[0 - Am I Dreaming?]
'Where am I..?'
At the center of a land made of radiant stones, stood was a young man holding a hellforged blade. The place was rather more peaceful and yet eerie at the same time, he couldn't put it into words.
'I.. did not lose, am I?...'
He took a step, then walked through the veil of clouds at the ground. He wandered the place, seemingly dreaming at some point.
Carved rocks levitated weightlessly through the air, and waters below shimmered like liquid mirrors.
He instinctively hold his guard after the mist cleared, that revealed an enormous statue across, but he lowered his blade not long after the threat is processed.
'Just what the hell is this place ...? Where the hell am I..!?'
Nothing felt entirely real, yet nothing felt imagined either — as though the land existed somewhere between spiritually and reality.
The more he walked, the more the path fades, and at the end of it was a ginormous gate. And standing in the middle is a figure who looked familiar on its pressence and appearance.
'Is that... me...?'
It was indeed himself, standing in front of the gates with darkened eyes, then spoke with distorted voice...
"Y#u a## n###sup##ed to b# h##e#yet–"
[1 - Introduction]
The rain had not yet stopped.
Before dawn, the town rested beneath dim lanternlight and drifting fog, its narrow streets were quiet, with an exception for the distant creaking of wooden signs swaying in the cold wind.
Inside a modest room above a small apothecary, the only sound was the soft crackle of firewood and the turning of a page.
A man with glasses, sat beside the window, one leg crossed over the other as steam rose from the dark coffee in his hand. The faint glow of the lantern illuminated the worn book resting against his knee, its pages old enough to crumble at the edges.
His eyes narrowed slightly at the final lines.
"...'And they feared what was to come, in the future'..."
He let out a quiet chuckle, shutting the book halfway. "Woah, this story is quite entertaining."
The room fell silent again.
Then came movement from across the room.
The figure lying on the bed stirred weakly beneath the blankets before slowly sitting upright. His breathing was uneven since he slept for almost a week.
Pale sun light slipped through the curtains and revealed dark markings crawling across one of his arms like fractured veins burned into the skin.
The man by the window blinked in surprise.
"Well," he said, as he sets the cup aside "what a timing."
The stranger looked around slowly, eyes unfocused. None of his surroundings felt familiar. His chest slowly tightened as fragments of something distant flashed through his mind.
The man took a sip on his coffee and spoke, "It's a nice weather we're having, huh?"
Left with no response.
"Anyway uhh, stranger, what's your name? You look like you don't belong here..."
Then a single word escaped the person's lips on the bed, before he could stop it.
"...Dusk."
He frowned immediately afterward, confused by his own answer.
The seated man raised a brow. "That's your name?"
"I... think so."
Henry finished his coffee and spoke again, "You nearly died out there near the coast you know, and I still don't understand how you survived that storm. I've already asked but, where did you came from... actually..?"
** ** **
That time when Henry is training near the shore, he found a man washed upon the cold sea, and decides to shelter him.
** ** **
Dusk tried hard to remember but what appeared is only a blank memory.
The man stood from the chair and extended a hand as he introduced himself. "Alright, I won't force you. My name's Henry Gunther.... And welcome to Arathiel."
"Arathiel is a coastal sanctum, and was known across the region as a place of teaching and wisdom. You can stay here for a while if you want, but people here were cautious, especially to unfamiliar faces."
Henry could already tell the man before him carried no understanding of the world around him — not the roads, not the customs, perhaps not even himself. There was no confidence in his posture, and not even charisma behind his eyes. Only uncertainty.
Outside, the distant sound of bells echoed faintly through the sleeping town as dawn slowly approached the horizon.
"Let me introduce you to the city." Henry calmly said.
Morning finally began to seep through the clouds above Arathiel, painting the stone paths in soft gold as Henry Gunther led the way out of the small abode.
Dusk followed without resistance.
The world outside felt unfamiliar in a way that made even simple steps feel uncertain. His gaze lingered on everything, trying to process anything he sees and probably his own existance as well.
They passed through a guarded archway.
Two guards stood there, armored but not rigid. Their expressions were calm, even familiar, and they gave Henry a light nod as he approached.
"Morning, Henry."
"You're early today."
Henry returned the greeting, "I had something to take care of."
The guards' eyes briefly drifted toward Dusk, but there was no hostility, only quiet assessment. One of them shifted aside, allowing passage without question.
As they continued forward, Henry adjusted his pace so Dusk could keep up.
And as they walked through the streets, Henry explained "This place is divided into districts. The outer parts are for trade and living. The center is where the academy stands."
Dusk listened silently.
"You're in Arathiel, this is a place built around learning. Like elemental studies, combat training, well mostly it's about training wisdom to improve your will power, but you'll get through it. Also, most people here are either students or instructors. Don't be surprised if you found someone warming up with a flame over their hands."
He paused slightly, then added, "I'm an apprentice myself, under Master Seth. His full name is Seth Arathiel if you're unaware."
The name seemed to carry weight, even in casual speech.
"He's really important to this city, not just to the academy. Master Seth once said, he was tied to the old lineage of Arathiel's ruling line. And he helped shape the foundation of this entire school. Wisdom, discipline, anything he knows — that's what he built it on."
Dusk's eyes flickered slightly, as if trying to grasp something just out of reach.
They crossed a wide bridge suspended over a slow-moving stream of light water, its surface reflecting the pale sky like broken glass. Wind moved gently through the railings, carrying distant voices from within the academy grounds ahead.
Henry cuts his explanation after realizing they've reached their destination "Alright, we're here now."
Soon, the main structure came into view — vast stone halls rising in layered architecture, banners moving slowly in the air, and training fields stretching beyond sight.
At the entrance gate, another guard stepped forward.
This one was sharper in stance.
His gaze locked onto Dusk immediately.
"Henry Gunther," the guard said, then shifted his attention to the person behind Henry. "And who is this?"
The guard's stare lingered on Dusk for a moment longer before his expression hardened slightly.
"You know the rules, Henry Gunther."
Henry let out a sigh, he was already expecting the response.
"Strangers don't simply walk into the academy grounds. And especially those without standing."
Dusk remained silent beside him, though the words drew his attention.
The guard folded his arms. "This school isn't shelter for wanderers. People study here because they've earned the right to stand among its halls. Reputation, knowledge, lineage, contribution…" His eyes briefly narrowed toward Dusk. "And funding, naturally."
Henry rubbed the back of his head lightly. "I know."
"Then you understand why this is difficult."
The morning wind passed through the entrance gates, carrying the distant sounds of students training somewhere deeper within the academy. Steel clashed rhythmically in the distance while faint streams of elemental light flickered above one of the courtyards beyond view.
Henry glanced toward Dusk before continuing. "I just found him barely conscious few days ago. No belongings, no memory worth speaking of."
He lowered his voice slightly. "He doesn't even seem to understand where he is...
...I only brought him because I want Master Seth to see him."
"Master Seth?" The guard replied at the mention of the familiar name and title.
Henry nodded once. "If anyone in Arathiel can identify him, it's probably him. The old man knows nearly every notable face, bloodline, and history tied to this region."
The guard exhaled slowly through his nose, clearly weighing the decision.
Beyond the gates, the towering halls of the academy stood beneath the growing daylight, their stone surfaces glowing faintly beneath the morning sun. Students crossed distant pathways carrying books and training weapons alike, their conversations blending into the atmosphere of the waking grounds.
Finally, the guard stepped aside, and firmly warned them, "Straight to Master Seth. No wandering around."
Henry gave a small grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."
As they passed through the gates, Dusk instinctively glanced upward toward the vast structure ahead.
And quietly muttered, "Woah..."
[2 - A New Visitor ]
The moment Dusk stepped beyond the inner gates of the academy, the world around him changed completely.
From the outside, the structure had appeared plain — towering walls of pale concrete and stone built more for defense than beauty. But within those walls rested something entirely different.
Life.
Open courtyards stretched beneath the morning sky, lined with flowing fountains whose waters shimmered faintly with traces of elemental energy. Pathways curved through gardens and study grounds where students gathered beneath hanging banners embroidered with the crest of Arathiel.
Some sat beneath shaded pillars reading thick grimoires, their pages glowing softly with strange symbols Dusk could not begin to understand. Others practiced near wooden dummies scarred by burns, cuts, and frozen fractures from repeated training. Sparks danced through the air from a pair of students clashing elemental techniques while nearby instructors watched calmly with folded arms.
Further ahead, groups of students laughed over lunch at an open faculty terrace overlooking the lower districts of the town.
The academy almost felt like its own world.
Dusk's eyes moved constantly, quietly absorbing everything around him.
None of it felt familiar.
Yet somehow, it also didn't feel entirely foreign.
Henry noticed his expression and gave a faint smirk. "Different from what you expected?"
Dusk glanced at him briefly but didn't answer.
As they continued through the courtyard, a few students called out toward Henry.
"Morning, Henry!"
"You coming for lunch later?"
Another leaned lazily against a pillar with a grin. "Still alive after Seth's training?"
Henry only waved a hand dismissively without slowing down. "Barely."
Dusk noticed the way people looked at Henry — it wasn't superiority, but familiarity. Respect earned naturally over time.
Meanwhile, several curious gazes drifted toward Dusk instead. A stranger stood out quickly in a place like this.
"Who's that?..."
"A new visitor?"
"Perhaps..."
Henry seemed to ignore the attention entirely as he guided Dusk deeper into the academy grounds toward the central structure ahead.
They've encounter a small spirit from a small shrine, and it seemed like its in the mood today.
"-Welcome back, Henry Gunther-"
Henry stopped briefly and greeted the spirit back, and Dusk bumped behind his back since he wasn't watching his steps. The spirit's gaze naturally slid toward Dusk.
"-A stranger?...-"
"Oh, this is Dusk... Uh, well- long story short, I only found him barely unconscious near the ocean."
Dusk met its gaze after his eyes finished wandering off the structures.
The spirit welcomed him, and returned to shrine, giving them a blessing afterwards, "-Well, goodluck. And also, take this blessing, stranger, everyone needs it especially for a lost being like you.-"
Dusk instinctively bowed his head, "Thank you..." and then continued walking with Henry. Eventually, the path led to a massive staircase ascending toward the upper halls.
Stone steps stretched upward in long rows beneath towering pillars etched with ancient markings. The sounds of the courtyard slowly faded behind them as they climbed higher and higher, approaching the largest doors Dusk had seen since arriving in this place.
"Alright.... Try not to say anything strange to the old man."
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