LYRIAN
Laughter, music, and the shimmer of Resonance filled the air as the Sylphs and Legion warriors celebrated years of growth, friendship, and power. The grand hall sparkled under lights that danced like captured stars.
The MC's confident voice cut through the noise.
"Everyone, give it up for tonight's performers—the one and only Resonance!"
The crowd erupted.
"We're ready, Nova. Do your thing," Lyrian whispered.
"On it," Nova said with a confident smile.
On stage, the giant screen flickered once before revealing one glowing word:
RESONANCE.
It was the name of the band, named after the magical energy that empowered each of them here at Arcannum Academy.
Gasps of excitement and cheers filled the room when the screen flickered to reveal the name of the crowd's favorite Sylphs band:
Lyrian, Sylph of Sound; Mia, Sylph of the Volcanic Heart; Seren, Sylph of Water; Diamond, Sylph of Light; and Nova, Sylph of Logic.
With a snap of Diamond's fingers, the spotlight found them.
Lyrian stepped to the center of the stage, her microphone catching the light.
"Hey, everyone!" she greeted, her warm, musical voice carrying across the hall. "We're Resonance—I'm Lyrian, and these are my friends: Mia on flame drums, Seren on the violin, Diamond on keys, and Nova on electric strings!"
Thunderous applause followed.
"We're so honored to perform for you guys at the end of our journey. Can you believe we're finally here?" she said, smiling at the faces before her. "Three long years of sleepless nights, spells gone wrong, last-minute tests, and way too much cafeteria food—but we made it!
"This next song is for all of us who refused to give up. Stand up, dance, and celebrate your last days at Arcannum like the legends you are!"
The hall roared with approval.
Resonance began to play.
As she always did before singing, Lyrian closed her eyes and imagined her boyfriend Reone's face.
Her voice rose—pure, emotional, and strong—blending with the rhythmic heat of Mia's drums, Diamond's harmonic keys, and Nova's electrifying strings. The crowd clapped, sang along, and even a few professors joined in.
The band dazzled with their talent—especially Lyrian's otherworldly vocals.
But behind her radiant smile and awesome moves, her heart ached.
Because the one person she truly wanted to see in the audience—Reone—was nowhere to be found.
Neither were his friends, the Legions, who also happened to be the boyfriends of her bandmates.
Lyrian's eyes searched the crowd again. Still nothing.
Reone not being there stung. She missed him.
The song ended in a burst of applause, sparks showering through the air from Mia's drums.
"Thank you, Arcannum!" Lyrian shouted, waving at the cheering crowd. "Good night!"
The girls left the stage, laughing and catching their breath.
"Where do you think the guys are?" Mia asked, pulling her hair back. "They missed the whole performance!"
"No clue," Lyrian admitted.
"Probably busy impressing a prettier, stronger group of girls with their fancy Legion muscles," Diamond muttered.
Nova adjusted her glasses. "Highly improbable. Statistically speaking, no group surpasses our collective performance ability or aesthetic appeal."
Diamond smirked. "Okay, you have a point."
They all laughed as they made their way backstage.
"Let's go sit. My heels are killing me," Seren groaned.
"Mine too," Diamond sighed.
"You too, Diamond?" Mia gasped dramatically. "The girl who claims heels are an extension of her soul?"
"Even me," Diamond said, laughing as they found seats near the back.
Lyrian leaned back with a dreamy smile. "I can't believe we're actually graduates. It feels like a dream."
"I know," Diamond replied. "I thought I'd never complete the three years here."
"I always knew we would—except maybe you," Nova teased.
"Excuse me?" Diamond huffed.
Nova didn't look up. "The odds of you graduating weren't great. Less than fifty percent."
"So her graduating is a miracle?" Seren asked, amused.
"Precisely."
Diamond groaned. "You're all impossible."
"Not me. I'm factual," Nova replied. "You spent more time reading fashion magazines than textbooks."
Diamond rolled her eyes.
"I'm just glad to be going home to my kingdom. They actually appreciate their stylish princess."
"Here we go again," Nova muttered.
"You know, Diamond, Mia and Seren are princesses too," Lyrian pointed out, "but they don't remind us every five minutes."
Diamond crossed her arms. "Lyrian, do I need to remind you who gifted you that ridiculously expensive purse you're holding? Because it wasn't Mia or Seren."
Lyrian sighed, deciding not to argue. But only because her heart just wasn't in the banter.
Reone still hadn't shown up.
She scanned the crowd again. Finally, she spotted the Legion: Rhys, Sire, and Mikey walking toward them—but no Reone.
"We're here!" Rhys called, grinning as he swept Mia into a hug.
"Sorry we're late," Sire said, leaning toward Diamond, who crossed her arms.
"You missed our whole performance."
"I know, Princess," Sire said with a smile. "But it's not our fault. Professor Hawkins had us cleaning out the Dragon Arena. Said it had to be spotless before we left."
"He was even with us the entire time to make sure we got the job done. It was brutal," Mikey said.
Nova gestured for Mikey to sit. "I can't even imagine."
"It was far from a fun experience, I can tell you that," Rhys said dryly.
Diamond sighed dramatically. "You poor things."
"So… does that mean I'm forgiven?" Sire asked hopefully.
Diamond hesitated, then smiled. "Maybe."
"Need me to prove how sorry I am?" he teased—and lifted one of the marble benches with one hand, twirling it effortlessly before setting it down again.
Diamond's lips curved. "Stop, show-off. You're forgiven."
Everyone laughed.
"So… where's Reone?" Lyrian asked quietly.
"I think he went back to our dorm," Rhys said. "Cleaning dragon muck didn't exactly put him in a good mood. You know how he gets."
Lyrian nodded, disappointment flickering in her chest.
"By the way," Mikey said, "congrats on being valedictorian, Lyrian."
"Yeah—well done," Rhys added.
"Thanks, guys. And congrats to you too, Rhys," Lyrian smiled.
"Pretty impressive," Mia said. "You being valedictorian and Reone being salutatorian. You two might be the strongest couple in the school."
Diamond smirked. "Reone's not gonna see it that way. He's probably fuming right now." She dropped her voice into a terrible imitation of him. "'I can't believe Rhys got number one instead of me.'"
She laughed—until everyone gave her the same unimpressed look.
"What? That was a good one!"
Lyrian stood abruptly, grabbing her bag. "I'm gonna go check on my boyfriend."
As she walked away, Diamond whispered, "What's her problem?"
Nova sighed.
"And they say I'm the tactless one," she muttered.
******
The boys' dorms were quiet, dim, and heavy with the smell of metal and oil. Reone hunched over his hoverbike, tools clattering against the floor. His jaw was tight. His thoughts were tighter.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Reone?" Lyrian's voice was gentle. "Come celebrate with us."
"I'm busy," he said without looking up. His voice was low, strained. "Last thing I need is Rhys rubbing it in that he's valedictorian."
Lyrian sighed, stepping inside and setting her bag on his desk. "Rhys isn't like that. You're the one who takes offense at everything he says."
Reone finally looked up.
She was breathtaking, he thought—dark hair, heart-shaped face, expressive blue eyes. The blue dress she wore shimmered softly in the light.
He reminded himself she'd just taken his rival's side.
"If Rhys is so perfect," he muttered, "why don't you go be with him?"
"Don't start, Reone," she said quietly. "I just wanted to spend time with you before leaving for Auralis tomorrow morning."
He froze.
"You're leaving tomorrow? You told me it was next week."
"Plans changed," she said. "My father's sick. I have to be with him."
For a moment, his expression softened—but his fear of showing emotion quickly hardened it.
"You didn't tell me."
"You didn't answer my calls," she snapped. "You've been MIA for days."
"I had things on my mind."
"Really? More important than coming to watch me perform at the concert when you know how important it was to me and my friends?"
He wanted to tell her the truth—that he'd been regularly meeting his estranged father, who wanted him home just to prepare him to run the family's weapon manufacturing empire,Sovereign Arsenal, now that he'd graduated—but the words wouldn't come.
He'd never been good at talking about his feelings,especially where his Father was concerned.It was that bad.
"Yes,it was that important, " he said.
"Dont bother telling me what it is Reone," she said sarcastically. "I'll just take your word for it."
Silence stretched between them.
Lyrian was livid,extremely but she forced herself to forgive him and let this one go. After all, despite his many faults, Reone wasn't a liar. If he said he'd been doing something important, then he had. She resolved to drag the truth out of him later.
For now, she had something else she wanted to run past him.
Softly, she said, "You know what, it doesn't matter. Anyway… I was thinking—maybe you could come with me to Auralis. We could spend some time together… make up for lost time."
Reone hesitated. The thought was tempting—spending time with her—but what if her family didn't approve of him? Her father was sure to be like her, warm and sensitive; he was...the opposite.
"No way," he said finally. "Auralis is probably one of the most boring places in all of Ruminia."
Lyrian's heart sank. She turned away, hiding her hurt expression.
Reone, focused on the bike again, missed her reaction completely.
Her eyes drifted to Rhys's side of the room—lined with photos of him and Mia—and tears stung her eyes. Reone's side was bare. Cold. Like him these days.
She turned to him, feeling frustrated and unusually impulsive.
"Reone… we're graduating and heading in different directions. Maybe it's a sign we're not meant to be. That we… should break up."
Lyrian didn't truly want to leave Reone. She was just frustrated with his nonchalance. All she wanted was for him to tell her to stay—to show some kind of reassurance that he still loved her, at least a little.
Her words hit Reone hard—much harder than she expected.
He froze, shocked. But he wasn't entirely surprised.
Part of him had always expected this. Beautiful, brilliant Lyrian had always been too good for him. It had only been a matter of time before she realized it.
Still, hearing it crushed him.
He gripped the bike for support, his chest tightening.
"If… if that's w-what you want."
If she wanted to leave, he wasn't going to stop her. No matter how much he loved her, Reone knew that he wasnt good enough for her. He was too damaged. She deserved more than him.
Lyrian bit her lip, tears rising.
"Aren't you even going to pretend to care?"
"What do you want me to say? This is your decision," he said, voice low and sharp. His armor was up—words forged to protect a heart cracking underneath.
She bit her lip harder. This wasn't the response she'd hoped for. Part of her had wanted him to stop her—to fight for her. But to fight, he'd have to still care.
Lyrian was sad, realizing that Reone didn't return her deep, overwhelming love.
"You're right," she whispered. "It is what I want."
She abruptly turned toward the door. "Goodbye, Reone."
He didn't look up, not wanting her to see the pain twisting through him.
"Goodbye, Lyrian."
Lyrian hesitated, but when he didn't say another word, she left—softly closing the door behind her.
The moment she stepped into the hall, she let out a broken whimper, anguish flooding her chest.
She walked in a daze, unable to believe what had just happened.She didnt expect the night to end like this.
Bringing a hand to her mouth she seriously started to consider her next move.
She couldn't go back to the party—she'd just ruin it for her friends.
So she resolved to leave for Auralis tonight.
At least there she could cry her heart out—far away from anything that reminded her of Reone, that heartless jerk.
Fresh tears streamed down her face.
She couldn't believe she had wasted three whole years in their so-called relationship.
Lyrian wanted to forget him.
And she would, she vowed, wiping her eyes.
*******
When the door shut behind her, Reone picked up all one ton of his motorbike and threw it against the wall.
Staring at the mess, his father's voice echoed coldly in his mind:
"Don't show emotion, son. That's how you lose everything."
But Reone now knew that was exactly why he had lost Lyrian.
He closed his eyes, wishing desperately that he'd been raised by someone other than his father. Maybe then he wouldn't be such a screw-up. Maybe he'd be someone worthy of Lyrian.
But it was too late for regrets. The damage was already done—in him and by him.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open.
Rhys stepped in and immediately sensed something was wrong.
Reone lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling in defeat. His bike lay smashed against the wall.
Rhys sighed.
His roommate was acting up again. And this time… he had an idea why.
He looked at him sympathetically.
"Reone? You okay?"
"I'll clean up the mess in a bit," Reone said.
"Good, but that doesn't answer my question," Rhys replied.
"I'm fine," Reone snapped.
"Really? Because I just bumped into Lyrian looking wrecked. What happened? Did you two have a fight again?"
"She broke up with me."
Rhys froze. Then sighed.
"I'm so sorry, man."
"And you're not surprised," Reone said flatly.
Rhys hesitated. Reone was right. He wasn't. He was only surprised the relationship had lasted as long as it did.
He didn't want to hurt Reone's feelings, but he had to be honest.
"No, I'm not," he admitted quietly. "You're not the easiest person to be with. I should know—we've been roommates for three years."
Reone let out a humorless laugh.
"True."
Rhys watched him slipping into that dark, unreachable place again. And it worried him because, despite years of bickering, he genuinely cared about Reone.
And he suspected the sentiment was mutual—though Reone would rather die than admit it.
Rhys sat beside him, thoughtful.
"Slight change of topic, but… come with me to Echian next week?"
"What?" Reone stared at him, stunned.
He wasnt nomally the type of person people invited to their homes—twice in one day was unbelievable.
Did they know about his Father perhaps?
"I'm starting my kingly training," Rhys said. "I could use someone who won't flatter me because of my title. And… you could get a change of scenery."
"Oh,"Reone said,staring at him.He was surprised but he still considered the offer in his head.
Echian was far away, and he normally couldn't stand Rhys. But the alternative was going home to his father which was infinitely worse.
His father would drag him straight into Sovereign Arsenal, grooming him to be an emotionless machine obsessed with profit and power.
Reone couldn't let that happen. Not after Lyrian had shown him what it felt like to do good,to care.
He knew that they werent meant to be, but he wanted to become the kind of man she deserved—the man he never managed to be.Maybe staying away from his Father and going to Echian was the first step in doing that and becoming a better person.
"Echian, huh?" he murmured. "Alright-Let's go."
Rhys blinked.
"What?Seriously?"
He had meant the offer sincerely, but he hadn't expected Reone—who constantly talked about wanting to get away from him—to take him up on it.
What Rhys didn't understand was that Reone had no other options. They had to leave campus in two weeks. And aside from his father's home or Echian, he had nowhere else to go.
Normally, he'd choose almost anything over spending time with Rhys… but compared to his father, Rhys was almost...tolerable.
"Yeah," Reone said quietly. "Echian, here we come."