"Here come the top three graduates," a student muttered from the crowd, their voice filled with awe.
"What an honor to get that award," another student replied, with a hint of envy in their voice.
"Next is supposed to be Haveth, right?" Kellen asked Luceran. Luceran gave a slight nod. They scanned the crowd and found Haveth standing with a girl who was the same height as him and had a cute ponytail. When the principal's call came, Haveth walked slowly toward the stage with a steady, purposeful momentum. His stoic and refined features complemented his scholarly look, though people who knew him knew he wasn't just a scholar. He moved with a quiet power, his purple scabbard at his waist even with the graduation robe on. His purplish hair and eyes shone with a sharp intensity. As he walked, his stare felt like it was piercing right through the other students, demanding their respect. He bowed deeply to the crowd, the mentors, the tutors, and then to the principal.
"How is the Sword Saint?" the principal asked the purple-haired youth, shaking his hand and giving him the medal.
"The Saint said a year ago that he is preparing to break through into the celestial realm," Haveth answered politely, bowing his head to the principal before leaving the stage.
"Good! Good! The human race will welcome a new Celestial Ascendant," the principal remarked happily, his voice filled with pride for their kind.
"Next, Celine Sylvarien! Come to the stage!" A booming sound and a wave of applause erupted.
A woman with long, silky, light-green hair and pointy ears walked out of the crowd. Her bright golden eyes and milky-white skin enthralled everyone, male and female alike. She was an elf princess of the Evergreen Kingdom. She moved with a captivating grace as she walked to the stage. An aura of peace and calm came from her, as if she were the very embodiment of serenity. As she stepped onto the stage, the crowd's eyes were still locked on her. She bowed gracefully to the crowd, the tutors, and the principal, as was the custom.
"Princess, tell Elderwood that I will visit him a year from now," the principal said to the princess warmly.
"I will, Holy Saint," she replied, bowing deeply and showing the huge amount of respect she had for the principal.
"There is no need to be so polite, Princess. The journey is long for you. Walk with wisdom as you slowly grow your influence," the principal advised her.
"Thank you, Saint, for the advice. I will deeply engrave it in my heart." She then proceeded to exit the stage. The crowd's eyes remained glued to her as she stepped down and returned to her spot.
"Buddy, it's your turn," Luceran said, nudging Kellen beside him and smiling lightly. Kellen smiled back, taking a deep breath and preparing himself.
"Finally, the number one graduate of the academy, Kellen! Come to the stage to receive your medal!" The principal's booming voice echoed across the entire hall.
Everyone looked at Kellen with a mix of awe and envy, including the other nobles. Only Luceran's eyes held pure encouragement. Despite his rather average-looking features, Kellen carried a certain refinement, with his purplish eyes and brown hair. He walked with confidence and pride toward the stage, knowing that every eye in the hall was on him, the number one prodigy of the academy. His gaze was fixed on the figure at the end of the hall, on his teacher, the principal of the Immortal Academy. The principal looked back with gentle eyes, filled with the pride of a teacher for the student he had guided for the past five years. How could he not? Kellen was the only graduate among these 5,000 students who had reached the third level of both the mana and soul paths. Even over the past hundred thousand years, such a feat made him a prodigy among prodigies. The principal had taught many personal students, but people of Kellen's caliber could be counted on one hand. Kellen stepped onto the stage and faced the principal before turning his body to bow to the entire crowd, including the tutors and mentors of the Academy.
"My student, this is only the beginning of your path. It will be a very long journey. I hope you can step further than I have," the principal advised his personal student warmly.
"I will never tarnish your name or the Academy's name. Thank you for everything, Teacher!" Kellen bowed deeply to the principal. The weight of the moment felt heavy on him. The principal's words, 'I hope you can step further than I do,' echoed in his mind. Turning, he walked calmly off the stage, his new medal, the symbol of the Immortal Successor, now resting around his neck. As he rejoined Luceran, the grand hall burst into a final, massive round of applause, a mix of cheers and respectful silence.
The principal then raised his glowing rod high. The applause immediately died down, replaced by a profound silence that settled over all five thousand students.
"The time for instruction is over, graduates," the principal's voice boomed, full of pride and authority. "You are now masters of your own destinies. Go forth and make your mark on Primordia. May your paths be long, your purpose be true, and your legacy be immortal! The graduation ceremony of the Immortal Academy is now concluded!"
With a final, gentle tap of his rod on the stage, the principal dissolved into a bunch of light particles, leaving the hall to the graduates. The students, now officially alumni, started to leave. The formal, tense vibe of the ceremony broke apart, replaced by a lively, chaotic mess as everyone started leaving. Luceran and Kellen walked toward the exit, the crowd of students around them buzzing with excitement and relief.
Once outside, they made their way back through the Garden of Arcana, the glowing trees and serene paths a familiar comfort one last time. They walked in silence for a few moments, the weight of the last five years and the unknown future just hung in the air between them.
"This is it, then," Luceran said softly, breaking the silence. "The end of my time in the Academy."
"Yet the beginning of everything else," Kellen replied, looking toward the majestic gates.
They reached a quiet corner where Nelez was already waiting for Luceran, his face as blank as ever. The three stopped, and Kellen and Luceran faced each other. Their friendship had grown into something more than just a formal thing because of their roles.
"Remember what you said about your dreams, Kellen?" Luceran said, his voice low. "Don't let the world change you."
"And you, Luceran," Kellen replied with a knowing smile. "Don't let your duty consume you."
They shared a firm handshake that said a lot about how much they respected each other. Without another word, Luceran turned and walked toward the waiting carriage with Nelez. Kellen watched him go, then turned to face the academy, to where his room was. The grand gates stood behind him, a last reminder of the five years he had spent there.
"Nelez, have you prepared the wyvern?" Luceran asked as they walked toward the academy's left wing, where the students housed their animals.
"Of course, Your Highness. This way, please," Nelez replied, leading the way to an open space. There, a majestic 25-meter-tall dark gray wyvern, with scales like honed steel, was wriggling its tail in anticipation. Its eyes, the color of molten gold, were locked on them. As soon as it saw the pair, it let out a low, guttural roar that seemed to say, "Mount up! Let's go!" The wyvern lowered its head nicely, so the prince could climb onto its neck, while Nelez leaped with practiced ease, landing lightly on its back.
"How long will it take to reach Ironmarch City from the academy?" the prince asked his personal guard.
"It'll take two weeks, even when Draka is flying at top speed, Your Highness," Nelez replied.
"Sigh, why did my father have to assign me to a city that doesn't even have a teleportation circle?" Luceran complained, sounding a little frustrated.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. His Majesty has already prepared the resources to build a teleportation circle in Ironmarch City," Nelez assured him.
"It will be a long journey," the prince muttered, settling into the wyvern's saddle. With a powerful beat of its colossal wings, the wyvern, Draka, shot into the sky and vanished into the horizon.