Atell struggled to his feet as the brilliant light faded. He hadn’t anticipated the sweeping surge of power that accompanied the activation of the array and had gotten knocked over.

Although, it sounded like the other two were much worse off than himself. His eyes were still recovering, but Atell could hear Akemi’s pained gasps and her attendant’s low groans.

‘Was it really that painful?’ he wondered. Sure, his head was still ringing from the noise, but his vision adjusted quickly and otherwise, he felt in fine shape…

“You—! You tricked me…” The other boy growled as he clutched his stomach.

“Enough, Ern. No one is competing with you…” Akemi interrupted, stepping between the two of them.

‘Ern is it?’ Atell reinforced his mental note to avoid the deranged, long-armed boy at all costs. He had no idea what Ern was on about and it reminded him too much of the unadulterated hate he received from Raiden in the past.

“The twins should be waiting for us outside, let’s not keep them waiting.”

Ern clicked his tongue in annoyance but dutifully followed behind his master — who wasted no time thanking the operator on this side and heading for the exit.

Atell didn’t understand the girl’s impatience. He wanted to look around more, take his time soaking up the new sights. Shimmering Heights was a beautiful and peaceful little town, but by the end of his fourth year on the mountain, he’d started getting stir crazy, traveling into Kobi more and more often to break up the monotony of his day to day life.

His shoulders slouched as he gazed down at the pool of water in the grotto. It reflected a rippling image of the dense clusters of sky blue crystals covering the cavern’s jagged ceiling. They illuminated the area in a resplendent light, exuding a peaceful, almost joyous feeling that one could only experience on a bright, cloudless day. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bask in the sensation for long as Akemi had already disappeared into the tunnel leading out of the cavern and he didn't want to fall behind any farther.

Taking off at a light jog, Atell quickly entered the tunnel and climbed up the steep slope towards the surface. Dim rays of sunlight creeping in from outside and the glow from the cavern below clashed inside the underground channel, providing just enough light to make out the trail. The pathway was wide but slick from the spray splashing onto the smooth stone’s surface from the narrow river running alongside it. Up ahead, Akemi seemed to be struggling, her leather sandals unable to find any purchase on the ramp. The girl muttered curses under her breath as she clung closely to the wall, using it to maintain her balance as she sidled upward.

“Young Miss, footing in this accursed channel is treacherous, allow me to assist you.”

Akemi snorted, glaring at her aide as she flicked a glance towards Atell who had quickly caught up to them. “With all the money The Nest receives, you’d think they would’ve improved this passage after all these years,” she growled under her breath.

“Shall I issue a complaint when we arrive?” Ern asked.

“No!” Akemi shouted abruptly before quickly collecting herself. “It’s fine. If I was outfitted in proper attire there wouldn’t be any issues.

“Still… If the Young Miss were to slip and injure herself…”

“I can dry out the path ahead if you’d like?” Atell offered.

“I would appreciate that, if you wouldn’t mind,” Akemi sighed. Much to Atell’s surprise, Ern’s expression had remained neutral when he interjected.

“It’s no problem,” he replied, stepping around them. A thin trickle of Mana seeped into his Origin Rune as he led the way. Atell focused his fiery aura into the ground in front of them, causing a faint veil of steam to flow into the air as he moved. The group’s vision was somewhat obstructed as a result, but their pace improved dramatically and they soon emerged from the tunnel.

Akemi and Ern both nodded their thanks as they all stepped out into the mountain valley shrouded by dusk.

Occupying a majority of the immediate area was a large, circular lake. A few small fishing vessels and rowboats moved leisurely across its surface, almost unanimously heading towards the dock at the lake’s western edge — behind which loomed a lightly fortified city that Atell could only assume was The Nest.

Prior to coming out here, he had made some inquiries during his lessons with Sivelle about The Nest’s general location. Through which, he learned that it was located in the Severed Spine’s western valley, not too far from the cave system his tribe had settled into in recent years, surprisingly enough. He had been greatly comforted by this knowledge, only making his decision to attend the institution that much easier.

During one of his short visits to check-up on his grandfather, Atell had learned that, due to their close proximity with The Barrens, the tribe’s hunters occasionally spotted the Warband scouting parties that guarded the border. It became a constant fear in the back of his mind that the tribe would one day be discovered and he would need to rush to their aid.

By staying at The Nest he shortened the distance between them, only about a week’s hard march if he really pushed himself. There weren’t any easily traversable mountain passes leading into the western valley — a major reason why The Nest occupied this area to begin with, but if he could get his hands on a suitable mount, Atell figured he could cut the journey in half...

As Atell lost himself in his calculations, his companions followed the lake’s offshoot to its shore. There, a long rowboat, manned by two silver-haired maidens, gently bobbed in the waves as it waited for them.

“Akemi! You’ve finally made it!” The shorter, yellow-eyed girl of the pair called out.

“Yes, I apologize for the delay, Mara.” Akemi replied with a bright smile. She ran over to the waiting girls and plopped herself right next to Mara on the rowboat’s bench.

Ern and the silent blue-eyed twin similarly seemed well acquainted as they nodded tersely to each other and took charge of one of the boat’s oars respectively.

Everyone was ready to depart, waiting only on Atell who pushed them out onto the water as he clambered inside and found a seat opposite Akemi and Mara.

“You must be Atell.” Mara quickly addressed him. “Lord Rei asked me to look after you like one of our own, so if you ever need help with anything at all… please, don’t hesitate to ask me.” The older girl’s toothy grin and relaxed posture seemed completely at odds with her feral eyes.

“I wouldn’t want to trouble you. The Rei Clan has already gone out of their way to help me thus far, and there isn’t much I can offer in return.” Atell waved her off, he wanted to make a clean break from this group even if Mara’s experience as an older attendee of The Nest would be valuable.

“Now that’s not entirely true is it?” Mara’s smile thinned. “I like to consider myself a big sister to all the Rei Clan members and vassals at The Nest. Assisting others is just something I take pride in, so it’s really no trouble. ” The silent twin’s smooth rowing faltered momentarily as Mara wrapped an arm around Akemi’s shoulders.

Mara’s wild mane of hair and loosely fitted attire didn’t exactly give Atell the impression of a reliable older sister, if anything, he felt the unnamed twin was more suited to the role. Her hair was neatly braided down her back and her dark, tranquil blue eyes seemed to mirror the flowing surface of the lake.

“I appreciate the offer.” Atell smiled apologetically, trying his best to put the matter to bed.

“Is this how you would repay the Rei Clan’s kindness? An ungrateful whelp like you doesn’t deserve the Spirit King's respect.” Mara bristled, dropping all pretenses in a flash.

“Mara!” Akemi exclaimed with a frown.

Atell ignored everyone else and quietly began circulating his Mana as he glared back at the seething girl, unwilling to back down. He was essentially trapped out in the middle of the lake with the four members of the Rei Clan. Not exactly the most favorable location for a battle, but there were plenty of witnesses around the area so he didn’t think the girl actually intended to fight. Mara was just provoking him, unable to suppress the eagerness she displayed through her expressions and words.

“Atell is Grandmaster Sivelle’s apprentice, and should be considered a close friend of our family…” Akemi admonished the girl as she extracted herself from the half-hug and shrunk back.

“The boy certainly doesn’t view himself as our friend, so why should we?” Mara folded her arms across her chest.

“Well, I don't blame him when you and Ern seem so eager to confront him at the slightest opportunity!”

Ern flinched slightly and shifted in his seat. At this point, neither him nor the other twin were rowing. The boat drifted slowly across the water’s surface, disturbed only by the wake of passing fishing vessels. Akemi’s sniffles and the distant chatter at the dock resounded loudly in the taut silence.

It was the one Atell least expected to shatter the tension that eventually did. “Mara, you go too far. Mother will hear of this if you continue to harass the boy.”

Mara’s wolf-like ears flattened as she slouched. “Yan... you would take this spawn of golden mongrel’s side? He’s probably in league with the other one that showed up last year...”

Yan shrugged. “No, but we have a task to accomplish, and you are backing him into a corner right now. Have you learned nothing from our hunts?”

Mara glanced around and finally seemed to register the implications of their location. “Agh, whatever! Little Akemi, you must stay away from this boy in the future. I can smell the filthy pollutant in his blood.”

Her stoic counterpart reached towards the pouch at her waist and procured a thin blanket which she wrapped around the teary-eyed Akemi’s shoulders before returning to her station at the oar.

Mara huffed and turned away from Atell, seeming content to ignore him for now as she whispered apologies to her reluctant young miss.

Atell, however, remained on guard as Ern and Yan stirred the waters once more, pushing them forward. Throughout the remainder of their brief journey to the dock, he was unable to piece together why Juma was so insistent on inviting him into the Rei Clan’s fold when even the children of the vassal families were so clearly opposed to the idea.

Even more worrying was the exaggerated behavior of everyone he met belonging to these large and powerful families. Whether it was Raiden and his mother in the past, or Lady Galene, Ern, and Mara whom he’d met today — they all acted so… aggressively. As if they were demanding his obedience. Instinctually, Atell would meet them with all the defiance he could muster, but it wasn’t behavior that he generally felt comfortable dealing with or reciprocating himself. And he knew he’d be meeting more and more of these characters in the coming days...

‘It seems like I’ll need to inquire more information about the Paragon Clans and their affiliated vassals,’ Atell sighed mentally. ‘Maybe Elaina will be able to assist in that…’

Sivelle’s lessons only skimmed the surface of the Dynasty’s history and many families. Most of which was still jumbled around in a nonsensical mess in his mind. Although he’d managed to raise the standards of his reading and writing abilities to the minimum acceptable level in the last two years — there was still a long way to go.

The Nest was mostly centered around helping young practitioner’s with potential nurture and train their magic, so Atell could only hope that there would be resources allocated to more scholarly fields that he could take advantage of...

Finally, after another dozen odd minutes of steady rowing and drifting, they arrived at the crowded dock. Mara had taken over oar duty from Ern as they neared and now deftly maneuvered their boat into an open space among the multitude of vessels alongside her sister.

The twins quickly secured the rowboat to a post and helped Akemi disembark. Atell followed behind them next to Ern as they cut through the crowd filtering into the city. He noticed that the watchtowers interspersed across the low wooden wall were unmanned and neither were there any guards present at the gate. Instead, everything was adorned by carvings composed of a dark-green metal that seemed to pulse and ebb in a similar manner to the network of wards that Atell had seen at Sivelle's manor.

Still, once inside the city, everyone was pretty much left to their own devices, which he found odd. Today was the final day to register for the upcoming period of instruction, and certainly, there must be others, like their group, who had only just arrived.

Yan halted their march just as they stepped foot onto the cobblestone streets inside the wall. “Our first priority is getting you all squared away at the Registrar’s Office. The line shouldn’t be too bad at this time of day.” Her voice was flat and most of her attention was focused on Atell. “In the future, you’ll be able to sign up for classes there, most of which take place outside of the regular instruction hours, so pay close attention to the building's location.”

Atell acknowledged her intentions with a slight nod and started keeping an eye out for landmarks as they delved further into the city.

The Nest was nowhere near as large or tightly packed as Kobi, but the sprawling streets felt just as crowded as Atell jostled his way through the throng of students, most of whom appeared at least a few years older than himself. Between the crowd and lack of lighting along the streets, it was becoming increasingly difficult to make out where they heading in the final breaths of daylight.

His innate night-vision helped out somewhat, but Atell was unable to entirely quell his annoyance. “Aren’t there any lanterns or street lamps around here somewhere?” he grumbled.

Yan shook her head and replied without turning around, “There’s a strict curfew enforced after sunset. It’s lifted on days like today when prospective students are still arriving, but otherwise, you’ll have to be content with cultivating or studying in your room in the evenings.”

“Why’s that?” Atell asked.

“Because the impulsive ones like Mara tend to get into trouble when given too much freedom and free time,” Yan chuckled, eliciting a snort from her sister.

The group lapsed back into silence as they took one turn after another, eventually arriving outside of a particularly tall and broad pagoda that reached the apex of the city’s skyline.

‘At least its size will make it easier to pick out,’ Atell mused as Ern shoved open the thick, heavy doors. Inside, there were a few clerks seated behind some makeshift tables spread throughout the spacious first floor. Yan directed them towards the table with the shortest line at the far end of the room.

After they’d settled into the queue, Akemi reluctantly turned around and glanced at Atell. She bit her lower lip, eyes laced with hesitation, before addressing him, “I understand things haven't exactly… gone well today, but I feel like I should still ask you…”

“Hmm?” Atell quirked an eyebrow.

Akemi inhaled a deep breath before continuing, “...There are multiple different lodging options for first-year students. Large Clans and families, like my own, already own property in The Nest which is where we all will be staying…” she gestured to herself, Ern, and the twins. “You… are welcome to stay in the Clan’s building as well, should you wish. The rooms are all outfitted with wards, so you won’t have to worry about privacy, and there are also various training facilities and Mana Chambers in the basement which you would have access to...”

Atell heard a student in front of them suck in a sharp breath when Mana Chambers were mentioned. He’d never heard of them before but could make some assumptions about their usages. And he didn’t doubt that the rest of the Rei Clan’s property would be extremely well-equipped. However, he’d already solidified his resolve many times in recent days to avoid the noble families and their politics whenever possible…

“What about the other options?”

“Well, you could purchase your own room in one of the general housing buildings. But those tend to be too expensive for all but the wealthiest of students until you accumulate enough merits,” Yan interjected. “The final option is to stay in one of the barracks outside the city that are reserved specifically for first years. It's free, and the most popular choice for any unaffiliated practitioners. Although, there are some extra responsibilities that come along with it.”

“Like what?”

Yan shrugged. “Menial tasks mostly. Cleaning the stables, mess halls, sparring rooms, and so on. Or working as an assistant for one of the Instructors.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad,” Atell agreed, turning back to the petite girl fidgeting at Mara’s side. “I’m grateful for your generous offer, Akemi, but I’ll have to decline.”

Akemi’s bouncy curls seemed to deflate alongside her posture, full of resignation.

“Why subject yourself to that when you could live in much better conditions?” Mara was finally unable to hold her tongue when she saw her mistress's disappointment. “The barracks don’t have much equipment and you have to share a room with three others…” she wrinkled her nose at the thought.

“Still seems much better than living in the same place as you.” Atell retorted.

Mara bared her fangs in reply. “Very funny. You’d better watch your back from now on, pup.”

Atell ignored her icy glare, it was finally their turn in line and he was all too eager to depart from the hostile environment.

“Name.” The spectacle-wearing Fae stated blandly as Akemi stepped forward.

“Akemi Rei accompanied by my vassal, Ern Vodyr.”

Nodding slightly in response, the clerk made a note on his list before reaching into the crate under the desk and procuring two burlap sacks. “Your uniforms and identity talismans are inside. Spare uniforms are available in both of the Major Halls, but if you misplace your talisman — you’ll need to return here for a new one.”

“Understood.” Ern grabbed both the bags, slinging them over his back. Proceedings finished, Akemi immediately stalked off with her retinue in tow, finally leaving Atell on his own. He exhaled all the tension in his body before stepping up to the table.

“Name.”

“Atell. I believe I should be registered under the Naharu family name.”

“Ah yes… Elaina’s recommendation this year. No wonder the Rei family princess would make such an offer.” The man looked up briefly from his notes. “Kid, I gotta commend you for turning her down. It’s enticing, but getting involved with one of the big Clans so early on would put you at odds with many of your fellow peers. Ride it out and enjoy the benefits of any recruitment gifts for as long as you can.” The Fae paused as he handed Atell the bag containing the uniforms and a small slip of paper. “You’ll be in the Ironheart Garrison, room number 5. I’ve included a map for you, but if you just exit the city and follow the lake’s eastern shore — it shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

“Thank you for your help.” Atell bowed to the clerk and received a smile.

“Don’t forget to be at the Major Hall of your choice before the bell tolls eight times tomorrow morning!” The man called out as Atell strode towards the door.

“Got it!” Atell replied. But just as he was about to exit the entrance hall, a dark shadow slipped in front of him to block his way.

Atell cautiously sized-up the shaggy Demon in front of him. The boy sported an awkward smile, squinting his dull brownish-red eyes as he held up a hand.

“I don’t mean to alarm you. I just overheard that you were assigned to the Ironheart Garrison and I happen to be heading there myself. However, the clerk at my station seemed to have forgotten my map,” the boy finished with a chuckle.

“Yea, sure. Which room are you in?” Despite his abrupt arrival, Atell didn’t detect any hostility from the scrawny boy, and his appearance reminded him a lot of his past self. Dark, unkempt hair and a wiry body forged through constant labor but a lack of proper nutrition...

“Room 6, so I guess we’ll be neighbors. Name’s Hollowtooth, what’s yours?” Hollowtooth held out his hand.

“Atell.” he returned the gesture giving the boy’s hand a shake. “I don’t mean to be rude, but Hollowtooth is a bit of an odd name. Is that a nickname of sorts?” Atell asked as he led them out the door. A lot of the foot traffic seemed to have filtered out, so they didn’t have much trouble making their way around.

“...You could say that,” Hollowtooth replied after a bit of hesitation. “The people in my family don’t receive our names until a... coming-of-age ceremony when we’re five years old. Got mine through that.”

“I see… Then, what were you called before the ceremony?”

“Kid, boy, number 4. It didn’t really matter much to my parents. I know it sounds odd, but that’s just the way it was.”

“No, not at all…” Atell glanced at the map while shifting his bag into a more comfortable position on his shoulder. He directed them right, through an alley towards the main thoroughfare. “...I mean, every family has their own traditions, right?”

“I suppose so, especially among us Demons,” Hollowtooth chuckled.

“Exactly.”

“So — which Major are you going to choose, Atell?” The boy asked while sporting a concerned frown. “I’ve been struggling with the choice. I’m not too keen on fighting, but on the other hand... my magic isn’t well suited for any of the Three Disciplines either.”

“Hmm, to be honest… I’m still not entirely sure as well.” It was something Atell had been contemplating for a while now and he drifted deep into his thoughts as the question resurfaced. The Discipline Hall seemed like the obvious choice. It was where all the practitioners focused on becoming Concocters, Runesmiths, and Formations Masters studied. He already had ample experience making potions, but… when he thought about devoting his entirety to the profession, something held him back.

He desired strength. To protect his tribe, to rise in status, to satisfy his ever simmering need for revenge… he needed strength in all things, and it didn’t take much self-reflection to realize that. But at the same time, if he committed himself to that path — he felt like he would be abandoning Sivelle’s kindness and her hopes for him. And everything he had today was because of her. His stomach would twist and churn into painful knots whenever he thought about disappointing the old Fae…

Still, even if he joined the Combat Hall, he could make time to continue his research with potions on his own. Deep down, he already knew that was the decision he had reached a long time ago, but he hated how guilty it made him feel, so he had buried in the depths of his heart.

“Well, what’s it going to be?” Hollowtooth’s smooth voice slipped into his mind.

Atell released the breath he had been holding as he suddenly found himself standing outside the city gates, confronted with the peaceful lake stretching into the distance. No longer disturbed by the city’s occupant’s, the expanse of water’s glass-like surface perfectly reflected the myriad of stars shimmering in the night sky. Syren and Nerys likewise appeared eager to hear his answer as they glowed brightly up above.

“I think… I’m going to join the Combat Hall…” Atell spoke into the empty air. He stood there for a few moments, waiting for the other boy’s reply. But it never came. Hollowtooth was nowhere to be found as he glanced around.

Atell shivered as a bout of panic set it. The other Demon was real, he was sure of it. Sivelle’s warding trinket should have protected him from any manipulative magic, but somehow the boy’s image grew increasingly hazy in his mind as he tried to recall the details of their meeting.

‘I’ll have to keep an eye out for him…’ Atell sighed as he concluded that his current efforts to find an answer were futile. It had been a long, confusing, and frustrating day. He could only hope his new roommates would provide him with some sense of normalcy as he trudged along the lake’s shore.