Outside the secret realm, within the hallowed grounds of Light Academy, a scene of ethereal beauty unfolded beneath the dappled sunlight.
A young woman sat upon a silver bench, her posture regal yet relaxed, as if the world itself bent to her comfort. Her hair—liquid moonlight—cascaded in shimmering waves down her back, catching the sun's rays like spun silver. Her eyes, a blue so deep and pure they rivaled the rarest sapphires, held an otherworldly glow, as if stars had been trapped within their depths.
Her face was perfection incarnate—high cheekbones, lips like rose petals, skin so flawless it seemed carved from alabaster. She wore a flowing blue dress embroidered with delicate silver filigree, the fabric whispering against her skin like a lover's sigh. Every movement she made was grace itself, the very air around her seeming to still in reverence.
Princess Lysara Aurelian, the jewel of the empire, daughter of the Emperor and Empress—the most powerful beings on the continent.
She lifted a porcelain cup to her lips, sipping tea with an elegance that made the act seem like a sacred ritual. The steam curled around her face, yet she showed no discomfort, her poise unshakable. Behind her, a willow tree with silver bark and pink leaves swayed gently, its branches scattering petals around her like a shower of jewels.
A breeze carried the scent of cherry blossoms, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then she spoke, her voice a melody that could soothe storms.
"So, the last shard has chosen its champion."
A golden star materialized beside her, its light warm and radiant, casting a soft glow over the scene.
"Yes, Princess," the star—Klein—replied, its voice rich and resonant. "That makes seven out of seven. Just as the prophecy foretold."
Lysara's lips curved into a faint smile, her gemlike eyes alight with curiosity. "The shards of Hope, Joy, Life, Chaos, Death, War… and now Oblivion. I wonder who it chose."
"Unknown, Princess," Klein said, urgency threading its tone. "But we must prepare. Oblivion is the most powerful of them all."
"Is that so?" She took another sip, unfazed.
"They should be undergoing their trial now," Klein pressed. "What are their chances of survival?"
"Zero," the star replied bluntly. "Only one person has ever passed that trial. And no one like her will ever walk this world again."
The princess chuckled, the sound like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. She reclined against the bench, savoring her tea as she imagined her father—the mighty Emperor—scrambling to locate the new shard-bearer. The thought amused her.
A stronger gust swept through, carrying cherry blossoms past her. She closed her eyes, inhaling the fragrance, savoring this fleeting peace.
A war was coming.
And she and the other shard bearers were the key.
Meanwhile, deep within the secret realm, Kael trudged through the oppressive silence of the forest, his bare chest glistening with sweat under the midday sun. His throat burned with thirst, his stomach clenched with hunger.
Then—the sound of rushing water.
He scaled a tree with practiced ease, moving silently toward the source. Below, a stream cut through the forest, its crystal-clear waters glinting in the sunlight.
But he wasn't alone.
A herd of mana beasts gathered at the bank—creatures resembling deer, yet twice the size, their hooves glowing an eerie green. Their eyes shimmered with the same unnatural light, casting faint emerald reflections on the water.
At the forefront, two massive males clashed, their antlers—pulsing with verdant energy—locking in a brutal contest of dominance. Blood streaked their fur, their snorts filling the air as they shoved against each other, muscles straining.
Then—a crack.
One stag's antler splintered, falling to the ground with a thud. The defeated beast staggered back, shaking its head, droplets of blood splattering the grass. With a final, pained bellow, it turned and fled into the trees.
The victor raised its head, antlers flaring brighter, and the herd bowed in submission.
Kael watched, mesmerized.
His first glimpse of mana beasts in combat.
And now, with their departure, the stream was his.
Kael remained perched in the tree, his muscles coiled with tension as the last silver-hooved stag vanished into the emerald depths of the unnatural forest. The stream below gurgled innocently, its crystal waters belying the danger that had just departed. Eva hovered at his shoulder, her inky form wreathed in that eerie white flame, a living shadow against the dappled sunlight.
He kept his voice barely above a whisper. "So there are seven shards. Which one's the strongest?" He asked, continuing a previous conversation.
Eva pulsed, her monotone reply carrying an undercurrent of something darker. "Irrelevant question. Strength depends on the wielder."
Kael's jaw clenched. He'd hoped for something more definitive, some hierarchy to make sense of the power now thrumming in his veins. His fingers dug into the rough bark beneath him. "Then which one's the most feared?"
A beat of silence. Eva's white-dot "eye" flickered like a dying star.
"Oblivion."
The word landed like a physical blow. Kael's breath caught - this was his shard, the power that had already erased men from existence. The same power that might now be the only thing keeping him alive in this deadly realm.
"Why?" he demanded, needing to understand the weight of what he carried.
Eva's flames rippled, her voice dropping to a whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Because the others erase. Oblivion unmakes."
A chill ran down Kael's spine as the full implication settled over him. This wasn't just about power - it was about something far more fundamental. The shard in his chest wasn't simply a weapon; it was a force that could rewrite reality itself.