The morning sun cast long shadows across the stone floor of the war council chamber as Colonel Hestian reviewed the hastily prepared parchments. Across from him sat Head Captain Wilder Aldrich of the King's Guard, his polished mail reflecting the early light filtering through the high windows. Between them, Lord Lucian Valorian studied a detailed map of the realm's rift manifestations, his expression growing more troubled with each marked location.
"The tidings you've brought us change everything," Colonel Hestian began, his voice carrying the weight of a man who hadn't slept in over thirty-six hours. "But I need to understand exactly what manner of creatures we face. You spoke of man-shaped beasts—can you describe your encounter with them?"
Lucian's fingers traced the edge of his pewter cup, steam rising from the still-hot mead. "The Northern Company encountered our first man-shaped beast approximately eight months into our campaign. It bore human form and stature, but its flesh was covered in dark scales. What made it truly unprecedented was that it could speak the common tongue—the first beast we'd encountered with such capability."
Head Captain Aldrich leaned forward. "It possessed speech?"
"Indeed, fluently. But there was something fundamentally wrong about it. The words were proper, but the intent behind them felt... hollow. As if it had learned our tongue through watching rather than natural understanding."
Colonel Hestian felt dread settle in his belly. "And its prowess in battle?"
"That's what made it truly fearsome. It fought with cunning intelligence, adapting to our battle tactics in the moment. But here's what troubled me most—throughout the entire battle, it never used any awakened gifts of its own. It relied purely on strength, steel, and strategy."
Lucian set down his cup with deliberate care. "It took the combined might of three S-rank awakened to bring it low, and it was fighting without any mystical abilities. The implications of that level of raw physical might are... dire."
"Messages across the void?" Head Captain Aldrich's voice carried disbelief. "These creatures can commune across the dimensional barriers?"
"They're not mere creatures, Captain. They're scouts. Advanced watchers sent to study our defenses and capabilities." Lucian's expression grew grim. "The Northern Company spent two years tracking the source of these communions. What we found beyond the mapped territories was a war camp—a massive host preparing for something far more comprehensive than random beast incursions."
Colonel Hestian absorbed this knowledge, his tactical mind racing through the implications. "If they've been studying our ways for years, then they know our battle formations, our awakened gifts, our military orders..."
"They know everything," Lucian confirmed. "Which is why the recent changes in rift activity aren't random. They're preparing for the next phase of their campaign."
A soft knock interrupted the discourse. Hestian's aide entered, bowing deeply. "Colonel, Head Captain Aldrich—the weekly reports are ready for your review."
"How many new S-ranked awakened did we register this year?" Lucian asked, accepting the leather portfolio from the aide.
The aide consulted his ledger. "Just one confirmed S-rank, my lord. However, there are several unclassified students awaiting reclassification."
"Unclassified?" Lucian's attention sharpened. "Explain."
Colonel Hestian exchanged a glance with Aldrich. "There was an incident at the Royal Academy some weeks past. A student named Kael Ashford—Edmund's younger brother—experienced an unusual awakening ceremony."
"Unusual how?"
"The Classification Stone failed during his assessment. It began cycling through different hues before erupting in blinding white radiance that forced everyone in the great hall to shield their eyes."
Lucian's cup paused halfway to his lips. "Continue."
"The light lasted only moments, but when it faded, young Kael lay senseless upon the marble floor, his once-dark hair now completely white as fresh snow. The Classification Stone remained whole but dormant, offering no reading, no rank, no classification at all."
"White hair," Lucian murmured, his voice carrying an undertone of recognition. "And the stone went completely silent?"
"Initially, yes. The Academy's master artificers have been examining it for weeks, but they couldn't explain what transpired. For the first week , the stone was completely lifeless."
Lucian set down his cup with a thoughtful expression. "When is this student's reclassification to take place?"
"This very day, actually. This afternoon at the Hall of Awakening."
"I would observe the ceremony, if it please you."
Head Captain Aldrich raised an eyebrow. "With respect, Lord Valorian, it's merely a student reclassification. Surely the intelligence about the man-shaped beasts is more pressing—"
"Perhaps," Lucian replied, his tone measured. "But I've been away from the kingdom for fifteen years. I'm curious to see how our awakening rites have evolved. And frankly, any anomaly in our classification system concerns me from a strategic perspective."
He stood, moving toward the window. "You mentioned the Classification Stone went silent after the incident. How do the Academy artificers plan to conduct the reclassification?"
Colonel Hestian consulted his notes. "According to their reports, the stone has been slowly regaining its essence over the past week. It's not at full power, but it should be functional enough for a classification attempt."
"Intriguing," Lucian murmured. "Classification stones are incredibly resilient. The fact that it's recovering suggests whatever happened was more of a shock to the system than actual damage."
"The Academy's head artificer believes the stone's energy matrix was disrupted rather than destroyed," Aldrich added. "Like a lute knocked out of tune—it needs time to find its proper harmony again."
Lucian nodded thoughtfully. "That's... actually encouraging. If the stone can process whatever caused the overflow this time, we might finally get a proper classification."
"Or it might happen again," Colonel Hestian said grimly.
"True. Which is why I would observe. After fifteen years away, I'm curious to see how our awakening rites have developed."
He paused, considering his words carefully. "And frankly, any anomaly in our systems is worth understanding, especially given our current circumstances."
"You think there might be some connection?" Aldrich asked.
"No," Lucian replied firmly. "But I think understanding every aspect of our own capabilities is crucial when facing an enemy that's been studying us for years. An unclassified student represents a gap in our knowledge—and gaps in knowledge can be exploited."
Colonel Hestian stood as well. "Then we'll arrange for you to observe the ceremony. The Hall of Awakening can accommodate additional observers, and your presence might actually help ensure the proceedings go smoothly."
"I am grateful, Colonel Hestian. When is the ceremony to be held?"
"This afternoon. Standard protocol for reclassifications."
Lucian nodded. "That gives us time to review the rest of the reports. But I am curious to see how this matter resolves itself."