Rhian walked through the campus, his steps slow, eyes wandering everywhere.
It was hard not to stare. Everything he saw felt new, different from anything he'd grown up around.
The students here didn't just look confident.
They looked powerful. Some wore their uniforms perfectly, others casually loosened them, like they already owned the place.
He even caught sight of a student casually holding a small flame in his palm, talking with friends like it was normal.
So that's what it looks like, Rhian thought, a small wave of envy in his chest.
As he walked, he struggled a bit with the size of the Academy. The paths were wide, the buildings huge, and it all felt like a maze.
But thankfully, there were signs fixed on the walls at every corner, showing clear directions to different sections of the campus.
One of the signs read: Headmaster's Office →
He followed it.
He was walking alone now.
Kye had split off earlier, saying he wanted to check out his dorm room and maybe meet a few people.
His tone was casual, but his steps had been quick, like he couldn't wait to leave Rhian's side.
Rhian didn't mind. He was used to being on his own anyway.
Quietly, he followed the signs, moving deeper into the heart of Eclipses Academy.
Rhian finally arrived, standing in front of a large, polished door. The sign above read simply: Headmaster's Office.
His walk here had been smooth. No one stopped him. Most people barely gave him a glance, some looked once, then looked away like he didn't exist. Others didn't bother at all, too caught up in their own world.
He raised his hand, about to knock.
But before his fist could touch the door, a calm voice echoed from within.
"Come in."
Rhian blinked, exhaled slowly, and pushed the door open.
Inside, the room a bit oppressive. The walls were decorated with old posters and framed pictures, faces of people that looked important, some probably legends in their own right.
Behind a clean desk sat a woman.
Her green eyes locked onto him the moment he stepped in. They were sharp, calm, but strangely familiar. It caught him off guard.
She looked around her mid-30s. Her black hair was tied in a neat braid that rested over one shoulder. Her uniform wasn't flashy like others he'd seen from the students, it was simple, well-fitted, and gave off the feeling of someone who didn't need to show off to demand respect.
But it wasn't just her appearance.
It was the way she looked at him.
Her gaze was direct, peircing through him like she could see more than what was on the surface.
It made Rhian feel... uncomfortable.
Like standing in front of someone who already knew everything about you.
The woman's voice cut through the silence.
"Rhian Locke... sit down."
Rhian didn't make her wait. He sat down quietly, his posture straight, feeling like a student about to get scolded.
She stared at him, her sharp green eyes never leaving his face.
"Well, I'm sure you already know why I called you here," she began. Her tone was calm but firm. "See, one of the basic requirements to enter this school, maybe the most important of all, is having a core. And not just having it, but awakening it."
Rhian felt his stomach sink a little.
He figured that's where this was going.
But at the same time, a question bothered him, How did I even get accepted then? If this was the rule, why was he here at all?
The woman leaned back slightly, watching him.
"Your aunt told me all about it," she added with a small sigh. "We were friends... it was a shame what happened to her."
Rhian's brows furrowed. Aunt?
He didn't have an aunt. At least not one he knew of. But then it clicked.
"Doctor Calista...?" he asked slowly.
The woman nodded. "Castila Reyes. One of the few people I actually respected." She paused, folding her hands together on the desk. "I will help you access your core. But don't misunderstand, this school doesn't give out special treatment."
Her voice dropped slightly, almost like she was muttering to herself.
"Unless you're freakishly gifted..." The way she said it, was low and doubtful, made Rhian feel like she didn't expect that to be the case.
Without another word, she stood up.
It was only then Rhian realized how tall she was. Tall enough to make him tilt his head slightly just to meet her eyes properly.
"Come with me," she said, already heading toward the back door of the office.
Rhian stood quickly and followed.
They now stood inside a large, empty training room.
The walls were reinforced, the floor smooth and clean, clearly built to handle more than just regular practice.
Rhian stayed still, standing a few steps behind the Headmaster. Neither of them spoke.
And honestly, Rhian didn't dare to be the one to break the silence first. It didn't feel right. So he waited, following her lead, letting the silence fill the space.
Finally, after what felt like minutes, her voice broke through.
"Did you know... Castila was one of the top graduates of this Academy?" she said, not looking at him, just staring ahead like recalling a distant memory.
"Her healing abilities were unmatched among her peers. Actually... if she hadn't left, if she had kept going, her name would probably sit beside the other top divine carriers this school ever produced. Maybe even a statue."
Rhian blinked, surprised.
Doctor Calista? That Calista?
The same woman who nagged him about eating properly, who patched up his bruises, who always looked tired with a cup of coffee in hand? That side of her... he had never seen it. Never even heard her talk about it.
He knew he was a former monster hunter, but that was about it.
But something tugged at him.
If she was that good... then why?
His eyes glanced at the woman's leg in his memory. The prosthetic.
Couldn't she heal her own leg?
He didn't voice it.
The Headmaster fell quiet again, her gaze distant. Whatever thoughts she had about Calista, they were hers alone.
And so... silence returned.