Shadows of the Divine Game

Kyros sat in the academy's dining hall, his eyes scanning the room. Around him, students carried on with their meals, chattering about their training sessions or whispering about the latest rumors. To them, this was an ordinary evening. For Kyros, it was anything but. He had a plan—a carefully crafted strategy to uncover more about the artifact hidden within the academy. But first, he needed information.

Alethea entered the hall, her sharp gaze cutting through the noise. She carried herself with the grace of someone who knew her worth, yet there was a softness to her that she rarely let others see. Kyros gave her a slight nod as she approached his table, a tray in her hands.

'Do you ever eat without scheming?' she asked, setting her tray down. Her tone was casual, but there was an edge of curiosity in her voice.

Kyros smirked. 'If I did, the food might lose its flavor.'

Alethea rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips. 

'So, what's the plan this time? Let me guess… it involves you getting into trouble and me having to save you.'

'Hardly,' Kyros replied, leaning back in his chair. 

'I was thinking more along the lines of you distracting our dear Instructor Nyros while I sneak into his office.'

Alethea raised an eyebrow. 'And why, exactly, would I agree to this?'

'Because,' Kyros said, lowering his voice …

'if my hunch is correct, the artifact I'm looking for is listed in the academy's restricted archives. And Nyros has access.'

Alethea considered this for a moment, then sighed. 

'Fine. But if this goes wrong, you owe me. Big time.'

'I'll even throw in a thank-you,' Kyros said, his tone mock-serious.

As they finalized their plan, a group of students walked past their table, throwing Kyros suspicious glances. One of them, a tall boy with a smug expression, stopped and crossed his arms.

'Polemistes,' he said, drawing out the name as if it were a joke. 'I hear you've been getting special treatment from Alethea. Tell me, is it because you're too weak to stand on your own?'

Kyros looked up, unfazed. 'Ah, it's you. I was wondering when the academy's court jester would make an appearance.'

The boy's smirk faltered, replaced by a scowl. 

'Watch your mouth, Polemistes. You might think you're clever, but I could crush you in a duel.'

'You could try,' Kyros said, his tone light. 

'But then I'd have to explain to the instructors why you're stuck in the infirmary, crying about your poor life choices.'

Alethea stifled a laugh, and the boy's face turned red. Muttering something under his breath, he stormed off with his friends in tow.

'Do you always have to provoke people?' Alethea asked, though her amused expression betrayed her.

'Only when they make it so easy,' Kyros replied with a shrug.

Later that evening, Alethea executed her part of the plan. She cornered Instructor Nyros near the training grounds, engaging him in a heated discussion about combat techniques. Her knowledge and sharp tongue kept him thoroughly distracted.

Meanwhile, Kyros slipped into Nyros's office. The room was sparsely furnished, with shelves of scrolls and books lining the walls. Kyros's eyes fell on a locked cabinet in the corner. He approached it, his mind already piecing together how to open it.

'Let's see,' he muttered to himself, examining the lock. It was enchanted, but the magic was basic. 

Kyros smirked. 'Amateurs.'

With a few movements, he bypassed the enchantment and opened the cabinet. Inside, he found a ledger marked with the academy's seal. Flipping through its pages, he scanned the entries until he found what he was looking for: a reference to an artifact known as the Shard of Aegis.

The ledger described the shard as a fragment of an ancient relic, capable of channeling immense power. It was stored in the academy's vault, accessible only to the headmaster and a select few instructors. Kyros closed the ledger, his mind racing with possibilities.

'Found you,' he whispered, a triumphant glint in his eyes.

Just as he was about to leave, the door creaked open. Kyros froze, his hand hovering over the cabinet. A young woman stepped into the room, her eyes narrowing when she saw him.

'What are you doing here?' she demanded. Her uniform marked her as one of the academy's top students.

Kyros sighed. 'You know, I was hoping for a quieter evening. But since you're here, care to make this easy for both of us and forget you saw me?'

She drew a blade from her side, her stance tense. 'Not a chance.'

Kyros raised his hands in mock surrender. 

'Alright, but before we start, can I just say something? That blade you're holding… it's a little dull. Did you forget to sharpen it, or are you hoping it'll scare me into submission?'

The woman hesitated, glancing at her weapon. That brief moment of distraction was all Kyros needed. He moved swiftly, disarming her with a fluid motion and pinning her against the wall.

'Lesson one,' he said, his tone calm but firm. 'Always be prepared. 

Lesson two: don't pick fights you can't win.'

Her eyes widened in shock, and Kyros released her, stepping back. 

'Now, if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.'

He slipped out of the office before she could recover, making his way back to his dormitory. Alethea was waiting for him, her arms crossed.

'Took you long enough,' she said.

'I ran into a bit of trouble,' Kyros admitted. 'But I got what we need.'

He showed her the notes he had taken from the ledger. Alethea's expression grew serious as she read them.

'The Shard of Aegis,' she murmured. 

'If what this says is true, it's incredibly dangerous.'

'Exactly why we need to find it before anyone else does,' Kyros said. 'The question is, how do we get into the vault?'

Alethea frowned in thought. 'The vault is heavily guarded. Breaking in would be nearly impossible. But there might be another way.'

Kyros tilted his head, intrigued. 'Go on.'

'The academy holds a tournament next week,' Alethea explained. 'The winner is granted a boon by the headmaster. If we win, we could request access to the vault.'

Kyros considered this, a slow smile spreading across his face. 

'A tournament, huh? I could use a bit of exercise.'

'Don't get cocky,' Alethea warned. 'The competition will be fierce.'

'Good,' Kyros said, 'I wouldn't want it to be too easy.'

The week leading up to the tournament was intense. Kyros and Alethea trained together, honing their skills and preparing for every possible scenario. Kyros's sharp wit and relentless determination kept them focused, while Alethea's tactical mind ensured they covered all their bases.

When the day of the tournament arrived, the academy's arena was packed with students and instructors. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as the competitors lined up, each eager to prove themselves.

Kyros stood among them, his expression calm but focused. Alethea watched from the stands, her confidence in him unwavering.

The first few rounds were straightforward. Kyros dispatched his opponents with calculated precision, his movements a blend of strength and strategy. His victories earned him both admiration and resentment from the crowd.

In the final round, Kyros faced off against the academy's reigning champion, a burly student named Lucien. The crowd roared as the two squared off, their tension palpable.

Lucien grinned, cracking his knuckles. 

'You've got guts, Polemistes. I'll give you that. But this is where your luck runs out.'

Kyros smirked. 'Luck has nothing to do with it. But if it makes you feel better, I'll let you think you have a chance.'

The fight was intense, with both fighters exchanging blows and testing each other's limits. Kyros's agility and cunning gave him the edge, but Lucien's raw power made him a formidable opponent.

As the match reached its climax, Kyros saw an opening. With a swift, decisive strike, he brought Lucien to his knees. The crowd erupted in cheers and gasps as Kyros stood victorious.

The headmaster approached, his expression unreadable. 

'Well fought, Kyros. As the winner, you may claim your boon.'

Kyros bowed slightly, his voice steady. 

'I request access to the academy's vault.'

The headmaster's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. 

'Very well. You shall have your wish.'

As Kyros left the arena, Alethea joined him, her eyes shining with pride.

'You did it,' she said.

'Of course I did,' Kyros replied, a hint of amusement in his tone. 'Now comes the hard part.'

They both knew the vault would hold more than just the Shard of Aegis. Whatever secrets lay within could change everything. And Kyros was ready to face them.

As Kyros and Alethea approached the vault that evening, Suddenly, the walls of the corridor shimmered, as though reality itself were bending. A low hum reverberated, and intricate runes ignited across the stone surface, casting eerie blue light.

'Did you trigger something?' Alethea whispered.

'Not intentionally,' Kyros muttered.

Before either could react, the vault door creaked open—not from their doing. From within the darkness, a brilliant, otherworldly glow spilled forth, illuminating the corridor with shifting hues of gold and crimson. A faint melody—haunting and melodic—drifted out, wrapping around them like an unseen force.

Alethea stepped back, her expression torn between awe and dread. 

'That's… not normal.'

Kyros's jaw tightened as he clenched his fists. 

'No, it's not. But we didn't come this far to stop now.'

He moved toward the glowing threshold, only for the melody to rise sharply, Shadows danced wildly along the walls, merging into the shape of an enormous winged figure, its eyes burning with unrelenting light.

'Kyros,' it said, its voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere at once, 

'you are not ready for what lies within.'

Kyros exchanged a glance with Alethea. He could see her unease, but he turned back to the figure, his expression unwavering.

'Then I guess I'll have to prove you wrong.' Kyros replied, stepping forward into the unknown as the shadows surged toward him.