Are you Royalty?

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my newly issued uniform, the dark fabric still crisp and untouched. Its texture was smoother than anything I'd ever worn—stitched with the insignia of House Vaelus. The sleeves bore the mark of the Ophiuchus constellation, its serpentine shape curling elegantly into the fabric, almost as if alive. It felt both a badge of honor and a weight of responsibility.

Tomorrow, I would officially begin my training at the Asclepius Royal Academy—ARA—where Ophiuchus Awakeners were said to unlock their true potential. Celene had told me stories about how intense the training could be. Ophiuchus Awakeners were stronger than regular Zodiac Awakeners, even at the same rank, their energy harder to control but far more potent. The thought made my heart race. I didn't just have to survive; I had to prove that I belonged.

But tonight, as I stared out the window into the endless expanse of stars, my thoughts were elsewhere—on home. I missed them, my family. I hadn't spoken to them since I left for this place. Asclepius was on a different universe entirely, one so far removed from the life I knew. I wanted to call them, to tell them that I was okay, that I hadn't lost myself in the grandeur of this new world. But I didn't even know how.

I sighed, letting my head fall back against the cool wall behind me. The silence was almost comforting in a strange way. A quiet before the storm.

System Notification:

You have a connection request from Celene. Do you wish to accept?

Without a second thought, I accepted, and a holographic figure of Celene materialized before me. Her image was clearer than I expected, her features so real I almost forgot it was a projection.

"Hey, Avant!" she greeted cheerfully, her usual infectious energy lighting up the room. "Just wanted to check in before tomorrow. Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet you, but I've assigned someone trustworthy to guide you around."

I nodded, smiling faintly. "Got it. Thanks for that."

She tilted her head slightly, sensing there was something more. "Is something on your mind?"

I hesitated before blurting it out, the words heavy on my tongue. "I… I want to know if there's a way to contact my family. Back home, I mean. I haven't spoken to them since I got here."

Celene's face softened, her usual cheerfulness dimming. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she responded, "I'll ask Grandpa Alric. He probably knows a way. I'll let you know tomorrow."

Relief washed over me, and I smiled for real this time. "Thank you, Celene. That means a lot."

She returned my smile with one of her own, warm and reassuring. "Don't worry about it. We're family now too."

The connection ended, leaving me alone once again. But this time, I felt a bit lighter. As I crawled into bed, pulling the covers over myself, I allowed myself to imagine what tomorrow would bring. A new day. A new beginning.

The next morning, the Academy loomed before me, an enormous structure that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. Its dark stone walls and towering spires gave off an aura of power and history, like it had seen centuries of battles, training, and growth. It was intimidating, to say the least.

As I approached the entrance, I couldn't help but notice the stares. Students were glancing my way, their eyes lingering for just a moment too long. Some were sizing me up, probably wondering who I was, while others whispered amongst themselves. The feeling of being out of place crept up on me, a shadow that I couldn't shake off.

Where was this guide Celene had promised? I stood awkwardly near the entrance, unsure of where to go, and the longer I waited, the more out of place I felt.

Finally, just as I was about to start wandering aimlessly, a girl rushed up to me. She was about my age, with long dark hair that flowed behind her like silk. Her eyes—blue, sparkling like the ocean—caught my attention immediately. For a moment, I just stared, struck by how effortlessly beautiful she was.

"Are you Avant?" she asked breathlessly, clearly having run to find me.

I blinked, snapping myself out of it. "Yeah, that's me. Are you my guide?"

She nodded, still catching her breath. "Yes! I'm Zephira Orlen. Her Highness—I mean, Instructor Celene—asked me to show you around."

I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Lead the way."

Zephira flashed me a bright smile before turning to lead me inside the Academy. As we walked through the grand halls, she explained how things worked here at ARA. Apparently, students were grouped into squads of four, and these groups would train together, fight together, and eventually become comrades for life. The Academy believed in forging bonds that would last beyond mere training, bonds that could weather even the harshest storms.

Zephira told me a bit about herself too, mentioning that she was a rare dual Awakener. Her Zodiac affinities were split between Sagittarius and Capricorn, with an impressive 75% affinity in both. It was almost unheard of. Her Astrology trait was Mythic—a status that marked her as someone with the potential to reach the highest ranks of Ophiuchus.

"What about you?" she asked, her eyes curious. "What's your Astrology trait?"

I hesitated, remembering the warnings from the Elders to keep my true trait hidden. It wasn't safe to reveal everything, not yet. "Divine," I answered, keeping it simple.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Divine? That's—are you royalty?"

The question hung in the air between us, her voice hushed with a mix of awe and curiosity. I could tell she didn't mean any harm by it, but the implication of my Astrology trait was clear. Divine was a rank usually associated with the highest of nobility—sometimes even royalty. But I wasn't royalty, not in the way she meant.

Before I could answer, though, a sharp sound echoed through the hall—like the crack of thunder but contained, muffled. Zephira froze, her expression instantly shifting from curiosity to alertness.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered, her voice tense.

I nodded, my body going rigid. Something wasn't right.

Zephira gestured for me to follow her as we quietly moved down the hall, the sound growing louder with each step. The noise was coming from one of the training arenas, a massive room designed for students to spar and test their skills. But as we rounded the corner, it became clear that this wasn't a normal sparring session.

In the center of the arena, two students were locked in combat—one of them a boy who couldn't have been older than me, his body radiating with a fiery aura. His opponent, however, was different. Dark shadows clung to her skin, swirling around her like living smoke. She was toying with him, her movements slow and deliberate, like a cat playing with a mouse before delivering the final blow.

"That's Elysia..." Zephira whispered. "A senior. She has the Ophiuchus power of Void and Shadows. She was from Serpentis. Her mother was from The Black Abyss. "

The name sent a chill down my spine. The Black Abyss. Students from the Black Abyss were rare and dangerous, their powers unpredictable and often destructive.

Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, the boy stumbled, falling to one knee. Elysia smiled, dark and twisted, as she raised her hand, shadows coiling around her fingers like snakes. I felt my pulse quicken. She was going to kill him.

"Stop!" I shouted, my voice breaking through the tension like a knife.

Elysia turned her head towards me, her expression one of mild amusement. "And who are you supposed to be?" she asked, her voice dripping with condescension.

I stepped forward, heart pounding in my chest. "I'm Avant. Let him go."

She tilted her head, considering me for a moment before lowering her hand. "Fine," she said, her voice almost bored. "This one was too weak to be any fun anyway."

She turned on her heel and walked away, the shadows dissipating around her as she left the arena. The boy slumped to the ground, breathing heavily but alive.

I walked over to him, helping him to his feet. "Are you okay?"

He nodded weakly, still shaken. "Thanks... I thought she was going to..."

"You're safe now," I reassured him.

Zephira came over, her face pale. "That was dangerous, Avant. You don't know how close you were to getting hurt yourself."

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of what had just happened. "I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

She nodded, understanding in her eyes. "I know. But you'll have to be careful. Not everyone here plays by the rules."