The Soulbourne Academy, the only academy in all of Solara. Proud, grand, and unmatched. Found on the outskirts of the city, close to the Solara-Noxmere border. The Academy was built by the gods themselves, every marble, every stone — carefully designed and placed to perfection. It was built for the royals and high-ranking officials of both kingdoms, the only ones capable of wielding the Talents granted by the gods.. And for the others, the 'peasants'? Do not worry about them. Like me, they have no Talent, just normal people. Actual schools, where reading and writing are taught, are built for them. This does not make The Bearers any special from the peasants, though. In Solara, everyone is treated as equal because everyone is equally important; The Bearers provide protection, and the peasants help build the kingdom.
Anyway, back to The Soulbourne Academy — mind you, "The" in the name is very important, for it is part of the name. As already mentioned, the Academy was established for magic users, supernaturals, or whatever you may call them, but here, they are known as Bearers. This is where they are trained to control their abilities for the good of Solara…and Noxmere. Yes, before the war, Noxmere's royals and high-ranking officials also studied here. That was why the Soulbourne Academy was built at the border — to serve both realms. But after the war, Noxmere chose silence, retreating behind mystery. Noxmere withdrew their students and silently ruled over Solara, no questions asked. It has been years since, so you can imagine everyone's surprise when they heard of Noxmere's Treasure's arrival.
Now, about everything you should know. There are three types of Bearers: The Healers, Mages, and Scribes.
The Healers are… well, healers. Trained to channel magic in times of crisis — from mending wounds to stabilizing souls. With each level, their techniques grow more advanced, more precise, more attuned to the divine breath that fuels them.
The Scribes deal with divine and sacred knowledge because they were bestowed with such talent. They are normally assigned to the palace, where they interpret old texts and serve as advisors to The Queen. A chosen few are honored to join the Council of Solara — wise men and women entrusted to shape the laws in harmony with the Flame of Dawn, the divine will of Aureon. The learning process here is also in levels, each level more in-depth than the first.
Then there are the Mages. They handle everything spell-related — from conjuring barriers and enchanting weapons to stepping onto the battlefield themselves. Like the Healers, their training is tiered, each level unlocking more complex and demanding spellwork.
For combat training and history, all Bearers attend a combined class — a necessary foundation for understanding the forces that shape the realm. Peasants occasionally join these sessions, though their instruction differs. Those selected are groomed into royal guards, trained to fight alongside the Mages and defend the Kingdom in times of war.
…
The Soulborne Academy was every bit as beautiful as the rumors claimed — perhaps even more so in person. Its radiant hues echoed the spirit of Solara itself. Though not built within the kingdom's heart, it still shimmered deep within the dim, dense forest.
Its golden stone caught the sun's glow and transformed it into something otherworldly. No paint adorned its walls — none was needed. The light alone painted them, shifting in color with the sun's arc by day, and under the moon's gaze by night.
It was recess, so most of the students were around and about. Some were at the library, the cafeteria, the training grounds; students were basically everywhere in their uniforms. One could just look at the color to know which faction a student was in — Just like any other academy for magic users, the kind you've probably read about in stories; Green for the Healers, Blue for the Scribes, Red for the mages. They came with two distinct crests that cut across all factions.
One was reserved for high-ranking descendants — the offspring of advisors, scribes, mages, and others who served the crown. Their crest bore a silver flame rising from an open book, framed by twin quills and a scroll-shaped shield. It shimmered in deep blue and ash-gold, a quiet emblem of wisdom and loyal service.
The other belonged to The Royals. A crowned phoenix, wings outstretched, encircled by a radiant sunburst. Its chest held the Flame of Dawn — Aureon's will made visible. Gold and crimson danced across its surface, marking those born of sovereign blood.
There was also a uniform and corresponding crest for the peasants who joined the Academy for combat training and history. Their garments were plain white — a symbol of duty unadorned — marked only by a modest crest on the chest: a crossed spear and shield beneath a rising sun. It bore no gold, only iron-gray and ivory, yet it stood for something no less vital — the will to serve, to protect, and to rise. But now, something different entered the massive golden gates of The Soulbourne Academy, something that had not been seen in years(so many knew things so far, right?), the violet uniform with the haunting crest.
She walked with her head held high, each stride slow, powerful, and void of expression.
She was what some would call a dark beauty — jet-black hair flowing behind her like liquid shadow, glossy and untamed. Her eyes were sharp, cast in shadow, focused and soulless… just like her father's.
Except hers were there. And they were enchanting.
Everyone stared. They knew they shouldn't. She was a forbidden beauty — a living taboo. A tigress moving through a field of antelope.
And then… the boy behind her
As they walked behind Headmaster Virell, Lucen could feel the piercing stares of the 'council' behind him. Not that he minded, but why stare at him when there is a beauty sent straight from darkness, a weakness to all men, in front of him.
After a while, they arrived at the Headmaster's office, where the boys behind excused themselves as the new students, and the Headmaster entered the office to talk.
"Please, take a seat," Headmaster Virell said, gesturing calmly as the two settled into their chairs. He folded his hands, voice steady. "I wished to extend an official welcome to the Soulbourne Academy."
The two bowed their heads.
"As you both know, this is the first time in years we are having Noxmere Blood enroll in The Soulbourne Academy, and it is none other than Noxmere's beloved treasure. The students will talk, either out of fear, uncertainty, or anger, but to maintain peace and order on campus, you should not pay attention to them. I believe that with time, they would slowly accept the situation. The students here may be stubborn at times because of their strong will, but they really mean no harm, My Princess. They know better than to defy their masters." Headmaster Virell assured, his attention turning to Princess Nyara.
The air thickened. Outside, the skies darkened without warning, and a hush fell over the halls. A chill crept down every student's spine as the atmosphere shifted — not just dark, but primordially so. As if something ancient had stirred… and remembered its name.
"They know better than to interfere with the unknown. They are not above me... and neither are you." Princess Nyreal's voice was commanding, but never loud. Like Queen Nyara, her tone carried weight without volume — yet their energies were totally different. "I believed you were wise enough to know your place," she continued, eyes fixed. "The sermon you just delivered is for them, not me."
The air shifted. Her aura, once restrained, now pressed against the room, dangerously intense. Even Headmaster Virell, seated and silent, felt it coil around him.
"As for me," Princess Nyreal said, voice like a blade drawn slow, "if anyone dares to cross my path — with words or with force — death is not beyond them. And that… is the one thing I do not hesitate with."
She gave a slight bow — whether in mockery or respect, only she knew — then turned and walked out. The aura followed her… and only when she was gone did the room remember how to breathe.
Headmaster Virell could finally breathe, but it only came out as a sigh. "Then I am afraid that The Soulborne Academy must brace itself for bodies will be buried soon." He said more to himself, but it was audible enough.
"Are you positive that she would want to actually kill the students? Would it not start another war?" Lucen asked.
Headmaster Virell nods, "It is a potential cause, but unlikely. Solara would be stupid to go against Noxmere now that they have the upper hand."
"Upper hand? But Noxmere is populated by ghosts…" Lucen debated.
"True, but after the war, once a student graduates from The Soulbourne Academy, they are taken to Noxmere for reasons still unknown to this day." Headmaster Virell explained.
"Why are most things made a mystery? Are they not one of us?" Lucen said to himself, puzzled.
"We can not force the world to be understood when it does not want to be."Headmaster Virell said.
"You are not going to do anything about the situation?" Lucen asked, surprised.
"What is there to be done? Fighting back only to worsen things now? As I said earlier, Solara is in no condition for a war now, that would be suicide, and there is no guarantee that Noxmere would spare anyone, not again." Headmaster Virell explained.
"Not again? Has Solara rebelled once?" Lucen asked, his curiosity taking no rest.
Headmaster Virell nodded. "Solara has retaliated not once, not twice, but five times since Noxmere's conquest over Her." Headmaster Virell answered, his expression sad as he seemed to recall the event.
"Solara lost all five times?" Lucen asked, still refusing to believe what he was hearing.
"Yes, my child. Each aftermath worse than the last, Noxmere proving their true power and asserting their dominance. The first rebellion started ten years after the war. The Queen was forced into the matter. Her Majesty had no intentions of fighting back because she knew the power Noxmere had over Solara, but The Council was insistent, forcing Her Majesty's hands because that was what the people of Solara wanted. So, she permitted all those who wanted to fight back and trust me when I say that more than half of the kingdom rose to the task, the toll of the past war not even settled down yet. It was a nasty massacre, my boy. The King himself descended, and it was beyond rage. His power could be felt from miles away. That was the first time in eons that such power was felt. The War did not make Him furious as he was that day. The bodies of those soldiers were not found, not even to this day. No one knows exactly what happened, but not a single soul was spared. One would believe that that would be enough to silence Solara, that Solara would have learned Her lesson and just kept quiet, but it did not. Solara rebelled again fourteen years later, but without Her Majesty's knowledge, for they knew She would stop their disillusioned victory, but it only led to many more deaths. Only a handful of men returned, most of their body parts either missing or horribly damaged. That is when Noxmere began to take measures; that is when King Noctorian decided to rule over Solara. Before the rebellions, Noxmere remained silent after the war. He came only for Solara's gold, nothing more, nothing less. There were no threats, no speeches, no bloodshed… unless you refused. In that light, The King's fury during the first rebellion was totally understandable. But after the second, The King made it stricter, death for all those who refused to pay and those who did not. This treatment ignited another rebellion led by The Council without Her Majesty's approval. That also ended terribly, resulting in more harsher punishments, the same for the fourth and for the fifth time, sixteen years ago, Noxmere had finally had enough, so He made an agreement with Solara, not out of mercy, but control, that if She wanted no more bloodshed or if She did not want another full-scale war that would wipe Her out entirely, She would offer three-fourth of the students that would graduate from The Soulbourne Academy every year." Headmaster Virell narrated, finally taking a sip of water.
"Her Majesty was not trying to be a coward; she was just trying to protect her people from more tragedy." Lucen said, finally understanding.
Headmaster Virell nodded. "Her Majesty understood the extent of Solara's stubbornness after Her first attempt. She continued to warn Her after the following three attempts, but her anger was fueled towards The Council after the last, showing them the reason She was the ruler of Solara, not them."
"Headmaster, do you think Solara is being stubborn again?" Lucen asked.
"You think She is capable?" Headmaster Virell asked for his opinion.
"Not after everything, but the students… Is that not why Noxmere sent The Princess here?"
"Might be, but we can only wait and see as we hope for the best because by the looks of things, that young lady can wipe The Soulborne Academy out without second thoughts." Headmaster Virell said with a sigh.
Lucen stepped out of the Headmaster's office, his mind a storm of thoughts.
As he looked up, he was met by a smirk — chilling, deliberate — from a girl whose very presence commanded fear, not through force, but through reverence.
Fear that didn't scream but bowed, quiet and unquestioning.