The journey to Asteria lasted several hours. Kael remained silent for most of the trip. Sitting beside the carriage window, he watched the landscapes of Eldoria pass by. The green plains gradually gave way to hills, then to an enormous paved road winding between ancient forests. Ethan, sitting across from him, eventually sighed. “Are you really planning to stay silent for the entire journey?” Kael didn't take his eyes off the window. “Yes.” “Wonderful.” Ethan crossed his arms. “I should have taken a second carriage.” Kael slowly turned his head toward him. “You can still get out.” “No.” “Too bad.” A faint smile appeared on Ethan's face. He knew his brother well enough to understand that, for Kael, remarks like that were a form of affection. The carriage continued on its way. Then, as they went around a hill, something appeared in the distance. Kael straightened slightly. The Imperial Academy of Asteria. Even from several hundred meters away, it completely dominated the landscape. Immense white-stone towers rose toward the sky, connected by bridges. Banners bearing the imperial emblem fluttered from the tops of the buildings. Behind the first structures stood an enormous castle, surrounded by gardens, training grounds, and several specialized buildings. Beside it, a forest stretched across part of the academy grounds. And behind all of it, the mountains. Kael remained silent for a few seconds. Ethan noticed his expression. “Impressive, huh?” “Yes.” Ethan raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?” “What do you want me to say?” “I don't know. ‘Wow, Ethan, what a magnificent sight!’” “I'll never say that.” “I knew I should have left you at home.” The carriage slowed down. As they approached the main entrance, Kael saw dozens of students. Some were already wearing the academy's black-and-silver uniform. Others were arriving with their families. Nobles stepped out of richly decorated carriages, accompanied by servants and guards. Kael observed the scene. He recognized several family crests. Some of the great houses were represented here. That wasn't surprising. Asteria trained Eldoria's future rulers just as much as its future fighters. Mages. Knights. Strategists. Diplomats. Heirs to great families. They all gathered in the same place. The carriage finally stopped in front of the academy's enormous gates. Ethan stepped out first. Kael followed. For a few seconds, he stood motionless in front of the immense entrance. Six years. Six years had passed since the death of their parents. And today, he was beginning a new chapter of his life. “Kael.” He turned around. Ethan was holding something out to him. A small brooch bearing the emblem of House Veyron. “You forgot this.” Kael took it. “Thank you.” Ethan smiled. “Take care of yourself.” Kael looked at his brother. “You should be the one taking care.” “I'm serious.” “So am I.” Ethan's smile faded slightly. He placed a hand on Kael's shoulder. “I know.” A silence passed between them. Then Ethan continued more softly. “And if anything goes wrong, write to me.” Kael nodded. “I promise.” A voice echoed behind them. “If you've finished your dramatic scene, I'd like to avoid being late on the very first day.” Kael turned around. Lucian stood a few meters away. His arms were crossed, and he wore his usual amused smile. “You could have left without us,” Ethan replied. “And miss the opportunity to make sure you two are capable of surviving a day at the academy?” Lucian looked at Kael. His smile became slightly more subdued. “Everything all right?” Kael nodded. “Yes.” Lucian watched him for a few seconds. Then he lightly ruffled Kael's hair. Kael immediately stepped back. “Don't do that.” “Ah. There we go. He's alive.” Ethan burst out laughing. “Good luck, little brother.” Kael sighed. Then he turned toward the gates of Asteria. This time, he walked inside. ─── The inside of the academy was even more impressive. The corridors were enormous. Portraits of former directors and great mages covered the walls. Statues depicting legendary knights stood throughout the halls. Kael walked calmly among the other students. He could feel the stares. There were many of them. Some watched his uniform. Others watched his face. And above all, his eyes. His red eyes had always attracted attention. A group of boys walked past him. “Is that him?” “Who?” “Veyron.” “The heir?” Kael continued walking. He was used to it. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out behind him. “Kael!” Kael stopped. He didn't even need to turn around. “Noah.” “You could at least pretend to be happy to see me.” Kael turned around. A boy with slightly messy brown hair stood in front of him. His blue-gray eyes were accompanied by a smile that was far too satisfied with itself. Noah Valerian. “I am happy to see you.” “You're lying.” “Yes.” Noah placed a hand on his shoulder. “It's been a long time.” “A few weeks.” “That's huge.” “Not really.” “For me, it is.” Kael rolled his eyes. Noah smiled. “You haven't changed.” “Neither have you.” “Is that a compliment?” “No.” “Perfect.” They began walking side by side. Noah was already observing everything around him. “So? Ready for six years here?” “Yes.” “Have you seen the training grounds?” “Not yet.” “They're enormous. There's even an indoor arena.” Kael looked at him. “You researched everything before even coming?” “Obviously.” “Why?” Noah shrugged. “I wanted to know where you would probably try to beat me.” “I don't do that.” “You've done it twelve times.” “Thirteen.” Noah stopped. “You count them?” Kael continued walking. “I remember everything.” Noah stared at him for a few seconds. Then he smiled. “Yes. That's true.” It was one of the things that made Noah unusual. He could remember a conversation he'd heard years ago. A face he'd seen for only a few seconds. A symbol. A name. A detail that meant nothing to anyone else. For him, nothing ever truly disappeared. ─── The first meeting for the new students took place in an enormous hall. Several hundred students were present. Standing on the stage was Asteria's director. Alaric D'Aster. A calm-looking man whose warm gaze contrasted with the sheer size of the room. “Welcome to the Imperial Academy of Asteria.” His voice naturally carried through the hall without him needing to speak loudly. “You are here because each of you possesses something that sets you apart.” He paused. “But don't misunderstand. Being exceptional at sixteen doesn't mean you'll still be exceptional six years from now.” Several students exchanged glances. Alaric smiled. “Asteria isn't here to teach you how to be perfect.” His gaze swept across the room. “It is here to teach you how to surpass your limits.” Kael listened attentively. “During your six years here, you will study magic, aura, combat, history, strategy, spell theory, and many other disciplines.” He placed his hands on the podium. “You will fail.” A few murmurs spread through the room. “You will lose battles.” Silence. “You will make mistakes.” His smile widened. “And some of you will discover that you're far less impressive than you thought you were.” A few students laughed. Even Kael almost smiled. “But those who are willing to learn will become stronger.” The ceremony ended shortly afterward. The students were then divided into their different classes. Kael found himself in a group containing several students specializing in magic, aura, or both. Noah was in the same class. A blessing. Or a curse. Depending on the day. ─── The first class was Mana Theory. The professor entered. A man in his fifties, with gray hair and wearing a long dark robe. He wrote a single sentence on the board. “What is mana?” He turned around. “Anyone?” Several hands went up. He pointed to a student. “An energy present in all living beings.” “Partially correct.” He questioned someone else. “An energy that allows us to cast spells.” “Too simplistic.” Then his gaze fell on Kael. “Mr. Veyron.” Several heads turned. Kael answered calmly. “Mana is an energy present in the world and within living beings. It can be accumulated, transformed, and structured by a mage in order to produce different phenomena.” The professor remained silent. “And why is structure important?” “Because possessing a large amount of mana doesn't guarantee a powerful spell.” Several students began listening more carefully. “A poorly structured spell wastes energy. In some cases, it can even become unstable.” The professor smiled. “Exactly.” He wrote something on the board. “That is what you will learn here. Power does not depend solely on the amount of mana you possess.” His gaze remained on Kael for a few seconds. “It also depends on your control.” Kael didn't answer. But he wrote the sentence down. ─── The afternoon was devoted to combat. The students were taken to an enormous outdoor arena. The ground was covered with stones reinforced by enchantments. Several magical barriers surrounded the area. A professor specializing in aura stood in the center. “First rule: no fighting to the death.” Noah raised his hand. “Shame.” The professor stared at him. “Mr. Valerian.” “Yes?” “You're already exhausting.” “Thank you.” Kael sighed. The exercises began. The students were invited to demonstrate their basic abilities. Kael watched several fights. Some were fast. Others much less so. Then a boy entered the arena. Impeccably styled black hair. A perfectly fitted uniform. An arrogant expression. Several students began whispering. “That's Adrian Rovenhart.” Kael raised his eyes slightly. Rovenhart. The name sounded familiar. A great noble house. Extremely influential. The boy looked around. Then his eyes stopped on Kael. He smiled. “Veyron.” Kael didn't answer. Adrian frowned slightly. “I'm talking to you.” Kael slowly turned his head. “Congratulations.” Silence settled over the area. Noah lowered his head to hide his smile. Adrian blinked. “What?” “You managed to get my attention.” Several students burst out laughing. Adrian's expression hardened. “You think you're funny?” “Not particularly.” “Do you even know who you're talking to?” Kael looked at him without expression. “Yes.” “Then you should watch your tone.” “Why?” Adrian clenched his teeth. “Because I'm a Rovenhart.” Kael remained silent. Then: “And?” This time, even the professor turned his face slightly to hide a smile. Adrian stepped closer. “You're going to regret—” “That's enough.” The professor's voice immediately cut through the conversation. “If you want to fight, you'll have an opportunity to do so in the arena.” Adrian stared at Kael. “With pleasure.” Kael simply shrugged. “As you wish.” Adrian walked away. Noah moved closer to Kael. “You just made yourself an enemy.” “He already was one.” “You know him?” “No.” Noah thought for a moment. “Then you probably just made yourself an enemy for free.” “Too bad.” ─── A few meters away, a young girl was watching the scene. Her hair was a very dark blue, almost black, slightly wavy and falling down her back. Her eyes were such a pale blue that they almost looked silver. Lysandra Arven. She had watched the exchange without intervening. She looked at Adrian as he walked away. Then at Kael. Something about him was strange. Not his attitude. Not even his eyes. It was something else. He didn't seem to be trying to impress the others. He didn't seem to care about his status. And above all... He always seemed to be watching. As if he were constantly looking for something. Lysandra eventually looked away. “Interesting...” ─── The day was coming to an end. Kael was leaving the arena with Noah as the sun began disappearing behind the academy's towers. “So?” Noah asked. “First day?” Kael thought for a moment. “Fine.” “Fine?” “Yes.” “You met a professor who questioned you, an arrogant heir who probably wants to kill you, and a girl who watched you for ten minutes.” Kael stopped. “She was watching me?” Noah smiled. “Ah.” Kael frowned slightly. “What?” “Nothing.” “Noah.” “Absolutely nothing.” Kael stared at him. Noah raised his hands. “All right, all right.” They continued walking. But as they crossed an almost empty corridor, Kael suddenly stopped. His gaze turned toward a door at the end of the hallway. A strange sensation had just passed through his body. Very faint. Almost imperceptible. He took a few steps closer. A symbol was carved into the stone door. A circle surrounded by three lines. Kael froze. He knew that symbol. He had seen it before. Only once. Six years ago. In his father's study. On the letter he had found on the day of his death. If they discover what we found, they will kill us. Noah immediately noticed the change in his expression. “Kael?” Kael didn't answer. His red eyes remained fixed on the symbol. Someone had carved that symbol here. At Asteria. Six years after his parents' death. And for the first time in a long time, a thought crossed his mind. What if his parents had never stopped leaving traces behind? Behind a window, at the other end of the building, a man silently watched the two boys. Professor Darian Valcroix. His gaze settled on Kael. Then on the symbol. His expression barely changed. But his fingers tightened around the book he was holding. “So... he really came.” And for the first time in six years, Darian understood that the past he believed he had buried had just walked through the gates of Asteria.

Asteria Academy