2 months before the awakening of luke crimson
The grand gates of the academy loomed ahead, their intricate carvings glowing faintly in the morning light. Students in pristine robes bustled past, their chatter filling the air with an electric excitement. Among them walked a figure draped in a weathered brown cloak, his sharp black eyes cutting through the crowd's cheerful noise.
Whispers followed him like an unwelcome shadow.
"Who's that?" whispered one boy, nudging his friend.
"Look at his clothes. Is he even supposed to be here?"
"Did he crawl out of a dungeon or something?"
Arthur ignored the murmurs, his footsteps steady as he approached the registration desk. A kind-looking woman greeted him with a smile, but it faltered as their gazes met. His eyes felt like an unrelenting void, pulling her into a cold, endless abyss. With trembling hands, she handed him the registration form, her voice faint.
"F-fill this and submit it over there," she stammered.
Arthur took it without a word, his ragged sleeve brushing her hand like a ghostly touch. He turned away and leaned against a wall, staring at the form in his hands. Around him, the whispers grew louder.
"Why's he just standing there?"
"Does he even know what to do?"
Amid the growing crowd, a girl with short silver hair stepped forward. Her teal eyes sparkled with curiosity and defiance as she pushed past the others.
"Hey," she called out, her voice cutting through the noise. "Do you need help?"
Arthur raised his head slowly, his eyes meeting hers. For a moment, there was silence. Then, almost imperceptibly, he nodded and extended the form toward her.
"Oh, you don't know how to fill it?" she said, her tone soft but lively.
"It's simple. Just prick your finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the paper. It'll do the rest."
Arthur moved his cloak aside, revealing a hand covered in scars, a testament to untold suffering. The girl's breath hitched at the sight, but she quickly masked her reaction. Arthur pressed his finger against his teeth, puncturing it. As his blood touched the paper, it began to glow faintly, floating in the air.
"Now," she explained, "just think about your answers—your name, age, and whatever else the form asks."
Arthur froze. His eyes darkened, and a wave of despair washed over him.
The boy's eyes widened with sadness. His voice, In his mind, said, "My name…?"
Memories flooded his mind—a warm smile from a woman on a bed. Arthur… "My name is Arthur Virelith". A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Are you okay?" the girl asked gently, breaking his reverie.
Arthur wiped his face hurriedly and nodded. The girl smiled, a warmth that seemed to chase away the cold of his past.
"Good luck," she said, turning away as a voice called out:
"All students, gather in line for the interviews at the third hall!"
Arthur watched her leave before clutching the glowing form tightly and heading toward the designated hall.
The tests began shortly after, and Arthur found himself in a grand hall filled with hundreds of students. At its center stood a crystalline orb, its surface pulsating with faint energy.
"Place your hand on the crystal and let your mana flow," an instructor ordered.
"One by one, students stepped forward; the orb lit up with varying intensity. Gasps and applause followed each demonstration."
When Arthur's turn came, the room fell silent. The crowd parted, their whispers laced with doubt and ridicule.
"What's that ragged boy going to do? Probably nothing."
Arthur ignored them, placing his scarred hand on the crystal. A moment of silence passed. Then, instead of light, the crystal began to cloud. Dark veins spread across its surface like cracks in ice,
The room fell silent.
A sinister black aura engulfed the space, its chilling presence snuffing out the ambient light. Gasps and screams filled the air as the students recoiled, and even the instructors stepped back, their faces pale.
"That's… Aether magic," one instructor stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Another stepped forward, an elderly mage whose ornate robes marked him as a senior. His golden staff trembled in his grasp as he scrutinized Arthur. "Aether… The forbidden magic of gods and calamities. You—boy—who are you?"
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his cold gaze gave chills to everyone present.
The whispers followed him out of the hall as he moved toward the next challenge, leaving behind a room of shaken spectators.
The combat arena was alive with the sounds of magic and battle. Students faced enchanted dummies, their spells creating dazzling displays of power. The crowd cheered as a particularly skilled student incinerated their target with a roaring fireball.
When his turn came, he stepped into the arena, the crowd falling silent once more. The dummy in front of him stood motionless, its runes glowing faintly. Without hesitation, he raised his arm, revealing a fresh wound along his forearm. Blood pooled, then twisted unnaturally, solidifying into the shape of a gleaming red scythe.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"A blood weapon?" someone whispered in disbelief.
He moved with impossible speed, his scythe slicing cleanly through the dummy. The force of the attack sent a shockwave through the arena that obliterated several others in its wake. Black flames erupted around him, consuming the broken remains and leaving behind a scorched wasteland.
The crowd was silent, too stunned to react,
But Arthur wasn't done. Raising his free hand, he summoned orbs of black energy. They hovered briefly before launching in rapid succession, bombarding the field. Dust and debris flew, shrouding the area in chaos.
When the dust settled, a massive crater remained where the dummies once stood.
Scene switch
As the tests ended ,The announcement board buzzed with excitement as students crowded around, eager to see their test results. Arthur weaved his way through the throng, his brown cloak brushing past the curious onlookers. When he finally reached the board, his eyes scanned the names listed, stopping at the sixth position: Arthur, emblazoned in bold letters. Sixth place—an achievement most would celebrate, yet his expression remained stoic.
As he turned to leave, a pair of jade-green eyes caught his attention. Time seemed to slow as their gazes locked, the noise around them fading into nothingness. The girl's stare was steady, almost inquisitive, yet laced with something unreadable.
Their silent exchange was broken by a sudden cry of joy from the crowd. A boy had collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "I passed!" he shouted, pointing at the board's last slot, which read: Escanor Ashworth – 60/100. The minimum score for entry.
Whispers filled the air.
"Barely scraped by…"
"Odd, isn't it? Someone like him?"
The crowd eventually dispersed, leaving the square emptier but still brimming with tension. Arthur turned again, catching a glimpse of those jade eyes moving away. Without a second thought, he followed.
The girl's pace quickened, her boots clicking against the stone pathways of the campus. When she noticed Arthur trailing her, she stopped abruptly, spinning around to confront him. Her expression was a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.
"Why are you following me?" she demanded.
Arthur, unprepared for the question, simply stared. His silence only irritated her further. "Do you even have anything to say?"
His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. Frustrated, she groaned and walked away. Yet, as if compelled, Arthur continued following her.
After wandering through the sprawling campus, they found themselves near the dormitories. The girl entered the gates of the women's building, while Arthur absentmindedly stepped through the threshold after her. A loud voice snapped him out of his stupor.
"You there! Stop!"
The dormitory guard pointed at Arthur with a look of stern disapproval. "This is the women's dormitory! Men aren't allowed!"
Before Arthur could react, the jade-eyed girl grabbed his arm and yanked him back outside. She sighed, exasperated. "What are you doing? Do you want to get expelled before the semester even begins?"
Arthur said nothing, his empty gaze fixed on her. She threw her hands up in frustration, muttering to herself before heading back inside. From behind the heavy iron doors, she glanced back at him one last time. He was still standing there, silent and unmoving.
Night fell, and the campus was swallowed in darkness. Heavy rain poured, turning the pathways into streams and obscuring the world beyond the windows. From her dormitory, the girl peeked through the curtains, only to see Arthur's still figure standing by the gate, soaked to the bone.
"Is he serious?" she whispered to herself, closing the window as a clap of thunder shook the room.
Morning came, and sunlight pierced through the storm's remnants. Students filed out of their dorms, their chatter filling the air. The murmurs grew louder as they passed by the gate.
"Who's that?"
"Must be crazy…"
"Why's he still here?"
Through the crowd, the girl stormed forward, her expression dark with frustration. "Arthur!" she shouted, drawing every eye to her.
Standing in front of him, drenched and exhausted, she clenched her fists. "What are you doing here? And why didn't you go back to your dorm?"
Arthur looked at her, his blank stare unchanged. "Your name?" he asked, his voice quiet and monotone.
Her anger faltered, replaced by shock. "You can talk?"
He nodded.
"And you waited here all night just to ask that?"
Another nod.
The girl's frustration melted into exasperation. "Sylvi Valios," she said finally, rubbing her temples. "That's my name. Now, let's get you cleaned up before the ceremony starts. You smell like a wet dog!"
She cast a quick spell, wind swirling around Arthur as tiny orbs of light brushed away the rain and dirt. In moments, he was dry and clean, looking at himself with quiet surprise.
Sylvi grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the main campus. "Come on! We'll be late!"
A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Arthur's lips, hidden beneath his high-collared cloak. As Sylvi talked animatedly, her frustration melting into casual conversation, Arthur quietly listened, their steps taking them toward the next chapter of their shared journey.