Chapter 10: News

Aiden slept like a rock—no nightmares at all.

He woke up, showered, whipped up a basic breakfast, and ate in a surprisingly good mood.

Still humming, he grabbed the day's Original News.

Halfway through the front page, cold sweat prickled on his skin:

> Elandros Island Destroyed Overnight — Culprit Believed to Be "The Nameless Society."

'The Nameless Society? At it again…' he muttered in his head.

'I hope the Guardians track them down fast. Though, come to think of it, there are only ten Guardians—only one from Ascalon.'

That lone member was Lucien de Emberfall Galespire, a scion of the Galespire Family—one of the Seven.

Aiden's brother had mentioned Lucien sometimes teamed up with another Guardian from Auralei: Ilyanna von Silver Bloomthorn, hailed as a future Twelfth-Circle Sovereign Knight.

Rumors called Lucien the strongest Guardian, but nothing solid backed it up.

All ten Guardians, he knew, sat at Nine Circles: seven mages (Celestial Mages) and three knights (Celestial Knights). That info was top-secret—Aiden only knew because of his family's reach.

He folded the paper with a sigh and headed off to class.

---

Outside the classroom, a crowd clustered around the notice board.

Curious, Aiden squeezed in. Two names gleamed under Initiate — First Circle Knight:

> Calista de Wetherstone Clearwater

Valor de Crimson Vicardo

Valor wasn't a shock—Aiden had half-expected the regressor to break through early. But Calista? Forming a circle in barely a week was insane. Admiration for her ticked up another notch.

Inside, he slid onto a bench with Alaric and Elric. Alaric nudged him.

"Look—Miss Clearwater just walked in. First circle already! Total genius."

Elric nodded. "Yeah, genius—but remember, Valor did it too. Both are from the Seven Families, so no big surprise."

Alaric shrugged, then both boys eyed Aiden like they expected him to flash a circle next.

Aiden ignored them. 'You two have no idea—Calista just matched a regressor,' he thought, and sighed.

Evander arrived, lectured for two hours, then handed out the elective schedules. Aiden's two extra classes happened to be today.

---

Alchemy Class

Aiden, Alaric, and Elric filed into a spotless white lab. Benches were lined with glass bottles and neat piles of herbs.

Calista stood near the front in a crisp white suit—ready for battle, not class. Valor was here too; electives mixed sections.

Valor looked sharp—orange hair, piercing grey eyes, sleek black attire—slightly taller than Aiden.

Aiden's own grey outfit was plain, which suited him fine; he could watch Valor without drawing attention.

Seventy-five students packed the room.

The professor entered—a lean man in his forties, spectacles, frail-looking yet (of course) handsome.

Aiden was pretty sure "good-looking" was secretly on the faculty application.

"Morning, everyone. I'm Professor William Robert, your Alchemy teacher."

He clapped his hands. "We're forming groups of five. Pick two partners now; the last two will be assigned by lot. Write your trio on a slip and hand it in. If you can't find partners, I'll place you."

Aiden quickly scribbled Aiden, Alaric, Elric and handed it over—apparently the only one prepared. Realization hit: plenty of new students didn't have close friends in this class.

Numbers were drawn. When the final list went up, Aiden read:

> Group 12

Aiden de Ravenspire Winrose

Alaric Alderwyn Familia

Elric Fevale

Calista de Wetherstone Clearwater

Lana Magna (Class A, brown hair, doll-like face)

Interesting lineup. Alaric and Elric grinned; Aiden felt quietly pleased—he could observe Valor from afar while working right beside Calista.

Professor Robert launched into potion basics, demonstrating grinding, heating, and measuring techniques.

Flasks hissed; herbs sizzled; a crisp botanical scent filled the air.

Seventy-five heads bent over notebooks.

Aiden watched, half-focused on the lesson, half-thinking about a vanished island, a shadowy society, and how fast he needed his own magic circle before the world bled again.