Supper that evening was unusually quiet. Eren couldn't seem to focus on anything except the strange, electrifying sensation still thrumming through him. The world outside felt distant, as though the glow of something magical had separated him from everything he once knew. Aunt Celia didn't seem to notice his preoccupation as she served a simple stew and bread, as always, but Eren couldn't stop the question spinning in his head: What was this world he was now connected to?
He tried to push it aside, focusing instead on the mundane. The stew tasted bland, and Aunt Celia's sharp voice still echoed in his ears as she scolded him for not sweeping the kitchen properly. But Eren could hardly hear her anymore. All he could hear was the pull—the call of the pendant resting against his chest. He could feel it, even through his shirt, humming in tune with his heartbeat.
When the meal was over, Aunt Celia sent him back upstairs to finish his chores, though Eren barely heard her. His mind was far from the dishes and the dust. Instead, it was on the letter, on the pendant, on the faint image of the towering spires he had seen just moments before.
By the time the evening grew dark, Eren was standing by his window, gazing out at the misty forest. The trees stretched into the distance, their shadows long in the fading light. Something called him from beyond the woods, something just beyond his sight.
He glanced down at the pendant again, its golden light now faint but unmistakable. His fingers closed around it, and he made a decision.
The journey to Aetherwell couldn't wait any longer.
The woods around Braelwood were deep, twisted, and ancient, but to Eren, they now felt like the threshold to something greater—something that had been hidden from him for far too long. He crept down the stairs as quietly as he could, careful not to wake Aunt Celia. As he reached the door, the pendant suddenly pulsed in his hand, its warmth guiding him. Without thinking, he stepped out into the night.
The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft, silver light over the woods. Eren's heart raced as he ventured deeper into the forest. The pendant seemed to tug in a particular direction, urging him forward, and Eren followed its pull without hesitation.
The deeper he walked, the more the world around him seemed to change. The trees grew taller, their branches twisting into shapes that almost seemed alive. The forest felt more… conscious, like it was aware of his presence, watching him with a thousand unseen eyes. And then, as if by magic, the ground beneath his feet shifted.
The path that had once been winding and irregular now appeared straight and clear, leading Eren through a veil of mist that seemed to part for him as he walked. The air grew warmer as he moved, and the farther he went, the more the trees seemed to bend toward him, as if guiding him.
Suddenly, the forest opened up, and before him stood a vast, glittering structure—an ancient stone archway, its surface glowing faintly with magic. Eren stopped dead in his tracks, awe and fear washing over him at the sight of it. This was no ordinary doorway—it shimmered with power, the very air around it humming with life.
As he stepped closer, the pendant around his neck began to glow with a brilliant light, matching the glow of the arch. It was as if they were calling to one another. With a deep breath, Eren stepped forward and into the archway.
The moment he passed through, the world shifted once again. The air around him thickened, becoming more vibrant and alive, and the sounds of the forest disappeared, replaced by a deep, resonant hum—a powerful, ancient energy that thrummed through his very bones.
Eren had entered the world of Lumora.
He stood in a vast, open courtyard, surrounded by towers that reached into the sky, their peaks hidden in mist. The ground beneath his feet was smooth, made of ancient stones carved with intricate patterns he couldn't understand. Everything around him seemed to pulse with life—vibrant colors, strange creatures flitting about, and the unmistakable presence of magic in every corner.
From one of the towers, a figure descended. She was tall and regal, wearing robes of deep violet that shimmered with starlight. Her long, silver hair flowed around her like a cloak of moonlight. She landed gracefully before Eren, her eyes—a piercing, knowing blue—fixed on him with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.
"You've arrived," the woman said, her voice like music, carrying a sense of authority and warmth all at once.
"Where… where am I?" Eren asked, his voice barely a whisper. He felt both frightened and amazed, unsure if this was a dream or reality.
"This," the woman said, "is Aetherwell. The Academy of Aetherwell. You are here because you have been chosen, Eren Ashford. Chosen to protect the balance of magic in our world. But first, there is much for you to learn."
Eren's heart hammered in his chest. He was speechless, unable to grasp the enormity of what was happening.
The woman smiled gently. "Do not worry. All in good time. The Shard of Eternity awaits you, as does your destiny. Come, there is someone I must introduce you to."
Eren nodded slowly, barely able to process the words. His head spun, and yet, a deep sense of belonging began to settle in his chest. There was magic here. Real, living magic—and he was a part of it.
As the woman turned and began to lead him into the heart of the academy, Eren realized that his life had changed forever. There would be no turning back now.