Six Fragments

The lecture hall was eerily silent as Professor Hadrian Graves stepped forward, his commanding presence demanding the attention of every student. The air in the vast room felt heavy, thick with the weight of history that was about to be unveiled.

Fenix sat in the middle row, arms crossed, his sharp crimson gaze flickering between the professor and the holographic projections flickering above the stage.

A few seats away sat Sylis of Arventis, poised and focused, jotting down notes as the professor spoke.

Hadrian's deep voice echoed with certainty.

"Before the noble houses… before the wars… before the rise of Awakened… there was only one being."

The hologram shifted, revealing a celestial figure of blinding golden light, a radiant entity that stood alone in an empty void.

"A god. A singular force that ruled over all things. The First Being. The Creator of All."

Some students exchanged glances, but no one dared to interrupt.

Hadrian continued.

"No name has ever been uncovered for this god. No records remain that describe it in full. However, what we do know is that this being… shattered."

The holographic god trembled before suddenly fracturing into five luminous shards, their glow pulsating with an almost living presence.

"The reason? Unknown. The cause? Unknown. But we are left with the results."

The fragments floated, twisting in the air, before they descended upon the world, falling into the hands of humans.

"And so, the power of gods became the power of men."

The hologram expanded, showcasing five legendary warriors, each holding a different fragment.

Hadrian's gaze darkened slightly as he spoke the next words.

"The Fragment of Creation & Order – House Aurelius."

The projection changed, revealing a figure adorned in radiant golden armor, standing atop a throne of marble and steel. Their presence was overwhelming, the sheer authority in their posture unshakable.

"House Aurelius is the embodiment of law and civilization. It was through their mastery over elemental stability and structure that the fractured world was reforged. Every great city, every kingdom that still stands today, was touched by their influence."

"To them, the world was not something to conquer—but something to be shaped, controlled, and perfected."

Even now, their influence remained absolute. Governments, policies, and even the Academy itself operated under the influence of House Aurelius.

"The Fragment of War – House Drakar."

The holographic image shifted into a massive battlefield, littered with corpses and drenched in blood. At the center of the carnage stood a lone warrior, clad in jagged black armor, wielding two massive blades.

"House Drakar is a legacy of warriors—of conquerors. The Fragment of War does not grant control over elements or fate. It fuels strength, resilience, and instinct. It turns its wielder into an unstoppable force in battle."

"Where others build kingdoms, House Drakar conquers them."

Fenix's jaw clenched slightly.

He didn't need to guess who the current generation's prodigy of House Drakar was.

Garrick Drakar.

The memory of their one-sided duel resurfaced in his mind.

A bitter reminder of how far behind he truly was.

"The Fragment of Destiny – House Valmont."

The next projection was different. It wasn't a warrior on a battlefield, nor a king upon a throne.

It was a shadowed figure standing in front of a massive clock, their silhouette woven into the intricate gears of fate itself.

"House Valmont does not control fire, water, or the winds of war. Instead, they control probability itself. Every battle they enter, every choice they make—it is not dictated by chance, but by certainty."

"They are manipulators of fate, ensuring that luck is always on their side."

Some in the class shuddered. There was nothing more terrifying than an enemy who never gambled—who always knew the winning move before the game even started.

"The Fragment of Time – House Caelum."

The hologram flickered, revealing a shrouded figure standing in a frozen battlefield. Soldiers mid-charge, arrows suspended in the air—everything trapped in a single moment of stillness.

"The Fragment of Time bends reality itself. Those who inherit its power are masters of the past, present, and future. In combat, they are untouchable—able to slow, accelerate, or even halt time itself."

"They are the guardians of the unseen, the ones who exist beyond the constraints of mortality."

Even amongst the noble houses, House Caelum was feared.

Time itself was their domain.

"The Fragment of the Ocean – House Arventis."

Hadrian's gaze flickered toward the silver-haired girl in the room.

The hologram revealed a figure standing atop a stormy sea, their outstretched hands commanding the very waves of the ocean.

"House Arventis is the heart of the tides. Their power is not limited to water manipulation; it is the ability to hear the echoes of the past, to command the very memory of the sea itself."

"They are both guardians and destroyers, wielding a power as deep and endless as the ocean itself."

Fenix glanced at Sylis.

Her expression remained neutral, but he saw it—a flicker of tension in her eyes.

She was used to the attention. Used to the expectations.

Fenix smirked slightly.

"You saw my match in the arena, didn't you?" he asked casually.

Sylis didn't look at him. Instead, she turned a page in her notebook and responded in a tone too calm to be natural.

"I did."

Fenix raised a brow. "And?"

A pause. Then—

"I've seen worse."

Fenix let out a short chuckle. "That almost sounded like a compliment."

Sylis didn't reply, but the slight upward twitch of her lips didn't go unnoticed.

As the lecture concluded, students filed out of the hall, discussing theories and past conflicts in hushed voices.

Fenix was about to leave when Sylis stopped beside him.

"You looked deep in thought."

"Yeah," Fenix admitted. "There was a lot to take in."

She tilted her head slightly. "Let me guess… You're stuck on the part about the Sixth Force?"

Fenix blinked. "Wait… You believe in it?"

Sylis shrugged.

"Not necessarily, but…" She tapped her notebook. "My family has records of unusual events. Stories of power that didn't match any of the five Fragments. I wouldn't dismiss the idea entirely."

Fenix thought for a moment. "So, you think there could be another force out there?"

Sylis gave a small, knowing smirk.

"Wouldn't that make things more interesting?"

Fenix chuckled. "Yeah. It would."

She gave a slight nod before closing her notebook.

"I'm heading out. Try not to get lost in your thoughts too much."

Fenix watched her leave, then glanced back at the empty classroom.

Something forgotten by history.

Something buried.

And yet…

He knew it existed.

Because it was inside him.