Chapter 20: The House of First Light
The gates of the House of First Light had been closed for two years.
Not abandoned.
Not forgotten.
Simply… waiting.
Morning fog drifted across the savannah as ten young figures stood before the towering black gates. The stone walls of the academy rose high above them like a silent mountain. Symbols of the five ancient bloodlines were carved deep into the stone, weathered by time but still proud.
Every child standing there knew what this place meant.
Two years ago, the last class had walked through these same gates.
That class had produced warriors whose names had already begun to spread across the kingdom.
Among them was one name that stood above the rest.
Kalen.
The prodigy whose strength during training had shaken even the instructors.
The warrior who, alongside his classmates like Daro, had faced beasts that most soldiers feared.
Stories about that class were already becoming legend.
Now it was the turn of a new generation.
Ten students.
Two from each bloodline.
The gates slowly opened with a deep rumble that echoed across the stone courtyard.
Inside stood a tall woman with sharp eyes and a long scar running down the side of her face. Though age had touched her hair with silver, there was nothing weak about the way she stood.
She studied the students carefully.
"Welcome," she said, her voice firm and clear, "to the House of First Light."
The students straightened instinctively.
"I am Master Ilyara, head instructor of this academy."
Her gaze moved slowly across them.
"Two years ago, the previous class graduated from these halls."
She paused.
"They set a standard that few could reach."
A faint murmur moved through the students.
Everyone knew who she meant.
"Kalen and his classmates proved what true warriors of the five bloodlines could become."
Her voice sharpened.
"Now we will see if any of you can do the same."
Silence fell again.
Master Ilyara began walking slowly in front of them.
"Ten students."
Her eyes hardened.
"Five bloodlines."
She stopped in front of the first pair.
"The Owase bloodline."
Two boys stepped forward.
One was broad shouldered with sharp golden eyes.
The other was lean and restless, like a wolf waiting to run.
"Jaro Owase and Luta Owase."
The Owase were shapeshifters.
They could become beasts stronger and faster than any normal human.
But every transformation carved pain into their bones.
Next, she moved to the second pair.
"The Mensah bloodline."
A tall girl stepped forward confidently, metal rings woven through her braids. Beside her stood a quiet boy with strong hands and steady eyes.
"Amara Mensah and Kito Mensah."
The Mensahs shaped metal itself.
Steel bent under their touch.
Blades, armor, even bullets.
But iron always demanded a price.
The longer they controlled it, the more it drained their strength.
Master Ilyara continued.
"The Kwofie bloodline."
Two students stepped forward together — twins.
Birds circled above them as if answering an invisible call.
"Niko Kwofie and Kala Kwofie."
The Kwofies spoke with animals.
They could command beasts of the wild.
But their hearts beat with the fear and instincts of the creatures they controlled.
Predator.
Prey.
Both lived inside them.
Master Ilyara stopped before the next pair.
"The Adua bloodline."
A tall girl with vine-green braids stepped forward, followed by a quiet boy whose fingers carried the faint scent of earth.
"Lena Adua and Bram Adua."
The Aduas were bound to the living land.
Roots.
Vines.
Forests.
They could summon life from the soil itself.
But when their power faltered…
Life turned to blight.
Finally, Master Ilyara approached the last two students.
Her expression changed slightly.
"The Djanah bloodline."
Two boys stepped forward.
One stood tall and proud, confidence sharp in his eyes.
"Reth Djanah."
Then her gaze moved to the boy beside him.
Aren.
The air felt… different around him.
Almost like a quiet wind no one else could see.
"And Aren Djanah."
A faint shiver passed through the courtyard.
The Djanah family had always stood above the others.
They commanded nsaman — the spirits themselves.
They bent fate.
They saw danger before it came.
But their power came with a curse.
Too many spirits whispered madness into their minds.
Master Ilyara stepped back and faced all ten students.
"You have been chosen because your families believe you carry the potential of your bloodline."
Her voice echoed across the courtyard.
"But potential means nothing here."
She turned and pointed toward the massive academy rising behind her.
Inside the walls were training arenas, towering halls, weapon grounds, and forests built for survival trials.
"This academy does not care about your family name."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"It only cares about strength."
A distant roar echoed somewhere deep inside the academy grounds.
Several students stiffened.
Master Ilyara did not react.
"Inside these walls, you will train."
"Inside these walls, you will fight."
"Inside these walls…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"…some of you will discover you are not as strong as you believed."
She turned toward the open gates.
"Your training begins now."
The ten students exchanged brief glances.
Then they stepped forward together.
As Aren crossed the gates of the House of First Light, something strange stirred in the back of his mind.
The spirits surrounding him shifted.
Not loudly.
Just enough to make his chest tighten.
It felt like something inside the academy had just noticed him.
And it was watching.
Aren didn't know why.
Not yet.
But the journey that had once shaped warriors like Kalen had begun again.
And this time…
The outcome might not follow the same path.