---
The Matches Continue
The sun begins to set over the massive open arena. Roars echo as magic clashes mid-air. Several matches finish in flashes of light, lightning bursts, and flaming debris.
Crowd: A mix of soldiers, juniors, and division captains watching from the upper terraces—most matches have concluded. Only one match remains.
Announcer (voiceover):
"Final match of the day: Team Alpha from the Attack Division versus Team Quarta from Custom Operations."
---
Scene 2: The Prince Enters
Altherion steps into the ring—elegant, tall, calm. He wears the Attack Division armor with light royal details. His two teammates ,a female-thread manipulation magic and a male earth-type shield user, walk behind him. He looks to them and nods.
Altherion: "Let's move like one."
They nod, silently trusting.
Across the field, his opponents—well-known veterans of Custom Ops—prepare, serious and tense.
---
Opponent launches first: An environmental disruption spell to scatter the field's terrain and isolate team members.
Altherion responds by placing glowing sigils into the air—his spatial magic bends space, creating small shimmering windows that link areas together. He instantly appears beside his teammate, counters the isolation tactic.
His ally is about to be struck—Altherion flicks his wrist and folds space, bending the trajectory of the incoming fireball and sending it back at the attacker.
He doesn't overuse power—he guides the battle like a conductor, weaving his team's skills into beautiful synchronicity.
Final move: The entire enemy team charges with a combo finisher—Altherion marks the ground with a glowing rune, says softly:
> Altherion: "Collapse."
The field folds inward like a box snapping shut—his opponents find themselves suspended mid-air, wrapped in folded space.
They land hard. His team? Untouched.
---
Ren (wide-eyed):
"That… that's real spatial magic. Not distortion, not illusions. True displacement. Do you see how clean his runes are?"
"Kael, calmly curious, looks at the prince and finally lets words out of his mouth."
"Who is he?"
Ren looks at him briefly before answering
"That's Altherion. He's the prince of this kingdom."
Kael watches quietly. No reaction. Just a faint blink of interest.
---
Scene : Assembly Announcement.
All recruits gather in formation after the final match. The sun has dipped low—cool wind brushes past the field.
Junior Captain of Custom Division steps forward:
"Your performance today exceeded our expectations. All of you. Therefore, as a reward—and in light of upcoming evaluations—you are to return to your homes for one week. Rest, reflect, and return."
Murmurs ripple through the crowd—relief, cheers, disbelief.
---------
Scene : Reunion
Evening light spills across the quiet village road as Kael approaches his home in his Research Division uniform. No crowd, no fanfare—just the rustling of trees and distant birds. He steps inside.
Interior:
The scent of herbs and warm food lingers in the air. Inside, Veila looks up from the floor near the fire, eyes lighting up the moment she sees him.
Her expression softens—happy, proud, relieved all at once.
Veila with warmth
"Kael. You're back."
Seated beside her is a sharp-eyed girl with a confident presence—she watches Kael with curiosity.
Veila smiles and gestures to the girl sitting beside her
"This is Mira. A friend of mine."
Kael stares at her for a few seconds, then speaks.
"We've met before , right?."
Mira chuckles with surprise
"Wow… I didn't think you even noticed. Or spoke, really."
Veila raises an eyebrow teasingly,
"I'm surprised too."
Kael gives off a small rare smile
"You should both get used to it. I talk now."
The girls blink, then laugh—caught off guard by his ease.
Mira
"Alright then, New Kael."
They all settle around the small table.
Veila breaks the few seconds silence
"Tell us how it went."
Kael calmly utters "I passed. Made some friends too."
Veila smiles quietly and seems shoocked that he mentioned about making friends
"I'm glad, and I want to meet them one day. I want to commend them for bringing out the change in you."
The fire crackles. Peace hangs in the room—real, earned.
---
---
Junior Captain Lareth, hesitant, breaks the silence within the room
"Are we sure giving them a full week off was the right call?"
Elenor :
"Yes. They need distance. Space to breathe after the evaluation rounds."
Lareth:
"But… with the threat that's appeared, what if they hear about it while they're gone?"
A pause. Eyes drift toward Drachmour.
Drachmour (calm, low voice):
"Some might. But far fewer than if we announced it ourselves."
Lareth
"And the towns?"
Drachmour:
"Most are isolated. The rumors won't spread much."
Captain Maris breaks her silence.
"You think the threat will escalate before they return?"
Drachmour leans back, eyes still unreadable.
"I think the shadows are already moving. That doesn't mean we force our recruits to see in the dark."
Elenor:
"We'll monitor the outer sectors closely. If he reappears—or if the rumors take root—we'll act."
Drachmour (firm):
"They'll come back rested. And by then, we'll know more. Let them enjoy peace—while it still exists."
The room goes silent. Only the soft crackling of magical fire remains.
--------
Scene: A Silent Night
Kael sits at the rooftop of his home. The stars are out. The village is still.
Kael sits on the slanted rooftop, knees drawn slightly, arms resting loosely. His Research Division coat rustles in the breeze. Below, warm light glows from the windows where Veila and Mira are talking and laughing faintly—muffled comfort.
His eyes scan the sky. Calm. Focused.
Kael (internal monologue):
"Noctis is no longer a shadow. They've seen him. And they'll talk."
He closes his eyes for a beat, listening to the wind, then opens them—sharp, aware.
Kael (internal):
"The captains are watching now. Especially him."
A long silence. He says nothing aloud. Just sits with the stillness—confident, waiting.
Kael (internal):
"Now we wait… for Drachmour's next move."
A faint smirk appears—barely there, gone in seconds. He leans back, gazing at the stars in silence.
The wind picks up. A breeze stirs the air around him—calm, but charged. Like the breath before a storm.