Morning came too quickly.
The academy courtyard buzzed with noise as students gathered for their usual classes, but Ira and Elara were sent somewhere different — a tall tower at the edge of the academy, known as the Aether Hall.
The building was quiet, cold, and echoing. Strange glowing lines ran across the walls like veins of light. Ira felt the bond inside him pulse the moment he stepped through the door.
Elara glanced at him. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said. "Just… nervous."
They weren't alone.
A tall boy leaned against the wall, arms crossed. His silver hair fell over one eye, and a faint scar cut across his cheek. His eyes were sharp, cold — and glowing faintly blue.
Ira frowned. "Who is he?"
Before Elara could answer, the boy pushed off the wall and walked toward them.
"You're the one causing all the noise," he said. "The Fifth Bond, huh? Doesn't look like much."
Elara stepped forward, annoyed. "Who are you?"
The boy smirked. "Soren. Top of last year's class. Aether rank: High-Tier."
Ira raised a brow. "Why are you here then?"
Soren's smile faded. "Because the Headmaster said you might be a danger to the academy. I'm here to help control you if things go wrong."
Elara's eyes narrowed. "Control?"
Soren shrugged. "If you explode, someone has to put you down."
Before Ira could reply, the Headmaster entered the hall carrying a staff glowing with white light.
"Good," Orien said. "You're all here."
He pointed toward a wide glowing circle in the center of the room.
"Step into the training ring. Today, we test the bond's stability."
Ira and Elara moved forward. Soren followed, standing just outside the circle, watching like a hawk.
The Headmaster raised his staff.
"First, we test energy sync. Ira, take Elara's hand."
Ira hesitated, then reached out. The moment their hands touched, a warm glow spread from their fingers. The bond mark on their skin shined softly.
Orien nodded. "Good. Now breathe. Feel each other's energy. Match the rhythm."
The air around them hummed. Blue light rose from the floor and wrapped around their bodies like mist.
Ira felt Elara's heartbeat — gentle and steady. She felt his — tense, fast.
She whispered, "Slow down. You don't need to rush."
He exhaled, trying to relax. Their breaths matched. Their heartbeats aligned.
The glow brightened.
Soren's eyes widened slightly. "That's… stronger than I expected."
But suddenly—
A sharp spike of pain stabbed through Ira's chest. The bond flared, bright and wild.
Elara gasped. "Ira—!"
The glow around them burst in a wave, knocking both of them backward.
Soren drew his weapon instantly. "He's losing control!"
"No!" Ira shouted, struggling to breathe. "I'm fine— I just—"
But another surge hit him — this one colder, darker. His vision blurred, and he saw something flash behind his eyes:
A battlefield.
Broken towers.
A girl with white hair lying still, her hand reaching out…
Lyra.
Ira staggered, clutching his head.
Elara grabbed his shoulders. "Look at me! Focus! You're here — not there!"
Her voice broke through the fog. Slowly, the glow calmed. The pain faded. His vision cleared.
Orien lowered his staff with a relieved sigh. "Good. You fought it."
Soren frowned. "What was that?"
The Headmaster answered quietly. "A memory. Or perhaps a warning."
Ira's hands shook. He hated it. The fear. The loss of control. The look in Elara's eyes.
Orien stepped closer. "Ira. The bond inside you is older than any of us. It carries the echoes of the last bearer. You will feel some of what he felt."
Ira swallowed hard. "Does that mean I'll see more?"
"Most likely," Orien said. "But you're not alone. That's why Elara is here."
Elara nodded firmly. "We'll get through it. Together."
Soren looked between them, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, "If you lose control again… I'll step in. But until then—"
He extended a hand.
"I'll be your rival. Not your enemy."
Ira took the hand. "Fair enough."
The Headmaster smiled slightly. "Good. Because the world will need all three of you."
They blinked.
"All three?" Elara asked.
Orien tapped his staff on the floor. A new symbol glowed on the wall — a swirling circle of red light.
"There is another," he said. "Someone else who felt the Core's awakening. Someone whose power does not follow our laws."
Soren's jaw tightened. "You mean the rogue wielder?"
Orien nodded. "Yes. And he's getting stronger."
Ira stared at the glowing symbol.
For the first time, he felt the weight of everything settling on his shoulders.
The Rift.
The bond.
His past.
His future.
Elara glanced at him. "Ready?"
He took a deep breath.
"…Yeah. Whatever comes next."