The sun was a soft gold spilling across the courtyard of the Sacred Academy. For once, the air wasn't charged with magic or tension—just peace. The fountain at the center shimmered like glass, its ripples dancing in the light breeze.
Yohan sat on the edge of the marble rim, his eyes half-closed, letting the sunlight warm his skin. His robes were slightly wrinkled, his hair still messy from the early training session he had skipped.
It was one of those rare mornings where he didn't have to fight, prove, or plan—just exist.
Across the courtyard, Ciel was scribbling something into her journal again. Every now and then she'd glance at him, as if making sure he was still there, alive and breathing.
"You look peaceful," she finally said, breaking the silence.
He smirked. "That's because for once, no one's trying to blow me up."
Ciel laughed softly. "Don't jinx it."
Yohan leaned back, watching the sky. "Maybe I should enjoy it while it lasts. Knowing this place, peace never stays for long."
He wasn't wrong.
Because at that very moment, deep beneath the Academy, something ancient stirred—a pulse of energy faint yet unmistakable. It seeped through the ground like a heartbeat, slow and patient.
Ciel froze mid-sentence. She felt it too.
"Yohan," she whispered.
He opened his eyes, the lazy calm replaced by focus. The faint hum of mana brushed his senses—unfamiliar, heavy, almost… resentful.
So much for peace.
The fountain's reflection shimmered unnaturally, the water twisting as if trying to form a shape.
Yohan stood, hand hovering near his elemental ring. "Guess I jinxed it after all."
The peaceful courtyard no longer felt safe. The sunlight dimmed behind a passing shadow, and in the rippling water, a symbol appeared—one not seen since the days of the First Initiates.
Ciel looked at him, fear flickering in her eyes. "That mark… it's the seal of the Origin Trials."
Yohan's heartbeat quickened.
"The Trials were supposed to be locked," he said.
"Then why is it opening?"
Yohan didn't answer. He stared at the water, where his reflection now looked back with glowing blue eyes—not his own.
The calm was over. The storm had arrived.