Kael sat stunned, his mind reeling at Lady Seraphina's words.
"The opposite direction?" he repeated, his tone sharp with disbelief.
Lady Seraphina offered a faint smile, her usual composure softening. "Indeed. It seems your journey took a wrong turn at some point. The capital lies south of Raven Town. Perhaps fate brought you here first for a reason."
Kael groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. He had wandered so far in the wrong direction, driven by instinct and desperation, only to end up farther from Lira.
Neo's voice broke into his thoughts. "You can dwell on it, or you can use this time wisely. The choice is yours."
Kael sighed, muttering under his breath. "Yeah, yeah."
Lady Seraphina motioned toward the grand doors leading out of the room. "In the meantime, as I said, you are welcome to explore the town and prepare for your journey. I suggest visiting the library here as well. It contains knowledge that may aid you in the academy—and beyond."
Kael inclined his head. "Thank you, Lady Seraphina. I'll make good use of the time."
—--
Kael sat in the grand library of the Ravenhold estate, its vast shelves stretching up toward the high ceiling. The air was cool and faintly smelled of aged paper and polished wood. He had been here for hours, leafing through various books, trying to distract himself from the uncertainty of what lay ahead.
His journey to the academy felt like a looming storm—exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Yet for now, the appeasing silence of the library offered him a rare moment of peace.
Neo's voice broke his focus. "You're restless."
Kael sighed, flipping a page of the book before him without really seeing it. "I can't stop thinking about what Lady Seraphina said. About the direction I was headed."
Neo chuckled softly, a sound like a warm breeze. "Yes, you were quite literally running in the wrong direction. Perhaps Lira's better sense of direction saved her."
Kael winced at the thought. "You think she made it to the capital?"
"It's possible," Neo replied. "But dwelling on possibilities won't help you now. You need to prepare yourself for what's ahead—physically, mentally, and intellectually."
Kael leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting up to the intricate carvings on the ceiling.
He returned his attention to the book in front of him. It was recently released. An account of a knight's journey to retrieve a fallen fragment, filled with grand battles and daring rescues. Yet, as thrilling as it was, it offered little in the way of practical knowledge.
He closed the book with a soft thud, setting it aside before wandering over to another section of the library.
The shelves in this part of the library seemed older yet more taken-care of. Kael ran his fingers along the titles.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Neo asked.
"I'm not sure," Kael admitted. "Something about fragments. Something... bigger."
He stopped at a book with an embossed cover that glimmered faintly in the dim light. The title was in a language he didn't recognize, but the image on the cover—a constellation in the shape of a lyre—drew him in.
Carefully, he opened the book. The pages were delicate, their edges gilded. Inside, diagrams of fragments were interspersed with notes written in a spidery hand.
Kael studied the pages, his eyes narrowing as he deciphered the notes. They described theories of fragments as "shards of celestial harmony," detailing how each carried unique properties tied to the stars they came from.
One passage caught his attention: "Fragments hold echoes of the constellations' will. To wield them is to attune oneself to that will—a bond that is both empowering and perilous."
Kael's thoughts flickered back to his own fragment and the mysterious way it worked. The more he learned, the more questions arose.
"What does that even mean?" he murmured.
"It means you're not just using the fragment," Neo said. "You're partnering with it. There's a balance, a trust, that must be maintained."
Kael shook his head, closing the book gently before placing it back on the shelf. "Every answer leads to more questions."
"That's the nature of discovery," Neo said simply.
Kael ignored that and continued his search, moving to a section of the library dedicated to celestial lore and fragment theories. These shelves were filled with books recounting myths and legends about the constellations and their fragments.
One book, bound in deep blue leather, caught his eye. Its title read: The Lyric of Lyra.
Opening it, Kael found a poetic retelling of the Lyra constellation's origin. It spoke of a celestial musician whose melodies brought peace to weaping stars, forging harmony in the cosmos.
As Kael read, he couldn't help but draw connections to his own fragment. Its ability to connect with those around him, to bring order to chaos—it all seemed tied to the themes of the story.
"Is this why my fragment works the way it does?" Kael asked aloud.
"It's possible," Neo replied. "Fragments are shaped by the constellations they come from. Their power reflects their origin. I guess that's why Goddess Astraea chose to hive you this fragment."
Kael closed the book, his mind churning. "Then what about the bandits and Skybreakers' fragments? What kind of constellation could create something so... destructive?"
Neo hesitated before answering. "Not all constellations are benevolent, Kael. Some embody chaos, destruction, or even vengeance. Their fragments likely come from one of those."
The thought sent a chill down Kael's spine.
Kael's wandering of the library eventually led him to a small alcove tucked away in a decorated and well kept part of the library. The shelves here were sparse, the books all protected in glass casing.
One book stood out among the others. It was larger than most, bound in black leather with silver lettering that gleamed faintly.
The title read: The Night the Stars Fell.
Kael's breath caught as he opened the glass casing and reached for the book, his fingers brushing the cover.
"Neo," he murmured, his voice tinged with both awe and apprehension, "this... this is about the event, isn't it? The night the fragments fell?"
Neo's voice was quiet. "Open it."
Kael hesitated for a moment before lifting the cover. The pages were fresh, filled with illustrations and dense text. The first chapter detailed the night the sky shattered, describing it as both a tragedy and a miracle.
"On that fateful night, the heavens wept as the constellations shattered, their remnants descending upon the earth. These fragments carried with them the power of the stars, altering the very fabric of the world. Yet, in their brilliance lay a shadow—a corruption that threatened to consume all who dared to wield their light."
Kael's pulse quickened as he read. The book described the fragments as gifts and curses, their power unmatched but their dangers equally great.
It spoke of the first generation of fragment wielders, how their discovery of the shards led to both incredible advancements and devastating wars.
"In the dawn of the fragments, when selfish desires and lust for power threatened the very existence of humanity, the Gods intervened. They chose a select few, gifting them shards of their divine power."
"These fragments became both a blessing and a curse, sparking an era of wonders and horrors. Kingdoms rose from their brilliance, and wars were waged by their might."
Kael paused, his fingers brushing the edge of the page.
"To prevent total ruin, borders were drawn, and the Gods chose only to gift these powers select noble nobles—the chosen vessels of the Gods' fragments. Only their bloodlines could wield such gifts, given to one in every generation. At sixteen."
"These bloodlines have been given a name among the upper echelons: The Luminae. Each heir of a Luminae bloodline now holds a position of at least Duke."
The book then began recounting a more recent event.
"Ten years ago, the final border war between Leonhart and Regalis ended with Leonhart's military system in tatters and was later demolished. Yet how the war truly ended remains a mystery, one overshadowed by the night the stars fell."
Kael's breath caught, "So this is why dad left the military. They were destroyed and he was one of the survivors."
"The day after the stars fell, hordes of the corrupted descended upon the royal capital, nearly overwhelming the kingdom. It was only by the few fragment wielders that the city was saved, though just barely."
"This..." Kael murmured, his eyes scanning the pages. "This is why people were surprised that I had fragment abilities. It would seem that it was something that always existed, but only by a select few nobles."
Neo spoke, sounding oddly satisfied, "And the Interstellar academy has been studying it for decades now. Keep reading, Kael. This book contains things that even I am not allowed to tell you."