The Imperial Academy loomed before Saguna like a rebuke, its ancient spires reaching toward the cloudless sky as if accusing him of being late on his first day. Despite the warm Meridian City morning, a chill ran down his spine as he approached the imposing gates. The stone archway was carved with symbols that seemed oddly familiar, though he was certain he'd never seen them before.
The marks on the back of his neck pulsed with uncomfortable heat.
Find them... they wait for you...
The whisper was clearer than it had been in years, less like distant murmuring and more like someone speaking just behind him. Saguna resisted the urge to turn around. There would be no one there; there never was. The whispers had been his unwelcome companions on Wednesdays since Sahara vanished, but today they carried an urgency that made his skin crawl.
"You there! New student?" A stern voice pulled Saguna from his thoughts.
A uniformed guard stood at the entrance, clipboard in hand. "Name?" the man demanded.
"Saguna Taksa."
The guard consulted his list, then nodded curtly. "You're late. Orientation began an hour ago." He handed Saguna a folded map. "Grand Auditorium. East wing. Try not to get lost."
The Academy grounds were far larger than he had anticipated. A sprawling collection of buildings connected by stone pathways that wound through gardens filled with exotic plants from across Zendirah. He hurried along the main path, painfully aware of other students watching him, the obvious newcomer, late and lost.
His mother had sacrificed everything to move them to Meridian City for this opportunity. The thought of her hopeful face as she'd straightened his collar that morning made his chest tighten with guilt. He couldn't fail. Not on the first day.
When he finally reached the Grand Auditorium, the massive wooden doors stood open. Inside, the cavernous room buzzed with conversation, its high ceiling adorned with intricate wood carvings depicting the history of Zendirah. Dozens of students had already been organized into small groups, receiving instructions from professors in formal academic robes.
Saguna hesitated at the threshold, his gaze darting across the unfamiliar faces. No one seemed to notice him, which was both a relief and a confirmation of his perpetual invisibility.
"You're late," a deep voice observed from beside him.
Saguna turned to find an older man with a neatly trimmed beard streaked with gray. His deep blue academic robes were embroidered with silver patterns around the collar and sleeves, marking him as someone of importance.
"I'm sorry, I—" Saguna began, scrambling for an excuse that wouldn't sound pathetic.
"No need for explanations," the man interrupted with a dismissive wave. "Simply join those two and proceed with your assignment." He pointed toward a corner of the room. "Return here before the second bell, that's three o'clock for those unfamiliar with our timekeeping."
Without waiting for Saguna's response, the professor turned away to address another group of students. Swallowing his nervousness, Saguna made his way across the auditorium toward the corner the professor had indicated.
Two young men stood there, engaged in conversation. One was slight in build with glasses perched precisely on his nose, everything about him meticulous, from his perfectly straight collar to the precisely aligned writing implements on the table before him. The other was taller and broader with tanned skin. His dark hair fell loose to his shoulders, and he wore the standard academy uniform but had somehow made it look casual, with sleeves rolled up and collar open. An easy smile played on his lips, and there was something in his posture that spoke of restless energy barely contained.
As Saguna approached, the whispers suddenly crescendoed, then fell silent — a vacuum of sound so abrupt it made him stumble.
The mark on his neck flared with heat, as if responding to something in the air.
"Greetings," Saguna said as steadily as he could manage. "The professor directed me to join your group."
"That wasn't just any professor. That is Master Damian, keeper of Meridian histories, one of the High Council of Zendirah," said the young man with glasses, adjusting them as he spoke. "I'm Radji Loma," he added with a slight nod, then gestured to his companion. "And this is Osa Hann. We only just met ourselves, about ten minutes ago."
Osa grinned, extending a hand in casual greeting. "Another latecomer? Nice to know I'm not the only one who couldn't find this place. This campus is bigger than some villages I've lived in."
As Saguna reached to shake Osa's hand, something strange happened. The moment their skin made contact, a jolt of energy passed between them, like static electricity but warmer, more vital. Osa's eyes widened slightly, his casual demeanor faltering for just a heartbeat. He withdrew his hand a fraction too quickly.
"I'm Saguna Taksa," Saguna offered, trying to ignore whatever had just happened. Had Osa felt it too?
"The assignment involves touring key historical locations around the Academy," Radji explained, returning to business with visible relief. He held up their instruction sheet. "We're to visit five locations and record observations about each."
Saguna nodded, but his attention was drawn to Osa, who was now absently rubbing his chest just above his heart, a puzzled expression flickering across his face. For a moment, Saguna thought he saw something there—a faint glow beneath the fabric of Osa's uniform, roughly triangular in shape.
"Is everything alright?" Radji asked, noticing Saguna's distraction.
"Fine," Saguna replied automatically. Years of hiding his "episodes" had made the response second nature. "Just... headache."
"Might be the incense they burn in here," Osa suggested, his casual demeanor returning. "Smells like my grandmother's herbal remedies." He wrinkled his nose. "The ones that never worked."
Despite himself, Saguna smiled at that. There was something disarming about Osa's easy manner.
"The first location is the Convergence Courtyard," Radji said, consulting their map. "It's where the five pathways of the academy grounds meet. According to this document, there's a central monument with inscriptions detailing how the academy was established during the Great Alignment."
As Radji continued explaining the route, Saguna noticed him absently rubbing his inner forearm.
"Lead on, then, keeper of the map," Osa said with a theatrical bow that made Radji's lips purse in disapproval. "Let's get this treasure hunt started before Master Damian finds another wayward student to add to our party."
They set off through the Academy grounds, following stone paths bordered by silvery grasses that seemed to lean toward them as they passed. Saguna walked slightly behind the other two, watching them with growing curiosity. Radji moved with precise, measured steps, while Osa seemed barely contained by the formal pathways, constantly pausing to examine interesting plants or peer down side passages.
They were as different as two people could be, yet something about the combination felt... right somehow. As if pieces of a puzzle were coming together.
The triangle forms... finds its points...
The whisper returned so suddenly that Saguna nearly stumbled. It sounded so much like Sahara's voice that his heart clenched painfully in his chest.
"You okay back there?" Osa called, glancing over his shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Or heard one, Saguna thought grimly. "I'm fine," he said aloud. "Just taking in the sights."
Five minutes later, they arrived at the Convergence Courtyard. Unlike the ornate architecture surrounding it, the central monument was starkly simple. A massive stone pillar carved with ancient glyphs that predated modern Zendirah script. At its center was an engraving: an inverted triangle with a single point in its middle.
The three marks on Saguna's neck burned with sudden intensity. He reached up instinctively to touch them, forgetting himself.
"What's that on your neck?" Radji asked, his keen eyes missing nothing.
Saguna dropped his hand immediately. "Nothing. Just... a birthmark."
Radji's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly unconvinced, but he returned his attention to the monument. "According to these inscriptions, before the Great Alignment, Zendirah was torn by conflicts between domains. Each sought to claim resources and territories from the others."
Osa leaned against the monument casually, seeming oblivious to the reverence other passing students showed the structure. "So basically, everyone was at each other's throats until they suddenly decided to play nice?"
"Approximately two centuries ago," Radji continued with a pointed look at Osa for interrupting, "the domain leaders agreed to peace and sent representatives to Meridian. The city was established as a central hub representing all domains."
As they discussed the historical significance, Saguna circled the monument, drawn inexorably to the triangular symbol. Something about it resonated with the marks on his neck. When he finally reached out to touch the engraving, the stone felt warm beneath his fingers, as if it contained hidden fire.
The world tilted sideways.
Suddenly, Saguna wasn't in the courtyard anymore. He stood in the same spot, but the buildings around him were different, newer, still under construction. Three figures stood before the monument, their hands joined around the triangular symbol. One wielded fire that danced along their arms, another seemed to shimmer with water droplets that caught the sunlight, while the third stood with feet planted firmly, the very earth rising slightly beneath their stance.
Their faces were blurred, impossible to make out. But their voices carried clearly:
"The triangle must be completed."
"The Veil must be maintained."
"The balance must be restored."
As quickly as it had come, the vision vanished. Saguna found himself kneeling before the monument, one hand still pressed against the triangular symbol, Osa and Radji staring at him with identical expressions of concern.