The Great Cafeteria buzzed with the casual chaos of lunchtime.
Rai, Baruss, Gale, and Aromas — now bonded through chaos, misunderstandings, and more meat-based feasts than they could count — were gathered around their usual table, wolfing down enough grilled meat to make a butcher weep. Not a single vegetable dared grace their plates.
Laughter echoed among them, but underneath the easy smiles, an invisible thread of tension pulled tight.
Every now and then, Gale, Baruss, and Aromas would flick uneasy glances at Rai — memories of that day, that fight, that surge of impossible magic flashing unbidden through their minds.
None dared mention it.
Not because they didn't want to — but because they knew if word ever leaked out, Rai wouldn't just be expelled... he would be mutilated so that his bloodline will not continue.
A few tables over, Mammoth, Sylvia, and Lorenzo sat together, picking at their food with less enthusiasm than usual.
Lorenzo, ever the master of delivering slander in the driest tone imaginable, leaned lazily toward Mammoth.
"Wow, Mammoth. Didn't know you were into little boys," he said, following Mammoth's unwavering gaze — locked firmly on Rai.
Normally, Mammoth would have barked back, maybe thrown a tray at Lorenzo's smug face.
This time... silence.
Sylvia blinked, surprised. Lorenzo frowned, deeply disappointed.
Sylvia crossed her muscle toned arms, her voice its usual tough growl.
"Listen, Mammoth. I get it. But these idiots would rather flex their muscles and ignore the truth than admit what they saw."
She scanned the hall — the so-called 'elite' students laughing, boasting, pretending nothing had happened. Pretending Rai was still just the "normal" weakling.
"They'd rather lie to themselves than face what he's becoming."
Mammoth finally spoke, his voice low, steady — and sharp as an axe blade.
"It's not Rai I'm worried about. It's his so-called friends. They're scared out of their minds. Walking on eggshells.
They're praying he forgets whatever power he touched that day.
And he...**" — Mammoth's eyes narrowed — "he has no idea how dangerous that is, if word of his mutation gets out..." Mammoth was hesitant to finish that sentence but the weight of those words settled over them.
In another corner, Rose and Arietta sat apart, Sharing the same unease as Gale,Baruss and Aromas.
But for now, they all managed to push the thought to the back of their minds.
Then —
BONG!
The Academy bell tolled, cutting through the tension like a blade.
Its deep, echoing cry rolled through the marble halls, pulling every student toward the Grand Assembly Hall.
The announcement had been made earlier:
A government envoy would be visiting.
Nothing unusual. Happens every season.
At least... that's what everyone thought.
The Grand Assembly Hall filled with the muffled shuffle of feet and whispered conversations.
Students packed the rows, some curious, others bored beyond belief.
On stage, Headmaster Pragaya stood tall, hands clasped behind his back.
To most, he looked perfectly composed.
But to the trained eye, there was a stiffness in his shoulders, a tightness at the corners of his mouth.
Only a handful in the entire Academy would have noticed.
His voice rang out, calm and formal:
"Today, we are honored to host a guest from one of our most venerable institutions—an envoy of the Circle of Veils. May his words remind us of the order that holds our fractured realms together."
Muted, obligatory applause followed.
Then the side doors opened.
And the envoy entered.
Clad in solemn, flowing ashen-gray robes, every step he took was slow, deliberate — like the turning of ancient gears.
A featureless porcelain mask covered his face, smooth and cold, reflecting the flickering torchlight eerily.
Over his chest, the symbol of the Circle of Veils — a single eye — glimmered faintly.
He ascended the steps with unhurried grace and stood behind the lectern.
When he spoke, his voice was low, smooth — almost soothing, yet carrying an unmistakable weight beneath the surface:
"Students of Magia Elemental Academy.
It brings me peace to see young minds devoted to mastery, discipline, and the pursuit of elemental harmony."
"In a world too easily torn by conflict, this academy stands as a beacon.
Let your paths be pure, your loyalty unwavering, and your elements untainted."
On the surface, nothing alarming.
Just another ceremonial speech.
Yet the air grew heavier with every word.
Invisible pressure pressing against skin and bone.
The envoy paused — for just a fraction of a moment.
And in that moment, his masked gaze swept across the crowd...
...and lingered on Rai.
It was only for a heartbeat.
But it was enough.
"The Eye watches over you all.
May you never stray from the path of truth."
He ended with a short, graceful bow.
Polite, robotic clapping echoed through the hall.
Some students chuckled nervously.
Others joked about how creepy that had been.
But the faculty — especially Pragaya — watched the envoy with razor-edged caution as he turned to leave.
And behind that featureless mask, unseen by all...
The envoy smiled.
The envoy's departure left a heavy silence hanging over the Grand Assembly Hall. Though the students eagerly spilled out into the corridors, already chattering about everything but the speech, a more somber understanding lingered among the faculty.
Pragaya remained still for a moment, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes narrowing slightly.
The envoy's words had been cloaked in formal niceties, but to someone like Pragaya—someone well-versed in the language of hidden threats—the meaning was painfully clear.
The Circle of Veils knew.
They knew of the disturbances plaguing the academy.
First, Rai's impossible Ascension during the Culling.
Then, the unexplainable phenomenon when Rai, unknowingly, had summoned the Lost Legion — releasing a surge of Prana and Mana so vast, so ancient, that only beings of true power could have sensed it.
Pragaya had felt it.
Leviticus had felt it.
And so had another...
The Headmaster's fingers curled slightly behind his back. They are safe for now because If the Circle of Veils had solid evidence, they would have descended upon the academy by now in full force.
The envoy's cryptic message meant only one thing: they suspected, but had no proof.
Yet.
An investigation was inevitable.
And until it concluded, Rai could not—must not—remain within the academy walls.
He was a beacon, a walking anomaly, and every moment he stayed increased the risk of exposing everything.
Pragaya's gaze sharpened.
With a subtle glance toward Kromus, he gave a silent command.
Kromus, as if understanding instantly, clapped his hands loudly.
"Dismissed! Return to your scheduled classes!" he barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through the students' idle chatter.
The students shuffled out quickly, some casting nervous looks over their shoulders at the now-empty podium.
Without a word, Kromus then pivoted on his heel and followed Pragaya back to the Headmaster's private chambers.
The real conversation — the one that would decide Rai's fate — was about to begin.
Inside the Headmaster's private chambers, the air was thick with tension.
Standing around the ancient dark wood table were the highest officials: Leviticus, Lara, and two masked figures whose very presence distorted the light around them. Kromus stood by the door, a silent sentinel.
One of the masked figures stepped forward, his voice deep and sharp with disdain.
"So what is this one doing here?" he sneered, jerking his chin toward Kromus.
"I don't think I need to—" he began, but Pragaya cut him off with a curt wave.
"Now is not the time for petty grievances," the Headmaster said firmly. "We have more pressing matters."
His words shifted the atmosphere immediately. Everyone's expressions hardened, senses sharpening.
"We must find a way to remove Rai from the academy without drawing the Circle of Veils attention," Pragaya continued, voice low but unyielding.
Silence.
Seriousness hung like a blade above them all.
Finally, Leviticus spoke, tension bleeding into his voice:
"How, Father? He only just enrolled. If we act too soon, it will surely raise suspicion. You know how obsessed the Circle of Veils is with 'purity.' If Rai draws their gaze…"
He trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.
Lara stepped forward, her face pale with worry.
"We cannot let that happen. Please reconsider."
Everyone turned to Pragaya, waiting for his verdict.
The Headmaster closed his eyes briefly, as if weighing invisible chains, before he spoke:
"There is no other way. We will send them to the Harappa Ruins."
The reaction was instant.
Leviticus slammed his hands onto the table, fury etched across his face.
"Father! Are you trying to destroy everything we've worked for? You're sending him to his death!"
Lara, voice trembling with emotion, added:
"I won't allow it!"
The two masked figures simply muttered under their breath:
"We will not be part of this foolishness. Do as you wish."
Without another word, they turned and exited the room, their robes whispering across the stone floor.
As they left, Pragaya's voice followed them, heavy with both finality and warning:
"Ignoring it won't make the outcome any less painful. At least help us avoid greater ruin."
But they didn't look back.
Now only Pragaya, Leviticus, Lara, and Kromus remained.
The silence was suffocating.
Leviticus spoke again, his tone no longer angry but pleading:
"Why, Father? Why throw him into the fire now? Things are already moving too quickly. Why accelerate it even further?"
Pragaya's lips curled into a small, enigmatic smile.
"Who are we to question his will?" he said softly.
A memory flickered across Pragaya's mind—
"No matter the odds, I will claw my way to the top."
That unknown voice form the past was defiant and thundering.
Snapping back to the present, Pragaya's gaze hardened.
"My faith is unwavering. My decision is final."
He turned toward the far corner of the room, where something shifted—
Allseer.
The ancient crystal orb, veiled until now, shimmered into visibility. His crystalline scales bent and refracted the light, camouflaging him perfectly against the walls until this moment.
Pragaya continued, his voice low and measured, "Allseer has been covertly operating ever since the culling, making sure Rai's anomalies remained hidden from everyone else."
As Pragaya spoke, the vivid scene of Rai's ascension played in their minds, each detail fresh and impossible to ignore. The moment when Rai had transformed, his power erupting in a way no one had ever seen before. Though Allseer had been engrossed in the raw display of magic, he had been given specific instructions from Pragaya. Despite witnessing Rai's extraordinary power, Allseer's task had been clear: to alter the perceptions of everyone around them.
Kromus, who had been silently processing the conversation, suddenly had a realization. The pieces fell into place, one by one, as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. His eyes widened, and his mouth parted slightly in shock. "Wait… so that's why…" His words trailed off, as the truth hit him hard. He hadn't connected the dots until now.
During the battle before Lilith revealed herself, no one except for those close to Rai—or those who harbored no ill will toward him—had shown the slightest hint of surprise. The rest of the students had simply watched, as if it were just another mundane day at the academy.
Kromus leaned forward, his brow furrowed in disbelief as the events of that day replayed in his mind. He could almost see the crowd's indifferent faces, the way no one had questioned the miraculous powers displayed by Rai. And then, Mammoth's outburst. The giant had screamed Rai's name in anger, but everyone had looked at him with confusion, as if they hadn't even seen the boy. Instead, they had seen Leviticus—the Elemental Magistrate.
A cold chill ran down Kromus's spine. The realization was both unsettling and comforting. All this time, no one had reacted to the anomalies surrounding Rai because they had all been made to believe it was the Elmag who had intervened, not Rai. It was Allseer's doing, altering the academy's perception to maintain the façade.
Leviticus and Lara had known the truth all along. Kromus felt a sense of betrayal rising in his chest, but also an eerie understanding. He wasn't surprised that Pragaya would have taken such measures; it was all part of his careful manipulation. But now, Kromus couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for Rai. If the Circle of Veils ever uncovered the truth, it would be catastrophic.
Leviticus, ever the stoic figure, gave nothing away in his expression. He had accepted Pragaya's decision with a resigned silence, knowing the truth all too well. The academy, as it stood, had been kept in the dark by Allseer's intervention. Only a few select individuals, those closest to Rai, knew what had really happened.
Kromus, still processing, shook his head as if to clear away the fog. "So, all this time... no one knew the truth? Not even the students?"
Pragaya's gaze was unwavering, and he nodded slowly. "Only those close to him, those who hold no ill will towards him such as Mammoth,Gale, Rose, and Baruss. Gale, Rose and Baruss although not present on the scene had heard it from Harchell, who heard it from Shelly and Luthor. But the rest of the academy believes it was the Elmag who saved the day. And as long as we keep up this illusion, no one will question Rai's presence here."
Kromus took a moment to absorb this, his mind racing. The secrecy surrounding Rai had grown even more tangled than he had imagined. He understood the necessity of it now, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with it. Rai's safety was paramount, but so was the risk of this illusion unraveling.
Lara spoke up, breaking the heavy silence that followed. "We've managed to keep it quiet for now. But it won't last forever."
Pragaya's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Which is why we need to move quickly. The Circle of Veils is already sniffing around. We cannot afford to let the truth come to light."
As the heavy weight of the conversation hung thick in the air, Kromus found himself glancing around the room. Just how far is Pragaya willing to go to protect that boy? he wondered silently, a bead of cold sweat tracing the line of his spine. And how long can we keep the truth hidden... before the Circle of Veils tears it from us?
Pragaya, unfazed by the silent turmoil, kept his voice level and commanding as he spoke again.
"We will send them to the Harappa Ruins," he announced, each word falling like a stone into a bottomless well.
For a moment, the room froze.
Leviticus stiffened, his jaw tightening in disbelief.
Lara's face drained of color, her hands unconsciously balling into fists at her sides.
Even Allseer — the ancient, composed entity — flickered unnaturally, the crystalline reflections on his body fracturing for a second, betraying his shock.
And Kromus, too, felt his stomach knot violently, the name striking a primal chord of fear deep within him.
The Harappa Ruins.
They all knew what that meant.
Pragaya let the moment stretch, watching each reaction with unreadable eyes, before speaking again — his voice quieter, but sharper, a blade sliding between ribs.
"The birthplace of the Legion," he said, final and immovable.
Silence crashed over the room like a thunderclap. The mere mention of that place dredged up ancient horrors, forgotten sins, and the lingering echo of powers that even the strongest feared to tread near.
In that suffocating moment, a single truth became undeniable to them all—there would be no turning back.