(Grand Arcanum Academy )
The morning sun bathed the towering spires of Grand Arcanum Academy in golden light as students made their way toward their first official class.
The atmosphere was different from the previous day—less excitement, more tension.
Yesterday had been an introduction.
Today, the real lessons began.
Inside the massive lecture hall, over a hundred students took their seats, murmuring among themselves. The room was grand, built with enchanted marble, and lined with floating mana-powered lanterns that provided soft illumination. The walls were inscribed with ancient symbols, and above them, holographic projections flickered, ready to display information at the instructor's command.
Alistair entered without a word, walking past the whispering students before taking a seat near the back.
He had expected the attention, and as usual, he ignored it.
Leon Valerius sat near the front, exuding confidence as always, while Evelyn Aurelius and Elaine Vaelthorne sat beside each other, their expressions calm and composed.
Sylara Ilthariel sat with other elves, their elegant posture making them seem almost detached from the rest of the class.
Cassandra Everwyn, arms crossed, leaned against her desk, her crimson eyes narrowed as she scanned the room.
And then—
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of high heels tapping against the marble floor silenced all conversation.
All eyes turned toward the front.
The doors swung open, and Selena Loventis entered.
She moved with effortless grace, her crimson-red hair cascading over her shoulders in perfect waves. Her deep golden eyes shimmered with amusement as she surveyed the room.
Today, she was dressed in a form-fitting black and crimson robe.
Even the most composed students couldn't help but be drawn to her.
Leon, despite his usual arrogance, found his eyes lingering a moment too long.
Even some of the female students found themselves momentarily entranced.
Selena, of course, noticed everything.
Her lips curled into a knowing smile.
"My, my…" she purred, her voice as smooth as silk. "The way you're all staring, I feel like a rare treasure on display."
A few students coughed, looking away in embarrassment.
Selena chuckled, taking her place at the front of the class. With a wave of her hand, a large holographic map of the world appeared behind her, floating in the air.
"Now then, my darlings, let's begin."
Her expression shifted—playfulness fading, replaced by sharp intelligence.
"This is your first history lesson. And trust me… the past is far bloodier than any of you realize."
The room fell into absolute silence.
Even Alistair leaned slightly forward, interested.
****
Selena gestured toward the map.
"Our world has endured three great eras. Each shaped civilization… and each nearly ended it."
"Thousands of years ago, the world was ruled not by mortals… but by gods."
The projection shifted, showing massive celestial beings descending upon the world, their divine presence warping reality itself.
"The gods walked among us. They shaped the mountains, commanded the elements, and forged the laws of existence. Humans, elves, beastkin, and all other races were mere subjects to their will."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle.
"But gods, my dear students, are not merciful rulers."
The images darkened.
"The gods were tyrants. They demanded worship, obedience, and sacrifice. Those who disobeyed? Erased from existence."
Morganna Draven smirked, clearly entertained. "How poetic."
Selena's eyes glimmered. "Oh, it gets worse, dear."
The projection changed again—this time showing the Great Revolt.
Flashes of battle. Titans clashing. Mortal warriors standing against beings far beyond their comprehension.
"But mortals," Selena continued, "do not stay weak forever."
She smiled faintly.
"They evolved. They awakened."
Images of early avatars appeared—beings chosen by the gods, blessed with their power.
"But here's the irony…"
The image shifted again.
"The first war was not between mortals and gods. It was between gods themselves."
A ripple of murmurs spread across the room.
"The War of Pantheons—when the divine turned against one another. Some gods wished to rule, others to destroy, and a rare few wished to protect."
She flicked her wrist, and images of legendary warriors appeared.
"Mortal champions took advantage of this chaos. They rose against their oppressors… and for the first time, a god was slain."
A collective hush fell over the room.
A god… slain.
The very idea sent shivers down some students' spines.
Selena tilted her head. "And once the first god fell… more followed."
The projection changed again—this time showing cities, empires, and academies like Grand Arcanum.
"With the gods weakened and scattered, mortals took control. Empires rose, academies were built, and magic was refined into an art."
She gestured toward the students.
"And that is the world you now live in. A world where gods still exist… but no longer rule directly."
Her crimson eyes darkened.
"But don't be deceived. The gods may have lost their thrones… but they are still watching."
Selena smiled again, effortlessly shifting back to her usual playful demeanor.
"But enough of that! Let's see how much you remember."
She tapped her fingers against her desk.
A written test materialized in front of every student.
"Surprise quiz, my darlings. 10 questions. Let's see who was actually listening."
Groans filled the room.
Leon muttered, "I hate written tests."
Sylvara, ever composed, already began writing.
Morganna yawned dramatically.
Alistair glanced down at his paper, also answering without hesitation.
Selena smirked as she walked between the rows, watching them struggle.
"Oh, don't look so pained," she teased.
****
The room was filled with the soft scratching of pens against paper as students worked on their surprise quiz.
Selena strolled between the rows of desks, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement as she observed their reactions.
Some students wrote with confidence. Others hesitated, their brows furrowed as they tried to recall details from the lesson.
Alistair, of course, had no trouble.
His pen moved smoothly, answering each question with precise detail. After merging with Ethan Kael's memories, his knowledge wasn't just from this world—it was from a perspective outside of it.
He finished in under three minutes.
And then he waited.
Across the room, Leon was tapping his fingers against his desk, frowning slightly as he read a question about the War of Pantheons.
Morganna yawned dramatically, barely trying, while Evelyn methodically wrote her answers with sharp precision.
Elaine, always diligent, was focused entirely on her paper.
Sylvara Ilthariel, the High Elven Princess, barely moved as she wrote, her expression serene—almost as if she had memorized the entire history before even arriving at the academy.
At the back of the class, Cassandra Everwyn's crimson eyes flickered with irritation. She chewed on the tip of her pen, her frustration evident.
Selena stopped behind her, leaning down slightly.
"Having trouble, darling?" she whispered, her voice warm like honey.
Cassandra stiffened. "No."
Selena chuckled. "Good. I'd hate for someone as passionate as you to fall behind."
Cassandra's grip on her pen tightened.
Selena straightened, her gaze sweeping across the room before finally resting on Alistair.
He was sitting there, arms folded, completely unbothered.
Their eyes met.
She knew he had finished early. Knew he hadn't struggled at all.
But instead of saying anything, she merely smiled.
"Alright, my darlings," Selena finally said, clapping her hands. "Time's up!"
The test papers vanished in a flicker of mana, stacking themselves neatly on her desk.
Selena snapped her fingers, and a golden hourglass materialized beside her.
"This will take a few minutes to grade itself," she explained. "In the meantime…"
She leaned against her desk, crossing one leg over the other.
"Let's have a little discussion."
***
Selena tapped a finger against her lips, as if contemplating something.
Then she turned toward the class, her red eyes glinting.
"You've learned the official version of history," she murmured. "But let me ask you this—do you really think the gods simply… gave up?"
The room went silent.
A few students exchanged glances.
Leon leaned forward slightly, intrigued.
"The gods lost their throne, yes," Selena continued. "But they were never defeated."
"They are still here. Watching. Waiting."
Morganna chuckled, resting her chin on her hand. "That's not ominous at all."
Selena smirked. "Oh, darling, I haven't even started."
She flicked her wrist, and a new holographic projection appeared.
It was a list of names.
But these weren't names of mortals.
They were divine titles.
The Sleeping Pantheon.
The Forsaken Gods.
The Nameless One.
Selena's voice dropped lower.
"There are gods who still walk among us. Some openly grant their blessings. Others remain hidden, pulling the strings of fate from the shadows."
Her gaze flickered toward Alistair for the briefest moment.
"Some have even begun choosing their champions again—reviving old conflicts."
Leon straightened. "Are you saying there's another war coming?"
Selena shrugged. "Perhaps."
Her smile widened.
"Perhaps it has already begun."
A chilling silence settled over the room.
Even Alistair, who rarely reacted, felt something stir in the back of his mind.
Ethan's memories—the knowledge of things beyond this world—felt eerily aligned with what Selena was saying.
Was this just her teasing the class?
Or did she know more than she was letting on?
****
The golden hourglass on Selena's desk shimmered.
The grading was complete.
She snapped her fingers, and a new projection appeared above the class.
History Quiz – Top Scores
1. Sylara Ilthariel – 100% (Perfect Score)
2. Elaine Vaelthorne – 98%
3. Evelyn Aurelius – 96%
4. Alistair Vaelthorne – 96%
5. Leon Valerius – 90%
6. Kieran Azurios – 89%
7. Morganna Draven – 82%
8. Cassandra Everwyn – 77%
The rest of the class fell into lower rankings, with some barely scraping by.
A few students groaned.
Leon frowned, clearly irritated that he wasn't first.
Sylvara, however, merely smiled faintly, as if this result had been expected.
Alistair glanced at the list and felt… nothing.
He could have gotten 100% easily.
But he had intentionally held back.
There was no need to reveal everything so soon.
Selena clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention back to her.
"Well, well! It seems our High Elf Princess remains the queen of history," she teased, giving Sylara a wink.
Sylara nodded gracefully. "History is the foundation of wisdom."
Selena chuckled. "Indeed, darling. And for the rest of you…"
She leaned forward, smirking.
"Try harder next time."
A few students scowled, but most took the loss quietly.
Leon, however, was still glaring at the ranking list.
Alistair could almost hear the thoughts running through his mind.
How had he tied with Evelyn?
How had Alistair scored so high?
Leon clenched his fists but said nothing.
Good.
Alistair had no interest in childish rivalries.
Selena stretched, her crimson robes shifting elegantly.
"That's all for today, my darlings. But don't get too comfortable…"
Her smile turned sharp.
"Tomorrow's lesson? War strategies and ancient battle tactics."
That got everyone's attention.
A few students straightened, suddenly more interested.
Combat theory was far more exciting than history.
Selena winked. "I expect you all to study."
And with that—class was dismissed.
Students began gathering their things, murmuring among themselves as they left the hall.
Some were excited.
Some were frustrated.
(To Be Continued…)