Solis Academy

The days leading up to their departure for the academy were marked by a tense and uneasy truce within the Drakar household. Riven continued his rigorous training, pushing his magical abilities to their limits, while carefully avoiding further confrontations with Cole. Ember remained a silent observer, her inscrutable gaze often lingering on Riven during his practice sessions.

He decided tomorrow forgo absorbing mana until he got to the academy as the mana was far too sparse in the counts manor.

On the morning of their departure, the manor was abuzz with activity. Servants hurried to and fro, loading trunks onto carriages and making final preparations. Riven stood by his carriage, adjusting the cuffs of his travel coat, when he felt a presence beside him.

"Ready for the journey?" Ember's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

Riven glanced at her, noting the uncharacteristic uncertainty in her demeanor. "As ready as one can be."

Ember was someone who confused Riven. She switched from being cold and ignoring him, to shy and almost stalker like. Trying to even think about how many times her personality changed since he came here made his head spin.

Riven narrowed his eyes on her as her gaze drifted to the horizon. "The academy is… different from home. Challenges await, not just in studies, but in… other aspects."

"Other aspects?" Riven inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Ember hesitated, as if weighing her words. "The social dynamics can be complex. Alliances, rivalries, expectations. It's a world unto itself."

Riven studied her for a moment. "And where do you fit into this world?"

A wry smile touched her lips. "I navigate it as best I can. But be cautious, Riven. People will be out to get you."

Before he could respond, Cole's voice cut through the air. "Let's move! We don't have all day."

Ember gave Riven a final, meaningful look before turning away. As they boarded the carriages, Riven couldn't help but repeat Embers warnings inside of his mind.

"I already know people will be out to get me," Riven said as he looked out of the carriage window. "I'll just have to make sure I play it safe until I get stronger, just as I have been."

The journey to Solis Academy was long, the familiar landscape gradually turning more and more dense with buildings and homes. People flooded the streets as they hovered around various market stalls and filed into boutiques and restaurants.

He opened the carriage window and stuck his head outside to see why they came to a stop.

His jaw dropped as he saw what lay in front of him.

A huge wall stood in front of them, its surfaced etched with thousands of magic circles and runes. But this was not what drew his attention the most. No. It was the Goliath of a structure that it protected inside.

Solis Academy commanded the heavens, its massive citadel perched upon a floating landmass wreathed in golden light. Towering spires stretched impossibly high, their walls carved from pale stone that seemed to pulse faintly with mana. 

Suspended around the academy were dozens of floating islands. They were all bound by thick iron chains and every now and again Riven could hear the large reverberating 'clinking' noise they were making even from being so far away.

Seeing this floating monstrosity was like anything he had ever seen before. It only confirmed that this world was completely unlike his last.

Commotion from in front of his carriage drew his gaze and he saw the reason why they had stopped. Lines of carriages filled the cobblestone road before him and he realised they were probably all students, new and old, attending the academy.

"Young Master, I suggest you start making your way there." The carriage driver said. "It's probably going to take a few hours before we reach the front of the line."

Riven gave a small nod and exited the carriage, noticing that some of the other students were doing the same thing.

"I'll take care of your luggage and leave it with the staff at the academy." The carriage driver said and then gave a small smile. "I wish you all the luck."

Riven looked back and saw Ember and Cole exiting the other carriage and decided he wanted to avoid all contact with them if possible. He began weaving through the hoards of carriages and people and the academy grew closer and closer with each step.

He could tell who were returning students and who were newbies like him from what they wore. The seasoned students wore tailored dark suits similar to what his siblings wore, or enchanted armor, their attire marked with insignias denoting rank and affiliation. In contrast, the newbies moved with a mix of awe and trepidation, their garments plain and normal, their expressions ranging from excitement to outright terror.

As he reached the towering entrance gates, a ripple of magic passed over him, an unseen force scanning every student that walked through. Riven tensed as he felt the energy probe at his mana heart, but it faded as quickly as it came. Some of the newbies gasped as the sensation washed over them, while others stumbled forward, overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the academy's enchantments.

All of a sudden a voice rang out, clear and commanding.

"All first-year students, report to the main courtyard immediately!"

A figure hovered above the entrance plaza—quite literally. A man in flowing crimson robes floated several feet off the ground, arms folded behind his back. His sharp, golden eyes gleamed with an almost predatory amusement as he observed the students.

Riven moved with the crowd, taking in the towering arches and massive marble staircases that led deeper into the academy grounds. The sheer scale of it all was overwhelming, and yet, there was no time to gawk.

The main courtyard was a sprawling coliseum-like space, its outer walls lined with raised platforms where upperclassmen and instructors observed from above. At the center, several stone circles were carved into the ground, each surrounded by runic inscriptions that pulsed with dormant mana.

"First-years!" the hovering instructor called, his voice amplified by magic. "Before you can officially enter Solis Academy, you will undergo a practical examination. Your performance will determine your initial placement within the academy hierarchy—and for some of you, whether you will be permitted to stay at all."

A murmur spread through the gathered students, a mix of fear and excitement crackling in the air. Riven remained still, his mind already clear and focused.

The instructor's golden eyes scanned the gathered first-years, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as if he relished the tension in the air.

"Your trial will be simple," he announced, his voice cutting through the murmurs of anticipation. "You will endure or you will go home."

A ripple of confusion passed through the crowd, but the instructor continued.

"Solis Academy does not waste its resources on the weak. Mana is the foundation of power, and only those who can withstand its presence have any right to study within these halls." He raised a hand, and the magic circles embedded in the courtyard flared to life, swirling with golden and violet energy. "You will step into the circle and endure the manas pressure. The longer you endure, the higher your score. The pressure will increase with time. Fail in the first thirty seconds and you will be escorted out immediately."

A tense silence followed his words. Some students shifted nervously, while others clenched their fists in determination.

Riven's fingers twitched. This was… unexpected. He had anticipated combat, spellcasting, something where he could apply skill and tactics. But raw endurance? That was different. He had absorbed some mana already, but whether that translated into resisting mana pressure was another matter entirely.

The instructor waved his hand, and a name materialized in glowing letters above the central stone circle.

"Aris Dorel."

A young man with dark hair and a nervous expression hesitated before stepping forward. As soon as he entered the circle, the runes flared brighter. A visible wave of mana pulsed inward, crashing against Aris like an unseen force. He gasped, his legs buckling slightly, but he gritted his teeth and held firm.

Seconds passed. Then a full minute. The glow of the runes intensified, and Aris' breathing grew ragged. He dropped to one knee, trembling under the unseen weight pressing down on him.

"Thirty-eight seconds," the instructor announced. "Mediocre."

More names were called. Some students barely lasted twenty seconds before they were forced out, while others managed to hold on for over a minute. Each time, the instructor noted their times with either mild approval or thinly veiled disappointment.

Then, Riven's name appeared in the air.

A hush fell over the students as he stepped forward. His mind was calm, his breath steady. He crossed the boundary of the circle.

The effect was immediate. A wave of pressure crashed down on him, thick and oppressive, like the air had turned to stone. His muscles locked up for a brief moment, but he forced himself to relax, exhaling slowly.

The runes pulsed again. More pressure.

It pressed against his chest, his limbs, even his thoughts—like the world itself was trying to crush him. But Riven had known pressure before. The trials and tribulations he had survived thus far has meant he has survived countless pressure and pain way worse than this.

The glow of the runes brightened and the pressure intensified. Students who had already had their turn looked on, their faces showing various degrees of shock or understanding. This was the moment most people gave in.

Riven didn't move.

Another pulse. Another increase.

His vision blurred at the edges, his bones ached, and sweat gathered at his temples—but he stayed upright.

He wasn't here just to pass - he was here to be better than the rest.

The pressure spiked again. A lesser student would have collapsed. Riven merely clenched his jaw.

His mana heart thundered furiously in his chest as it tried to combat the mana pressing down on him.

A murmur began to spread through the crowd. Even the instructor seemed intrigued now.

"Two minutes," the instructor announced, his tone no longer indifferent. "Not bad."

But Riven wasn't done.

The pressure climbed once more, a force so dense it felt like it was squeezing the very air from his lungs. His knees wobbled, his breath came in shorter gasps—but he endured.

More.

He willed himself to hold on, even as every fiber of his being screamed at him to surrender.

The runes pulsed violently now, flaring with unstable energy.

"Three minutes," the instructor said, his smirk widening. "Impressive."

At that moment, something cracked. Not physically—he was still standing—but he felt it deep within, something shifting in the depths of his mana heart. The pressure wasn't just external anymore; it was resonating within him, as if something inside him was awakening.

A warning bell rang through his body. He was at his limit.

And yet, he wanted to keep going.

Before he could make that choice, however, the instructor snapped his fingers, and the pressure vanished. The runes dimmed, and the weight disappeared in an instant.

Riven staggered slightly but remained on his feet, his breath ragged.

"That's enough," the instructor said, studying him with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Four minutes. An excellent score."

There was a moment of silence before quiet murmurs filled the courtyard. Some students looked at Riven with newfound respect. Others with jealousy.

But Riven didn't care about their reactions. He was still focused on what he had felt in that last moment. It was almost the same feeling he felt after killing Candace - some dark entity that lay hidden within the very depths of his being.

Perhaps, the academy would give him more than power - perhaps it would reveal his secrets to him too.