They found a rare quiet corner in the academy gardens, where the sun filtered through tall hedges and a soft breeze carried the scent of lavender. Lissandre had dragged them there after a long day of classes, insisting they needed “fresh air and a break from all the academic gloom.” Nathan sat on the edge of a small stone bench, while Krit and Lissandre took the grass in front of him. Noctisolar stretched out behind them, half-dozing in a patch of golden sunlight.

  For once, they had time to talk about something other than runes, casting, or caretaker worries. At Lissandre’s insistence, they decided to share backgrounds: real ones, the deeper stories that had shaped them before the university.

  “So,” Lissandre said brightly, hugging her knees and looking pointedly at Krit. “You said you’re from Estoria. Is that a high elf city?”

  Krit inclined their head. “Yes. The Veilgrove region, to be precise. Estoria is a large kingdom, but the Veilgrove is… different. Ancient trees, permanent twilight under their canopies, a place where the boundary between mortal land and the spirit realms is thin.” They paused, a faint reminiscent smile tugging at their lips. “High elves have lived there for centuries, and our culture revolves around quiet study, runes of nature, and long reflections. I spent most of my childhood learning to hear the forest’s voice.”

  Lissandre propped her chin on one hand. “Runes of nature? That sounds romantic. I just learned to fling flame around the lounge when I was bored.”

  Nathan, listening quietly, spoke up. “So that’s why you’re so… calm. You grew up in that environment of hush and reflection?”

  Krit shrugged. “Estoria’s quiet can help you find your center, yes. But it can also be lonely. I left to see more of the world, to study advanced Water magic and Runes. The academy offered a chance for knowledge beyond Veilgrove traditions.”

  Lissandre grinned. “That is fascinating. Meanwhile, I grew up in what you might call… magical luxury.”

  Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Your family is that well-off?”

  “You could say that,” Lissandre replied, rolling her eyes with exaggerated flair. “My parents run a huge business—Magitek Innovations, supplying specialized casting tools, potions, anything the wealthy might want. So I was raised in a mansion full of prototypes and staff. My mother is a genius alchemist. My father manages the corporate empire. They taught me every advantage, but it was stifling sometimes.”

  She paused, fiddling with the grass. “I guess that’s why I crave excitement. Surrounded by resources, I just wanted something unscripted. Fire was always my friend. So when I got that acceptance letter from the academy, I jumped at the chance to get away from constant ‘Are you inheriting the family business or not?’ lectures.” She smirked at Krit. “Freedom can be both thrilling and terrifying, right?”

  Krit offered a small, knowing nod, then turned their focus to Nathan. “So what about you? We know you didn’t grow up steeped in this magical realm. You said your background was… different?”

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  Nathan hesitated, running a hand along the bench’s worn edge. He had danced around the topic for weeks, but after all they had shared,trust, companionship, maybe it was time. “I, uh, I’m not actually from this realm,” he finally admitted. “I grew up in what you’d call a non-magical world. A place without runes, caretaker staff, or recognized affinities. I was adopted as a baby, raised by normal humans who had no idea magic existed. Or if they did, they never told me.”

  Lissandre’s eyes went wide. “Wait, you mean an entirely different realm? How did you even get here?”

  Nathan exhaled unsteadily. “I was in a normal university, studying general stuff, no direction. Then I started… slipping, seeing weird distortions, hearing scraps of music that no one else could. That was Kalden, apparently my old academic advisor, or so I thought. He kept showing up and talking about gates and these illusions. I ended up stumbling through a portal, this half-formed gateway that led me right into the academy’s domain. It all happened so fast I barely processed it. Next thing I knew, I was standing in a courtyard, being told I had some unknown affinity. That’s how I ended up here.”

  Krit studied him with soft wonder. “No wonder you seemed so overwhelmed those first days. You literally had no magical background at all.”

  Nathan nodded, swallowing. “Exactly. Imagine being told you might have powers, you see illusions, you hear chords. But none of it aligns with anything you grew up learning. I kept it all secret, sure I was just going crazy.”

  Lissandre placed a gentle hand on his arm, eyes full of sympathy. “That’s a lot to handle. I had no idea. You always seemed… well, like you were new to everything, but I assumed you just came from a smaller magical region.”

  He managed a laugh, though it was tinged with self-consciousness. “No, I was as clueless as can be. But once I arrived, the academy staff said I must have some unique potential. I still barely grasp half of it. Part of me wonders if the caretaker staff or the Professors know more about why I ended up crossing realms in the first place.”

  Krit nodded slowly, pieces clicking into place. “It explains your confusion over even basic runes, and how the illusions started so abruptly. Realms can carry different energies that, when you cross them, spark latent magic.”

  Nathan shrugged. “That is what I figure. The illusions, the chords, it could be my realm mismatch, or something else. Either way, I’m here, just trying to catch up.”

  Lissandre squeezed his shoulder. “We’re here too. You’re not alone, yeah?”

  Nathan offered a grateful half-smile. “Thanks. Both of you. It means a lot.”

  They sat a while longer, the hush of the garden wrapping them in a sense of closeness that class hours and caretaker instructions usually prevented. The tapestry of their backgrounds felt unexpectedly comforting: Krit’s tranquil Estoria roots, Lissandre’s flamboyant life in a magical corporate empire, and Nathan’s adoption and realm-torn upbringing. Each of them had run to the academy for a fresh start in different ways. Each had found something missing in themselves that the academy might help fill.

  When a distant bell chimed, they roused from their conversation. Lissandre grinned, pushing up to her feet and offering a hand to both. “I guess we better not skip dinner entirely. But thanks for sharing, you guys. Honestly, we need these moments where we remember we’re all real people, not just budding mages losing our minds.”

  Krit and Nathan rose, brushing off leaves and dust. Noctisolar stretched lazily, wings fluttering once, then sidled behind Nathan. They exchanged small smiles all around as they headed back toward the main paths, feeling more certain of each other and more at peace despite the swirl of secrets that continued to surround them. In that fleeting respite, they were just friends, forging a bond from the different roads that had led them all to the same threshold of magic and discovery.