A boom split the night sky in two—literally.

  The clouds that cried scattered, revealing a sky littered with stars to the eyes of the wounded below.

  Men in white robes or gray-and-gold armor raced forward, surrounding the fallen and hauling them up one by one.

  A beam clash erupted nearby, flashing green and yellow.

  Green won.

  Then a roar deafened the next group of resisters.

  Three red-and-white heads—each shaped like an ancient Chinese dragon—screamed and bellowed in unison as enormous claws swept through the air.

  Blood spattered.

  None killed.

  All taken prisoner.

  #

  Rain froze against the sky-train windows as it carried Rin toward Kormadyne.

  The hologram screens that lined the cabin blared the same broadcast on every channel:

  “The culprit behind the mysterious forest fire that burned down a mile of natural parkland remains at large. Once a beautiful sight—now only ash and dust. Five bullet casings were recovered at the scene. With no residual mana traces or readable prints, Public Security has turned to the Grand Army for assistance.”

  “I promise you, I have the best team on the case,” a confident voice declared. “We will find whoever’s responsible and bring them to justice!”

  “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” another reporter shouted. “By your ‘best,’ do you mean you’ve even involved the in this?”

  “Yes, I have,” the man with golden hair replied. “We will find the culprit soon—and deliver the punishment he deserves!”

  Cheerers were heard before the scene flickered back to the news anchor.

  Rin’s reflection trembled against the glass.

  Her cheeks were wet and raw from tears, glowing faintly red where the cold air met the warmth of her skin. Her eyes red rimmed.

  Yet her gaze stayed fixed forward. She was focused. Calm. Had ever reason to snap but held it back. Not yet.

  #

  Drenco sipped his morning coffee in the long luxury of his air vehicle. It stretched longer than any other model on the route.

  “Are you ready to win, son?” a cool, deep voice asked from as far away as the cabin would allow.

  “Yes, Father.”

  “Good. I have to win too. So either you do this with me, or don’t come back home at all.”

  “Yes, Father,” Drenco repeated, clutching his cup tighter.

  Alphonse drank his favorite brew — hard, morning Irish coffee.

  Drenco ignored the sight. Though the cup smelled inviting, he couldn’t bring it to his lips.

  “If that girl bothers you again, I expect you to finish the job.”

  “Yes… Father…” His voice faltered. Alphonse didn’t notice; he only sipped his coffee.

  #

  Beyond the moans, yelps, and whimpers of the wounded, a man in all black walked through the chaos. He tugged the cuffs of his dark gloves and drew his wand in his right hand as he approached a cliff overlooking a valley. He crouched on one knee. Below, in the valley center, a modest house glowed with warm yellow lights.

  He tucked a lock of white hair behind his ear, adjusted his cuffs, and surveyed the area. His green eyes flared blue for a moment as he began counting: one, three, nine, sixteen, twenty-four… until he reached thirty-six. It stopped there.

  A soft thud sounded to his right as another man approached. Dressed in white robes and white gloves, red hair rustling in the wind, the newcomer held his wand in his left hand.

  “Commander. The clouds are moving back into position. Should I separate them?” the man asked.

  “No, Stark. Let them be. It’s only nature, after all.”

  “It would be advantageous if we avoided the rain.”

  “It’s fine. Leave it.”

  “Yes, sir.” Stark replied, following his commander’s newly lit blue gaze down into the valley. His own deep orange-reddish eyes flared bright blue too, zooming into the far side of the valley. “Thirty-six, sir. And counting.”

  “Right. Seems easy enough. How many men do you think we can send down there before we get noticed?”

  “Like, three?”

  Right on cue, another set of feet landed beside the commander’s left. “Wassup, guys! So, what we thinking? Wanna air that house up?!” the newcomer called cheerfully. He, too, wore white robes and gloves, wand in his right hand.

  The commander groaned into his palm.

  “Soooo Vixxy… no disrespect or anything, but I think you should send me! After all, I’ve got the best technique for busting bunkers, amirite?” he said with a whistle, nudging an elbow at Stark’s side.

  Stark kept his gaze fixed on the house, not bothering to respond

  “Commander… Wholewheat… please, not right now,” Vix murmured, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

  “Come on! Look, I won’t lie to you, I heard Stark’s call! Three men down there should be enough, right? And as far as I can count—which, mind you, isn’t past three—I can see…”

  He lowered his voice dramatically.

  “There’s… one, two…” “…three of us here! It’s like we were born for this very precise moment!”

  Stark shot him a look without moving his head, one eyebrow twitching upward.

  “Come on! We got this! Three strongest sorcerers and one little wittle house! Three amigos in a bus! Three… uh, dudes in a jerk!”

  “Commander,” Vix said flatly, his eyes returning to their usual poison-green tone. “If I agree, will you shut up?”

  “Yes!

  If you let this happen, I’ll absolutely do you say! You will not regret this.”

  “Stark? Hold him to that.”

  “Yes, sir,” Stark replied without missing a beat.

  Vix sighed and stepped forward, the wind rushed past his coat. Then he leapt from the cliff.

  Commander Wholewheat and Lieutenant Stark followed right behind—just as swiftly, and thankfully, a little more quietly.

  Once they reached the foot of the cliff, Vix gave Milo and Wholewheat a commanding look.

  Both men nodded immediately, moving in silence to circle the home and melt into the shadows.

  Vix ordered through telepathy.

  came the reply.

  Vix waited. The clouds above had reconnected, sealing the sky.

  Raindrops began to fall.

  The first drop landed on his shoulder—his signal.

  He fired a green orb straight into the air. It left a twisting trail of vapor before bursting into a skull of glowing smoke. The skull’s jaws opened wide, swallowing the entire house in a single engulfing bite before collapsing into a storm of green mist that crashed to the ground—leaving the structure miraculously untouched.

  Milo’s voice thundered through the rain as he summoned . The creature surged forward—three dragon heads screaming in unison, their honks and roars overlapping into a bone-rattling chorus. Dozens of massive arms extended from its body, wrapping around the house’s foundation and .

  The structure splintered, then crumbled into dust.

  Men screamed.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Spells fired.

  Wholewheat reacted instantly, casting precise barriers that caused every hostile bolt to ricochet back into the attackers—each one dropping as their own magic detonated around them.

  Vix didn’t wait. He leapt into the chaos, diving straight into the chasm left behind by Aptome’s destruction.

  He fell through collapsing layers of stone and dirt, spinning in rapid 360s as cursed bolts erupted from his hands. They streaked through the air in sharp green lines, striking defenders in flashes of light before ricocheting through the tunnels in a deadly zigzag. Each man hit collapsed, stunned or immobilized before he even saw Vix land.

  The Commander touched down at the very bottom with a soft , cloak settling behind him as silence reclaimed the dark.

  “Shit! It’s the Grand Army! Run for your lives!” one man screamed, tossing his wand aside and bolting.

  A few others followed.

  “Deserters! Never mind them—fight for your lives!” another shouted, hurling a bolt of lightning straight at Vix.

  Vix flicked his wrist; the tip of his wand sliced the spell clean in half. In the same motion he fired his favorite , sending a green spear of energy into the man’s chest and launching him backward until he slammed against the wall several feet up.

  More spells came.

  Vix raised a barrier—its surface flickered and hummed as impacts splashed harmlessly against it.

  Wholewheat landed behind him, covering his rear. Dozens of fist-sized yellow circles formed in the air at his back—then hundreds.

  Each one fired a volley of glowing crystal shards that peppered the chamber like golden rain. Every hit dropped another opponent, bruised or bleeding, before the crystals disintegrated into dust.

  “How’s that? Pretty cool, right? I think I’m cool.”

  “Shut. Up. Please.” Vix sighed, shaking his head.

  He dropped his barrier and unleashed a flurry of curse bolts at the men ahead. Each target was hurled backward or collapsed groaning in pain. Vix ignored them, striding toward a section of stone wall that looked caved in.

  A green orb gathered at the tip of his wand—then he fired.

  The stone erupted, disintegrating into sand and revealing what he had come for all along.

  Vix stepped up to it, sheathing his wand. One last enemy stumbled toward him; Vix drove a back-fist into the man’s jaw, sending him spinning into the air before he crumpled to the ground.

  “That’s it?” Wholewheat asked, stepping beside him.

  “Yes. The Grand Majestry will be pleased with this. We can finally get peace talks underway over Sentinel Island.” Vix said, his eyes fixed on the football-sized blue crystal before them.

  #

  Rin had long since transferred from her sky train into one of the large, yellow-colored EMVs—essentially air school buses. Each carried around fifty to eighty students from the station up to Kormadyne Academy.

  The Academy had indeed moved to Chicago, anchored in the air above Lake Michigan.

  Rin gazed out the window as rain continued to coat the glass. Through the streaks, she could make out the distant city lights and where the edge of Chicago met the vast lake. By name it was only a lake, but from here, it looked like the Atlantic Ocean from New York.

  She wasn’t amused. The view was, in fact, much like New York—same endless skyscrapers, the same mixture of floating and grounded vehicles weaving through the rain, the same billboards flashing countless glowing ads.

  She sighed again, choosing to tune out the chatter of the other children in the bus. Closing her eyes, she let the hum of the EMV drown everything out.

  Finally, the bus stopped. One by one, the students spilled out, flooding toward the grand gates of Kormadyne.

  Rin stepped down last. Cool droplets hit her face and hair. The rain had slowed, but it was still irritating—and she’d forgotten her umbrella.

  After nearly thirty minutes of standing around, she finally began the long walk from the academy’s front courtyard into the main campus itself. It didn’t feel as grand as her first time here. The first-years—called —had begun school three days earlier for orientation, leaving the campus quieter than usual for them.

  She was officially a “big kid” now, though she’d only grown one year older.

  Keeping her head down, she tried to block out as much noise as possible. She still needed to leave the main academy grounds to reach her dorm——which meant another long walk across yet another courtyard.

  Then, from behind her, a familiar voice cut through the loud halls.

  “Rin! Wait up! It’s you, right? Hold on!!!”

  A boy’s voice—bright and unmistakable.

  She turned around—and there he was, rushing up to her.

  “Eddie?” she began softly.

  “Rin!!!” he cheered once he finally caught up, panting for air. “I saw you a while back, but you just wouldn’t listen! I had to run down the entire grand hall!”

  “Oh… I’m sorry, Eddie. I was just… lost in some thoughts?” she said with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of her head.

  “Ahh, no worries!” he said, laughing with more heart than truth. But she could tell—he was just doing it to comfort her.

  She took a better look at him. His hair was nearly two inches longer than when she’d last seen him, still with that same scruffy look. He also seemed taller. She placed a hand over his head, squinting at him.

  “Hey! Cut that out! What are you doing?” he squirmed.

  “Eddie… we’re the same height now!” she said with a smile.

  “Huh? Are we really?”

  “Yeah! I used to be taller than you—I had to look whenever we spoke. When did you grow so much?”

  “Uh… I don’t know…” he said, sounding more like he was asking a question than giving an answer.

  Rin giggled, covering her mouth briefly.

  “I’m so glad to see you! Are you still in the South House?” Then, softer: “Please tell me you are…”

  “Duh! Of course I am! None of us got the chance to move houses last year. Especially with…” Eddie trailed off, noticing the way Rin’s eyes dimmed at what he’d been about to mention.

  “N-never mind. So—anything fun happen over the summer break? Especially with…” He glanced around a couple of times before leaning closer to whisper in her ear.

  “Now that you’re a ?”

  Rin blew past her lips in exhaustion. “No. Nothing fun happened, Eddie,” she said in an uncharacteristic huff, crossing her arms smoothly.

  Eddie nearly flinched.

  “N-nothing…? But you got to live with Commander Vix Nepton! Seriously, how is that guy? He’s such a cool shadow in all the videos I’ve seen of him. Is he really like that off-camera? Or is he some light-hearted, funny guy? Or—or maybe he’s even colder than he looks in the videos!” Eddie practically bounced with excitement.

  “Ugh, no! He’s nothing like he is in those videos! And live together? Seriously? More like a few friendly greetings for a day or two—then . I never saw him again.” She scoffed hard.

  Eddie blinked. “What?”

  “Don’t make me repeat myself,” she groaned, voice low.

  “Er… okay…” Eddie muttered, looking away and stuffing his hands into his pockets awkwardly. Then, slowly, a grin tugged at his lips.

  “I—I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s so cool that I’m friends with people who personally know the ” he squealed.

  “Eddie! Knock it off!” Rin snapped, raising her voice.

  This time, Eddie

  flinch.

  Rin shook her head, her expression unreadable—though to Eddie, it looked a lot like disgust—before turning and walking away.

  A cold gust brushed past him as she did, though there were no drafts in the academy’s enclosed halls.

  He shook his head and hurried after her, keeping pace at her side. Her shoulders were tense—drawn up tight with something he couldn’t name. Her arms stayed crossed, and her eyes weren’t wide and bright anymore. They were narrowed, sharp like daggers, locked straight ahead and completely unfazed by his presence.

  He almost shivered from the chill coming off her.

  Then, desperate to break the silence—

  “So… you really just lived alone in his home?”

  “Yes.” Her reply was swift, sharp—almost a hiss.

  “Sorry…” Eddie muttered, staring down at his shoes as they walked.

  Rin rolled her eyes and sighed. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Eddie.”

  “Are you going to be okay, Rin?”

  “What are you talking about? I’m perfectly fine. Let’s just get to our house and see if Chip—”

  A scream cut her off.

  Both froze, then bolted toward the sound without hesitation.

  When they arrived, a familiar scene unfolded before them.

  A girl stood with her hands on her hips, her pose full of sass. She wore a blue skirt like Rin’s and a black v-cut sweater over her grey uniform. Her hair faded from deep brown to yellow, ending in bright orange twin pigtails. Her expression was fierce—ready for a fight.

  Beside her was a slightly plump boy making odd hand gestures, squinting ahead as if preparing a spell. Behind them, another student cowered—black sludge dripping down his head and shirt.

  Rin followed their line of sight—then froze.

  Her breath caught. Her heart thudded faster.

  A tall boy stood before them, white hair falling into glints of orange at the tips. That same calculated smirk stretched across his face while two other boys beside him laughed.

  “Is that—” Eddie began before Rin cut him off.

  “Just who do you think you are, ” the girl with the orange pigtails shouted.

  “None of your business, ” Drenco snapped back. “Now get out of my way. I’m a little busy teaching that Impite over there his place.”

  “No, we will not move out of your way!” the plump boy beside Chippy yelled. Rin recognized him instantly—

  “Dude… who the heck are you again?” Drenco asked, squinting in mild confusion.

  “Jackson! The name’s Jackson, you cow-duck-pig!”

  Drenco blinked. “How can I be three animals at once—never mind.” He shook his head with a smirk. “If you two want to catch what’s coming to him, be my guest. I doubt either of you could stop me.”

  “ Rin! We need to—” Eddie began, but when he turned to face her, she was gone.

  He looked up again—Rin was already storming toward Chippy and Jackson.

  She came to a stop in front of them, arms crossed.

  “Drenco.” Rin’s voice carried a tone of challenge.

  “Rin.” Drenco matched it, though his step faltered ever so slightly. Everyone missed it—except Rin.

  “Losing your grip?” she said with a smirk.

  “As if.” Drenco scoffed and held out a hand to his side. The boy next to him placed a cup into it.

  “Do you know what this is, Rin?” he asked, smiling.

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Rin snapped back.

  “It’s Just some gooey sludge I nicked from my butler’s room. He uses it to fix squeaky doors—something like that.” Drenco swirled the cup lazily, clearly amused. “It never runs out. Pretty cool, right? I could just… keep dumping this on your head over and over again, and it’d be funny every time.”

  Rin gulped quietly, forcing herself to stay steady.

  “Dude! Whatever!” Chippy cut in. “If you need some special oil over people’s heads to feel better about yourself, try getting a hair dye! Your hair is so—” she gagged dramatically, pointing at him.

  Jackson immediately cracked up beside her.

  Drenco stared at them flatly. He blinked once—then hurled the cup.

  A burst of oily fluid shot toward them. Rin’s eyes widened; she braced herself. Chippy and Jackson did the same—

  But the liquid never hit.

  It stopped mid-air, condensing into a tight sphere that hovered, trembling.

  Drenco gritted his teeth. “What the heck?! Someone’s using magic in the halls?!”

  He stumbled back, then turned and bolted down the corridor.

  The suspended liquid floated neatly to a nearby waste bin and dropped in.

  Rin and Chippy exchanged baffled looks. Then Eddie walked up, hands in his pockets.

  “Well… that’s that.”

  Rin exhaled, finally slouching.

  “What’s gotten into you, Rin? You’d never have done that last year,” Eddie said, eyeing her.

  “No? Whatever. I just really hate that boy.”

  Chippy placed a hand on Rin’s back. “Hey—for what it’s worth, I think you were really cool.”

  “Thanks, Chippy, I really needed—” Rin froze mid-sentence. Her eyes widened as she looked at her. “Chippy?”

  Chippy blinked, then really looked at Rin. “Rin?”

  Both girls squealed and hugged each other tightly.

  Eddie sighed, watching them. “There they go again,” he said with a smile as he approached the child behind them to help him up.