The academy gates stood open beneath the soft glow of the morning sun, their towering structure casting long shadows across the stone pathway that led beyond the grounds of Skygate Academy. To most students, these gates were nothing more than a passage between two worlds—a boundary that separated structured training from the unpredictable chaos of the outside. They crossed it every day without a second thought, their minds focused on growth, competition, and ambition.
But for Aether, today was different.
This was not just a step outside.
This was a transition.
A quiet, irreversible movement from preparation into action.
The air itself seemed to acknowledge that shift.
There were no crowds gathered near the gate, no instructors standing nearby to observe departures, and no chatter echoing through the area. It was unusually quiet, as if the academy itself had chosen to remain silent at this moment.
Aether stood alone.
