The Academy of Flameheart did not ring with triumph.
It hummedlow, uncertain, like the dying note of a harp string stretched too tight.
Dark banners curled in the windless air. The fireglass domes flickered not with pride, but prophecy.
Atop the announcement tower, Dean Caelum Verris appearedhis white hair now long, flowing like ghostfire. His robes, once rich and ceremonial, hung like moth-eaten scriptures. His eyes shimmered like cracked mirrors reflecting too many truths.
And when he smiled, it was not an act of joy.
It was a warning.
"Students," he said softly. The air tensed, holding its breath. "I bring... delightful news."
Behind him, the sky darkenednot from clouds, but from the subtle ripple of time bending where it shouldn't.
"Our Academy has been approved for the Intercontinental Tournament."
A hush spread through the crowd. Then, a murmur. Excitement. Confusion. Terror.
"The winners," Caelum continued, pacing with an eerie elegance, "will be gifted a most curious prize... a journey to the River of Time and Space."
His voice lingered on the last words as if tasting them. A hand rose from the sea of studentsa boy with ash-blond hair and trembling fingers.
"Dean Caelum... if I may;
Caelum stopped. Turned. His smile curled wider.
"A curious one... delicious. Speak. Let me sip your question."
The boy gulped. "Aren't we already... in the River of Time and Space?"
Caelum tilted his head. The wind stilled. A few students held their breath.
"Ahhh..." he whispered, voice dipping into something ancient. "Once... many years ago... yes, we were in the River. But now?"
His grin became jagged. "Now we are but a stream... soon to dry. And the drought?" His voice dropped. "It hungers."
Murmurs turned into shudders.
Caelum clapped his hands, too softly to be cheerful. "And now, for faculty changes. Some annulments... some additions. All of them… necessary. Come forth, my lovely col-leagues."
From the academy's grand archway, four figures emerged.
Each one cast a longer shadow than the last.
The Four Pillars: Introductions
The first to step forward looked barely human. Towering, muscle-bound, veins like molten rope. His skin was bronzed steel, and his glare could bend swords.
"I am Vicker Limus," he growled, voice deep enough to rattle ribs. "Your Physical Education instructor. And swordmaster. Don't waste my time with squeals."
He walked off without another word. The stage itself sighed in relief.
The second was already known.
Hinata Rinehart. Caelum's assistant. Or perhaps, keeper.
She stood in black training robes, twin blades at her side. Her expression? Ice. Her voice? Colder.
"As you know... I'll be teaching Taming, Weaponry, and... survival." Her gaze swept the students like a hawk circling prey.
Then, she unsheathed her blade.
A subtle hum of paralysis magic washed over the front row.
"Anyone wish to spar?" she asked flatly.
No one moved.
From the side, a gentle voice intervened.
"That's enough, Hinata. You'll scare the pretty ones."
Frost Vermin stepped forward, the mist of her breath cold even in summer. She bowed, graceful as moonlight.
"I'll be your Magic Instructor," she said with a light smile. "Specializing in entropy, ritual casting, and not killing studentsusually."
Laughter. Nervous. She bowed again and left the stage with a swirl of frost trailing behind her.
Caelum returned to center stage.
"And finally… the Vice Dean has been confirmed."
He paused.
"You know him. My brother. Solan Verris."
The crowd stiffened. Solan stood at the edge, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like a man watching a ticking bomb.
"And now, children of fire and fate..." Caelum raised both hands. "As always, we follow a simple law: The Strongest Reigns. Prepare your blades, polish your spells. The Placement Exams begin in three days."
He turned, robes sweeping like smoke.
"And remember…" he added, voice barely a whisper. "Those who drown in the stream… were never meant to touch the river."
---