Kael woke before the others.
For a moment, he remained still, staring at the pale light that slipped through the tall window beside the room. Morning had only just begun, and the first rays of sunlight painted faint golden lines across the stone floor.
The academy looked different in daylight.
Last night, it had felt distant and mysterious, covered in glowing magical lights and shadows. Now, beneath the morning sun, its true scale became clearer.
From the window, Kael could see long stone pathways stretching across the grounds, connecting tall towers, lecture halls, training fields, and dormitory buildings. Students were already moving below, some in neat uniforms, others carrying books or training weapons.
Everything felt organized.
Disciplined.
Alive.
Behind him, a groan broke the silence.
"…Too early."
Aren turned on his bed, one arm thrown over his face as if that alone could block out the morning.
Kael glanced back.
A faint smile almost touched his lips.
Across the room, Draven was already awake. He stood near the wall with his arms crossed, his dark eyes half-open yet fully aware.
By the window, Rylan sat upright on his bed, a small book resting in his hand. His gray eyes lifted briefly from the page.
"You wake up early," he said quietly.
Kael nodded once.
"I prefer to see the place before it gets crowded."
Rylan gave a small nod, as if that answer made perfect sense.
Aren let out another tired sound and finally sat up, his hair messy and his expression clearly annoyed.
"…Why does every place with rules wake people up this early?"
Draven's voice came from the side.
"Because lazy people exist."
Aren stared at him for a second.
"…I already don't like you in the morning."
Rylan lowered his gaze to the book again, though the slight movement at the corner of his lips suggested amusement.
The sharp sound of a bell echoed through the academy.
Clear.
Steady.
It rang three times.
Immediately, the atmosphere outside changed.
Students who had been moving casually now picked up their pace.
Kael looked out the window again.
"That must be the morning bell."
Rylan closed the book.
"First lecture."
That was enough.
The room stirred into motion.
Aren stretched and stood reluctantly.
Draven had already moved toward the door.
Kael took one last glance outside before following.
The corridor beyond their room was filled with students leaving one by one. Footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor, mixing with the low sound of conversation.
As they descended the stairs and stepped outside, the academy courtyard opened before them.
Morning light spilled across everything.
The white stone buildings almost seemed to glow under the sun. Magical lines carved into the walls shimmered faintly, their pale blue light still visible beneath the daylight.
Groups of students moved in different directions.
Some wore robes.
Others wore fitted training uniforms.
A few carried wooden practice swords.
Kael's eyes moved across them carefully.
Everyone here had a purpose.
No one looked careless.
Ahead, near the central path, two familiar figures stood waiting.
Lyra.
Leon.
Lyra wore a neat academy uniform with silver lines running along the sleeves. Her light blue eyes were calm as always, though there was clear alertness in them.
Beside her, Leon stood with his usual straight posture. His sharp blue eyes moved toward them the moment they approached.
"So you survived the first night," Aren said with a grin.
Lyra gave him a flat look.
"It was a room, not a battlefield."
Aren placed a hand on his chest dramatically.
"You wound me."
Leon ignored him and looked at Kael.
"The first lecture is in the eastern hall."
Kael nodded.
"You know where it is?"
Leon gave a small nod.
"I asked one of the senior students."
Draven glanced at him briefly.
"Prepared."
Leon met his gaze without reaction.
"I prefer not wasting time."
Kael could already sense the tension between the two.
Not hostile.
But sharp.
They began walking together.
The academy grounds stretched wide before them.
On one side, Kael could see what looked like a training field, large enough to hold dozens of students at once. Wooden dummies stood in rows, and several weapon racks were already visible from a distance.
Further away, a tall tower rose above the others.
Its surface was covered in glowing runic lines.
Lyra followed his gaze.
"That should be the magic tower."
Kael looked at it for a moment longer.
So that was where mages trained.
Interesting.
As they approached the eastern lecture hall, the crowd grew denser.
Students from different dormitories were all heading in the same direction.
The building itself was large and circular, supported by thick stone pillars carved with ancient symbols.
At the entrance stood a tall man in a dark academy robe.
His hair was silver, cut neatly above his shoulders, and his golden eyes were calm yet piercing.
He looked over the students entering.
One glance was enough to make the crowd quiet down.
Aren muttered under his breath.
"…That definitely looks like a teacher."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
The man carried himself with the kind of presence that did not need words.
Strength.
Discipline.
Authority.
The teacher's calm voice echoed through the entrance.
"First-year students, enter the lecture hall. The first lesson will begin shortly."
For a moment, Kael stood still.
Then he looked toward the massive hall doors slowly opening before them.
This was it.
The true beginning of academy life.
And whatever waited inside—
Would shape everything that came after.