Every year, thousands of people from all sorts of races came to the Immortal Academy seeking knowledge, power, or even political gain. After all, the academy held enough prestige to attract even royalty like Luceran.
"Five years... it's actually over," Luceran said to Kellen.
"For people like us, who are always busy, five years is a short amount of time," Kellen replied quietly.
Before Luceran could respond, the sound of the trumpet stopped. Suddenly, a majestic, scholarly feeling filled the entire hall. Then, an old man with white hair and a beard, wearing a blue robe with intricate white patterns all over it, appeared out of thin air on the stage amidst a soft, purplish light. The entire crowd's attention was fixed on him. Out of nowhere, a five-foot rod appeared in the old man's hand. The rod was made of ancient-looking wood, probably oak, with many rune carvings etched into its body. At its tip, a dark purplish crystal the size of an adult's knuckle glowed softly. He gently tapped the rod on the floor, as if using it for support.
"Graduates, welcome!" the old man said calmly. Strangely, everyone in the hall, even those farthest from the stage, could hear his voice as if he were standing right next to them.
"Teacher!" Kellen exclaimed in a hushed voice, his face lighting up with excitement.
"Calm down, Kellen. You look like you've never seen the principal before, even though you meet with him almost every day," Luceran sneered.
"You don't understand. This time, it's completely different." And how could it not be? Today was graduation day, the day Kellen would be crowned as one of the Immortal Successors, the top five graduates from the Immortal Academy. As for Luceran, though he wasn't in the top five, he was still ranked among the top ten. The title for the sixth to tenth graduates was the Immortal Seeds. While this was an amazing and grand achievement for most, it wasn't quite a satisfying one for Luceran, given his monumental background as the second prince of the Kyros Divine Empire—the strongest empire in all of Primordia.
"Tch, whatever," Luceran replied mockingly to Kellen. Both of them then turned their attention back to the principal.
"Five years have passed. For some of you, that might feel like a long time; for others, it might feel short. But I assure you, this is only the beginning. You have struggled for five years, attending classes, going on field trips to different realms, and touring other parts of Primordia to broaden your horizons and expand your knowledge, all to help you achieve your dreams. I have attended countless graduation ceremonies; goodness knows how many geniuses and amazing graduates I have seen. I hope that you all remain humble and always do your best out there," the principal stated in his opening speech.
The principal's words hung in the air, a final blessing to the generation of graduates. Following his speech, several respected teachers and staff took to the stage, their speeches full of wisdom and fond farewells. The grand hall was filled with a mix of nostalgia and anticipation, as the students knew the most important part of the ceremony was about to begin. An hour later, the moment Kellen had been waiting for arrived: the crowning of the top ten graduates, the Immortal Seeds and Successors.
"For the students I will call next, please come to the stage to receive your medal!" the principal announced loudly.
"The tenth-ranked graduate, Jarred! Come to the stage!" The crowd applauded loudly as a tall, black man with long hair and dark eyes walked toward the stage, looking bored and unmotivated.
"I've never seen him happy, you know," Luceran whispered to Kellen.
"For the second prince of the strongest empire in Primordia, you should know better than me why he always looks like that, right? With your wide network of spies, you should know what happened to his hometown," Kellen replied pointedly.
Jarred walked slowly and deliberately to the stage. He bowed to the crowd of his peers, to the mentors and teachers seated at the front, and then to the principal before receiving his medal.
"There will always be a rainbow after the storm. What will come, will come, young man," the principal whispered to him while the crowd was still applauding.
"Thank you, Principal," Jarred replied with a heavy heart, forcing a smile. He then exited the stage and returned to the crowd.
"Next, Chaelen Thalvanyr! Come to the stage!" the principal continued, calling the next name.
"Oh? He's actually ranked ninth? Wasn't he seventh a year ago?" Kellen asked.
"Have you been living in a cave for the past year? Didn't you hear that he had to take a six-month leave? He was summoned to the Thousand Islands region by his father, King Nerion Thalvanyr, for an important task," Luceran replied. "Because of that, he couldn't complete many assignments or attend classes, which is why he fell to ninth place."
"Hmm... I see," Kellen said, his expression thoughtful.
The youth with ocean-blue hair walked elegantly toward the stage. His shining light-blue eyes and handsome features were captivating. As he made his way to the front, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. Girls screamed his name, "Prince Chaelen!" while boys looked on with a mix of amazement and envy. With the poise of royalty, he glanced left and right, nodding and offering a charming smile to the graduates he knew. Upon reaching the stage, he performed a graceful bow, first to his fellow graduates, then to the mentors and tutors, and finally to the principal.
"Send my warm greetings to His Majesty Nerion," the principal said calmly after shaking Chaelen's hand and giving him the medal.
"My royal father would be happy to hear your greetings, Principal!" Chaelen replied with a bright smile. He elegantly placed the medal, a necklace of intricate design, around his neck and proceeded to exit the stage. As he walked back to his place, the eyes of the girls in the crowd remained fixed on him, a testament to his charm.
"Next, Xoen Solaris! Come to the stage to receive your medal!" the principal announced. A calm youth with bright red hair began walking slowly toward the stage. His sharp black eyes and mature, handsome face commanded attention. Anyone with a keen eye could detect an air of pride in his expression and the confident way he carried himself. And how could he not? He hailed from the Solaris Divine Empire, the rival of Kyros Divine Empire!