Age: 12 Years (Gradual aging toward Academy arc at 15 years old.)
The duel had ended.
Lucien stood tall, his breathing steady, his thoughts sharp despite the residual energy crackling in the air. The warded arena had grown eerily silent, save for the murmurs of noble spectators who had witnessed the impossible.
He had not simply won.
He had proven that reality itself was his to control.
Yet, even with his victory solidified, he could feel something shifting—an unseen force stirring beneath the surface.
Because power did not go unnoticed.
And now, eyes that had once watched him with curiosity were beginning to analyze him with caution.
---
### The Ripples of Influence
Word spread faster than wildfire.
Within hours, the duel had become the centerpiece of noble discussions.
"Lucien Silver Star moved like a phantom, appearing and disappearing at will!"
"No mage his age has ever demonstrated such control over space magic."
"If he can defy normal magic laws now, what will he be capable of in the future?"
Some whispers carried admiration. Others held fear.
The strongest nobles—those who dictated war, trade, and arcane research—would no longer see him as just another rising talent.
They would see him as a threat.
And threats, if not carefully managed, were eliminated before they could grow too dangerous.
---
### A Visitor in the Shadows
As the evening deepened, Lucien retreated to his private study.
The ancient tomes of space manipulation lay open before him, their intricate spells glowing faintly under the flickering candlelight.
But before he could begin refining his next ability, there was a knock at the door.
Soft. Precise. Expected.
"Enter," he murmured without looking up.
The door creaked open, revealing Lyra Varyn.
Her silver eyes were sharper than before, gleaming with restrained emotion. Tonight, there was no playful intrigue, no carefully crafted amusement.
There was only curiosity touched with unease.
"You won," she said simply.
Lucien glanced up, tilting his head slightly. "Did you doubt it?"
She stepped forward, ignoring his deflection. "You moved in ways that no mage should be able to. Space is not meant to be rewritten like that."
"Perhaps the rules of magic are flawed," he mused, leaning back, watching her carefully.
Lyra hesitated.
Then, for the first time since they had met, she asked a question not to challenge him, but because she genuinely wanted an answer.
"What exactly are you planning, Valerian?"
---
### The Web Begins to Tighten
It was a rare moment—one where Lyra was not attempting to manipulate, but instead beginning to fear she was the one being manipulated.
Lucien could feel the shift.
She was no longer just a clever noble seeking control over court politics. She was starting to realize that he was operating on a level beyond what anyone had anticipated.
And that meant she could become either a dangerous liability or an invaluable asset.
He considered his response carefully.
He could dismiss her concerns—keep her in the dark, allow her to continue watching from the sidelines.
Or he could pull her deeper into his web—entangle her so thoroughly that she would never be able to escape.
Either way, she was already too far into his orbit to turn back.
And as the noble world continued watching him with growing suspicion, Lucien knew that his next steps had to be played flawlessly.
Because now, the real game was beginning.