In the back room of the meditation hall, Instructor Thorne watched his students in silence, scanning for slackers. Once satisfied, he slipped into a side chamber and retrieved a thick file from a metal cabinet—labeled: Silvercrest Academy – Grade 3, Class B.
He flipped through the pages until one name caught his eye.
Cael Draven.
Thorne murmured aloud, "Parents deceased twelve years ago in a 'Wraithbeast' incident. Raised in the government's Keats Asylum… Passed the independence assessment six months ago and received solo housing."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Most orphans fail the Keats assessment and can't move out until sixteen. This one did it before thirteen... Interesting."
Thorne kept reading and chuckled.
"Last session, his Aetherwall observation time was 39 seconds. Today—42. That kind of leap is rare."
He tapped the file thoughtfully.
"In over twenty years of teaching meditation, only nine students have ever improved by more than two seconds between sessions. Four of them became warriors."
He pulled out a pen and drew a triangle in the corner of the page.
Key Prospect – Monitor Closely.
Unbeknownst to most students, the four elite Blacksteel Warbands within the Vale of Taeron were constantly scouting for fresh talent.
Each meditation instructor, whether openly or in secret, worked with one of the factions—feeding them gifted recruits.
Thorne had just found someone worth watching.
Back in the meditation chamber, Cael sat cross-legged in the corner, eyes closed, mind deep in thought.
He focused on the image still flickering within his mental sea—the Trueflame Remnant Seal.
At its core, he could see what looked like glowing filaments—delicate strands of light—most of them broken or missing. But their complexity hinted at something profound.
Is this the true structure of a remnant seal? Cael wondered. And if so… are the other sigils—the Sense Sigil and the Bodymark—built from similar filaments?
It made sense.
He concentrated on the Trueflame Seal.
It responded.
With a soft flash, knowledge poured forth—silent and seamless. He didn't just read it. He understood it.
After a few moments, he grinned. "The Sense Sigil can only help you feel aether. But this… this can manipulate it."
He willed the seal to activate.
Immediately, the ball of light swelled, drinking in his mental energy.
Then—a wave of warmth spread through his body.
A rush of invisible heat flowed through his arms, legs, chest—every inch of him felt like it was basking in a private sun.
Cael's heart skipped.
With a single thought, he stopped it. The light dimmed, and the warmth vanished.
"So that's what 'Trueflame' means," he murmured. "It's a fragment of solar power. Even in its damaged state, it creates heat like the sun itself."
What happens when it's whole?
An hour passed.
Ding-a-ling!
The soft chime of Thorne's meditation bell echoed across the room.
Class was over.
Students scrambled to their feet, rolled up their mats, and hobbled out of the room like prisoners released from solitary. Numb legs. Blank stares. Groans of relief.
Completely normal.
Cael returned to the classroom and had barely sat down when Rhea Quinn leaned in, eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Be honest," she whispered. "You're Thorne's secret love child, right?"
Cael gave her a look. "If I report you to him, how many ruler slaps do you think you'd get?"
Rhea threw up her hands. "Okay, okay! I take it back!"
Cael smirked but said nothing.
Rhea switched topics. "Hey, we've got that math test in three days. You got any insight?"
She looked at him with expectation—and something like awe.
For the last six months, she'd seen her desk partner correctly guess exam questions over and over. Not just any questions, but the high-weighted ones. Nine times out of ten, he nailed them.
Of course, Cael had never admitted his skill came from the Eye of All-Seeing. Instead, he brushed it off with a humble excuse: "If you understand the teacher's logic, predicting test questions isn't that hard."
Today, Rhea sweetened the deal.
"Okay," she said, "I'll add two more breakfasts. That makes three in total. Each one with a Qinglin fruit—your favorite."
Qinglin fruit was considered a luxury. Forty copper coins apiece. Way too expensive for most families.
But Rhea came from money. And she was happy to trade good food for good grades.
Cael didn't hesitate. "Deal."
He focused.
Predict final three key problems – Mathematics Exam.
The top of his head tingled, and a stream of data bloomed in his thoughts.
Spirit Value: -0.5Proficiency: Unchanged
He sighed. Back when the Eye was still Level 1, even test predictions granted proficiency. Now? The system demanded more.
He grabbed a page, quickly scribbled down three math problems, and handed it to her.
"They won't be exact matches, but the structure's the same. Practice them until they're easy."
Then, more quietly: "And remember—don't share these."
Rhea grinned. "I know. Secret weapon. Got it."
She wasn't stupid. If the questions got out, everyone's grades would go up—and her special treatment would mean nothing.
A few rows back, a chubby boy named Wen Jett watched the two whispering and laughing. His face twisted with envy.
Most students their age had already begun noticing who was attractive—and Rhea was definitely one of the most sought-after girls in class.
Jett had harbored a crush for months.
And watching her share secrets with him? It burned.
"What's on that paper that's got you so happy, Rhea?" he asked, too loudly.
Her smile vanished. "None of your business, Wen."
He forced a laugh. "Just trying to be friendly."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't bother."
Wen's face turned red. He turned his attention to Cael.
"Hey, Cael. We're heading out to Southlake on the school break. Want to join?"
Cael didn't even need to think.
That kind of invitation, from that kind of guy? It reeked of setup.
He locked eyes with Wen.
Then quietly connected to the Trueflame Seal.
Wen's eyes widened. For a split second, Cael's gaze looked like flame—hot, burning, impossible to look into.
Wen gasped and looked away, blinking in pain.
Cael smirked and turned back toward his desk.
Another way to use the Trueflame Seal: intimidation.
Wen rubbed his eyes, glancing nervously at Cael's back, confusion and fear written all over his face.