The doors of the Santyran Academy were open for the start of another school year. The streets decorated and everyone chatting animatedly. Parents taking their grown children for the first day. The seniors returned with their friends, sharing the news from their vacations.

The spirited enthusiasm of the new students was something the veterans envied; some times they missed that fire. That eagerness to prove their worth, to bring pride to their people. They still felt that, but in a more conscious way. Sometimes the impulsiveness was missed, and they needed to remember the reason they were there.

Since the disappearance of the Seal of Dawn, the world has never known peace again. The seal protected the world from the Forgotten. Creatures without origin, without purpose, the only thing they did was destroy and consume everything they touched. When the seal disappeared, nothing separated the Forgotten from the World of Trazya. The disappearance of the seal did not only bring the attacks of the forces of oblivion. The distrust grew, the kingdoms blamed each other, the Immortals were not able to protect all the Kingdoms. The people's hope was being lost and chaos spread.

Thousands of years passed until the Kingdoms reached an agreement. Prioritising the protection of Trazya and the Realms. The Immortals agreed to help one last time, forming the Santyran Academy, offering the training of elite soldiers to fight against the Forgotten. A place where old differences and frictions were to be set aside. An attempt to unite the nations again.

— Stop pulling my arm, Celestia! — The female voice was soft and sweet, accompanied by a laugh at the end of the sentence.

The two women wore simple clothes, in light tones and light fabrics, walking among the people in military uniforms. The scene caught the attention of the visitors. Even the new students wore training clothes. The difference in clothing made it easy to identify the origin of those people. People's opinions were always extreme: they either loved or hated the people of Klillash.

For some, it was a waste of resources; their spot could be given to someone useful. While others believed that they should not underestimate a people who remained intact during the Great War. Klillash rarely had any students in Santyran, so this little buzz almost never happened.

— I want to be in front, Sage! Hurry up! You look like an old turtle. If we stay behind, we won't see anything! — Celestia said, laughing, without letting go of her friend's arm.

Klillash, a kingdom known for its joy, connection with nature, and great healers. It was made up of elves, nymphs, fairies, and forest spirits. Considered peaceful, they avoided conflicts. Some said they didn't apply for the Santyran, while others said they didn't pass the basic test. So one person from Klillash was already considered an event, two people were something almost impossible to see.

— It's still early. You don't need to rush like that! — Sage laughed at her friend, her exaggerated reaction only making her more amused. — If you want to get there early so much, go ahead.

He let go of her grip and waved his hand for her to keep running. He said he would join her soon. Sage shook her head watching her friend run more and more excitedly towards the entrance of the Academy.

She looked to the side, the street was crowded with new students and families saying goodbye. She felt slightly uncomfortable seeing the contrast between her clothes and those of the other students. The light fabric, which would flutter with the slightest breeze. The long hair covered with small flowers, wavy brown with a natural definition, highlighted

Sage's delicate features. It created a harmony with the orange eyes, an unusual colour among the fairies of Klillash. It wasn't the kind of appearance one would expect. Not from someone at a military academy. Sage knew that, but didn't let the discomfort continue.

She raised her hand, smiling at those who looked at her with curiosity and even a hint of disdain. The gentle expression never leaving her face for a moment. It wasn't difficult to ignore those looks, and the scared expression on their faces was almost funny.

— Damn ignorant people. — The voice was low, just for her to hear, and yet, the smile was there.

The lively conversations on the street, the anxious footsteps. Everything stopped. The heavy sound of footsteps against the asphalt, accompanied by the clinking of metal. Sage turned around, the simple image made her understand.

Myrophale.

Even though thousands of years have passed, the culprit behind the disappearance of the Seal has never been revealed. At the time, there was a rumour and a general uproar; they said the evidence of the time pointed to Myrophale. That simple rumour caused people to revolt against Myrophale.

Even though currently all the Elite soldiers are from Myrophale and they are the main ones responsible for border security, people still felt strange around them. They were also not friendly with outsiders.

People treated them like criminals for years, so they couldn't be judged.

People respected them. A respect that was earned through fear. Myrophale had the best soldiers, a population almost entirely composed of dragons. The army had control of one of the entrances of the forgotten. Besides being the largest supplier of jewellery, metals, and weapons.

The contempt for them continued, but they feared them more than they despised them.

— They are so... unnecessarily extravagant. — Sage stared at the leather clothes adorned with pieces of gold and silver. — Dragons and their treasure chests.

She rolled her eyes while observing the scene. Sage couldn't feel sympathy for them. The way they flaunted themselves, as if they thought they were superior, walking in groups and looking at others as if they were mere insects. I couldn't stand it.

— An elf from Klillash should learn to keep quiet. You're not going to a nature retreat... — a dragged-out and sarcastic male voice, the laughter among the group began to spread exaggeratedly.

— You sound like a child talking, weird. — Sage didn't bother correcting him about being a fairy, it was a waste of time. — You're going to say, "Hey, you don't know who you're talking to, do you want to cause trouble?". And did you really feel offended? For calling you extravagant? Then, nymphs and fairies who are emotional. — Sage's soft and gentle tone contrasted with the biting words.

The people on the street who seemed to have frozen in place let out a laugh, hands placed in front of their lips trying to stifle the laughter, while the group tried to control their irritated expressions.

Sage noticed the boy's movement, his body leaning forward, the way he moved his irritated shoulders. She waited for the insults or even something worse, but nothing.

— Do you really want trouble on the first day? — The voice was deep, a lazy tone, as if speaking were an unnecessary task. — She's a fairy, she's even more useless. Elves are good marksmen. Learn to identify who you are going to offend.

The icy atmosphere of the street returned with the first word he said, but worse than before. No one dared to breathe too loudly.

Sage saw everyone's face turn towards the center of the group. A person in the center was the first to move, taller than everyone else. I could see the black strands moving, looking between the people trying to catch a glimpse of who it was.

It was then that he saw. The red eyes staring directly at her. A shiver ran through his entire body, his shoulders tensed, something in his mind screaming danger. It was like looking death in the face.

Santyran had a rule that was above any nation. Secrecy. Their training, notes, internal information, nothing could leave the Academy. But that didn't stop the rumours, especially one. Kyros Pyro Sterling. People knew the surname. By General Pyro, a name that even the forgotten recognised and feared.

The rumours said that Kyros was the General's son. People deduced that he must be as lethal as his father. Then the research on the Pyro family began, with many people from all over the world curious to find out. The Pyro family had an entire lineage of imperial dragons, which made them something worse than lethal.

The opening of the Academy did not only bring together the new students; the veterans were also expected to go to welcome them. This explained Kyros's attendance at the opening. The reason they were gathered as a group, Kyros was like a crownless prince.

The mere encounter with the red eyes made Sage start to doubt the rumours. She no longer used to believe in those things, but now she doubted. Not because they were lies, in fact, Kyros seemed to be much worse than the rumours.

The crowd followed Kyros, and gradually the rest of the people began to move again. Sage remained in place, contemplating the event. The deep voice seemed to have the ability to stop even an army without needing to shout, the red eyes that sent shivers down the spine with any small contact. And then, his words.

— Of course he considers fairies useless. — She rolled her eyes, continuing to walk.

Sage muttered under her breath, complaining about the previous situation, rolling her eyes and commenting on how Myrophale was surrounded by brainless people. For people who were accused of treason, they had a lot of ego.

The opening ceremony of the Academy was held behind closed doors. No guests, no friends, and no one who wasn't enrolled. They believed it was the best for everyone's safety. The Academy was the responsibility of the immortals, who, after thousands of years of wars, severed contact with the mortals. The academy was the only place where they appeared. The distancing of the Immortals from the people occurred after the population's revolt against them. Some people even started blaming them for the disappearance of the Seal. That was the last straw for them. The day after the rumours surfaced, the Immortals cut off all aid.

When the immortals stopped helping with the Forgotten, it was disastrous, many deaths, entire cities being destroyed, but they refused to help. The Academy emerged after an act of kindness from the Immortals, saying they would help as long as their rules were followed. They would train the best soldiers, but they had to leave the past behind and maintain confidentiality within the Academy.

— Welcome, everyone, to the beginning of another year at Santyran. — The tone was melodious, full of joy, the man's smile was so bright it could almost hurt the cheeks of those watching. — As you know, Santyran has strict rules about confidentiality and security; these are points we consider important to maintain the high standards of the Academy. Any disclosure about classes, training, or other students will be punished with exile. Disclosing information about the immortals, those responsible faced a celestial trial. It's just a reminder, it's not up to us to judge the decisions of the immortals.

The curious gazes of the new students filled the entire audience. Sage and Celestia were in the middle of the crowd, sitting in their designated seats with their eyes attentive to everything happening. The enormous encouraging speeches from the teachers began.

To be honest, the mortal teachers did not attract much attention from the public. Almost everyone was anxiously waiting for the entrance of the Immortals. Some whispered among themselves for those long speeches to end soon.

— I imagine everyone is anxious… but did you think entering here would be that simple? — The gentle expression on the man's face began to give way to a serious one. — I am the Mortal Coordinator Lincam, responsible for resolving public matters and directing you. There is one final test conducted before you are officially accepted in Santyran. The test is conducted for both Veterans and Freshmen. We have to ensure that the level of the Veterans did not drop during the holidays, and for the freshmen, it is to be sure of their skills and to direct them to the right teachers.

In the sky, covering the school, a barrier began to spread. Vibrant colours forming patterns on the barrier, preventing anyone from outside from accessing what was happening inside. The enormous clouds in the sky began to disperse, revealing a vast field with a huge mountain behind it. On stage, a huge projection appeared, the map of an arena with a river cutting through the middle.

— The test can be called a reconnaissance mission. You will be placed at random points in the Arena and divided into teams of 6 members, 3 freshmen and one veteran from each year. Your objective is to activate 3 reconnaissance posts and go to the meeting point. Simple? The freshmen are only there for your safety, they will not participate, after your test, they will have their own test. — At that moment, people started commenting excitedly, some even finding it too easy. — Each post has a level of difficulty and will be protected by a senior student. The higher the difficulty, the higher your score. You will be covered by 3 protection spells, and when the last protection spell is broken, you will be removed from the test. Worry about your performance, the score is just a detail.

— The veterans should not interfere in the decisions and disputes between freshmen, only guide and follow their own instructions. — The woman stood up relaying the notice. She spoke calmly — Understand your limits and complete the test in the best possible way.

The woman snapped her fingers and a white light filled everyone's vision, Sage looked around trying to find Celestia or anything that could give her support. She tried to open her mouth, looking for a way to scream, but no sound came out. She clenched her hands tightly.

It didn't take many seconds for the sound of the birds to be heard, she felt something soft under her feet that resembled wet soil. The smell she so recognised from nature and the sound of the water flowing through the river brought her a bit of peace. A peace that lasted little.

— Great, a useless fairy.

Sage grimaced upon hearing the different voice of the robotic countdown. He ran his hand over his face, grumbling, blinked a few times, and cast a glance at the person in front of him. The same person who started the debate minutes before the ceremony began, the same one who looked like a child arguing.

— Great, a child. — The tone was gentle, as if she were truly happy and that person was indeed a child.

The man huffed in irritation, and it was possible to see the corners of his eyes tremble with annoyance. At that moment, he seemed to be holding back, biting his lower lip hard and controlling the acidic response that was on the tip of his tongue.

Sage lowered her gaze to his wrist, seeing the pearl bracelet. She looked at her wrist, seeing she was wearing one too. The colour was the same, and it seemed to be the only thing different he wore. To her, it could only mean one thing, they were both freshmen. This made her feel more and more antipathy towards him. The way he carried himself on the outside made anyone think he was someone important in his senior year, at least someone good-looking. His appearance was so ordinary that it was almost boring, someone you would see in the crowd but would forget about the moment after.

— Focus on what is important. Leave the discussion for later. — The female voice came out of nowhere, making Sage take a small step back, startled.

The gaze went straight to the bracelet; if she were right, the woman's would probably be different. Well, Sage was right, instead of pearl white, the shade was silver. Maybe second year?

The woman's expression was serious. She seemed to analyse everyone there. The sharp eyes that tried to read and note every weak and strong point. When the eyes reached Sage, they lingered there for a few more seconds, and then a trace of doubt appeared in their gaze.

— Miranda, second year. Yuge, first year, and Arabela, third year. — Miranda pointed to each of them and then to the bracelets, silver, bronze, and gold.

— We are here to give tips on how not to lose all three lives in less than three minutes. — She forced a smile. — If you don't want the advice, just ignore it. We can't choose for you, or directly interfere in your decisions. Nor fight for you.

Miranda brought her hand to the silver bracelet, and the holographic image of the island formed between them. Sage analysed each of the highlighted points that were classified from 1 to 5. All spread across the map, and the region became redder as the zone number increased.

— Don't think we're going to do the work for you. Don't trust yourselves too much, if you think you're at a level... subtract that level by... twenty? Twenty is a good number! — Arabela said with a playful voice and laughter.

The attention of the five was stolen when the sixth person appeared, emerging from the bushes and making an exaggerated noise due to their clumsy way of walking. He was a short boy, with pale skin. The way he shrank back reminded Sage of a frightened squirrel.

Yuge shook his head the moment the last person from the team appeared. All three veterans seemed to understand each other without needing to exchange many words, exchanging glances and responses in just a few seconds. By their expression, was it something like disappointment?

Sage observed each of their reactions and the silent discussion, trying to understand their exact role there. They seemed more like an audience, not people who were there to help them.

— Is there any reason for you to be here? — Sage's furrowed brows betrayed the great doubt in her mind, but the three seemed extremely willing to ignore the question.

The registration forms of the three freshmen appeared next to the map. None of the upperclassmen felt like explaining anything. They pointed at the map, grumbling among themselves, as if the other three were invisible.

Sage could see on the face of the boy from Myrophale that he was starting to get irritated. It was the first time he managed to agree with him on something, all of that was annoying.

"It seems like you guys are going to decide everything and leave us to do our own thing." Sage brought the tips of his fingers to his forehead, grumbling upon hearing his voice.

Even agreeing with him, his voice remained irritating.

Arabela diverted her attention from the map, focusing on the boy; the expression was not pleasant.

 It seemed to be staring at a creature that couldn't stay still. Seeing the small impasse forming, Sage cast a quick glance at his file, having a bit of difficulty understanding the name.

 — Plato? What an ugly name. — He straightened his posture, returning to look at the map. — This point has no classification, but it's darker than all the others. What is it?

All five of them held back their laughter. Sage was sure that she hadn't missed any explanation from the coordinator, so she didn't understand what was so funny about her question.

— It's the white zone, the Immortals don't think it's fair to place Kyros in the same category as the others. So there is no classification for him. It's a warning, if you want to have any chance, don't go there. — Yuge pointed to the center of the map and marked it with a danger sign. — There are 5 points we recommend, they are on the way to the meeting point. They are observation points 1 to 3, it's better to stay between points 1 and 2. That way, they will have hope for something.

Yuge was pointing at the spots on the map, the white band covering his eyes created a doubt in Sage's mind. She had heard about people who chose not to see. They used to say that vision was a hindrance, but she never understood how they seemed to see so well.

— There's a level 3 station nearby, I want to start there and, if it goes well, we'll move to levels 4 and 5. Going to levels 1 and 2 is a waste of time. — Platon's proud voice irritated Sage's ears. — I won't end up with a bad score because of a fairy.

— The posts are protected by veterans. From last year. I'm sure level 1 isn't your child's training in Myrophale. — Sage rolled her eyes upon seeing a nearby level 2 post. — Let's go to that level 2 one, so we can determine if level 3 is easy or difficult.

— We have three chances if something goes wrong. Do you really consider yourself that weak? — Sage rolled her eyes, it was better to let him talk to himself.

He ran his hand through his brown hair, shaking his head. If he stomped his foot like a child, then he would be treated like a child. The orange eyes turned to the sixth member of the group, who remained slightly isolated, just observing the interaction of the rest of the group.

His skin was so white that Sage wondered if he was really alive. She had never heard of the Academy accepting ghosts.

— Almost a ghost. — Sage was startled by the look at him. — Some wizard from my family decided to test the limits of life and death, and now my entire family is almost a ghost. Living ghosts... I think I can call them that.

Sage opened her mouth wanting to justify herself. To say that she wasn't judging him, nor thinking anything bad about him, she was just curious.

— I've seen that kind of look many times. I wasn't offended, don't worry. — He smiled without expressing any kind of hurt in his tone.

— Sorry, I didn't mean to come across so much... — both were interrupted by an impatient sigh from Platon.

— Let's go already.

Sage stared at the veterans, who remained silent throughout the entire conversation. She expected some kind of order or something like that, but they seemed completely indifferent to that kind of thing.

— What? — Arabela pointed to herself and the two colleagues, then stifled a laugh. — We can't interfere in your decisions, our advice was ignored. We are not the leaders of this team. Go ahead, if we receive any kind of notice, we'll help, if not... good luck! — Her smile grew even bigger.

— If I may give another piece of advice. If you go to zone 3 without passing through at least one zone 2, you will die. — This time the voice was Miranda's, she was intertwining her fingers in the greenish strands with a bored expression. — Almost all the newbies think zone 3 is easy, the intention of the test is for you to evolve. Zone one and two are for the veterans who have more patience.

Platon gave a forced laugh, rubbing his hand over his eye as if he were wiping away a fake tear.

— They wouldn't put a difficult test in the ranking, it's just something silly to know our level. The only challenge should be Kyros and Zone 5, but they probably won't even be able to use all their skills. — Platon started walking ahead, tossing his brown hair as a way to mock those behind him.

— Can we let him lose all three lives and move on without him? — Sage jumped slightly, startled by the presence behind him. — And is it Miro or Miros, Miroslav… I find it weird, so I prefer Miro.

— Okay... just don't appear behind me out of nowhere, please. — He said with his hand on his chest, trying to calm down after the scare. — I really wanted him to lose all three lives, but I think that affects our evaluation. It just seems like no one cares whether he lives or dies. — He looked at the three veterans who were still standing there, waiting.

— We can accept losing points for that. — Miranda shrugged, and Sage just nodded slightly in agreement.

She couldn't judge; if she lost points for abandoning Platon, she wouldn't feel guilty. She let out a low sigh and was the first to start walking. She touched one of the pearls on her wrist, causing a small map to be projected in front of her. A dot showed Platon a few meters ahead. He was walking quickly towards Zone 3. Sage felt like letting him go in there alone, so he would lose lives, but she knew that would give her more headaches.

— How much can veterans really use their strength?

— As much as they want. This is just another test to measure the veterans who can actually rank something. The zones are their individual rankings. Your ranking will be based on whether you are smart or egotistical enough to go to the difficult Zones and how long it takes for you to lose all three lives. We have to try to stop you from dying to the veterans so quickly. — Miranda continued with a bored expression, showing no real interest in all of it. — It's not that zones 1 and 2 are weak. They just aren't as aggressive. Most freshmen seem to have an ego bigger than their brain.

— This is basically to find out how useless you all are. — Yuge's sincere words were slightly offensive, but it was understandable.

— You were worse than them, Miranda, you went to a Zone Five thinking it would be an amusement park. — Arabela's tone was accusatory, reminding her friend that she couldn't judge others. — We all did the same, except for Yuge, he took the right path. We tried to make sure you wouldn't make the same mistakes we did.

Sage shook her head, despite the grimace at the unfriendly words, she understood the situation. It was just not so simple to accept that they were so insignificant like that. From the moment they received the invitation card, everyone started treating you like an extremely important person, as if you had achieved something impossible. But they needed to remember that they had just arrived at a place where everyone there had already achieved the same thing they had.

— If everyone is special, no one is special... — Sage muttered to herself, shaking her head. — Let's go after Platon before he loses all three lives and we all get punished for it