The crowd's applause grew louder as my two friends stepped onto the stage, their cheers echoing through the hall.
Silas stood tall, his posture straight and composed, exuding an air of confidence that seemed almost effortless. His icy blue eyes swept over the crowd with a calculating calm, his lips curling into the faintest of smirks—an expression that spoke of both pride and subtle amusement. His long, dark hair fell just slightly over his forehead, and his black cloak fluttered lightly behind him as he moved. He didn't seem to care much for the applause, but the way he held himself suggested that the recognition was expected—deserved, even—and he was simply biding his time until he could speak.
Cassian, on the other hand, appeared to be more affected by the crowd's adoration. His broad shoulders were squared, and he stood with a quiet strength, but there was a flicker of warmth in his emerald green eyes as he scanned the faces in the audience. A genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips, though he tried to keep his composure, nodding at the crowd in acknowledgement. His dark brown hair was neatly tousled, and he had the air of someone who preferred to lead by example rather than words, but in that moment, he didn't mind the recognition. It was a rare sight—his usual seriousness was replaced with a subtle, yet proud, openness.
When they reached the center of the stage, Silas stood still, his hands clasped behind his back with a poised elegance, as if every motion was deliberate. Cassian, ever the one to connect with others, gave a slight nod and a genuine wave to the crowd, his posture more relaxed but still exuding a quiet strength. They both waited for their moment to speak, but the air between them was charged, each reflecting their own brand of confidence—one sharp and composed, the other warm and resolute.
The applause eventually quieted down, and a voice echoed through the auditorium. The headmaster, a towering figure with graying hair and a warm smile, stepped forward to address the gathered students. His eyes gleamed with pride as he gestured toward the two students standing at the center of the stage.
"Today, we gather to honor the achievements of two remarkable students," he began, his voice firm and kind. "Silas Veyne and Cassian Renhart have shown excellence in all aspects of their studies, both academically and in their personal growth. They are not only leaders among their peers but examples of what dedication and perseverance can accomplish."
The crowd clapped again, this time more subdued, as the headmaster continued.
"Silas Veyne, who not only excelled in every class but also secured a victory in the International Tournament, proving his mastery in both theory and practice, has distinguished himself as one of the most strategic minds of our generation. His ability to analyze and adapt in the most extreme situations has made him a model for those who follow in his footsteps."
Silas gave a slight nod, his icy blue eyes briefly meeting the headmaster's before turning to the audience. His lips curled into that faint smirk again, acknowledging the praise but not entirely basking in it.
"And Cassian Renhart," the headmaster continued, "who finished his first year not only as the best student in terms of grades but also as a leader in every group project, has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his ideals and a deep sense of duty toward his peers. He also played an instrumental role in organizing our humanitarian efforts in the wake of recent events, showing that true strength lies in one's ability to act selflessly for the benefit of others."
Cassian's smile was warmer now, as he bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment. He took a step forward and raised his hand in a casual wave to the crowd, as if he wasn't used to the kind of attention he was receiving but appreciated it nonetheless.
The headmaster turned to the audience then, his voice resonating with sincerity.
"We congratulate both of you, Silas and Cassian, for your incredible achievements. You are the future of this institution, and we couldn't be more proud to have you represent us."
The applause rang louder now, echoing through the hall. Cassian gave another nod, his smile still soft but genuine, while Silas remained as composed as ever. As the headmaster stepped back, the two of them exchanged a brief glance, one of silent understanding—neither of them seeking the spotlight, yet both fully aware of the impact they had made.
Then, Silas turned to Cassian, offering a slight nod of acknowledgment.
As the applause finally faded and the ceremony came to a close, Silas and Cassian stepped down from the stage. The crowd began to disperse, murmurs still floating in the air, but the two of them moved quietly through the sea of students.
Silas's gaze remained fixed ahead, his posture as impeccable as ever. He didn't look back at the crowd, nor did he show any sign of relishing the attention. It was as though he had already moved beyond the ceremony. His cloak swirled around him with each step, his steps measured and deliberate.
Cassian, in contrast, allowed himself a brief smile, nodding to a few students who called out to him as he walked by. He was more approachable, his warmth unmistakable, but even he seemed to be in a reflective mood as they made their way toward the exit. His shoulders relaxed slightly now that the spotlight was off him, but there was still an energy about him—a quiet strength that only seemed to grow with the recognition.
As they reached the doorway, they were met by a familiar voice.
"Well, well. Looks like the two of you survived the spotlight," I said, stepping out from the shadow of the doorway.
Silas didn't flinch at the sound of my voice. He simply gave me a sidelong glance, the faintest of smiles tugging at his lips. "Survived? Hardly. This was just another day."
Cassian turned to me, his emerald eyes lighting up with a genuine smile. "You know, you're right. We did survive, but not without a little pain." He chuckled, but there was a softness to it. "You could've come out and seen the ceremony, Julian."
I raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe with my arms crossed. "I'm not one for crowds. Besides, I know you both well enough to know how it goes. Standing up there, pretending you don't care about the applause."
Cassian laughed again, a deep, rumbling sound that felt comforting in its warmth. "You know me too well. But I admit, I did enjoy it a little. Hard not to when the whole room is looking at you."
Silas gave a small, almost dismissive wave. "Not me. The less attention, the better."
I nodded, taking in their contrasting expressions. Silas was always the composed one, the strategist who never gave anything away. Cassian, however, was the one who wore his emotions a little more openly. Both of them had earned their place up there, in their own ways.
"You both did great," I said, pushing myself off the doorframe and moving toward them. "No surprise there. I've seen it all before, but it doesn't make it any less impressive."
Cassian's smile softened, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. "Thanks, Julian. It means more coming from you."
I shrugged, trying to hide the flicker of discomfort at the praise. "It's just the truth."
Silas glanced at me, his expression unreadable, but there was a brief, quiet acknowledgment in his eyes. "Don't let the recognition fool you," he said coolly. "We're only getting started."
As we made our way through the courtyard, the sounds of students celebrating the end of another day of classes faded behind us. I could hear Cassian's laughter, light and genuine, still echoing in the distance, while Silas remained eerily quiet, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. Both of them had always been an enigma to me in some ways, each in their own right.
But there was no doubt about their strength—strengths that had been honed over the years. It wasn't just about their magical powers. It was how they used them. How they wielded them, not for flash or show, but with quiet purpose.
Cassian had always been the type to catch people's attention without doing much. His magic wasn't about big explosions or wild displays—it was all about obedience and authority. It was subtle, a quiet sort of power. He didn't need to command or force anyone. It was all in how he guided people's thoughts, made them believe in his words, made them follow without realizing it. Most people probably wouldn't even notice the way they'd do whatever Cassian suggested. If you were mentally strong enough, though, you could resist him. His magic didn't work on everyone, but it didn't need to. All it took was a few carefully placed words, a shift in perception, and suddenly you were thinking the way he wanted you to. His magic wasn't about control, not exactly. It was more like making people feel like they wanted to follow him. But like anything, it had its limits.
Silas, on the other hand, was more straightforward. He had fire affinity, and while fire magic was common enough, what made Silas different was his control. He could summon fire at will, but he never went for the big, flashy flames most people expected. A quick flick of his wrist, and he could make the smallest spark burn hot enough to cut through stone.
As we walked, my thoughts drifted back to something—reinforcement magic. It's not the kind of magic that gets much attention, doesn't come with flashy explosions or grand displays, but it's damn useful. Reinforcement magic is all about strengthening what's already there. You could enhance your own body, make yourself faster, stronger, or more resilient. It's like adding an extra layer of protection, or pushing yourself to be more than what you are. It's also useful on objects—reinforce a blade, and it'll cut through tougher stuff than it ever should. It doesn't create anything new, doesn't summon storms or fire, but it's a constant advantage. When you need to keep going longer than you should, or when you need to outlast someone stronger, reinforcement is a quiet but effective way to do it.
Then there's my own magic, which is still a bit of a mystery to me. It's not anything flashy either, and it definitely doesn't work the way Cassian or Silas's powers do. My mental magic, is underdeveloped at best. I can't influence or control anyone's mind—not like Cassian can. But I've got the faintest glimpse into it, a sliver of understanding about what's going on inside someone's head. I can sense current feelings, get a read on someone's emotional state. It's not a full mental connection, more like a quick flash or a hint of what's going on behind their eyes. It's like listening to the hum of something in the distance, barely audible but still there.
But I can only really pick up on people's feelings when they drop their guard—when they don't even realize I'm paying attention. It's like they're letting their walls down, almost intentionally. You can't force it, can't make it happen on command. It's passive. If someone's intentionally hiding their emotions or keeping their thoughts locked away, I'll get nothing. It's like trying to read a locked book with no key. But if they're distracted, if they let their walls slip for just a moment, I can catch a glimpse—just enough to understand where they're at, to see what they're feeling.
The ground shook beneath my feet, and in the split second that it took me to register what was happening, a deafening explosion tore through the air. It was so sudden, so violently unexpected. A massive shockwave blasted through the courtyard, rattling the buildings and sending dust and debris scattering through the air.
I barely had time to react before the air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and the heat from the explosion that followed. For a moment, everything was chaos—students froze, their faces blank with shock, eyes wide in disbelief. It was as if time had stopped for just a breath, and all of us were left there, standing on the edge of something we couldn't quite understand.
Then the smoke rose from the city center, a towering cloud of black that choked the sky and swallowed the light. It spread out fast, darkening. And in that moment, something inside me clicked. I didn't need to think. My feet were already moving, rushing toward the gates of the city, the others following close behind without a word.
We were already running, but the closer we got to the city center, the more intense the air became. The ground shook again, harder this time. A deep, violent tremor that seemed to reverberate through my chest. The sky above darkened, the thick smoke rolling toward us like a wave about to crash. The sound of the explosion still hung in the air, sharp and guttural, the distant cries of people adding to the growing sense of panic.
Silas pushed forward, his pace quickening as he formed flames in his hands, just barely keeping them contained. His face was set, a scowl forming as his eyes darted around, taking in the chaos. "This is bad," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of screams and the rumbling from ahead. "Way too close."
Cassian's grip tightened around the hilt of his thin, white sword, his eyes scanning the crowd, looking for any signs of danger. His normally calm demeanor had shifted—there was a coldness in his gaze now, something calculating. "Move faster," he barked, his voice harsh, more urgent than I'd ever heard it. "People are getting caught up in it."
I could see it now. The smoke was so thick it blocked out the sun, swirling and billowing in every direction. And the worst part? The crowd was moving in all directions, panicked and disorganized. A few students ran alongside us, but most were heading in the opposite direction, looking for shelter. The sound of more explosions rocked through the streets, and I knew we were getting closer.
Just ahead, a group of younger students was caught in the chaos. They were stumbling, disoriented, as the tremors rattled the ground. A couple of them fell, scrambling to get back on their feet, but the people around them kept pushing forward, not even noticing.
Cassian dashed forward, instantly. Siles and I were right behind , our feet pounding against the cobblestones, the smoke now thick in our lungs. I reached the fallen students first, pulling them to their feet and urging them to run, but their eyes were wide with terror, completely lost in the madness.
"We need to get out of here," I called to them, but they were frozen. A sharp cry from one of them sent a chill down my spine—there were people trapped up ahead, caught under debris.
Silas cursed and stepped forward, flames flickering in his palms as he scanned the area. "I can't do much with this smoke," he muttered, his voice strained. "We need to move, figure out what's happening."
Cassian stepped in, pulling one of the younger students behind him, guiding them forward with a sharp hand. "Stay close to us," he ordered, his voice hard.
The air was thick with smoke now, and every breath felt like I was choking on the very atmosphere itself. The sound of collapsing buildings and distant screams echoed down the streets as we ran, moving faster than I thought possible. My heart pounded, my mind racing, but it all felt too surreal, like I was caught in a nightmare I couldn't wake from.
And then, I heard it—the unmistakable, thunderous explosion from behind us. The shockwave hit so hard that it sent me stumbling, knocking me off balance for a moment before I caught myself. I spun around just in time to see the school go up in flames, the entire side of the building crumbling in on itself. The sky seemed to crack open as a massive cloud of smoke and fire rose into the air, swallowing everything in its path. The sound of the explosion was deafening, ringing in my ears like a bell tolling for something—someone.
"The school!" Silas shouted, his face pale, his expression blank with shock. He stopped dead in his tracks, his fists clenched at his sides, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
I barely had time to process it. The city was already in chaos, people running in every direction, shouting, trying to flee or find shelter. The streets were a blur of motion, but there was no time to stop and think. We had to keep moving.
Suddenly, the sound of marching boots reached my ears—heavy, purposeful. I glanced ahead and saw a group of soldiers storming through the streets, moving with precision, their faces set and grim. They were cutting through the panic like a hot knife through butter, their armor glinting in the firelight as they pushed forward without hesitation.
Cassian stepped up beside me, his eyes narrowed as he observed the soldiers. "We need answers," he muttered.
Before any of us could move, one of the soldiers spotted us, his eyes flicking over us briefly before he called out to his comrades. "You three! What are you doing here?!" He sounded urgent, his voice cutting through the chaos.
I stepped forward, doing my best to keep calm, even as the adrenaline still surged in my veins. "What's happening?" I demanded. "What's with these explosions?"
The soldier's expression tightened. He glanced around quickly, as if checking for any potential threats, before lowering his voice. "Infiltration," he said shortly, his eyes scanning the area. "Raevaryn." He spat the name like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "They've breached the city. We're trying to contain the situation, but it's spreading fast."
Raevaryn. The name hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I couldn't make sense of it. They were a faction we'd heard about in passing, whispers of a growing threat in the east. But an infiltration? That was something entirely different.
"How did they get in?" I asked, my mind racing, the weight of the words pressing down on me.
The soldier's expression grew more grim, and he shook his head. "We don't know yet. We thought we had the defenses in place, but they breached the city's outer wall. There are already reports of infiltrators inside the academy." His words made my stomach turn. "We're trying to hold them off, but it's not looking good. You three need to get out of here, now."
I could see the fear in his eyes, the urgency. He wasn't just telling us to run for our safety. He was telling us to run because he didn't know how much longer they'd be able to hold the line.
We didn't waste any more time. With the soldier's warning echoing in my head, we turned and bolted, pushing through the crowd of panicked students and city dwellers. The chaos was overwhelming, people running in every direction, screaming and shouting, trying to flee from the unknown threat. The streets were a blur of movement and confusion.
As we sprinted, the distant clatter of armored boots and the thunderous rumble of explosions still echoed around us.
I glanced over my shoulder, and that's when I saw them.
Soldiers from another country. Their uniforms were unmistakable—dark, heavy armor that glinted in the dim light, with foreign insignia etched into their shoulders. They moved with an eerie precision, cutting through the crowd like a wave of death.
I couldn't keep track of everything happening around us. My heart pounded in my chest, but I tried to focus on keeping up with Cassian and Silas as we led a group of students away from the danger. There were too many of them to handle alone. We needed to stay ahead. We needed to make it to safety.
"Stay close!" Cassian yelled over his shoulder to the students behind us, his voice low and tense. His eyes darted from side to side, ever-watchful.
But the worst happened too quickly.
A cold, biting wind whipped through the air, carrying with it the distinct sound of shattering ice. Before anyone could react, a barrage of ice daggers flew through the air, their glinting tips catching the last light of the explosions. They moved faster than anything I'd ever seen—so fast, so precise.
One of the students screamed, his body frozen in place as the daggers struck. Another student fell to the ground, blood spilling as the ice ripped through him.
"No!" Cassian shouted, throwing himself toward the group, his hand snapping toward his sword.
But it was too late. The ice had already done its damage.
I could feel the weight of the moment crushing me. These students had been running with us, their faces filled with hope and fear. And now... they were gone.
The ice-cold terror gripped my chest, my stomach twisting in knots. I looked around, trying to find Cassian, trying to make sense of everything, but all I could see was destruction. Students were scattered, some barely moving, others already lost to the carnage. Cassian was kneeling over the fallen students, his hands clenched, his face drawn in frustration and helplessness.
"Cassian, we need to move!" I shouted, grabbing his arm. But before he could respond, another explosion rocked the ground beneath us, and the shockwave sent me sprawling to the dirt.
Everything happened at once.
The blast was deafening. It shattered the buildings around us and tore the streets open, sending rubble flying in all directions. The force of it sent me tumbling through the air, my head spinning as the world around me erupted into chaos. I lost my grip on Cassian's arm as the explosion separated us, and before I could even make sense of what had just happened, I was alone. Completely alone.
Panic gripped me, but I couldn't let it take control. I pushed myself up, coughing on the dust and smoke that filled the air. My mind raced, searching for any sign of my friends.
But there was nothing. Only the sounds of screams, the constant explosions, and the overwhelming sense of despair.
I had no idea where Cassian or Silas were now. I couldn't even see the students we'd been with. The city was on fire, and the walls of the world were crumbling.