at you for the entire journey. "Celeste had her grey eyes turned purple. The Virgo girl wasn't blind to see what Celeste meant. Celeste had dealt with lots of the same scenarios like this one. Jealous noble girls tend to have been drawn by Alvine.
"The loser is my sister." Alvine , replaced the " hi nice to meet you "face with that of count Capricorn 's heir. He continued .
"Got a problem with that."
" This is the Citadel. I suggest you put your sister in line. "The Virgo girl was trying to gain her ego back. The total humiliation struck her ego hard. She sat back on her seat. Celeste finally chuckled for a moment , forgetting her worries.
"What did I miss?" Eleanor , curious about making these culprits chuckle. Her smile never left fair skin. The elegant dress was clean after the incident. " Nothing much.". Alvine moved over to his seat . He turned and looked behind where the Virgo girl sat. " Still checking on her."Celeste looked directly at the same position Alvine was looking at. The girl wasn't there. "You really know how to hurt a girl." Eleanor understood Alvine'ways. She sat right next to Celeste.
"Tons of students in Varsa Academia do tl
The same. " Alvine grabbed a cookie and continued " I am just teaching Celeste the rules. " "Rejection wasn't the best way to handle people here. Especially at Varsa." Eleanor understood what governors the school sent her daughter to.
"I know Varsa is full of selfish Royal and noble bastards. Betrayal lurks around every inch of the Varsa. " Celeste to her eyes back to the bronze walls, her voice full of despair . As the shuttle descended, the bronze walls glimmered again—only this time, something moved beneath that light, like a shadow pulling itself awake. "Celeste, I know you father is
proud of you." Eleanor 's voice was trembling like a lie you try to inflict. "Proud more than disappointed." Celeste was untangling her hair . Her tone hurt, she continued. " I don't blame him. The royals and nobles are D_bags . I agreed to go to their school."
"Celeste, you won't turn out like them."Alvine was moved but Celeste is unique .He got up as did the others too.
"I will change the kingdom . Varsa Academia is the Start. " Celeste was firm to her goals. Security check, everyone was to be inspected.
"He is just worried about you. "Eleanor was the first to move out; her gentle Violet eyes matched Celeste but if you looked deep you saw her insecurities.
The Citadel was a silver city inside surrounded with bronze walls. "You are one of those kids. Varsa Academia , isn't it?" The male guard asked through my travel documents. He was around my father's age by the facial look . Grey uniform turned to tame his muscles . Buttons looked like they were done the last moment rushing to work. Next him a woman who younger shirt looked it had rubbed with tissue to get milk slipped on it off.
The cameras were at size of ants around the border Gard. " Ya, Vasra Academia ." Celeste's voice was distracted still with the what she saw glimmer in walls. "Kid , break leg. Vasra Academia isn't for the weak . Every one in Citadel knows that. " The woman next to the guard handled my documents back. With that creep look of off trouble you go and a warning.
" Border Gard, something really creeps the royals out. " Alvine stretched his hands like a kid from a long nap. Celeste just smiled and entered the shuttle. The journey was short least silence was expected because the others kids couldn't stop awe everything they saw. Celeste was preparing herself mentally for the Academia trials "You know you are gone pass. " Eleanor saw three her daughter's mind like any caring mom. Only to cleanse her insecure.
The sliver city held the crystal castle. Home of ruling zodiac bloodline, the Leo Zodiac. The view from above protriated glimpse of crystal castle. "Whoa! It actually is burning my eyes. " Alvine mummered in awe of view.
The ship slowly Dec sended to the finally stop. The gates to Vasra Academia were in the middle of the city. Not just gates but huge portal gates. Obsidian in metal with cravings like words.
All passengers got out . Celeste and Alvine looked at the gigantic portal gates. " These things take you Vasra Academia." Alvine mummered with excitement. "Alright, stop with awe over the gates." Eleanor had been chasing them behind . She too was amazed by the portal gates . Some one had to be the adult there. "Can you help me out , sir? " Eleanor asked the one guards protect the portals . After observing that none were open . " What happens to the trouble? " The guard was a scropio by accent. " When do the students enter the gates ? " Eleanor had a kind sight . She spotted that none had yet entered the portals. Seniors to freshmen were all outside. " Afternoon time. That's when they open ." The guard answered accordingly to what he knew. " Thanks a lot." Eleanor walked away cursing why they boarded so early in the morning..
"Alright, early birds. Who wants to have some breakfast? " She cracked up some way to move Celeste and Alvine from the gates. Celeste looked one last time behind the gates. The carved on them glowed golden around.