One Month Later…
At last, the announcement everyone had been whispering about since the beginning of the term was made.
In the rear courtyard of the academy—
behind the main buildings—
the ancient gate stood silent, as it had for years.
A massive stone ring carved with faded runes,
connected to crystalline pillars that would be charged with aether upon activation.
Students gathered in small groups.
Tension.
Excitement.
Suppressed fear.
One of the supervisors spoke loudly enough for all to hear:
"Tomorrow at sunrise, the gate will be fully charged with aether and activated. You will be transported to a random location within the Ruins."
Whispers rose immediately.
"The destination is unknown—even to the academy. The gate responds to encrypted ancient coordinates."
Silence fell.
"Your mission is simple in description… difficult in execution."
He raised a floating magic panel. Names of numerous students appeared upon it.
"Either locate a functioning exit… or eliminate the entity that governs the region."
The word entity made several students stiffen.
"The expedition will last between one to two weeks, depending on how quickly the objective is completed."
Then he added coldly:
"Of course… excluding those who perish."
The silence that followed was heavy.
It was not a threat.
It was reality.
At the back of the crowd—
Rolin stood quietly, his training weapons secured at his wrists.
His eyes never left the gate.
Inside him—
'The Ruins… this will be fun,' Likath muttered.
'?' Rolin thought.
A brief pause.
'Just excited.'
"Rolin."
Kainos's voice came from behind him.
He turned.
"Prepare yourself. This isn't a training class."
"I know."
Kainos stepped closer.
"Inside the Ruins… there are no arena rules. No one will call for a stop."
His gaze flicked briefly to the weapons at Rolin's wrists.
"If you can't control it… abandon it."
Rolin nodded.
On the other side—
Aylin was speaking with a small group, trying to appear calm.
Selene stood alone, watching the gate without expression.
Latifia was speaking with several instructors, her face more serious than usual.
The crystalline pillars were being positioned around the stone ring.
One of the technicians announced:
"The charging begins at dawn. No one approaches after midnight."
Gradually, the students began to disperse.
The sun tilted toward the horizon.
Rolin remained standing a moment longer.
His gaze traced the runes engraved along the gate's surface.
He felt something strange—
Not like Eirtherik.
Colder.
Quieter.
Inside him—
Likath spoke softly.
'Graves are not places for glory.'
'Nor for escape,' Rolin replied.
Silence returned.
Tomorrow—
There would be no history class.
No safe training.
Only—
A gate.
A place unknown even to the academy.
And a month—
That not everyone would survive.
Two Hours Before Dawn…
The Combat Hall was drowned in heavy silence.
Only the side torches burned, casting faint, flickering light across the stone walls.
Rolin entered almost without a sound.
He walked toward the instructor's office.
Kainos lifted his head.
"Azir. You're not late."
"You asked for me."
"Correct."
Kainos stepped behind his desk and moved toward his private cabinet.
He unlocked it with a short key and pulled out a carefully wrapped, glossy black box.
He placed it in front of Rolin.
"What is this?"
A faint smile crossed Kainos's face.
"Open it. I'm curious to see as well."
Rolin hesitated for a moment.
Then he removed the wrapping and slowly lifted the lid.
Inside—
Two black chains, deep and polished in color,
engraved with faint runic letters… not yet activated.
And above them—
Two dark daggers,
medium-length blades with a precise inward curve,
their surfaces carved with delicate runic inscriptions.
Silence stretched between them.
Rolin slowly reached out.
He touched one of the daggers.
The weight—
Balanced.
Lighter than the training version—
Yet far more stable.
"Ethereal alloy," Kainos said calmly.
"Not fully pure—don't look at me like that, you don't have the budget for it."
Rolin didn't smile.
"The metal resists aether saturation… and won't fracture under sudden pressure."
He lifted one of the chains.
"The runes aren't activated."
"No."
"Why?"
Kainos stepped closer.
"Because activation depends on the user."
Rolin stiffened slightly.
"Every runic weapon responds to its wielder's aether imprint. If I activate it… it carries my signature."
He gestured toward the daggers.
"Activate them inside the Ruins. When you have no other choice."
Silence.
Rolin wanted to say something—
to admit he wasn't sure he could activate them—
But he remained quiet.
"What kind of activation?"
"Rebound enhancement."
Rolin frowned.
"The chain will respond faster to your pulling intent… and redirected momentum will flow forward instead of snapping back at you."
A brief pause.
"But…"
Kainos looked at him directly.
"Every activation consumes energy. Lose control… and you'll bleed aether faster than you expect."
Rolin closed the box slowly—
then opened it again.
He took one of the cuffs and secured it around his wrist.
Cold metal touched his skin immediately.
He felt… something faint.
Not a pulse.
An anticipation.
Inside him—
Likath remained silent for several seconds.
Then spoke, unusually calm:
'This isn't a training weapon.'
'I know.'
Rolin secured the second cuff.
The chains slid into place as if they recognized where they belonged.
He looked at Kainos.
"Why give this to me now?"
Silence.
Then Kainos answered plainly:
"Because you're the only one stubborn enough to master it."
He stepped closer.
"And because you finally stopped trying to be someone else."
Stillness.
"This weapon doesn't suit a stationary fighter."
His gaze dropped briefly to the chains.
"It suits someone who keeps moving… even in chaos."
Rolin said nothing.
He closed the now-empty box.
"Thank you—"
"No."
Kainos cut him off.
"Come back."
A heavy pause.
"Come back alive."
Outside the office—
Night still wrapped around the academy.
Behind the buildings, the crystalline pillars around the ancient gate had begun to glow faintly.
Dawn was approaching.
And the Ruins—
Were waiting.
Rolin lowered his gaze to the black chains wrapped around his wrists.
Then he slowly removed one.
"Sir… this is too valuable. Too expensive. I can't accept it."
A brief silence filled the office.
Kainos didn't look offended.
If anything… he had expected this response.
He took the cuff from Rolin's hand and turned it between his fingers, watching torchlight reflect against the dark ethereal metal.
"Do you know how much it cost?"
Rolin didn't answer.
"More than you imagine."
He set it on the desk.
"But the price isn't what matters."
He looked up at him.
"What matters… is whether you'll use it."
Rolin's jaw tightened slightly.
"It could break."
"It could."
"I could lose it."
"You could."
"I could die before I deserve it."
Kainos stepped forward.
"And you could survive because of it."
The silence that followed weighed more than the words.
Kainos moved to the window, looking out at the dark sky slowly beginning to pale.
"When I forged my first sword… it was the most valuable thing I owned."
He turned back slowly.
"I lost it in my first real battle."
There was no regret in his voice.
"A weapon isn't treasure meant to sleep in a box."
He returned to the desk and pushed the cuffs back toward Rolin.
"It's a tool."
His gaze was steady.
"If you're thinking about its price… then you still don't understand."
Rolin lowered his eyes.
Inside him—
Likath spoke quietly.
'He isn't giving you metal.'
'He's giving you a chance,' Rolin replied inwardly.
He breathed in slowly.
Then fastened both cuffs back around his wrists.
"I won't waste it."
Kainos answered immediately:
"Don't promise me that."
A pause.
"Promise yourself."
Outside, the first thin strand of light began to break across the horizon.
Behind the academy, the crystalline pillars shone brighter.
Activation time was near.
Rolin looked at the black chains.
They no longer felt heavy.
They felt… responsible.
He lifted his head.
"I'll return."
A very faint smile touched Kainos's face.
"Try."