Somewhere in the town that houses Westhex Academy, a grand white chateau stood quietly amidst a wide garden and a serene pond. The sun was warm, the breeze gentle. Among the blooming flowers, a girl danced through the yard, laughing as she chased butterflies.
Phoebe.
A gentle creak of wheels interrupted the peace.
An old man in a wheelchair approached, guided by a straight-backed butler in a dark suit. The old man's hands rested calmly on the armrests, his eyes following the girl with quiet fondness.
"Phoebe," he rasped, voice worn but kind. "How's your day?"
She turned, and her face lit up.
"Grandpa!" Phoebe dashed toward him and threw her arms around his frail frame. He returned the hug with a warmth that years could not erode.
"Every time I see you, you're getting older and older," she said with a playful pout, planting her fists on her hips. "That's not how it's supposed to go. You're the Lightkeeper!"
"What a rude little—" the butler began, tone sharp.
But before he could finish, the Lightkeeper lifted a hand.
The butler bowed instantly, lips pressed shut.
"Now, now," the old man said, smiling softly. "She's my only granddaughter, Dio. Mind your words."
"Yes, Lightkeeper," the butler replied.
The old man turned his gaze toward the garden. "It's been a while since I last stepped foot into the academy I built with my own two hands." His eyes twinkled faintly. "How are you holding up over there?"
Phoebe twirled on her heels, face still puffed in playful indignation.
"The school's fun! I've made a lot of friends… though some of them still think I'm only lucky because I'm your granddaughter."
The Lightkeeper chuckled, the sound dry and airy. "Ahaha… That's teenagers for you."
COUGH. COUGH.
Phoebe's smile faded. "Are you even supposed to be outside today, Grandpa?"
"Not really," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "But the sky looked too beautiful to ignore."
Together, they looked up.
Phoebe squinted, admiring the clouds.
But the Lightkeeper—and his butler—saw something else entirely.
A thin, black slit hung in the sky like a wound, invisible to unmarked eyes.
The butler's expression darkened.
The Lightkeeper, however, simply smiled.
"Well then," the Lightkeeper said softly. "I suppose you've got some homework waiting, don't you? Or would you rather stay out here and keep chasing butterflies?"
Phoebe sighed with mock drama. "I guess I should get back to it. Mr. Mister's assignments are piling up, and Ms. Quack is getting quack-y again."
She puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms in exaggerated frustration.
At the mention of those names, the butler's ears twitched. His grip on the wheelchair handles subtly tightened.
"You… employed them there?" he muttered. "Are you even—"
The Lightkeeper raised a hand, cutting him off again.
"Dio… Let Noctis believe they've managed to infiltrate the place." A mischievous glint flashed in his eye. "Besides… Bell is still there. Let her keep them entertained."
He chuckled.
But the butler said nothing. His fingers clenched tightly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"If they find out I'm still alive and well—"
The Lightkeeper's hand rose again, but slower this time. His voice dropped, colder than before.
"Speak of such things in front of Phoebe again, and I'll incinerate you where you stand, Dio. I told you to watch your tongue… or are you going deaf?"
The air changed.
Heavy. Tense. Dead still.
The garden, once full of fluttering butterflies and soft laughter, now stood quiet.
Phoebe shrank. Her cheerful act melted instantly.
"I… I think I'll go inside now, Grandpa," she said, eyes averted.
"You do that," he replied, his voice returning to that gentle rasp—as if nothing had happened at all.
* * *
The next day, in the boys' dorm...
Niko woke up as usual.
He got dressed, brushed his hair, and slung his bag over his shoulder.
Strangely, there was no fire alarm this morning.
Guess Rai finally finished whatever 'business' he had going on.
Niko locked his door behind him and turned around—only to crash straight into someone.
He stumbled back, landing on the floor with a thud.
"Hey! Watch—" he paused, mid-shout.
It was Rai.
His face was gloomy. Eyes red and puffy, like he'd been crying all night.
"…You okay, man?" Niko stood up, dusting himself off.
Rai rubbed his face with both hands. "Niko…" he muttered.
Then suddenly—"I DID IT!!!" he shouted, bursting into a hop, spinning wildly down the hallway like a kid on sugar.
Niko's concern dissolved into deadpan. His expression turned flat again.
Great. All that worrying was for nothing.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Niko muttered. "It's barely morning, and we've got Aether Alchemy first period. Don't forget your beaker."
He sighed. "I'm starting to sound like Lia now."
Rai struck a pose, arms crossed. "Well, you and Lia were meant to be. No offense—but Cupid is my thing now."
He winked.
Niko groaned. "Whatever, dude…"
He headed out.
Outside, the sky was clear. He looked up.
No black slit today.
For now.
As he walked past the academy's central fountain—now bone-dry again, as if yesterday's chaos never happened—Niko spotted the usual gossip gang clustered nearby.
They turned their heads, eyeing him like fresh bait.
Until—
"THERE YOU ARE!!"
Likka's voice thundered across the courtyard.
She marched up and immediately linked her arm with Niko's. The gossip gang flinched and turned away like synchronized dancers caught mid-rehearsal.
"Uuh… Hi, Likka." Niko replied awkwardly, his eyes darting left and right in search of an escape route. He glanced at the gossip gang for help—nope. They were suddenly very interested in looking anywhere else.
Then he spotted Lia in the crowd, giving him a thumbs-up. The rest started giggling behind their sleeves.
Likka snapped her head toward them. Silence.
They all looked the other way—some even whistling like nothing happened.
"Say, Niko… what's your plan for today?" Likka asked, letting go of his arm and stepping in front of him. She looked him straight in the eyes.
Niko blinked.
"Aether Alchemy class," he answered, keeping it short. "Why? Is there something I can help you with?"
Honestly, it didn't feel like a question.
More like a hostage situation—complete with invisible guns aimed at him point-blank.
"Well… I do have a little favor to ask."
She twirled one foot behind the other, shyly—then straightened up, her tone growing serious.
"It's about Sokka. He's been sick the past few days. And his Aether connection's been… off."
"Sick?" Niko crossed his arms. "Didn't think your kind could get sick."
She scowled. "We can, you know. What—do you think we're superhuman or something?"
Niko opened his mouth. Thought better of it.
Likka tossed her hair with flair. "Anyway… I heard what you pulled off yesterday in Aether Defense class. Heard it was—what's the word—booming."
She wiped her brow dramatically, like recalling the aftershock.
Then, in one fluid motion, she reached for his collar and adjusted it.
"You see… I know there's something unexplainable about you," she said, voice low. "And I trust it."
She smiled. And for once, it wasn't teasing. It was genuine.
Niko's flat expression cracked a little.
Not fully smiling—but… impressed.
"So," Likka went on, stepping back. "We're just going to borrow your gloves for a while, okay?"
"…What?"
He checked his bag.
Gone.
Sokka stood a few meters away, grinning and waving—with Niko's gloves in hand.
Likka had been the distraction. Sokka had pickpocketed him clean.
Niko's expression immediately reset back to dead inside.
"Catch you later, darlin'~" Likka called, winking as she jogged back toward Sokka.
Niko watched them from a distance. Sokka was coughing—badly—and Likka was gently patting his back.
He sighed and checked his bag again.
Nothing else missing. That glove was busted anyway… I can always make another one.
With a shrug, he turned and headed toward Aether Alchemy.
But just before he entered the class building, something caught his eye.
Down the path—taped off in wards and glowing seals—stood the abandoned structure.
The one where they first met Bell.
It was being sealed off.
And there were police.
Niko squinted, trying to get a better look.
Another Noctis stunt?
He guessed it had something to do with yesterday's sky incident.
Until—
"HEY YO!"
Rai slapped a hand down hard on Niko's shoulder.
Startled, Niko spun and reflexively punched back—
Only to immediately wince, clutching his wrist.
"Ow— What the hell…? Your body's like a rock!"
He flicked his wrist, trying to shake off the sting.
"That's Jock Energy, baby!" Rai grinned, puffing out his chest like a proud gorilla. "Wanna join the Jocks Club?"
"NO."
Niko answered instantly, flat as a wall.
As they stepped inside, their expressions immediately soured.
Ms. Quack stood at the front of the room, arms crossed, already glaring at them like they owed her homework from last year.
"Great," they muttered in unison.
Ms. Quack didn't blink. "Take your seats! And don't think I didn't hear that."
Rai elbowed Niko. "She's got that bat-grade hearing."
Niko sighed. "We're gonna die in this class, aren't we?"
WHIP—WHIP—THWACK!
A barrage of chalk missiles flew across the room. One nearly took off Rai's ear.
The two scrambled for their seats like their lives depended on it.
* * *
The class was now in session.
"Welcome to Aether Alchemy," Ms. Quack began, scribbling briskly on the blackboard as she spoke. "In this course, we'll study how chemistry and Aether interact—and how to craft practical solutions for daily life or survival situations."
She underlined the title with a flourish, then turned back to the class.
"This is my first time teaching here. My name is Ms. Quacknell. You may call me Ms. Quack, for short."
She wrote her name clearly on the board beneath the lesson title.
A hand shot up.
"Yes?" Ms. Quack asked, her tone sharp and exact.
The student looked hesitant but pressed on. "Where's Mr. Alphonse? Isn't it kind of unusual to change professors mid-semester?"
Ms. Quack's expression didn't shift.
"I'm a temporary replacement. Mr. Alphonse is on paid leave. Said something about… his brother."
She glanced briefly toward the back corner of the room, eyes distant for a moment—almost too distant.
Gasps and murmurs rippled across the class.
"Wait, his brother's Eddie Alric, right?" someone whispered. "The legendary Alchemist?"
THUD.
Ms. Quack slammed a palm on her desk, snapping everyone's attention back.
"Now now… let's focus on today's lesson, shall we?"
Silence.
The room settled immediately, the air taut with a sudden tension.
"All right, class," Ms. Quack announced, hands on her hips. "Get your beakers ready on your stations. Today, we'll be creating something to help our Dormant—or null—friends improve their connection with the Aether."
A wave of murmurs and excited giggles spread through the Dormant/null students.
Across the room, Lia raised her hand.
"Yes?" Ms. Quack turned sharply, eyes locking onto her.
"What exactly are we making today, Ms. Quack?" Lia asked, curious but cautious.
Without another word, Ms. Quack turned to the blackboard and began writing in clear, chalky strokes.
The Echo Elixir, it read.
"Oooooooooh~"
A chorus of intrigued Dormant/null students filled the room.
Meanwhile, a few high-status students in the back scoffed or rolled their eyes—clearly unimpressed.
Ms. Quack noticed.
She smirked slightly, then turned to address the room.
"For those of you who already possess a clear connection with the Aether—yes, this elixir will benefit you as well. It enhances existing channels. Doubles them, in fact."
A few students blinked, now paying attention.
Heads started nodding.
"But," she continued, lifting one finger, "only if the concoction is crafted with precise measurements."
The room quieted slightly, the tension settling into anticipation.
"All right."
Ms. Quack clapped her hands, loud and crisp.
"On each of your stations, I've provided the following: a pinch of table salt, two sleeping pyropers, two garlic cloves, one packet of MSG, and a mortar with pestle."
She gestured toward the front table, where the ingredients were neatly displayed.
"Your first task: place all the ingredients into the mortar, and grind them into a fine powder. No shortcuts. The texture matters—it eases digestion."
Her heels clicked across the floor as she paced between rows, arms folded behind her back, observing.
Rai tore open the MSG packet and sniffed it.
"Bro… are we making food or magic?"
Niko side-eyed him. "Grind it."
Rai sighed. "I miss the days when alchemy meant explosions…"
THOCK.
A piece of chalk struck Rai square in the forehead with sniper precision.
He yelped, crouched down, and clutched his head.
"One more word," Ms. Quack said flatly, raising a single finger, "and I'll feed you to a Harvessant in the greenhouse."
Niko's ears twitched.
He immediately began grinding ingredients with robotic speed.
Then—
A hand raised at the far side of the classroom.
"Yes?!" Ms. Quack snapped, her voice a whipcrack of sass and steel.
"Uh… Ms. Quack? I think one of the pyropers on my table is… awake."
The room fell silent.
Dozens of heads turned.
Sure enough, one of the pyroper seeds was glowing faintly—and blinking.
FWOOOOSH.
It spat a violent stream of flame, hotter than a blowtorch.
The student screamed, flinging himself backward as fire engulfed his coat and desk. The room erupted into chaos.
Students scrambled. Someone screamed. Rai dove under a table.
Ms. Quack sighed. She spun her pointer stick like a wand.
"O eternal flow," she muttered, calm as ever, "bless me with your endless serenity… Goccia."
A ribbon of water whipped from a nearby bucket, slicing through the air and dousing the pyroper in a hiss of steam.
The creature sizzled, trembled, and slumped back into sleep.
The scorched desk crackled slightly.
The student sat trembling, half his uniform scorched off.
Silence fell.
Ms. Quack scanned the class, her expression unreadable.
"Any other problems?"
No one spoke. She raised an eyebrow.
"What are you waiting for? Should I hang around and wait for the next pyroper to wake up?"
Instant grinding sounds filled the room like an army of chefs on a deadline.
* * *
After that, the students had finished grinding their ingredients into fine powder.
"Good," Ms. Quack said, clapping her hands. "Now pour the powder into your beakers and fill them with the Aether-infused water I've prepared at your tables."
"Oh no!" someone shouted from the corner.
Ms. Quack rolled her eyes. "What now?" she groaned, turning her head.
"Student A just drank the water, he said he was thirsty!"
Ms. Quack blinked. Slowly.
Student A turned defensively. "What?! You snitch—"
Before he could finish, his body began to slump.
His skin started bubbling like boiling water.
The girl next to him screamed and stumbled back.
"Good. God…" Ms. Quack pinched the bridge of her nose.
BLECH.
Student A collapsed to the floor and vomited a stream of glowing rainbow sludge.
The entire class:
"EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW~"
Ms. Quack calmly picked up the desk phone and dialed.
"Yes... Yes. I've got another genius who just drank raw Aether-infused water straight from the flask.
Mhm. Passed out.
Yes. He's still glowing.
Alright."
CLACK.
She hung up.
"Okay, class," she said, turning back with perfect calm. "Ignore Student A. Pretend this didn't happen. We're nearly done."
She clapped twice, and the students hesitantly returned to work.
One by one, they poured the ground mixture into their beakers and added the water.
The liquid began to glow a soft green, pulsing gently.
Then—
POOF.
A small cloud of smoke puffed from each beaker.
"There you have it, class," Ms. Quack announced proudly.
"A perfect, standard Echo Elixir."
"Ooooooooooooh…" the class chorused.
Niko stared at his beaker.
The green liquid pulsed faintly, casting soft light against his face.
Everyone else seemed impressed.
The Echo Elixir shimmered like it belonged in this world.
And yet...
He frowned, the question crawling into his head uninvited.
Should I drink this?
The green glow pulsed once more.
* * *