The trial had ended.
A hush fell over the gathered students, a stark contrast to the cacophony of emotions swirling within them. Relief, triumph, bitterness, and exhaustion—each felt in varying degrees by those who had endured. The announcement of their acceptance into the academy was imminent. Some stood tall, brimming with quiet pride; others held onto the remnants of their strength, barely managing to stay upright.
Dawn was neither.
He stood among them, a figure neither lost in the crowd nor standing apart from it. His eyes, once accustomed to flickering with uncertainty, now held a different light—calm, calculating, almost detached. He watched as Instructor Valeris took the stage, his presence commanding instant silence.
"The three trials—Will, Essence, and Origin—have concluded. You stand here not just as students, but as those who have proven their worth." His voice was steady, carrying the weight of authority. "You will now be recognized as initiates of the Primordial Academy."
A murmur rippled through the students. Some exchanged relieved glances, others allowed their tightly coiled tension to ease. Yet none of it touched Dawn. Not in the way it once would have.
Something within him had shifted, and he knew it was no minor change.
He should have felt relief. Should have felt… something. But as he stood among his peers, he felt only stillness.
His fingers curled slightly at his sides as he tested his own thoughts, as if prodding an old wound to see if it still hurt. There was no longer that tightness in his chest, no urge to shrink away from the gazes of others. He wasn't hiding anymore.
Not because the world had changed. But because ....he had.
He looked upon the crowd as if from a distance, watching the shifting emotions play across their faces. Some faces were familiar—Gary, standing with the silent confidence befitting his new status. Luna, an enigma even now, unreadable save for the faintest flicker of thought in her gaze. Ingrid, Cedric, and the rest—each lost in their own world of reflection.
Once, he might have envied them, those who had walked their paths with certainty, their place in the world unchallenged. But now?
A single thought echoed through his mind, clear and unwavering. I am not the same as them.
The realization should have unsettled him. Instead, it brought only a sense of clarity.
---
Instructor Valeris continued. "The academy is built upon the foundation of those who came before—the first of the Primes. It is a sacred place, where only the worthy may walk. Your journey will not be easy, nor will it be kind. Those who falter will find no pity here."
Dawn listened, but the words did not weigh upon him as they might have before. No matter how many trials lay ahead, he knew one thing beyond doubt.
I will never falter again.
The thought was simple, but its depth was profound. Once, his past had been an anchor, dragging him into an abyss of uncertainty. But now, it was something else entirely. A foundation, a lesson. Not a shackle.
The grand instructor watched from the shadows, unseen by the gathered students. His gaze lingered on Dawn, though the boy seemed unaware of it.
He had seen many students come and go, their fates woven into the long tapestry of the academy's history. Yet in all his years, he had never encountered one like this.
A student whose light was both radiant and devouring, whose presence was shifting into something unrecognizable. A presence that, even now, sent a whisper of unease curling at the edges of his mind.
A presence that would one day shake the foundations of the academy itself.
---
The trials had concluded, leaving behind a select few who had endured through Will, Essence, and Origin. The announcement of their acceptance into the academy was met with a mix of emotions—relief, pride, and in some cases, solemn contemplation. As names were listed, cheers erupted for those who had performed exceptionally, while others clenched their fists, silently vowing to push themselves further.
Dawn, however, remained still amidst the reactions. No outward sign of relief crossed his features. No celebration, no disappointment. The weight of his past still lingered in his mind, yet it no longer constrained him as it once did. Something within him had shifted, and it was evident to those who had been watching him closely.
Enrollment Process and Structure
After the results were finalized, the new students were led through the grand halls of Primordial Academy, the sacred grounds where the first Primes had emerged. The atmosphere was one of awe and quiet reverence. Here, legends had walked, their footsteps immortalized in the very foundations of the academy.
Instructor Valeris, ever rigid and unyielding, stood before the gathered students, voice sharp as steel. "You stand here today not as common men and women, but as those who have passed the first gate. Yet do not mistake this for accomplishment. You have merely earned the right to step forward. True greatness is still beyond your grasp."
A wave of silence swept over the students, some nodding in understanding, others shifting uneasily.
"From today onward, you will follow a structured path of learning and refinement. The academy does not exist to spoon-feed you knowledge but to forge you into something greater. You will seek knowledge, refine your skills, and above all, prove that you are worthy of the title of Prime."
He gestured, and another instructor stepped forward—an aged woman with sharp eyes and an aura of quiet authority. "Instructor Aeliana will oversee the allocation of dormitories and curriculum."
---
The students were led to the dormitory wings—grand, sprawling halls carved from celestial stone. Each room held only two occupants, fostering both competition and camaraderie.
Dawn searched for his room, the one that matched his token and soon found it.
The room itself was sparse—functional yet refined. A simple bed, a desk, a small storage chest, and an open window that overlooked the vast academy grounds. A place for reflection, for solitude.
But, there was someone in the room. Someone familiar, someone.... popular. Dawn ignored him and sat down to study the scroll that recorded the basics of their study curriculum.
---
The academy's curriculum was divided into multiple paths of refinement:
1. The Path of Strength – Focused on physical and combat prowess, training students to wield their celestial gifts in battle.
2. The Path of Insight – Centered on understanding celestial laws, deepening one's connection with the forces that governed existence.
3. The Path of Resonance – For those who sought mastery over celestial energy itself, forging it into a force beyond conventional comprehension.
4. The Path of Primes – A unique path, rarely chosen, where one sought to challenge and redefine the limits imposed upon them by nature itself.
The students were not bound to a single path. They were expected to explore, to discover where their strengths lay. For some, their course was clear. Gary, for instance, had already begun contemplating the Path of Strength, eager to refine the Astral Embodiment that had marked his potential. Luna, ever enigmatic, gravitated toward Resonance, her Transcended Form guiding her choices.
And Dawn…
None knew what path he would walk. Not even he himself.
Yet, as he stood beneath the celestial sky that night, staring at the expanse above, he felt no uncertainty. Only quiet resolve.
The academy had welcomed them, but the true journey had only just begun.