Zul'vharra City's five districts, enclosed within towering walls, are meticulously structured. At its center lies Valcrest District, the domain of aristocratic families and noble bloodlines. Designed with precision, its grand avenues radiate outward where the ruling estates, council halls, and prestigious academies stand. Towering manor houses with gilded facades line the streets, each estate guarded by iron-clad gates and personal sentinels.
Beyond Valcrest, four districts encircle the core, each distinct in function whether for commerce, industry, military, or the arcane. Together, they form the backbone of Zul'vharra, a city built on hierarchy, power, and unshaken order.
One of these districts, Ivory Ward, is home to the elite class serving under noble families.
Some work directly for the aristocracy, while others forge their own paths, securing influence within the city. Unlike commoners, they do not fear for their children's futures, whether or not they show echo talent, they inherit thriving businesses and industries, ensuring their status remains unshaken.
To the east lies Zephyr Heights district, home to organizations that govern Echo Certificates, Echo Memories, and Domain Items. Further beyond are the Industrial Zones, Arenas, and labor districts, where commoners toil, making their way into the city for work.
At the heart of it all stands the Zul'vharra Grand Archives, an academy unlike any other. It trains students from all districts, particularly in Echo-related fields. Instructors, known as Echoes, hail not only from Zul'vharra but also from Urun'gazi and Thalasiri. Kalimaru, however, remains an outlier, its people clinging to ancient ideologies, avoiding deep involvement with other cities.
The Grand Archives is an institution of privilege. Its tuition fees are exorbitant, beyond the reach of most commoners and even some elites. After all, its funding comes from Valcrest District's nobility and the Echo Organizations.
Those who attain the rank of Echo among commoners earn free admission, but at a price, they must serve the academy for six years before they can claim their freedom. Many commoners accept the offer, seeing it as a reasonable exchange, a chance to learn Shattered Veil Aura, to fight, to protect themselves. Yet, who will tell them the truth? That they are offering years of service for mere scraps of knowledge, knowledge that should have been their birthright.
Zul'vharra Grand Archives – A Towering Citadel
Carriages arrived one after another, halting before the Grand Archives, a monument of stone, glass, and arcane steel, carved into the cliffs of Valcrest District.
Three grand spires dominated the skyline, each a symbol of power and purpose. The Sovereign's Bastion, a beacon of knowledge, stood as the heart of science, history, and the arts. The Arcane Codex housed those who sought mastery over Echo abilities, where secrets of the Dream Realm were unraveled. The Warden's Forge, a fortress of discipline, shaping warriors and duelists into masters of combat.
Groups moved in pairs, deep in conversation, while others strode alone toward their respective facilities, and departments
Levi stepped out of his carriage and made his way toward the Arcane Codex. Passing through the grand entrance, he strode across the marble-floored hall, where scholars and apprentices moved with quiet purpose.
His eyes drifted to a large notice board near the entrance, its surface covered with parchment, announcements, recruitment postings, and ongoing Echo research findings. He scanned the board briefly, noting a few names and upcoming trials, before continuing deeper into the Codex.
As he walked, his eyes were drawn to the old chandelier hanging high above the hall. Its once-glorious frame of gilded brass and crystal had dulled with age, the wax-dripped candles barely holding back the dimness of the chambers. Shadows danced across the towering bookshelves and arched ceilings, adding to the Codex's air of ancient mystery.
Sigh... How long has it been since I last saw the academy? Back then, my days were simple, just the academy and then straight home to the library. I really missed this scent in the air.
Pushing past a set of ornate doors, he entered a vast chamber that seemed to stretch endlessly upward,
The walls were lined with towering shelves filled with ancient scrolls and glowing artifacts, their light casting an ethereal glow across the room. The floor was a mosaic of intricate patterns, depicting the history of Zul'vharra and its echoes. Students filled the chamber, some in pairs, deep in conversation, while others moved alone, their eyes fixed on their seats.
The commoners seated to the side on long wooden benches, their desks arranged neatly in front of them. They looked puzzled, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. For them, entering this grand academy had once seemed like a distant dream. Yet here they were, having passed the trials, seated on equal footing with the nobles they had once considered untouchable. He found a seat near a large window, where the outside view was clear.
As the last of the students took their seats, a middle-aged man With a lean, angular face and keen, observant eyes, dressed in layered scholar's robes etched with faint arcane patterns, he carried the air of a man who had spent decades buried in knowledge his presence exuded both intellect and authority entered the room. "Good morning, students," he began, his voice firm yet warm. "I trust you are all well. Has the exhaustion from your journey through the dream realm been cleared?"
A unified "Yes, Professor" echoed through the hall.
"Alright, let's begin with a quick introduction. My name is Zayne Luthayne, and I won't take much of your time. I'm only here for today's lecture, after this, you'll be spending the whole month at the training grounds. This might be our first and last meeting, so listen carefully."
Before he could say more, a voice interrupted from the entrance. A boy stood there, his lean frame and pale skin making him stand out. "Excuse me, sir," he said hesitantly. "Are the lectures for the fresh students who have become echoes held here?"
The professor turned to him, his eyes sharp and assessing. "Did you not see the notice board indicating where the fresh students should attend their lectures and training?"
The boy hesitated. "Oh… sorry, I didn't notice it."
"Oh, you didn't notice it." The professor smirked. Mockery dripped from his voice.
"A scholar of extraordinary talent, I see. So gifted that the simple act of reading is beneath him. Tell me, should we assign you a personal guide, or perhaps offer a course on 'Basic Navigation for the Academy'?"
Laughter erupted from the students.
Yet the boy showed no embarrassment. Instead, he replied in the same firm tone:
"I didn't notice it because I don't know how to read and write."
Silence fell.
The professor's expression softened slightly, though his tone remained cutting. "Well, that explains a lot. Perhaps you thought knowledge was absorbed through the air? Sadly, we require more effort than just existing in the same room as books. I'd advise you to start learning, unless, of course, you enjoy being the academy's most entertaining failure.
Now, will you take your seat, or do you intend to stand there like a statue?"
The boy nodded and moved toward the seats. Levi, watching the exchange, gestured toward the empty seat beside him. Without hesitation, the boy sat down.
"let us begin," He clasped his hands behind his back, surveying the room." You should all take pride in becoming Echoes. Twenty years ago, I sat exactly where you are now." His gaze drifted toward the commoners seated on the right. "I, too, came from a commoner family.
If I could rise to become a professor at this grand academy, then you have no reason to lose hope. Becoming an Echo is just the beginning, the true journey starts after passing the trial. But before we delve into the spiritual senses of the human body. I will invite a student to step forward and explain to the newcomers, both commoners and nobles alike, a little history about Echo."
His voice hardened. "Because frankly, I am disappointed. Some of you don't even know how to read and write. And tell me, how do you expect to secure a future if you cannot even grasp the foundation of knowledge?"
A student seated in the front row stood and stepped forward. Straightening his posture, he spoke with confidence.
"I will begin with the Dislocate Era. Our history is divided into six distinct eras, and the first of them was a time of ignorance and fear. Humans had no written language, no understanding of the Dream Realm. With no civilizations to record what transpired, all that remains are fragmented stories. Back then, people merely survived, focused only on fulfilling their basic needs. They had no knowledge of Echoes, Memories, or Domains, yet the Dream Realm had always existed, waiting to be understood."
"Then came the Celestial Era, the turning point in our history. For the first time, Domains opened to the world, and humanity began forming the first great civilizations. Our own Zul'vharra stands as one of the oldest, built along the Nyxian Flow River , its history stretching back thousands of years."