I First Morning Run

Austin stirred before the sun rose, the room steeped in shadows and the steady breaths of his sleeping peers. Sliding out of bed quietly, he carefully rummaged through his belongings and selected a comfortable outfit for his morning jog. Just as he was tying his laces, Lucian stirred, blinking blearily at him.

"Where are you going?" Lucian's voice was groggy but curious.

Austin hesitated, then replied honestly after a sigh, "For a jog."

Lucian sat up, his curiosity piqued. Noticing that his twin brother, Aidan, remained fast asleep, he decided to join. Though Austin found Lucian's insistence annoying, he neither protested nor waited.

As Austin slipped out the door, Lucian muttered, "Wait for me," but the words were swallowed by the still air. Aidan stirred, cracking an eye open and glaring at Lucian, who froze briefly before hurriedly leaving.

***

The training grounds stretched wide and tranquil, bathed in the soft glow of the moon. Tall trees framed the expanse, their long, unmoving shadows adding to the stillness.

From his position, Austin could see two of the academy's defining structures dominating the horizon. To the south, a tall, utilitarian tower stood, its stone exterior etched with glowing symbols. A spire rose from its peak, while a surrounding courtyard, lined with banners of insignia.

In stark contrast, towards the north, at the heart of the academy, near the first-year dormitories, a much taller and more elegant tower reached high above the rest. Its polished stone gleamed faintly in the moonlight, and its intricate carvings spoke of both grandeur and mystery. The tower curved slightly northward, like a blade poised for action, evoking the image of a sundial's gnomon.

Austin jogged effortlessly, his breaths steady and controlled, his feet gliding over the well-trodden path.

Lucian, however, was struggling. Gasping for air, he stumbled every few meters, only to grit his teeth and continue. His determination amused Austin, though he suspected fear of being alone drove Lucian more than anything else.

"Why won't you wait?" Lucian managed to wheeze, his words lost as Austin picked up the pace. Lucian collapsed onto the ground repeatedly, only to push himself back up with sheer stubbornness.

Watching from the corner of his eye, Austin begrudgingly admired his tenacity. Still, he maintained his silence, dodging Lucian's attempts to spark conversation by staying just out of reach.

Eventually, Lucian gave up and flopped onto a nearby grass field, breathing heavily. Within moments, he was asleep, sprawled unceremoniously in the middle of the field.

Just as Austin finished another lap, a group of upperclassmen arrived. They paused at the sight of the two younger boys—one jogging tirelessly and the other snoring in the dirt.

"Looks like we've got a runner and... a sleeper?" one of them joked, nudging Lucian lightly with their boot.

Another laughed. "Didn't think first-years would come find the training grounds this early. Impressive."

Austin watched them out of the corner of his eye, intrigued but wary.

The upperclassmen are already gathered in the cool, pre-light haze, their silhouettes moving like shadows across the training grounds.

In perfect unison, they begin their training, a silent rhythm of calisthenics and combat drills. Their bodies flow through the exercises with a precision that speaks of years of practice, muscles working in seamless harmony.

As the first hints of light touch the horizon, they shift seamlessly into Mystical Arts, standing still but radiating energy. Their hands weave through the air, channeling mana with quiet concentration, the faintest glow flickering around them.

From afar, it's a mesmerizing sight—an early ritual that blends physical endurance with the quiet mastery of the Mystical Arts, all before the sun rises.

As the first rays of dawn painted the horizon, a golden light flickered in the center of the training grounds. Intrigued, Austin approached cautiously but swiftly, noting how the light etched a riddle into the earthen floor. He wanted to read it before it disappeared, just like the riddles he had seen the previous night, which stopped showing themselves.

"I have no windows, yet the sun may shine within.

I have no voice, yet secrets I may spin.

Some fear to enter, others yearn to be free,

A place of shadows, where darkness eternally.

What am I?"

Austin stared at the riddle, his brow furrowed in concentration. He muttered possible answers under his breath, each more frustratingly incorrect than the last, but he didn't stop.

"Need some help?" A cheerful voice broke his focus.

Turning, Austin saw a girl in an upperclassman's robe. Her auburn hair was braided neatly, and her sharp eyes carried a hint of amusement. Though her face was kind, there was a confidence in her stance that marked her as experienced.

"The answer is... a dungeon," she said with a smile.

Austin blinked, realization dawning. "Oh."

She chuckled. "Don't worry, most first-years don't get it right on their own. In fact, they wouldn't even notice these riddles at all. I'm Yanika, by the way. Leatherworker and Scholar." Her tone was friendly, and she extended a hand.

Austin hesitated briefly before shaking it, noting the roughness in her grip. "Austin." He introduced back.

"You should probably wake your friend," Yanika added, gesturing toward the still-sleeping Lucian. "Unless you want my friends to start using him as a Mystical Arts dummy."

Austin smirked faintly, then nudged Lucian awake, and the boy sat up groggily, wiping grass from his face. Before Austin could say anything, Lucian rubbed his eyes and stretched, barely registering Yanika standing nearby.

She gave him a polite nod. "Good morning."

"Uh, good morning," Lucian replied groggily, trying to shake off his sleep.

Austin crossed his arms. "This is Yanika. She's been here for a while."

Lucian straightened, his curiosity sparking awake. "Oh, really? What brings you here so early?"

Yanika smiled softly. "I was just in my morning training with my friends when we noticed you two. We like to start the day with exercise. It's a tradition for Valdoris Archeon."

Lucian tilted his head. "Valdoris Archeon?"

Yanika glanced between the two boys, as if gauging their reactions. "After the Staff Succession Ceremony, you'll understand better, but it's one of the student factions here in the academy. Every morning, we train together—physical exercises, Mystical Arts, everything. It helps build discipline and camaraderie. The Aegis Tower of the South—the Valdoris Archeon's Tower, rather, home—is also closest to the training grounds so it's easy for us," she said as she pointed at the visible tower from the southern walls.

Lucian's interest deepened. "That's cool! So it's like the Valdoris' Dormitory, or something?"

Yanika chuckled. "Well, you could say that."

"Do you train every day?"

"We try to, though some days are lighter than others. It's important to stay consistent."

"Sounds intense," Lucian said, then grinned. "But I guess it's worth it if everyone gets along, right?"

Yanika hesitated, her smile faltering for the briefest moment. "It's… not always perfect," she admitted. "There are challenges, as with any group. But we make it work so everything's good."

Austin, who had been observing quietly, caught the flicker of sadness in her expression. Though her tone was steady, her eyes revealed something deeper.

"Doesn't sound like you believe that." Austin said, his voice low.

Yanika blinked, startled by his sharp observation. Her demeanor shifted immediately, and she forced a brighter smile. "Anyway, what about you two? Are you first-years? How are you finding the academy so far?"

Lucian eagerly jumped in, completely unaware of the deflection. "Oh, let me tell you! My name's Lucian, and I'm here with my twin brother, Aidan. He's still asleep, but don't worry, he's not as lazy as he looks. And me? I've always wanted to come here! My parents said I had to work really hard to get in, so I studied a ton. I mean, not as much as I probably should have, but hey, I'm here, right? Oh, and—"

Yanika's polite smile began to strain as Lucian continued to talk, his words tumbling out in an unstoppable stream. He shifted topics so quickly that it was impossible to follow. One moment, he was talking about his brother's unhealthy habits and bad temper, and the next, he was recounting a childhood story about falling into a river while trying to impress a girl.

Austin watched the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and pity. When he caught the glint of excitement in Lucian's eyes—the telltale sign that he was just getting started—Austin took this as his cue to leave.

"I'm going to keep jogging," he said flatly, cutting Lucian off mid-sentence.

"Huh? Oh, okay," Lucian replied absentmindedly, already turning back to Yanika.

Yanika looked at Austin, her eyes pleading for rescue. He ignored her and resumed his jog, leaving her to face Lucian's relentless chatter.

***

Half an hour later, Austin finished a hundred lap, his breathing and mind steady. He slowed to a walk as he continued ti a brisk walk. The scene that greeted him was exactly what he had expected.

Lucian was still talking animatedly, his hands gesturing wildly as he recounted another story from his childhood. Yanika sat across from him, her expression a mix of exhaustion and resignation.

When Yanika noticed Austin approaching, her eyes lit up with hope. She subtly raised a hand in a gesture that could only mean one thing: Help me.

Austin met her gaze, smirked again, and walked away.

After a while The upperclassmen from Valdoris Archeon began wrapping up their morning training. Yanika seized the opportunity to escape, standing abruptly and cutting Lucian off mid-sentence.

"Lucian, it's been nice talking to you, but I need to check in with my group," she said quickly, her tone polite but firm.

"Oh, sure! Maybe we can talk again later!" Lucian said cheerfully, waving as she hurried away.

"Good luck on your Placement Ceremony. It's going to be tougher than a jog."

Yanika joined the upperclassmen, who greeted her with knowing smirks.

"What happened?" one of them asked, amused.

"Don't. Ask," Yanika muttered, rubbing her temples.

Lucian grinned as he watch Yanika's back. When he finally realized that he was standing alone in the training grounds, he looked around for Austin and spotted him in the distance, walking away towards the dormitories without a care in the world.

"Austin!" Lucian called, running to catch up. "Why'd you leave me back there?"

Austin glanced over his shoulder, a faint smirk on his face. "You looked like you were having fun."

Lucian groaned. "Fun? Yes I did! But looks like Yanika was in a hurry. Did I do something wrong?"

Austin shrugged. "Nothing. You were just... you."

Lucian frowned but couldn't argue as they headed back to their dormitory.