Akio Stoneheart sat on Kariah-Belle's bed.

Along with Mae Lu, the two had a girls' night out to celebrate their making it this far so fast.

After the new arrivals had entered the school, the Headmaster and King Vermilion guided them to the Headmaster's office. They haven't been seen since. King Vermilion was ruler of Vyrmm and a great Divine Knight. He often helped the school with affairs and organized events. He was stern yet kind.

Kariah-Belle had told Akio about the vision she had after locking eyes with the Knight from earlier. Neither of them knew what to make of it.

"The weirdest thing about it..." Kariah started almost to herself, breaking the short silence that befell them. "I'd swear I know him."

"Do you?" Akio asked, tilting her head a bit.

"Not from a can of paint. I've never seen him in my life. Well, not in person that is."

"You sure? He looks enough like you to be your brother," Akio asked, which earned her a blank stare from Kariah.

"I'm quite sure, Io," Kariah confirmed with a nod. "I was told I was the only one found alive that day."

"It seems like the only thing we can do now is ask him tomorrow."

Akio stood. She was quite curious herself. She wanted answers as much as her friend. She wondered if he too experienced a vision the same as Kariah.

The young woman stretched and yawned. The sun had set only a few hours ago, and with three training sessions in one day, she had to admit she was pretty exhausted.

"We'll see him during the evaluations," Akio said as she moved to leave her friend's room. She looked back at Kariah-Belle and gave a reassuring half-smile. "Try not to think about it too much. Rest for now."

Her friend nodded understandingly. With that, Akio turned right and went down the hall to her own room. Closing the door behind her, she climbed into her bed. Her mind kept drifting to the visions Kariah had spoken about.

Were they of the past or future? It was hard to tell with so little to go on.

She forced a frown. Akio knew she'd have trouble sleeping tonight, but she just couldn't stop thinking about her friend's dilemma. It was just like Akio to ponder over things like this. The young woman had a curious nature, which piqued her curiosity a whole lot.

Half an hour passed before Akio got out of bed. She grabbed her Holopad from her study desk. She exited her room and headed back to Kariah-Belle's. She'd suspected her best friend hadn't fallen asleep. Once she entered the room, Kariah-Belle looked up from her Holopad.

"Can't sleep?" Kariah asked.

Akio shook her head. "That vision of yours is baffling. Maybe if we put our heads together and use our Holopads, we can at least find a clue."

"Agreed," Kariah-Belle responded with a grin and squealed like a little girl who had gotten a new gadget. "Sleepover!" she added as she moved over in her bed, making way for her.

"We live just down the hall from each other."

"I know that," Kariah stated. "It's more fun when you're close by."

She knew exactly how her friend was feeling. The two of them were like sisters and had a bond Akio hadn't experienced since her blood sister was murdered before her eyes.

That bond showed most on the battlefield. Oftentimes, the two didn't even need a Nurolink to know what the others were thinking. It was kind of uncanny. Despite Akio's inability to properly display emotions, Kariah could tell what she was feeling almost instantaneously.

Soon, the two were hard at work researching the net for anything they could find on visions. They spent half the night trying to find any leads, but they couldn't find one. Still, they kept at it, jotting down anything that might be of interest in their Holopad's notebook.

Before long, Akio had fallen asleep and awoke to a sleeping Kariah cuddled against her back. It must've been time for her friend to get her ten hours of sleep. Akio slid out of bed, making sure to not disturb Kariah-Belle. Not that she could. When the girl slept, she slept like the dead.

She checked the numbers above the door. 11:15 am. The number switched on the wall. They had missed their first class already. Kariah probably would be asleep until 2 pm. Akio stretched once she got to her feet. After pulling the covers over her friend, she headed to the bathroom, which each dorm room had. She turned on the warm water in the shower and undressed.

She stood under the running water as she bathed. Her mind wandered to her longtime crush Lax-Rim. Since she'd met him during the entrance exams, Akio's heart had taken a liking to him against her will. She didn't know what it was that made her heart beat rapidly for him.

Maybe it was the way he discussed his dreams for the future, wanting to become the King of Vyrmm and help the orphanage that raised him and be the second in the Col branch to become a national ruler. Perhaps it was the determination in his eyes and the warm flame in his heart.

Or maybe it was how he risked his life to protect her and put his dreams on the line during the entrance exams. He'd chosen to fight a battle he couldn't win and risk waiting two years before he could retake Lyzria's entrance exam. Maybe it was something else entirely. Akio couldn't figure it out for the life of her. The guy was such a hot-tempered knucklehead. His jokes and pranks reminded Akio of her brother. His red hair reminded her of her mother who was born into the Col branch.

Whatever the reason, Akio was in love with the young man, and she couldn't deny it.

After getting ready, Akio arrived at the university and sat in her class. Professor Mar-Gin was giving the class a lecture on the mechanics of the weapons used by Knights.

It was a subject she knew much about. She knew everything down to the materials used to make the gun that stored mana. She knew much about several things, from arithmetic to economics to combat. It came as no surprise.

The Stoneheart branch was one of the four branch descendants to a lightkeeper. They often produced prodigies, a race of humans with traits of the dragon-like race known as Drakons. Stoneheart excelled in mana and life force control and could craft mana in its purest form.

Her father was a great Knight, as was her brother and sister, who would've eventually become head of the Stoneheart branch. She had plans to become a great Knight, not to follow in their footsteps, but for her own ambitions.

Akio didn't necessarily care for Knighthood, but she wanted the perks that came with it. She also wanted the freedom the Divine Knights have, so she could go searching for a rare artifact her late father often told stories about. The relic was told to have the ability to go through time. It was said to be lost to the ages.

Her heart became heavy at the thought of her dead parents and siblings. The memory of her sister's bloody face smiling at her flashed in her mind.

She clutched the side of her desk to keep from screaming.

She quickly distracted herself with thoughts about Kariah and Lax-Rim while her professor talked. Akio recalled the first time they met for Lyzaria's entrance exams. It was thanks to those two she found her passion again, becoming a greater treasure hunter than her father.

Akio thought of her father and siblings yet again. After their deaths, she became numb and unable to properly display emotions. She isolated herself, believing that no matter how strong one was, in the end, they would die and leave behind the ones they cherish. She lost her will to live and drifted through life doing what others expected of her. Though she pursued her goal again, she developed an unhealthy fear of dying a meaningless death—fighting a battle she couldn't win.

It wasn't until meeting Kariah and Lax during the entrance exams that she started to form bonds and trust in others again. Kariah-Belle had said something her father told her while he'd fought for her and her sister to escape. "To protect something precious, I'll put my life on the line. That's what it means to be a Knight."

She found something to live for and precious comrades she desperately wanted to protect. Although she came off as uncaring and blunt, Akio knew she came a long way since meeting the two.

After class, she met up with Mae Lu and Jet for a little two-on-one training. Jet was always a worthy sparring rival for the team, and one person alone wouldn't be able to push him. Even if Lax-Rim got into the mix, they still wouldn't have a chance to win. The guy held the number one spot at Lyzaria for a reason. Akio held the third. Second place belonged to Ianna, who was the leader of a different squad.

An hour and thirty minutes later, Akio had showered and was now sitting at her desk, floating sideways while listening to the professor go over the ruling powers of the four nations. She was busy using a stylus to take notes on her Holopad. Barons and Baronesses ran individual kingdoms and cities. Queens and Kings ruled over a nation. The supreme council ruled over everything and acted as the head for the Order of Knights, which served and protected humanity.

After class wrapped up, she met Lax-Rim for lunch.

"All right! You're crabmeat and rydeer stew is the best!" Her sweetheart said with a grin that made Akio's heart melt.

"Thanks, babe!" The deer was a delicacy.

"You're welcome." She didn't bother to force a smile. She had told him when they started dating that his smile made her feel warm and at peace

After lunch, she headed back to her dorm and whipped up a recipe her mother used to make. Their time in the kitchen together was what stirred her passion for culinary arts. Cut-up Dulion boar rump and cabbage were on the menu this time.

She made a plate for Kariah-Belle, but her friend wasn't in her room yet. Akio figured she'd be at her final class of the day. Mar-Gin would be teaching advanced physics and mana control to her and a few other students instead of the whole class.

A few hours later, Kariah-Belle walked into their dorm kitchen. Her face lit up when she saw what Akio had cooked.

"Is that Dulion boar?" she asked.

Akio nodded. "We'll need all the energy we can get today.: Dulion boar meat kept one alert.

Kariah-Belle put down her Holopad and sat at the table. "All right! I'm so hungry I could eat... Well, a boar!"

Akio forced a half-smile at her friend's corny joke, indicating she was amused. She then looked at the time. They had over an hour left. It was enough time for Kariah to finish her meal. Afterward, the two of them would get ready for what lay in store for them.

"So, how will you feel when you face the offspring of the man who led the attack on your branch?" Akio was curious.

Kariah thought for a moment before shrugging. "Not sure. Guess we'll find out."

The two left the dorms. Akio had to check in with the culinary arts club. Kariah accompanied her. Akio hugged her club members, while Kariah-Belle greeted and joked with them. Before long, the two were on their way to meet professor Mar-Gin and the others.

Later, Akio and Kariah joined Professor Mar-Gin and the rest of the gang at the rear of the school. Akio felt Kariah-Belle tap her shoulder as they approached the group. She gestured over to the right, and Akio's head followed to see the new arrivals from yesterday standing in front of a land rover and interacting with each other. All except Kaden. He seemed annoyed.

"Welcome," said Professor Mar-Gin when Lax-Rim arrived. "We will begin the debriefing on the assignment."

Everyone spoke their understanding. Akio turned her attention to the brown-haired young man. Most knew his name.

Kaden.

He was recruited by Star Titannia in his first month of taking his school's entrance exam. That was during his first year. No one knew how he managed it, but since then, the young man made a name for himself as Titannia's apprentice. He even earned a title during the battle of Kaanan, where he, along with the white-haired young woman, fought on the front lines for their nation's capital. The people called him Master Knight: Lightning Flame.

She then turned her attention to the white-haired young woman. The first pupil of Star Titannia. Master Knight: Frozen Gun. Kariah-Belle had always seemed to idolize the young woman, and Akio understood why. Her nickname came from her signature SMGs and her ability with ice craft. Rumor had it she would succeed Iris Eloclipes and take the title as Holy Knight. She'd even become one of The Seven Swords of Justice, the strongest Knights on the planet. Unlike her sibling student, Frozen Gun was chatting with the other pupils from different nations.

"Sorry, I'm late," Lax-Rim stated as he came upon the team. "What are we getting into today?"

"As you all know, our allies from the other three nations will be evaluating for the next three days," Mar-Gin began. The group nodded, and he continued. "What I didn't tell you is why recruitment had started early this year. At first, I didn't have any intel. Only a theory. After an audience with my superiors, I now have some facts." The professor cleared his throat before continuing.

"There have been multiple evil bearer attacks and we fear they were under the control of a Darkness Tamer. Around the same time, Vympiris became a lot more active. We fear a war is coming on two fronts. The Supreme Council of four nations has decided, for this reason, you along with other advanced course teams as well as the top classes in the other three universities will be getting evaluated early."

"A war?" Mae Lu said a bit nervously. "Against whom?"'

"We aren't entirely sure. The Order thinks Strake Col, the current leader of Rogue, is making a move against Vyrmm."

The group exchanged looks. Yeah, they were strong for university students but fighting a war with so little experience sounded like suicide. Akio recalled how they had trouble taking down that evil bearer.

She looked at Lax. The Col branch was known for its flame crafters as well as most of them becoming criminals. Her heart sank when she saw the wounded look on his face that he quickly hid.

Mar-Gin chuckled. "In my three years of being a professor at this university, I've never come across a group with such potential. With the right teacher, you all will blossom into fine Knights. For now, focus on making a good impression, understood?"

They nodded. Akio looked over at Kaden. He was staring intensely at Kariah as he followed behind professor Mar-Gin, who led them through the rear gate of the school. The way Kaden stared at Kariah-Belle made Akio wonder yet again if he too had a vision.