The Silverstaff Institute Arc
Episode 3: Meeting Wander Nozu
February 13th, NE 567
Deep inside the Fate Plane Forest, a carriage moved slowly along a narrow dirt road.
Ancient trees surrounded the path, their enormous roots twisting through the earth like sleeping serpents. Silver leaves shimmered beneath the morning light while strange creatures watched from behind the thick vegetation.
At their current speed, the journey to the Silverstaff Institute would take another two days.
Inside the carriage, Yin Pendragon sat near the window with a book resting across his lap.
The pages were covered in handwritten notes, rough sketches, and different sword stances he had created himself.
Some techniques were carefully organized.
Others were crossed out so violently that the ink had nearly torn through the page.
Yin's eyes remained fixed on one unfinished drawing.
It depicted a swordsman launching himself downward while surrounding the blade with dragonfire.
Beside it, he had written:
Rage of the Fire Dragon
Problem: grip becomes unstable after impact.
Possible solution: stronger weapon, better footing, or stop missing.
Yin stared at the final sentence.
He crossed it out.
Then he wrote:
Amani cheats.
Across from him, Amani Roya slowly looked up from her bag.
"I can see what you're writing."
Yin immediately covered the page.
"No, you can't."
"I watched you write my name."
"That could have been anyone."
"How many people named Amani do you know?"
"Enough."
"You know one."
Yin turned toward the window.
Amani narrowed her cross-shaped pupils before continuing to search through her luggage.
Yin had barely slept after the vision inside the carriage.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the red sky again.
Bodies covered the ground.
Twelve enormous shadows surrounded an older version of him.
And that title continued to echo through his mind.
Dragon of Judgment.
Yin did not know whether it had been a nightmare, a memory, or a glimpse of the future.
He had not told Amani what he saw.
He did not know how.
Instead, he focused on his sword style.
Every idea became a technique.
Every frightening thought became another line in the book.
Amani finally pulled something from her bag.
Two pieces of a broken wooden scythe.
She stared at them.
Then at Yin.
"Hey."
Yin continued pretending to read.
"Yin."
No response.
Amani leaned forward and tapped the book.
"You broke my weapon."
Yin looked up.
"I didn't break it."
Amani held up the two pieces.
"It appears broken."
"You used it to stop my attack."
"You set it on fire."
"It was a controlled flame."
"The weapon burned."
"That sounds like a flaw in the weapon."
Amani stared at him.
Yin slowly closed the book.
"What?"
"Do you think there is someone along the way who can repair it?"
Yin placed one hand against his chin.
Several small towns stood between the forest and Rize City, but none were known for exceptional craftsmanship.
There was one place nearby that might help.
"The Land of Dawn," Yin said.
Amani lowered the broken weapon.
"What about it?"
"It's the greatest forging city in the western region. Blacksmiths, artificers, engineers, rune makers. They create weapons for several kingdoms."
"How far is it?"
"About a day from here."
"That takes us away from the Institute."
"Only slightly."
"How slightly?"
Yin looked away.
Amani sighed.
Still, reaching the Silverstaff Institute without a weapon would be inconvenient, especially if the entrance examination included combat.
"Fine," she said. "We'll go."
Yin leaned toward the front window.
"Coachman!"
The man controlling the horses glanced back.
"We're changing direction!"
The coachman's tired eyes narrowed.
"Again?"
"This is the first time."
"The prince before you changed the route five times."
Yin paused.
"That sounds like something Father would do."
The coachman pulled the reins, turning the carriage toward another trail.
Amani placed the broken scythe back into her bag.
"You've visited the Land of Dawn before?"
"No."
Amani looked at him.
"Then how do you know where it is?"
"I read about it."
"You are rerouting our entire journey because of a book?"
"The book had a map."
"That does not make this safer."
"It makes it educational."
Amani rested her forehead against the carriage wall.
"This journey has already become exhausting."
Twenty-Four Hours Later
The road to the Land of Dawn had apparently been designed by someone who hated carriages.
The wheels struck every stone.
The carriage bounced through every hole.
At one point, Amani's head hit the ceiling hard enough to leave a small crack.
Yin pretended not to notice.
Amani noticed him pretending.
By the time they finally arrived, the coachman looked as though he had aged several decades.
The Land of Dawn stretched across an enormous valley surrounded by black mountains.
Yin stepped from the carriage and stared.
The stories had not prepared him for its size.
The city was a perfect mixture of magic and machinery.
Metal towers rose above crowded streets. Pipes carried glowing liquid between buildings, while floating platforms transported weapons and materials through the sky.
Mechanical animals walked beside merchants.
Enchanted furnaces burned without fuel.
Runes covered nearly every wall, bridge, and road.
The constant sound of hammers echoed through the city.
Smoke rose from hundreds of workshops.
Amani climbed out behind him and adjusted her bag.
"This is larger than I expected."
Yin looked upward.
The sky was clear blue.
No blood.
No red clouds.
No twelve shadows.
His smile faded.
Was it really just a dream?
He hated how relieved the blue sky made him feel.
He hated even more that part of him expected it to change.
Amani noticed him staring.
"You've been doing that since yesterday."
"Doing what?"
"Watching the sky."
Yin looked toward her.
"I like clouds."
"There are barely any clouds."
"Then I'm waiting."
Amani studied his face.
He was hiding something.
She decided not to force him yet.
Instead, she removed the broken scythe.
"Let's find a blacksmith."
The nearby workshops were crowded.
Customers surrounded every successful forge, shouting over prices, repairs, and custom orders. Some blacksmiths had waiting lists that stretched several months.
Amani began asking the locals for recommendations.
Most pointed toward the central district.
Others warned her that the greatest craftsmen rarely accepted strangers.
Yin remained near the carriage, watching the city around them.
The Land of Dawn appeared peaceful, but its defenses were enormous.
Walls surrounded the valley.
Magical cannons had been built into the mountains.
A barrier shimmered faintly across the sky.
The city looked capable of surviving a thousand-year war.
"Are you searching for someone?"
Amani turned.
An elderly woman stood nearby carrying a basket filled with metallic flowers.
"I need a blacksmith capable of repairing this."
Amani showed her the broken scythe.
The woman examined it.
"You will need more than an ordinary smith."
"Do you know one?"
The woman pointed toward the center of the city.
A massive structure towered above the other buildings, surrounded by bridges, chimneys, and glowing furnaces.
"The greatest workshops are gathered there."
Amani followed her finger.
"I somehow didn't notice that."
"The city has a habit of hiding its largest wonders in plain sight."
The old woman looked at the broken scythe again.
"You might also find a certain boy."
"A boy?"
"He is young, but his hands are better than most masters."
"What's his name?"
The woman smiled slightly.
"You will recognize him."
"That is incredibly vague."
"He is different."
The woman began walking away.
Amani followed for a few steps.
"Different how?"
The old woman stopped.
"He was not born here."
Her voice became quieter.
"The people of this city fear what they cannot explain."
She glanced toward a distant row of workshops.
"And that boy has given them much to fear."
The woman disappeared into the crowd before Amani could ask anything else.
Amani looked back toward Yin.
"Come on."
Yin shook his head.
"You go."
"You brought us here."
"And now you know where to search."
Amani narrowed her eyes.
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing."
"That answer usually means something."
"I'll wait near the carriage."
"Stay near it."
"I will."
"Do not explore."
"I won't."
"Do not enter any dangerous forests."
Yin's eyes shifted.
Amani caught it.
"There's a dangerous forest nearby, isn't there?"
"No."
"Yin."
He pointed toward the central district.
"Your weapon is still broken."
Amani stared at him for another moment.
Then she walked away.
Yin waited until she disappeared into the crowd.
He turned toward a wooden sign near the city's edge.
IRON FOREST
ENTRY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION
Yin smiled.
"Interesting."
The Central Forge District
The closer Amani came to the center of the city, the hotter the air became.
Furnaces roared from every direction.
Blacksmiths shaped glowing metal while artificers carved magical circuits into weapons and armor.
Customers crowded around the most famous workshops.
Only one forge had no visitors.
Amani stopped.
A teenage boy worked alone beside a large furnace.
He had dark skin, messy black hair, and sharp golden eyes. Orange markings covered his bare arms, shoulders, and chest.
Unlike the other blacksmiths, he wore no protective shirt.
He placed one hand near molten metal without showing any discomfort.
The walls surrounding his workshop were covered in carvings and painted words.
OUTSIDER.
MONSTER.
LEAVE OUR CITY.
The wood had been scratched so deeply that several sections were beginning to split.
Amani's expression hardened.
The boy continued working as though the markings did not exist.
He held a copper dagger beneath the light.
Despite the cheap material, the blade shone like polished gold.
"Perfect," he muttered.
Amani stepped closer.
"Are you busy?"
The boy did not turn around.
"Since you're speaking to me, I'm guessing you're not from here."
Amani frowned.
"What does that mean?"
He pointed toward the hateful words covering his shop.
"There's your answer."
Amani looked at them again.
Then back at him.
"Yes, I'm an outsider."
"That explains why you approached."
"Business is business."
The boy finally turned.
A smirk appeared across his face.
"That answer made me smile."
Amani placed the two pieces of the scythe on his table.
"Can you fix this?"
He examined them.
"Yes."
"Can you improve it?"
"Easily."
"How much?"
"Free."
Amani raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing is free."
"Today it is."
"Why?"
"Because you spoke to me like a craftsman instead of a disease."
Amani glanced toward the damaged walls.
She understood enough.
"Fine," she said. "I accept."
The boy picked up the weapon.
"I need to ask you some questions first."
"Go ahead."
He opened a large metal pot beside the furnace.
A bright orange glow illuminated his face.
Amani leaned slightly closer.
"That's lava."
"Yes."
"You keep lava in a pot?"
"Yes."
"That is not normal."
"This entire city sells enchanted blades to people who cannot hold them correctly."
Amani considered the surrounding customers.
"Fair."
The boy dropped both halves of the scythe into the lava.
Amani's eyes widened.
"What are you doing?"
"Repairing it."
"You melted it."
"I'm improving the material."
"That sounded more convincing before you destroyed it."
The boy picked up a bottle filled with silver liquid.
"Can you use magic?"
"Yes."
"What affinities?"
"Mental magic and physics magic."
He poured the silver liquid into the pot.
The lava flashed white.
"Useful."
Amani folded her arms.
"Why does my magic matter?"
"Because I'm not a normal blacksmith."
He slammed one hand into the lava.
Amani's cross-shaped pupils widened.
His orange markings began glowing.
The molten metal wrapped around his arm without burning him.
"I'm an artificer," he said.
He pulled the liquid metal from the pot and began shaping it with his bare hands.
Amani watched carefully.
An ordinary blacksmith created weapons.
An artificer created systems.
Weapons designed to respond to magic, adapt to their wielders, and change according to battle conditions.
"That explains the questions," she said.
The boy nodded.
"I need to know how you fight."
"Wouldn't you require the same magical affinities to power it properly?"
"Normally."
He compressed the molten metal between his palms.
"That's what makes me different."
The orange markings brightened.
"I possess Creation Magic."
Amani's interest increased.
"Creation, along with fire and magma?"
The boy glanced toward her.
"You noticed quickly."
"You are holding lava."
"That usually gives people a hint."
Amani leaned against the table.
"What's your name?"
"Wander."
"Wander what?"
"Nozu."
"Amani Roya."
Wander paused.
"Roya?"
Amani realized she had revealed her family name.
"Yes."
Wander smiled.
"Fancy."
"It is merely a name."
"Nobles usually say that until someone forgets to bow."
"I prefer people who do not bow."
"Good. I wasn't planning to."
Amani almost smiled.
"Nice to meet you, Wander."
"You too, Roya."
He lowered the newly formed handle into water.
Steam exploded upward.
Wander pulled it back out and began sharpening the blade.
"You said physics magic."
"Yes."
"What can you control?"
"Friction, within a ten-meter area."
Wander looked toward her.
"You can increase and reduce it?"
"Up to three times either direction."
"That explains the grip damage."
Amani frowned.
"What?"
He pointed toward the broken section.
"Your weapon slipped under force. The material fought against your magic instead of adapting to it."
"That was mostly Yin's fault."
"Who's Yin?"
"A problem."
"Sounds annoying."
"He is."
Wander carved several silver symbols into the new handle.
"I can make this respond to your friction field. When you lower friction, the handle will maintain grip around your hands."
Amani watched him.
"And when I increase it?"
"The blade will hold momentum better instead of slowing itself down."
"You understood my ability within minutes."
"I understand weapons."
"That sounds arrogant."
Wander shrugged.
"It would only be arrogance if I were wrong."
He connected the blade to the handle.
Silver light traveled through the entire scythe.
Its shape changed.
The repaired weapon became darker and sleeker, with glowing lines running along the shaft. The blade looked sharper, but its weight felt perfectly balanced.
Wander tossed it toward Amani.
She caught it.
The weapon immediately responded to her magic.
"It's lighter."
"Stronger too."
Amani rotated the scythe once.
The blade moved smoothly enough to cut the air without resistance.
"You're very talented."
"I know."
"That remains arrogant."
"That remains true."
Amani rested the scythe against her shoulder.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I'll treat you to food."
Wander looked interested.
"Free food?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
"I haven't decided."
"Then I accept."
Amani pointed toward an expensive-looking restaurant nearby.
"Wait there. I need to find my friend."
"The problem?"
"The very same."
Wander watched her begin running.
"Should I be concerned?"
"Yes!"
She disappeared into the crowd.
Wander looked toward the restaurant.
Then toward the words carved into his shop.
"She trusts people too quickly for someone who controls minds."
The Iron Forest
The trees within the Iron Forest possessed metallic bark and silver leaves.
Their roots tore through stone, while strange minerals grew beneath the soil. The forest was valuable, but many of its inhabitants fed on metal, magic, or flesh.
Yin knelt beside a withered tree with a shovel in his hands.
"Ironite."
He had read about the rare material several years earlier.
Properly forged Ironite could withstand divine attacks and extreme temperatures.
"If I find enough, I can reinforce my katana."
Yin dug deeper.
"The Flame Dragon Arts destroy ordinary weapons too quickly."
The shovel struck something hard.
Yin froze.
He immediately dropped onto his knees and began clearing the dirt with his hands.
A dark metallic object appeared beneath the roots.
His visible eye widened.
"Found it."
Before he could remove it, a distant voice echoed through the forest.
"YIIIIIN!"
Yin became completely still.
Several metal birds flew from the trees.
A group of nearby creatures immediately fled.
Amani's voice came again.
"YIN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
Yin looked toward the metal.
Then toward the city.
Then back toward the metal.
"She sounds terrifying."
He left the shovel beside the hole and sprinted toward the carriage.
"Survival comes first!"
Yin reached the edge of the city and began dusting dirt from his clothes.
Amani spotted him immediately.
"Yin!"
He slowed down.
She waved.
"Where were you?"
"Near the carriage."
Amani examined him.
"There's dirt in your hair."
"The carriage was dirty."
"You're holding a shovel."
Yin looked at his hand.
He had accidentally brought it with him.
"This isn't mine."
Amani stared at him.
Yin slowly placed the shovel against a wall.
"Problem solved."
Amani sighed.
"It doesn't matter. We're eating."
She rubbed her stomach and pointed toward the restaurant.
Yin looked at it.
"That place looks expensive."
"You're royalty."
"That doesn't mean I enjoy wasting money."
"You attempted to purchase a cursed dagger last month."
"It had personality."
"It screamed at night."
"It was lonely."
Amani grabbed his sleeve.
"Just follow me."
Yin walked beside her.
He remained quieter than usual.
Amani noticed him looking upward again.
The sky was still blue.
Dawnlight Restaurant
The restaurant shone like a palace.
Crystal pillars supported the ceiling while magical chandeliers floated above the tables. A small orchestra played beside a fountain made from liquid light.
A waiter approached.
"Name?"
"Amani Roya."
The waiter's eyes widened.
"House Roya?"
Amani realized her mistake.
Yin leaned toward her.
"You should have used an alias."
"I forgot."
"You're supposed to be the intelligent one."
Amani's eye twitched.
Yin lightly chopped the top of her head.
"Think next time."
She slowly turned toward him.
"Do that again."
Yin immediately looked away.
The waiter guided them toward a long private table.
Wander was already seated there, eating a slice of apple pie.
Amani sat across from him.
Yin sat beside her.
Wander looked at Yin.
Yin looked at Wander.
Neither spoke.
A waiter approached.
"What would you like to drink, Lady Roya?"
Amani opened the menu.
"I'm still deciding. Ask someone else."
The waiter turned toward Yin.
"Water."
Yin searched the menu.
He pointed toward a dessert.
"And one blueberry pie."
A few minutes later, the pie arrived.
Yin took one bite.
His face immediately turned green.
He spat it back onto the plate.
"This apple pie is disgusting!"
Wander stopped eating.
He looked toward Yin.
"This apple pie is amazing."
Yin looked down at his own plate.
"It says blueberry."
"Then why did you call it apple?"
"I was distracted by how terrible it tasted."
Wander glared at him.
"Tch."
He reached for his drink and took a large swallow.
His face twisted.
"BLEH!"
Yin looked over.
Wander stared at the cup.
"This is disgusting!"
Yin burst into laughter.
"That's what you get!"
Wander lowered the cup.
"What are you laughing at, brat?"
"This place is worse than the Night Moon Inn!"
"You look twelve."
"I'm fifteen."
"That makes your height more tragic."
Yin's eye twitched.
Wander reached for another cup.
He secretly poured several drops of extremely spicy sauce into it before sliding it across the table.
"Try this."
Yin grabbed it immediately.
"With pleasure."
Amani looked up.
"Yin, drinking something handed to you by a stranger is irrational."
Yin emptied the cup before she finished.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Wander waited.
Yin blinked.
Then his face turned bright red.
Flames erupted from his mouth.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
Wander looked away, snickering.
"Not so confident now, are you?"
Yin continued breathing fire toward the ceiling.
Several waiters ducked.
"You poisoned me!"
"It was sauce."
"That sauce could melt armor!"
"You're a dragon."
"That does not make this acceptable!"
Yin slammed the cup down.
"I'll take ten pieces of meat!"
Wander leaned over the table.
"I'll take twenty apple pies."
Yin shoved one hand in front of Wander's face.
"I'll take thirty!"
"Make mine fifty!"
Wander pushed Yin's head down.
Yin's body temperature rose.
"I'll take one hundred!"
He slammed Wander's head against the table.
Wander's orange markings glowed.
"One hundred and fifty!"
"I'LL TAKE ALL OF THEM!"
"I'LL BUY THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT!"
Both boys stood at the same time.
"You wanna fight?!"
They shouted in perfect unison.
Flames escaped Yin's mouth.
Magma covered Wander's fist.
The waiters scattered.
Amani slowly rose from her seat.
Her expression became completely empty.
"What…"
Both boys looked toward her.
"…are you two doing?"
Neither answered.
Amani grabbed their faces.
She slammed their cheeks together.
THUNK!
Yin and Wander groaned.
"I am paying for both of you!"
She squeezed harder.
"You cannot order enough food to feed a kingdom!"
Yin attempted to speak through his crushed cheeks.
"He started it!"
Wander pointed toward him.
"He insulted the pie!"
"And now you are preparing to destroy a private establishment!"
Amani dropped a silver coin onto the table.
Then she dragged both boys outside.
Several moments later, the restaurant staff threw her out after them.
Yin sat on the ground rubbing his cheek.
How is she this strong? She's like a forest beast.
Wander rubbed his face.
Is she secretly a gorilla?
Amani stood and dusted off her skirt.
"You two should get along."
Yin pointed toward Wander.
"You know him?"
"He repaired my weapon."
Wander looked at Yin.
"What's your name, brat?"
Yin remembered that his departure from the Pendragon Kingdom was supposed to remain secret.
"My name is Lyra Mistral."
Amani slowly turned toward him.
Yin ignored her stare.
Wander nodded.
"Lyra."
"The name is Wander Nozu."
A waiter came outside carrying a large package.
"Your apple pies, sir."
Wander accepted it.
"Finally, someone reasonable."
Yin stared.
"You actually ordered them?"
"Yes."
"You're insane."
"You tried to purchase the restaurant."
"That was an emotional decision."
Amani held up the repaired scythe.
"Wander fixed this. We can leave for the Silverstaff Institute whenever you are ready."
"Good," Yin muttered.
He rubbed his cheek.
"Let's go, gorilla woman."
Wander immediately looked away.
"Pfft."
Amani stopped moving.
Silence fell across the street.
Yin and Wander slowly looked toward her.
She smiled.
It was not a warm smile.
"I am calmer than both of you."
Her magical pressure caused the surrounding air to distort.
"So I will pretend nothing came from your mouths."
Neither boy moved.
"And completely forget it."
Yin swallowed.
Wander held his pies closer.
Amani's expression returned to normal.
Then she remembered something.
"Wander."
He looked toward her.
"You're around fifteen, correct?"
"Yeah."
"You are skilled with magic, weapons, and artificing."
Wander tilted his head.
"And?"
"The Silverstaff Institute accepts talented students from across Eolorial."
Yin's eyes widened.
Amani continued.
"You should come with us."
"No!"
Amani looked toward Yin.
He immediately bowed.
"Please don't make him come!"
Wander smirked.
"He really likes me."
"I hate you."
"That is usually how friendships begin."
"No, it isn't."
Amani studied Yin.
He appeared genuinely bothered by the idea.
Maybe he wanted to speak to her privately about whatever had happened in the carriage.
Maybe he did not want another person changing the journey they planned together.
Or maybe Wander had simply irritated him beyond reason.
Wander looked toward his workshop.
"I'd like to go."
Amani's expression brightened.
"But I can't."
"Why?"
"This city is my home."
Yin raised his head.
Wander chuckled.
"Besides, your friend clearly agrees that I should remain."
Several nearby citizens had overheard their conversation.
They knew Wander wanted to leave.
He wanted to see the world.
He wanted to study at the Silverstaff Institute and test his creations against fighters from distant kingdoms.
But he stayed.
When the city's walls broke, Wander repaired them.
When weapons failed, Wander rebuilt them.
When machines stopped working, the same people who insulted him came to his workshop after dark.
They feared him.
They also depended on him.
Amani lowered her scythe.
"That is disappointing."
Wander shrugged.
"Maybe another time."
"I hope so."
Amani began walking toward the carriage.
"Goodbye, Wander."
Yin followed close beside her.
"Let's go."
Wander lifted his package of pies.
"See you around!"
He watched them disappear into the crowd.
His smile slowly faded.
"It's for the best."
Later, while Wander was away, several townspeople quietly entered his workshop.
They brought food, new wood, and paint.
Without saying a word, they began covering the hateful messages carved into the walls.
None of them intended to admit they cared.
The Sealed Universe
Far beyond the world of Eolorial, the sealed universe trembled.
Broken planets floated through an endless black void.
Ancient chains stretched between dead stars.
A colossal creature moved through the darkness.
Its body shifted between shapes, never remaining completely solid. Countless eyes opened across its form while space folded around its limbs.
The creature sensed something.
A distortion.
A weakness within the ancient prison.
The seal created by Judgment, Destruction, and Creation had begun to crack.
The creature raised its head and released a roar of delight.
Dead worlds shook.
The chains tightened.
"Soon…"
Its voice traveled through the void.
"The Fallen Twelve will rise again."
More cracks spread across the seal.
"The worlds have forgotten us."
Its many eyes opened wider.
"They have forgotten what we took from them."
A monstrous grin formed across its face.
"We will remind them."
The creature's roar shook the sealed universe.
"And we will have our revenge upon those who robbed us of victory!"
Far away, the carriage carrying Yin and Amani left the Land of Dawn.
Neither of them noticed Wander standing on top of the city wall, watching until they disappeared beyond the horizon.
Behind him, the Silverstaff Institute admission letter he had hidden beneath his jacket shifted in the wind.
Wander placed one hand over it.
Then he turned away.
To Be Continued ➡️