The academy courtyard stood quiet, the spires of the Academy rose sharp and imposing against the silvery sky, the soft rustle of leaves the only sound breaking the stillness. Dawn’s light stretched across the stone, casting long shadows that mingled with the mists still clinging to the cobblestones.

  Seraphina shifted the strap of her satchel, feeling the relic against her hip, its hum vibrating beneath her skin. The relic’s presence was a constant reminder of the path she’d chosen—a path leading into the unknown. What if we’re not ready? Her pulse quickened, the enormity of the mission beginning to settle on her shoulders.

  Lumos’ voice echoed in her mind, a quiet comfort.

  "The journey may seem daunting, Seraphina, but you are not alone. The light within you will guide your path."

  Thorne stood a few steps away, his usual calm replaced by the restless energy that had settled in him since they had been given the mission. He fiddled with the strap of his lute, its familiar weight offering little comfort. When his eyes met Seraphina’s, he gave her a crooked smile, his expression light despite the tension in the air.

  Alessa moved with sharp, deliberate motions. The weight of responsibility was etched into the set of her jaw, though her eyes betrayed nothing.

  "This is it," she said, her voice firm. No room for doubt—only the relentless march forward.

  Seraphina glanced at her friends, the weight of the journey pressing down on her. I can’t fail them. I can’t fail Aetheria.

  Lumos' calm voice echoed in her mind, soothing the storm inside her.

  "You are not alone, Seraphina. The bond you share with Thorne and Alessa will carry you through."

  The warmth of Lumos' presence filled her, and she let out a breath, the tightness in her chest easing. Thorne hides his doubts, but his strength is unwavering. And Alessa—she's always been my anchor. Together, we’re unstoppable.

  Lumos’ words settled over her like a gentle wave, and Seraphina felt the weight of her doubt begin to lift.

  The sound of approaching footsteps cut through her thoughts. Professors Sylvorel and Astra moved toward them, their presence as steady and unyielding as the academy spires themselves. Sylvorel’s silver hair caught the early light, and his calm gaze swept over the group.

  "You’re ready," Sylvorel said. No more needed to be said. The message was clear. Don’t doubt yourselves.

  Astra, ever cryptic, adjusted the strap of her instrument case.

  "A fracture in the bond could fracture the whole," she said, her tone low and filled with meaning. "If the anomaly destabilizes, the rift could tear through the entire realm. Act quickly—and remember: You’re not alone. Stay united." Her eyes flicked to each of them, the faintest glimmer of concern hiding beneath her cool demeanor, as if she was seeing something they hadn’t yet noticed.

  Before Seraphina could begin to worry again, the air seemed to shift. Professor Stellaris emerged from the shadows, her midnight robes flowing like liquid starlight. Her gaze swept over the group, sharp and unwavering, as if she could see through their fears.

  "This is just the beginning," Stellaris said, her voice soft but unyielding. "There are paths ahead you have yet to see, but you must walk them, regardless. Trust in your abilities—and trust each other."

  Seraphina met Alessa’s eyes, finding no answers, only quiet resolve. Thorne caught her gaze too, his expression softened by something close to understanding.

  "Right," Alessa said, her voice steady. "Let’s go."

  The academy gates creaked open, and Seraphina felt a subtle charge in the air, the hum of Aether pressing against her chest. The morning mist parted as the sun broke through, casting long shadows on the cobbled streets. The spires of the capital reached toward the sky, and for a moment, everything seemed impossibly far away.

  “Ready?” Thorne’s voice was light, but Seraphina caught the edge of uncertainty beneath it. He wasn’t asking her—he was asking himself.

  “Not even close.” She tightened her grip on the strap of her satchel. The cool air, so different from the academy’s stillness, pressed in on her. Everything was about to change. No turning back now.

  The streets of Solyra buzzed with life—shopkeepers shouting, the scent of freshly baked bread mixing with the sharp tang of metal from nearby workshops. Artisans carved celestial patterns into stone, their radiant tools leaving glowing trails like constellations. The city itself pulsed with the hum of Aether, its pale stone and crystal buildings rising seamlessly from the land.

  Stellaris nodded toward a glowing transport conduit.

  “This way.”

  They boarded a platform that hummed with energy. As the vessel emerged, sleek and smooth, it caught the first rays of the rising sun, gliding toward them. With a soft lurch, they lifted into the air, the city shrinking below them as they sped toward the Astral Nexus.

  For a while, no one spoke. Their gazes drifted to the vast sky above, to the faint shimmer of the Veil stretching across the horizon. The transport hummed steadily beneath them, its path weaving over the crystalline landscape.

  Thorne broke the silence first, his voice casual but tinged with curiosity.

  “Professor Stellaris doesn’t seem like the type to join something without a reason. What’s she really invested in here?”

  A brief look passed between the professors. Stellaris didn’t react. Her gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

  Astra leaned back, her voice steady but guarded.

  “She has her reasons.”

  Thorne raised an eyebrow.

  “That’s it? You’ve known her for years. There’s got to be more to it.”

  Sylvorel glanced at the shifting light on the vessel’s hull.

  “Some wounds run deeper than others. Stellaris isn’t just invested in this mission—she’s bound to it.”

  Seraphina frowned.

  “Bound how? Is this about the Veil?”

  Astra’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face.

  “It’s more than that. She’s paid a price most of us can’t even begin to understand.”

  Seraphina softened. Her eyes drifted to Stellaris, who sat unmoving.

  “She’s lost someone to the Veil, hasn’t she?”

  Astra nodded slowly.

  “It’s not our story to tell. But yes. For her, this mission is personal.”

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  The air between them thickened, heavy with unspoken history. Alessa, who had been quiet, spoke up. Her voice was softer than usual.

  “I never imagined her being like that. Hard to picture her as anything but… well, Professor Stellaris.”

  Thorne’s usual grin faded, replaced with something thoughtful. He stared out at the horizon, quiet for a moment.

  “Yeah. Hard to imagine any of them as students. Let alone Stellaris and Magdalene.”

  Seraphina blinked.

  “Wait—they went to the academy together?”

  Astra smiled faintly, her gaze distant.

  “A long time ago. They were here with Magdalene, learning just like you.”

  Seraphina’s eyes widened.

  “I didn’t know they were here together.”

  Sylvorel chuckled quietly.

  “Oh yes. Quite the pair—well, trio, really. But that’s a story for another time.”

  For a brief moment Seraphina was certain she felt the relic stir.

  The vessel drew closer to the Astral Nexus, its energy pulsing with an almost tangible weight. At its centre, a massive sphere of astral power throbbed, connecting the three main islands of Aetheria. Seraphina felt the weight of their mission settle on her. Everything in Solyra, Nyxara, and Verdalys seemed tied to this place.

  Stellaris gestured toward a quieter platform.

  “We’re close.”

  They moved deeper into the Nexus, their footsteps light on the glowing pathways. The hum of energy filled the air, steady and constant, like a heartbeat thrumming through the stone.

  Thorne, ever the one to break the tension, grinned.

  “Well, this is a step up from the academy’s marble halls.”

  Alessa shot him a sharp look, but Seraphina only half-smiled, distracted by the pulsating energy around them. The air felt thick with it, like static just before a storm.

  Seraphina’s gaze shifted to the astral sphere at the center. It was beautiful—fragile, yet full of power. She could feel the hum of its energy, deep beneath her skin. Don’t let awe cloud your thoughts, she reminded herself. There was a task to accomplish.

  Engineers worked near the sphere, adjusting the flow of astral currents with precision. One misstep could send everything crashing down.

  “Stay focused,” Stellaris said, her voice cutting through the buzz of the Nexus. “We’re close.”

  They moved forward, Seraphina stealing glances at her friends. Alessa’s face was unreadable, her eyes distant. Thorne, however, seemed more at ease, his usual grin relaxed despite the weight of everything.

  “Do you ever wonder how we fit into all this?” Seraphina murmured.

  Alessa glanced at her, her expression softening ever so slightly.

  “We’re threads in the tapestry. Hard to see the pattern when you’re tangled in it.”

  Thorne chuckled.

  “At least we’re tangled together. Safety in numbers, right?”

  Before Seraphina could answer, Stellaris stopped on the platform. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sang—a low, resonant melody that hummed through the air. The Nexus responded, its light rippling outward like a stone dropped into still water. Stardust swirled, shaping into something vast and radiant.

  From the swirling Aether, Nova emerged. Its form was an ethereal tapestry of radiant energy, shifting constellations woven seamlessly into its translucent body. With each movement, its wings unfolded—delicate and infinite, folding space around them. The creature pulsed with the glow of distant stars, bending reality with every breath.

  Stellaris stepped forward.

  “Nova.”

  The Starwing’s gaze shifted toward them, ageless and knowing. It lowered itself gracefully to the platform, wings folding in a soft, shimmering cascade.

  Seraphina’s breath caught in her chest. Nova’s presence filled the space with a quiet storm of power and wonder. Alessa didn’t flinch, but Seraphina could see the faint flicker of awe in her eyes, breaking her usual control.

  Thorne whispered, wide-eyed,

  “I didn’t know you could call Starwings like that. I thought they were just legends.”

  Seraphina turned to him, her awe mirrored in his voice, before she returned her gaze to Nova, feeling its weight settle over them like a quiet storm.

  “They listen,” Stellaris said simply, stepping forward to touch Nova’s glowing flank. “But only to those they trust.”

  Sylvorel placed a hand on Thorne’s shoulder.

  “Starwings are sacred. They’re called for journeys that matter—journeys like this.”

  Stellaris nodded.

  “Nova will take us to Nyxara, beyond the Veil. From there, the path is ours to forge.”

  Nova lowered itself further, wings stretching wide as the air trembled around it. One by one, they climbed aboard. Seraphina hesitated, her hand brushing against the creature’s energy—both solid and weightless—before taking a deep breath and stepping onto its back.

  As the Starwing rose, the platform beneath them vanished. They ascended into the shimmering expanse of stars, leaving the Nexus—and any lingering doubts—far behind.

  The roar of wind filled her ears as they ascended. The golden glow of the Nexus shrank below, and the sky stretched endlessly above. Seraphina gripped her satchel tighter, feeling the steady pull of Nova beneath her, its wings folding space around them, bending the fabric of the world itself.

  “It’s even more breathtaking than I imagined,” she murmured, her voice soft with wonder. Her fingers twitched as though itching to hold a brush. “I could spend a lifetime trying to capture this.”

  Thorne’s laughter rang out, sharp and joyous. He leaned back in his seat, tapping the Starwing’s edge to a rhythm only he could hear.

  “Flying through a sky like this on a Starwing? No one’s going to believe this when we get back.”

  Alessa tugged her hood tighter, her expression neutral.

  “I’ll admit, it’s... impressive,” she said, her words measured. She shot Thorne a sidelong glance. “But don’t expect me to start waxing poetic.”

  Thorne grinned, triumphant.

  “Gotcha, though. You said it—impressive.” He nudged her shoulder, his teasing warmth peeling back the layers of her composed exterior.

  Seraphina smiled, letting their banter wash over her. The wind hummed with Nova’s energy, and for a moment, the weight of their mission felt distant—just them, the sky, and this impossible, breathtaking ride.

  Behind them, the professors stood quietly, their focus on the horizon. Stellaris’s voice cut through the wind, measured and thoughtful.

  “They’ll remember this flight. The first journey is always about trust.”

  Sylvorel nodded, his silver hair catching the light like spun starlight.

  “It’s a lesson that stays with you.”

  Astra adjusted the strap of her instrument case, her gaze on the students.

  “And trust, like light, is easily fractured. Let’s hope they learn quickly.”

  Seraphina squinted ahead as Nyxara emerged—a shadowy island cloaked in twilight, its silver rivers glowing like molten stars. The air around it seemed heavier, buzzing with tangled energies that made her stomach twist.

  “That’s it,” she whispered, her awe now tinged with unease.

  Thorne leaned forward, his usual bravado quieting.

  “It looks... alive. Like it’s waiting.”

  Alessa frowned, her sharp gaze scanning the landscape.

  “There’s a lot of energy here—shadow and illusion, tangled up with celestial currents. We’ll need to tread carefully.”

  The group fell into a quiet reverie, the enormity of Nyxara settling over them. The mists below shifted, revealing fleeting glimpses of moonlit paths and twisting branches that seemed to reach out, alive with secrets.

  Thorne broke the silence with a grin, his tone light.

  “Okay, fine. It’s incredible. But next time, I’m bringing a snack.”

  Alessa rolled her eyes, though the faintest smile tugged at her lips.

  “Because snacks are clearly the priority when you’re flying into a cosmic anomaly.”

  “Exactly,” Thorne said, undeterred.

  Seraphina let out a quiet laugh, her shoulders relaxing as they shared a rare, unguarded moment. The Starwing’s descent grew steadier, and ahead lay Nyxara, its mysteries waiting to unfold.