April 14th, Year 4987, Second Age of Astron.
Thornleigh City, Republic of Ospana, Alsacian Federation;
Thornleigh Central Station buzzed with the early-morning crowd—students in academy cloaks rushing to board their carriages, merchants shouting over one another while steam hissing from the mana-powered engines.
Amid all that noise, 16-year-old Xerx stood quietly near the boarding line with his posture straight, while his poker face was unreadable as ever. A tall, blonde-haired teenager stood before him and waved his hand with eyes fixed on the boy before him.
"Xerneas, not everyone gets to study in Heavenly Academy. Almost half of the wealth bestowed upon you was used to get you in there..." Louis, tone shifted into something half-nagging and half-worried. "So, please keep your head down, okay? Don't pick fights or distract with anything. Just study. Don't get yourself expelled. As long as you graduate from the academy, your future will be secured."
Xerx raised his hand, and glowing letters formed in the air through his mana. It was simple strokes of word magic that dissolved seconds after appearing.
"I won't be expelled. You don't have to worry. I'm going there to absorb all the knowledge I can."
Louis exhaled as if the words didn't reassure him at all. "I always worry about you. You act like you're made of stone, but I know what's in there." His eyes softened. "Besides… that place is full of nobles, geniuses, and those with monstrous talent. Those people have a high ego, and your disability often makes you a target. Instead of ignoring them, it's better to find yourself an umbrella that can shield you from possible troubles.
Xerx didn't respond to that. He simply replied with another line of floating text. "Take care of Grandmother."
Louis swallowed for a moment. Then he stepped forward and pulled Xerx into a brief hug, one that the latter didn't return but didn't push away either. "Yeah, yeah. I'll take care of her. You be safe."
The boarding whistle blew. Xerx stepped onto the coach without looking back. Louis watched him disappear into the doorway before muttering to himself, "I hope someone reaches you, cousin, and removes that darkness from your heart and mind."
The six-seater cabin he chose was empty, and Xerx slid into the window seat.
The hum of mana-rails vibrated beneath him as other passengers filed through the aisles.
Xerx rested his elbow on the window ledge with his eyes drifting outside while his mind stayed locked somewhere else. He looked peaceful on the surface, as if he had come to terms with everything.
A few minutes later, the cabin door slid open and a boy stepped in—his face bright, almost glowing with the kind of energy Xerx had always found foreign.
The boy smiled the moment he noticed him. "Is this seat taken?" the boy asked politely.
Xerx shook his head once.
"Thanks!" The boy slipped into the seat opposite him, adjusting the strap of his bag. "I'm Ayush. Nice to meet you."
Xerx lifted a hand and formed the words slowly. "Xerx. I'm mute. I can't speak."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Ayush blinked, his smile slightly faltered a bit but then he said. "Word magic, right? That's amazing. And don't worry, talking isn't everything."
Xerx only nodded, sitting back again.
The door slid open a second time, more forcefully this round. A tall boy with sharp eyes walked in as if the cabin belonged to him. He didn't look left or right; he simply dropped into the seat next to Ayush, crossing his arms while putting up a serious expression.
Ayush gave him a friendly smile. "Hey, I'm Ayush. And this is Xerx."
"Arceus," the newcomer replied without a glance at either of them. His tone was flat enough to make the air feel colder.
Ayush kept trying. "Oh, by the way, Xerx can't talk, so he uses word magic. So, don't mind it. In fact, it's actually pretty cool and..."
"I don't care," Arceus cut him off with a shrug, focusing on the scene outside the window. "Talk or don't talk. Makes no difference to the people who have no interest in listening."
Ayush frowned slightly at the rudeness, but he didn't say anything more. Xerx didn't react at all. His face remained unreadable, calm, and blank.
For a while, there was silence.
Both Arceus and Xerx were comfortable with the silence, but not Ayush.
He tried to shake it off with a laugh and rubbed the back of his head, forcing the atmosphere to loosen.
"So what's your specialty?" he asked Arceus. "Mage? Warrior? Beast Tamer?"
Arceus gave a slow shrug, eyes half-lidded with disinterest.
Ayush chuckled. "Right, right. Not a talker."
He glanced at Xerx and asked, "What about you, brother?"
Xerx raised his hand, pushing out mana. The word magic began to play out, forming the words. "I'm a Summoner."
"Summoner?" Ayush blinked in surprise. Even Ayush couldn't help but glance at Xerx. After all, a summoner is the rarest type of profession out there. People can become mages if they learn spells. They can become swordsmen, assassins, archers, or even beast tamers through learning. But summoning is entirely different. It cannot be learnt, it has to be awakened.
"So, what kind of summoner are you, brother?" Ayush asked. Xerx looked at him but stayed silent. Arceus, this time, gave a meaningful glance at Ayush. The latter understood the meaning behind their gazes and said with a nod. "Alright… the powers call for secrecy… My bad..."
After that, the cabin settled into silence. Ayush pulled out his phone and started playing a mobile game, becoming engrossed in it.
Arceus stretched his legs, folded his arms, and went back to sleep—whether it was real sleep or just an excuse to avoid people wasn't clear.
Xerx stayed where he was by the window, taking out a book and started reading it.
For eighty minutes, not a single word was spoken. The only sound was the clicking from Ayush's phone and the occasional soft snore from Arceus. Then the train slowed as they crossed the border into Sylvanor, steam rising along the windows as the doors opened at the first major station.
Two girls stepped in, and the quiet cabin shifted instantly.
"Excuse me…"
Both had pale, smooth skin, almond-shaped eyes, and long, pointed ears that peeked out from their silver hair. Their steps were light, almost floating. Even in a crowded train cabin, they moved with the quiet grace of nobles.
Arceus cracked an eye open, assessed them in a second, and went right back to pretending to sleep.
Ayush, meanwhile, reacted like he'd seen a myth come to life. "Wow—an elf!"
"Silver hair?" Xerx's eyes widened for a second, but he shifted back to reading.
Meanwhile, Ayush's sudden excitement startled both sisters, who blinked back at him with stiff postures. Ayush slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry! Sorry, that just slipped out. Please, come in."
"Hey, Xerx… Come here..." Ayush scooted himself to the middle seat, pushing Ayush to the side, and gave space for the mute boy. Xerx glanced at the elves and got up, joining the opposite seat, effectively emptying the other seat for the girls.
Arceus did not appreciate it but tolerated the intrusion with a twitch of his brow.
"Thank you," the older elf said, settling down nearby the window seat with elegant, practiced movements at the aisle. The younger girl placed her small bag on her lap as she walked past her and settled right opposite Xerx.
Ayush seized the moment. "I'm Ayush, this is Xerx, and this is Arceus. We're joining the Academy as freshmen."
He offered a handshake, expecting nothing from the two dignified elves, but the younger one surprised him by gripping his hand with both of hers and shaking it with bright enthusiasm.
"I'm Elysia Silverleaf!" she said cheerfully, matching his enthusiasm. "And this is my elder sister, Isolde Silverleaf. I'm also a freshman. My sister's already in her fifth year."
"Silverleaf?" Arceus muttered sharply. His eyes opened fully now. "The cursed royal family."
Ayush blinked. "Cursed royal family?"