A sharp, resonant horn blasted through the icy halls of Drakehollow, the signal jolting the academy awake like a thunderclap over still waters.
Kiato's eyes snapped open, breath catching as the cold air of the dorm struck his skin. Before he could process the dream he'd been having—a memory or perhaps a warning—a thunderous voice rattled the hallway.
"Up! Training starts now, you snow-blooded dreamers!"
The familiar roar belonged to Master Gosen, firm as ever. It echoed through the chambers like a rolling avalanche.
Outside his room, chaos exploded.
Boots pounded the floors. Doors flung open. Students half-dressed stumbled into the corridor, their familiars squealing in protest. Flashes of aura—blue, silver, crimson—flared like sparks from unstable crystals.
The night had felt endless but oddly fulfilling. They had been worked to the bone yesterday, and the exhaustion hadn't yet left their bones.
Kiato sat up sharply, brushing a wisp of silver hair out of his face. Across the room, another figure stirred. Their gazes locked—and Kiato's heart thumped.
Veylor Kryst.
A pause. No words. Just tension thick as ice between them.
They hadn't spoken much since their forced pairing. The air wasn't the type that preceded camaraderie.
Without a word, Kiato bolted from his bed and sprinted toward the bathroom.
Veylor moved too—too slowly.
His hand flashed.
Thunk! A knife embedded in the doorframe just inches from Kiato's head.
"Seriously?" Kiato muttered, flinging his towel mid-motion to deflect the next projectile before slamming the bathroom door behind him.
From behind the wood, he heard a quiet chuckle.
"I'll make sure I don't fail to kill you next time," Veylor's voice dripped with amusement.
Niva, Kiato's cryo-familiar, darted inside the bathroom just in time. The door clicked shut behind her.
Her eyes wide with panic, she huffed, "Who paired you with such a monster?"
Kiato gave a half-smile while washing his face. "Don't worry. I can handle him. Besides… he's changed since the tryouts. I didn't sense any bloodlust this morning."
"That's not comforting!" she yelped.
Minutes later, Kiato and Veylor dashed into the Echochamber, the main lecture hall for Frostblade initiates. Luck favored them—the class had not yet started.
Dozens of eyes turned toward them in unison. Aura perception among Frostblade initiates was sharp. Kiato could feel the wave of disbelief crash upon them.
Gasps.
Whispers.
"How are those two together?" they murmured.
Seraphina Lyslender, seated on the left side of the hall, waved enthusiastically. "Good morning, Kiato!"
Drawing attention toward her, Kiato smiled and waved back. Niva leapt onto his shoulder as he walked toward her. Veylor followed, unbothered by the stares, his presence cold and silent.
They took the two empty seats next to Seraphina. Kiato leaned over, his voice gentle.
"How was your night?"
Seraphina smiled back, brushing a lock of white hair behind her ear. "Like one I haven't had in months."
They both chuckled softly.
"It's all been training and mental stress lately," Kiato sighed.
"You're telling me," she said, rolling her eyes. Then, lowering her voice to a near whisper: "Veylor is your roommate?"
Kiato scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah… that's the way I see it."
Seraphina tilted her head, lips curling into a smirk. "Well, you're probably the only one here who can handle him. So it's not the worst pairing."
"I hope so," Kiato muttered, glancing at Veylor, whose gaze was fixed forward—blank, unreadable, deadly calm.
Then, the front wall of the Echochamber rumbled and shifted.
A crystalline sound echoed as a large block of enchanted ice parted, making way for a small but commanding figure to enter. Short and broad, Master Gosen strode in with the firmness of a man three times his size. His beard was neatly frozen into shape, his robes trimmed with reinforced frost-cloth, his eyes sharp as winter's edge.
The wall sealed behind him with a flash of cold light.
Kiato's heart rate spiked.
"It's begun," he whispered.
"Good morning, Frostblades," Master Gosen's voice filled the chamber, cleansing it of all noise.
"Blessings, Master!" the students chorused.
He smiled faintly. "How about we begin with an introduction—your name and your ability. I'm already well-known, after all." He gestured to the student sitting at the far right in the front row.
The roll began.
"Ravien Lance. Ability: Mega Frost."
"Lior Snow. Cryo Frost."
"Zane Halric. Wind."
"Kia Oren. Steam."
"Juno Haldrick. Sound."
"Serica Dhal. Frost."
"Luna Silavrune. Puppetry Magic."
"Zereth Coldboom. Frost."
"Dravenor Kaelrick. Water Magic."
"Jaren Eldravaine. Frost."
"Lioren Vayen. Wind and Frost."
"Sophia Vayen. Wind."
"Elira Mornwell. Weather Magic."
"Seraphina Lyslender. Frost and Water Magic."
Then it was Kiato's turn. He stood calmly, voice firm.
"Kiato Kenji. Abilities: Frost, Flame, Wind, and Earth Magic."
Gasps erupted. Heads turned. Even Master Gosen blinked.
"You have the capacity for four elements?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yes, but I still need masters for wind and earth. For now i haven't unlocked those two" Kiato admitted.
Gosen nodded solemnly. "That's a rare gift. I'll do my best to support you, Kiato."
"Thank you, sir."
Seraphina beamed beside him. Her familiar, Sylra, floated between their faces protectively.
"Leave my man alone," Sylra muttered.
"Watch your mouth," Seraphina scolded under her breath, pushing Sylra aside.
Master Gosen marked something on a frost-scroll before continuing.
"Next!"
But Veylor said nothing.
He didn't move.
Didn't even blink.
The silence stretched.
Master Gosen gave it a moment… then waved it off. "Let him be. Next person."
The rest followed:
"Nyra Elowen. Wind."
"Desmond Velkar. Blood Magic."
"Sera Volcrest. Steam and Water."
Master Gosen glanced at the scroll. "I counted twenty-four initiates. We're missing five."
He rolled the scroll shut with a flick. "This year's class is… unique. I see abilities more diverse than any cohort before."
His voice hardened.
"But differences mean nothing without unity. Different people. Different powers. Different dreams. But here… we train as one."
The room quieted, tension replaced with shared focus.
"Today is not a lecture day. Today is for combat fundamentals."
Cheering exploded.
"Out! Now! To the Glacien Yard!"
The Glacien Yard stretched like a frozen coliseum carved from ancient mountain ice. Enchanted glaciers formed a half-ring wall to the north, sparkling under the rising sun. Training platforms made from dense permafrost rose in tiers, each wide enough for one-on-one sparring. Crystalline trees dotted the edge, buzzing with elemental energy—cold sentinels standing guard.
Above the yard, suspended platforms floated midair—advanced arenas for aerial or ranged elemental duels. They glimmered with runes that pulsed gently, ready to awaken.
In the center, a massive sigil of crossed blades embedded in frost pulsed beneath the ice—a symbol of unity through battle.
Students spread out, breaths steaming in the morning air.
"Pair up," Gosen commanded. "Roommates only. You'll be training together, protecting each other, or falling together."
Eyes locked.
Veylor stood beside Kiato silently, knife twirling between fingers.
Kiato nodded slowly. Niva shifted on his shoulder, ready.
Gosen stepped forward, raising his staff. The air around him stirred with building energy.
He was about to speak—
To be continued....!