The Academia of Tiered Arts was unlike any other school. It was a hidden sanctuary for the elite, cloaked in ancient magic and guarded by unseen protectors. Every stone in its sprawling halls seemed to hum with an otherworldly energy, and every lesson carried deeper meanings than met the eye. The students were prodigies, Veiltouched individuals chosen from all across the nine kingdoms. But none of them possessed eyes quite like Kiyoshi Haruto.
He moved through the Academia like a shadow, purposeful and resolute. Instead of strictly training, he immersed himself in study. He didn't fight; he analyzed every situation, seeking to unravel its intricacies. While others aimed for the coveted Tier 4, Kiyoshi harbored a far more ambitious dream: to dismantle the very system that ranked them.
One night, as silence enveloped the Academia, Kiyoshi slipped past its gates, into the Veiled Forest—a place where trees twisted unnaturally and time itself felt distorted. Above him, the stars pulsed in a way that seemed almost sentient. As he ventured deeper, uncovering relics from an ancient shrine, he sensed it—a crack in the Veil.
The air around him felt tense, heavy with an energy that was both familiar and foreign—a mix of starlight and ancient pacts, as if the very essence of celestial law filled his lungs. Suddenly, a voice boomed from the shadows:
"You are the Veilborn child, aren't you?"
Kiyoshi turned slowly, narrowing his eyes. A figure emerged from between the trees, wearing ceremonial armor of black and silver, adorned with shimmering constellations. His face was obscured by a helm shaped like a crescent moon.
"I am Sir Alvaren Kael. Twelfth Knight of Lord Ashirion Malek. Pactbearer of Celestial Design."
The name struck with the weight of a thunderclap. A Knight. Kiyoshi's expression remained stoic, but inside, he recognized the gravity of the situation—he had drawn attention way too soon.
"I didn't send for guests," Kiyoshi replied coolly.
"We don't wait for invitations," Alvaren shot back.
With an elegant gesture, Alvaren summoned the sky. Lines of stars twisted above, rearranging in a mesmerizing display. Ethereal chains descended, glowing white-hot and linked to unseen celestial beings.
"By the Pact of Astra-Elion," Alvaren declared, "I call down judgment."
From the swirling starlight, a dragon began to take shape, its form a fierce amalgamation of celestial energy and law. Its roar shattered the stillness, sending shockwaves through the forest. Kiyoshi instinctively leaped aside as the dragon's breath seared the ground, turning stone to glass. This was not a fight he could hope to win.
But Kiyoshi had no intention of conventional victory. He reached into his cloak and crushed a faded Veilsoul talisman. Shadows wrapped around him, rekindling memories of movement, tactics, and techniques borrowed from a long-dead assassin.
His body flowed with newfound energy. He lunged forward, spectral dagger in hand—only to throw it off-target, intentionally piercing a celestial chain instead. The dragon staggered mid-roar, its connection to the stars momentarily disrupted.
Alvaren narrowed his eyes, a flicker of admiration evident. "Clever."
Kiyoshi grinned, blood seeping from his lip. "Chains only bind if you can't see where they connect."
He dashed around, evading blasts from the Knight and transforming the battlefield into chaos. But Alvaren was adapting quickly. Kiyoshi's movements began to slow, his vision fogging. One of the star-pacts began to latch onto his soul, sapping his strength with every breath.
"You cannot escape fate," Alvaren stated with chilling certainty.
"Then I'll feast on it," Kiyoshi retorted defiantly.
Just when defeat felt imminent, Kiyoshi fell to his knees, blood staining the mossy ground beneath him. The Knight raised his hand, preparing to deliver a fatal blow—but paused, his senses alert to something amiss.
The shadows thickened, and the Veil itself began to warp. Kiyoshi had activated a forbidden soul—a potent force from a criminal sorcerer that distorted space around him. A rift tore through the forest's dimensions, and with a final push, Kiyoshi leapt into it. Alvaren's attack struck nothing but fading mist.
Kiyoshi tumbled into an unfamiliar part of the Academy grounds, bruised and battered. As darkness threatened to pull him under, a figure approached, moving softly through the shadows. A girl kneeled beside him.
"You shouldn't be alive," she whispered, concern etched across her features.
"I rarely am," Kiyoshi replied weakly before slipping into unconsciousness.