Chapter 23 – Rising Stars

The University of Resonance was never quiet. Even in the early hours of the morning, melodies drifted through the campus like ghosts — a piano sonata from the east tower, the pulse of bass in the distance, a flute crying out to the stars from a rooftop stage. It was a place where music didn't just echo — it lived.

And today, it roared.

The Showcase Prelims results had just been posted. On a crystalline monolith in the central courtyard, spinning letters shimmered in midair, displaying the top ten rankings out of over a hundred bands.

Crowds gathered, murmurs rising, students pointing and gasping. Faculty strolled by with amused expressions, letting the excitement simmer without interfering. It was tradition — and spectacle.

Lyra stood a little apart from the crowd, her hands clenched into the fabric of her skirt. She couldn't look.

Kai glanced at the board, arms crossed. "Sixth place," he muttered.

Rin nearly dropped her water bottle. "WHAT?!" she cried, sprinting up to double-check. "We made top ten?!"

Yuu walked forward calmly, hands in his hoodie pocket, and nodded once. "Confirmed."

Rin spun back toward Lyra and slammed into her with a hug. "You genius! You lyrical angel! Your voice practically dragged us into the rankings!"

Lyra blinked, stunned. "Sixth? Really? Out of… everyone?"

VIVA chimed in, floating beside her with a cheerful tone. "Correct. Soul Sync has entered the top ten. You are now officially ranked as rising stars in the student archive. Statistically, only 8% of first-year bands ever place this high during Prelims."

Lyra stared at the glowing display.

6. Soul Sync — 350 MP

Above them were names that felt untouchable: Glass Reverb, Midnight Pulse, Arclight Dynasty. Legends in the making. But Soul Sync was up there too. Her band. Her music. Her truth.

Rin was already calling out to passing students. "Hey! Hey! We're the sixth band! You watched our Echo performance, right?! The one with the lights?! Yeah, that was us!"

Kai groaned but didn't stop her.

Yuu gave Lyra a rare smile. "You're the reason we're here."

She swallowed, her heart a tangle of disbelief and gratitude. "We all did this. Together."

"No," VIVA said softly, hovering closer to her ear, voice gentle. "Together, yes. But you led. And now…"

A new notification blinked into her vision. A soft chime. Her personal status had updated.

Lyra Elowen

MP: 515Rank: Bronze TierVocal Class - Lead SpecialistEmotional Affinity: HighGroup Role: Band Leader

She blinked at it. Bronze. A threshold, a milestone — and a transformation.

The University recognized her now. Not just as a student. But as a creator. A performer. A soul worth listening to.

A sudden ripple of sound rolled through the courtyard — the bell tone that indicated a rank announcement.

Several nearby students turned toward her, surprised.

"She just hit Bronze," someone whispered. "Already?"

More people began murmuring. A few clapped. Others gave her approving nods. She didn't know their names, but they knew hers now.

A familiar figure stepped forward through the crowd — Professor Aria, holding a scroll wrapped in deep crimson ribbon.

"Lyra Elowen," she said warmly, offering it. "Your Bronze Certificate. May your voice continue to resonate — not just with melody, but with meaning."

Lyra accepted it with shaking fingers. "Thank you," she whispered.

Aria's smile deepened. "Do you know what the word 'resonance' truly means?"

She hesitated, then shook her head.

"It means something continues to echo. Long after the sound has stopped."

And with that, the professor turned and left, her robes swaying like music in wind.

That night, their dorm buzzed with celebration. Rin and Kai argued over what kind of noodles to cook. Yuu somehow conjured a candle-lit mood in the living room, complete with lofi beats. VIVA projected their ranking on the wall with sparkles and cheering GIFs.

Lyra sat in the middle of it all, wrapped in a blanket, cradling a cup of tea.

She'd been disowned. Betrayed. Abandoned. Once, she'd almost vanished — from school, from her family, from herself.

And now?

She was bronze-ranked.

She had a band that adored her.

She had a future that finally felt like hers.

And as the soft hum of conversation and laughter surrounded her like a song, Lyra whispered to herself:

"This is only the beginning."

END OF CHAPTER 23