The final day of the first year was a busy, festive occasion.
The Aurelian Singularity—the artificial sun sitting where the old sun once was—stayed at its bright afternoon setting.
Shuttles from all over planet Earth were landing, bringing families to celebrate the first major milestone of their children's lives.
Kaelen and Mina stood near the main gates as the crowds began to pour through the atmospheric shields.
Kaelen's parents arrived first, their high-level presence causing a slight ripple in the surrounding air.
His mother, Lyra, was smiling broadly, her warmth radiating outward like a soft glow.
His father, Alrin Veyron, walked with a steady, quiet confidence that demanded immediate respect.
Alrin was a man of few words, his presence as solid as a mountain, with a deep crimson aura that felt like a warm hearth.
A Surprise Reunion
Coming from the other side of the plaza was Mina's family, moving with an elegant, synchronized pace.
Her mother, Elara, moved with a grace that matched her shimmering silver thread perfectly.
Beside her was her husband, a tall, sharp-eyed man who looked exactly like a grown-up version of Mina's energetic spirit.
"Kaelen!" Lyra called out, but she stopped short when she saw the couple approaching from the opposite wing.
"Elara? And... is that truly you two?" Lyra asked, her eyes widening in genuine shock.
Mina's father let out a booming laugh that seemed to shake the very tiles of the entryway.
He stepped forward and gave Alrin a firm, rib-cracking handshake—the kind shared only by old brothers-in-arms.
"Alrin, you old stone-face!" he grinned, his voice echoing off the high crystalline arches.
"I haven't seen you since we were pulling triple-shifts at the Border Outposts during the Void-Breach."
"And Lyra, you haven't aged a single day since our graduation ceremony."
Alrin's usually stern face broke into a rare, genuine smile as he gripped his old friend's shoulder.
"It's been far too long. To think, after all these years, our children ended up in the same House."
"We used to joke about this when we were just green cadets sitting in these very halls."
"In the Core, the Ribbon has a way of pulling friends back together," Lyra said, embracing Elara warmly.
Alrin looked down at Mina, his sharp eyes softening as he inspected her glowing silver aura.
"So, this is the silver-threaded girl Kaelen's been mentioning in his transmissions."
"She has her father's fire, but I can see your mother's focus in your eyes, young lady."
Mina beamed, her energy sparking with excitement. "Kaelen says you're the best pilot he's ever seen, Mr. Veyron."
Alrin ruffled Kaelen's hair, his hand feeling heavy, warm, and reassuringly powerful.
"He exaggerates, as usual. But he's learning well. I hear you two took the Trophy today."
The Trophy and the Prize
The ceremony in the Great Hall was short, dignified, and charged with an intense, rhythmic energy.
Professor Vane took the stage as the students of House Ignis gathered at the front in their pristine red uniforms.
"House Ignis, step forward," Vane commanded, his Level 340 voice vibrating through their very bones.
Kaelen, Mina, Leo, and Sora placed their hands on the cold surface of the Ignis Trophy.
The red glass phoenix flared brilliantly, pulsing with their combined, synchronized energy.
"For your victory," Vane announced, "each student of House Ignis is awarded the Level-30 Catalyst Band."
Staff members stepped forward and snapped the sleek, charcoal-gray wristbands onto the students' arms.
"These bands stabilize your Thread," Vane explained, his gaze lingering momentarily on Kaelen.
"They will help you reach Level 30 by the middle of next year by drawing directly from the Singularity."
"Use them well; next year, the Academy shifts its focus entirely."
"You have found your energy—now you must build the vessel that holds it."
A Glimpse of the Future
As the ceremony wrapped up, the families walked out toward the lush, climate-controlled Academy gardens.
The parents walked ahead, catching up on years of missed stories and shared battles.
Kaelen and Mina followed behind, the new weight of the bands feeling significant on their wrists.
"Did you hear what the Professor said?" Mina whispered, looking at her new silver-glowing band.
"Building the vessel. My dad says that means 'Body Hardening' is coming next semester."
"It does," Kaelen said, feeling the band humming with a low-frequency power against his skin.
"Our Threads are getting too strong for our current frames. We're reaching the limit."
"If we don't strengthen our bones and muscles, the Level 30 jump will just tear us apart from the inside."
Alrin looked back at the two children, watching the Crimson and the Silver threads humming in harmony.
"They're still so young," Lyra whispered to Alrin, her voice tinged with a mother's concern.
"They are," Alrin replied, his eyes moving to the massive training fields in the distance.
He saw the heavy weights and high-gravity rooms being prepared for the grueling months ahead.
"But the Ribbon doesn't wait for you to grow up. It only waits for the strong."
The first year was over. The trophy was won, and the families were finally reunited.
But as the golden sun of the Core shone down, Kaelen knew that the "easy" part of his life was officially behind him.