Morning came quietly. In the dim light of the pre-dawn sky, Elian slowly opened his eyes and, to his surprise, realized he had woken up before everyone else. The stillness of the room, the soft breathing of his roommates, and the faint glow beyond the window gave the world a strange sense of peace.
He sat up, stretched, and walked over to the window. The sky was already a pale silver, but the sun had yet to rise. The light outside was cool, gentle. Elian washed up, dressed, and quietly slipped out of the dorm.
The morning air was crisp and fresh. He walked slowly through the academy's garden, the silence broken only by birdsong and the distant rustling of leaves. A soft breeze stirred the flowers along the path, and the faint scent of dew still hung in the air.
"What kind of person was I... before I lost my memories?" he wondered, his steps slow, thoughtful.
He wandered further until, at the edge of a wide path, he saw someone sitting on a bench, facing away from him. Curious, he stepped closer. It was Rielle—sitting alone, quietly reading a book.
She looked up when she noticed him, met his eyes for a brief second, and then calmly returned to her pages without saying a word.
Elian watched her for a moment, then gave a small nod to himself and continued walking. "Could there have been someone in my past life who meant more to me than anyone else?" The question lingered in his mind, heavier than he expected.
Eventually, he made his way back to the dorm and gently shook Keon and Tamir awake.
"Seriously?" Keon grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "There are days when Elian wakes up first?"
Tamir yawned. "Today's the first day of classes…"
"Did we get uniforms or something?" Elian asked.
Keon pointed toward a drawer. "We're allowed to wear our own clothes for now, just with the Academy badge. They gave me a few yesterday."
Tamir blinked. "Wait—when did you get those?"
Keon gave him a smug smile and said nothing.
The three of them pinned the small silver insignias to their jackets and left the dorm, heading toward the dining hall.
On the way, they spotted Kiara. Keon waved. "Hey, Kiara! Morning!"
She waved back. "Morning."
"Have you seen Astelle or Linnea?" Keon asked. "We wanted to have breakfast with them."
Kiara tilted her head. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. I've been looking for them everywhere."
"They're not in their room?" Tamir asked.
"I checked the whole building. They're just… gone," she replied.
"Maybe they went to the main office to pick up their badges," Elian suggested. "They hadn't gotten them yet, right?"
Keon raised an eyebrow. "That actually makes sense."
Kiara frowned. "But… wouldn't they have told me if they were leaving?"
Tamir chuckled. "Why are you so sure? We lived with them for six years and they didn't tell us. You barely know them."
Kiara rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'll just eat with you guys then."
"Great. Let's go," Keon said.
They found a table, grabbed breakfast, and chatted casually. Kiara spoke about her old school building and how different everything felt here.
Then she suddenly turned to Elian. "You're awfully quiet today. What were you thinking about during your walk in the garden this morning?"
All three of them looked at him.
Keon squinted. "Wait—you went out without us?"
"I just needed some fresh air," Elian said softly. "I was thinking about my past… what it might have been like."
Tamir nodded. "Yeah… I get that."
They finished their meal and walked together to the main plaza of the Academy. Large boards displayed the schedules for each group.
Keon checked his. "Alright, I've gotta run. Classes are starting soon. Good luck, guys!"
"Good luck to you too," Tamir called after him.
As it turned out, Kiara and Elian were placed in the same group. They headed to their classroom together.
"Mind if I sit with you?" Kiara asked.
"I don't mind," Elian replied.
They entered the room and chose seats in the second row, at the fourth desk. The classroom was arranged with six desks per row, all neat and clean.
Not long after, Rielle entered and quietly sat alone at the last desk in the first row, her expression unreadable.
The room buzzed with chatter until the professor finally entered. With a calm, commanding presence, he silenced the class and began the lecture.
Midway through the lesson, Kiara leaned over. "So, Elian, what do you think about this place so far?"
He paused, then said, "I don't know why, but… I find it really interesting."
She smiled at him. "Alright, then I won't distract you."
Then the professor spoke again, his tone serious. "I have a question for all of you."
The room fell into a hush. Everyone turned toward him.
"Why doesn't our Academy have a name?" he asked.
Students glanced at one another, puzzled.
"Huh… That's true," someone murmured. "We just call it the Academy."
The professor nodded. "Because it was built by the god of the Void himself. It once had a name, long ago, but our Headmaster forbade its use."
He smiled slightly. "Whoever discovers what it used to be called… will automatically pass their first exam."
The room exploded with whispers.
After class, Elian said goodbye to Kiara and set off through the halls, looking for Keon. Something about the professor's words stuck with him, like an echo from somewhere deeper than memory.