As the sun cast its warm golden light into the room, Aki stretched, feeling the start of a new day. A soft knock on the door interrupted his moment of peace. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice still groggy from sleep.
"Young master, your breakfast is ready," came the soft, familiar voice of the maid who had accompanied him to the academy.
"Come in," Aki responded.
The door creaked open, and the maid stepped in, accompanied by one of the academy's servants. Together, they brought his breakfast, which was laid on a tray. The meal was simple yet hearty. A piece of toast, one side slathered in rich, dark blackberry jam, was the centerpiece. Next to it sat an egg, delicately cracked open at the top with the yolk still soft and golden. Strips of crispy bacon lay beside a wedge of cheese, and a steaming cup of black coffee added a welcoming warmth to the table.
The maid, however, held Aki's academy garment draped neatly over her arm. After placing the meal on the table by the window, and setting his uniform on the bed, both the maid and the servant bowed politely.
"Young Master, the headmistress wishes to meet you in the academy yard after you've finished your meal," the maid informed him gently.
Aki nodded, acknowledging the message. The maid gave a quick, graceful bow, then quietly closed the door as she and the servant exited the room.
After finishing his breakfast and getting dressed, Aki stepped out of his room, where a servant was already waiting. The servant bowed politely before leading him down a passageway that extended toward the academy yard. As they walked, Aki glanced through the archways along the sides of the passage. The view was breathtaking.
On one side, the open arch revealed a lush green landscape that stretched out far below. The academy was perched high on a hill, offering a panoramic view of the kingdom of Rothrosia. Mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks barely visible against the brilliant blue sky. Rivers wound through the valleys below, and the gentle morning breeze carried the crisp scent of nature. The sunlight, still soft and golden, illuminated everything with a calm radiance.
Aki arrived at the yard, where the servant stopped at the end of the passageway, pointing the direction he should go. Calmly, Aki made his way down the cobblestone path, which led to a stone circle patio. Two figures stood there waiting for him.
The first figure Aki immediately recognized—it was his maid, standing politely with her hands neatly clasped in front of her. She smiled warmly as he approached, and Aki returned the gesture. Standing in front of her was the headmistress.
To Aki's surprise, the headmistress looked much younger than he had expected. She had short hair, which curled slightly at the ends just below her jawline, and wore large, round glasses that covered most of her eyes, extending to the bridge of her nose. Her pointy hat, with a wide brim that reached her shoulders, resembled that of a witch's hat. She was dressed in a simple black dress that fell just below her knees, complemented by a long black cloak. Despite the authoritative title, her youthful appearance made her look like a young maiden in her prime.
The headmistress stood tall, her warm smile matching the gentle morning atmosphere. Aki, feeling a bit shy, hesitated for a moment before stopping in front of her. Before he could speak, she greeted him with a friendly tone, "It's nice to meet you, Akimitsu. My name is Calypsa, and I'm the headmistress of this Magic Academy. Welcome."
Aki, still slightly flustered, managed to return her greeting, "Thank you. I'm honored to be here, you can call me Aki."
The headmistress nodded in acknowledgment, her smile never fading. "The honor is all mine, Aki" she replied kindly.
The headmistress smiled as she spoke, "I've heard all about you from Seraphina (Angus's right-hand mage)."
She paused for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "Angus also mentioned something intriguing about your magical properties."
Aki, puzzled, furrowed his brow and muttered, "My magical properties?"
Noticing his confusion, the headmistress continued, "Did Angus ever show you a magical item? Something like a spherical crystal ball?"
Aki's mind raced back to his time at Rothrosia Castle.
"Yes, he actually did. He had me hold it for a moment," Aki replied, still unsure of its significance.
The headmistress's eyes brightened with interest. "Was it glowing?" she asked eagerly.
Aki nodded, "Yes, it glowed brightly—almost illuminating the entire room we were in. Then, after a while, it dimmed."
A look of shock crossed the headmistress's face, though she maintained her composure.
"The spherical crystal ball that Angus gave you was, in fact, a device that measures one's magical properties," she explained, her tone taking on a more serious note. "An average mage holding it usually generates only a faint glow or flicker of brilliant light. However, for more talented individuals, the light can be much brighter but still not enough to illuminate an entire room."
She stroked her chin thoughtfully, her expression one of deep contemplation..
"Have you ever spoken with the goddess Athia herself?" she asked with her expression filled with curiosity
Aki nodded. "Actually, I did. the Goddess Athia appeared to me in my dream last night."
The headmistress's eyes widened, a mixture of shock and intrigue filling her face. "What did she say to you?" she asked, her tone serious yet eager.
Aki took a deep breath before summarizing his dream. He spoke about how Athia revealed to him that he was the manifestation of Aluhiem, how Nishay, the goddess of night, had grown in power and the goddess Athia herself still recovering from her battle against Nishay. Throughout his explanation, the headmistress listened intently, her face reflecting the gravity of his words.
When he finished, the headmistress, now wearing a warm smile, stepped forward gently and took Aki's hand firmly in both of hers. She bowed slightly and looked him in the eye. "Aki," she said, her voice filled with conviction, "you are truly the one destined to be the savior foretold in the legends. I will do everything in my power to help you fulfill this destiny."
Aki blushed slightly, feeling the weight of her words, but he stood firm, knowing what this responsibility meant. The headmistress then straightened up, a smile returning to her face, and she glanced toward the female maid standing patiently behind them. The maid gave a small nod of understanding and stepped forward, holding out a wand.
The wand was simple, its shaft made of a smooth brown wood, with a slightly rougher, darkened handle that appeared charred yet stable. The headmistress gestured toward it and said, "This wand will be yours to use here at the Magic Academy. It may not look impressive but know that a mage's wand can evolve with its user."
Aki accepted the wand with a smile. He examined it keenly, noting its craftsmanship, and then looked back at the headmistress.
Bowing slightly, he said, "Thank you. I will take good care of it."
The headmistress responded with a warm smile, acknowledging his gratitude.
The air was cool and still, but a sudden gust of wind blew from the west. Aki's eyes widened, glistening with a mixture of shock and alarm. The headmistress immediately noticed the change in his demeanor and wore a puzzled expression.
"Aki, what's the matter?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Aki didn't answer right away. His gaze shifted toward the direction of the wind, and his eyes locked on the horizon where clouds were beginning to gather ominously. The dark clouds swirled far beyond the Magic Academy, growing heavier and more menacing by the second. His foresight ability activated, and he could sense something—something foreboding. Slowly, as if the realization had just hit him, he whispered,
"Nishay…"
The headmistress and the maid both froze, startled by the sudden mention of the goddess name. They quickly followed Aki's gaze, turning toward the darkening clouds. The storm was building, becoming increasingly ominous. What had once been a normal sky was now a vortex of darkness, swirling like the eye of a great storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance, though the storm was still far off, its presence was unmistakable, looming ominously from the vantage point they had atop the academy's hill.
Standing beside Aki, the headmistress whispered, "Do you feel it? Nishay's presence?"
Aki nodded, his tone serious. "Yes… I can feel it clearly."
His heart raced as the winds grew fiercer. Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the swirling clouds, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that echoed across the academy grounds. The clouds seemed to pulse with energy, the vortex at their center growing more violent by the second.
Aki's brow furrowed, and he muttered, "No… something's not right."
He turned swiftly to the headmistress, urgency in his voice. "Can it be stopped?"
"No, not from this distance," the headmistress said quietly, her eyes reflecting a hint of uncertainty. Aki's gaze remained locked on the dark vortex of clouds gathering in the distance.
"No… there's something wrong. I can feel it," Aki said in a serious tone, his senses heightened, alert to something sinister beyond just the storm.
The headmistress turned to him, concern deepening in her expression. "It's too far," she explained, her voice steady but troubled. "Even if we could reach it, by the time we arrive, the storm will have worsened. And if this is Nishay's doing… I can't imagine what might be waiting for us there."
Aki's brows furrowed in determination. "But we have to stop it!" His words came out with urgency, and the weight of the situation hung in the air. Both the headmistress and the maid beside her exchanged a worried glance.
There was a long, tense silence, each of them contemplating the power that swirled within the vortex, the unknown threat it harbored.
Suddenly, Aki broke the silence. "Let me do it. Teach me the spell to stop it." His voice was eager but also filled with confidence, his eyes gleaming with a readiness that surprised the headmistress.
The headmistress hesitated for a moment, but she knew who Aki was and the destiny tied to him. He was beyond ordinary; he was the one foretold. Finally, with a firm nod, she agreed. "Very well."
She stepped closer to Aki, her robes rustling in the wind. She extended her hand toward the distant storm, motioning for Aki to mirror her. "Raise your hand, Aki, and hold your wand steady."
Aki obeyed, his grip tightening around the wand. He lifted his arm, pointing the wand directly at the swirling mass of clouds. His heart raced as he stood there, feeling the growing power of the vortex before him.
The headmistress stood tall beside Aki, her voice calm yet firm as she instructed, "Aki, follow my chant."
"Wind, do no harm, bend but not rend.
Rain, fall soft, and thirst attend.
Lightning, spare thy fiery blow."
As Aki followed the chant, a magic circle appeared in front of his wand, glowing blue with intricate symbols. He continued the chant, his voice steady:
"Hail, leave naught but peace below.
Storm, pass by and swiftly cease.
Grant us skies of gentle peace."
As both Aki and the headmistress finished the chant, the magic circle grew larger and brighter. A surge of energy coursed through Aki's body, channeling into the tip of his wand. Suddenly, a bolt of magic energy, resembling lightning, shot out toward the dark vortex.
Aki staggered slightly from the force of the spell, but he held his ground, his grip firm on the wand. His heart raced as he watched the magical energy strike the vortex directly.
In the sky, the magical energy snaked through the clouds like a serpent, striking the vortex with deafening crack echoed through the air, followed by the deep, rumbling roar of thunder.
All three—Aki, the headmistress, and the maid—watched in amazement as the dark storm gradually dispersed. The once swirling mass of dark clouds began to break apart, unraveling as the magic worked its way through.
"We did it", Aki muttered.