The sun hovered at its peak, casting a golden sheen over the stone plaza where the students gathered. Conversations buzzed through the air—casual, hopeful, excited. Among them, Zane stood with his arms crossed, quietly observing while Sera chatted with a few others. No tension, no alarms—just anticipation.
A low, powerful hum rolled through the air.
Heads turned upward as shadows stretched across the ground. The source was unlike anything most of them had ever seen. A massive skyship, carved with ancient runes and powered by ethereal thrusters, slowly descended from the clouds. Its frame shimmered with enchantments, light bending around its hull like heatwaves on stone. Glowing glyphs spun lazily around its sides, stabilizing it in the air.
The students stared in awe, the ground trembling softly under the ship's might.
As it lowered, a grand staircase of light unfurled from its side. From it descended a group of senior academy students, clad in elegant uniforms marked with their disciplines—flames, leaves, lightning, water, and more. At the front of the group was Auri, her golden eyes sharp and commanding as ever, her long cloak billowing behind her.
She looked over the younger students with quiet approval, then raised her hand.
"All of you—welcome. Your journey begins now."
Sera tilted her head, whispering to Zane, "She looks intense."
"She is intense," Zane muttered back.
One by one, the students began to climb the staircase, their eyes wide with awe and excitement. The skyship pulsed with mana as they stepped aboard, its structure humming like a living thing. Zane paused at the entrance, glancing back once more at the horizon behind them.
Then he stepped into the future.