Aether Pad Calls
The dorm quieted once Ryan, Eren, Sylphie, and Rose had left. Only the core cast remained.
One by one, glowing panes of light flickered into existence — the Aether Pads ringing with calls from their families.
---
Lucas Dragonborne
Lucas's pad lit up first, and instantly, his mother's tear-filled blue eyes appeared. She pressed a hand over her mouth, choking back a sob. "Lucas… oh my boy, thank the stars—!"
Behind her stood his father, dignified and stern as always. "Compose yourself, Marielle," he muttered, though his voice cracked when he turned to Lucas. "Son. You survived."
For once, Lucas didn't wear his usual bright grin. His throat tightened seeing them both like this. "Of course I survived. I had to come back—who else would tease you both for worrying too much?" He tried to joke, but his voice trembled.
Then, another voice cut in — sharp, female, and laced with mockery.
"Honestly, Lucas, how do you always manage to cause Mom this much stress? If you weren't my little brother, I'd keep you locked in the estate."
Lucas groaned. "Not now, Althea…"
His elder sister, radiant with the same Dragonborne vigor, leaned into view. "If you ever scare Mom like that again, I'll personally fly to your dorm and beat you up. Don't think being in the academy saves you."
Lucas's parents didn't stop her, though his mother smiled faintly through tears. His father's lips twitched into the shadow of a smile.
Despite the scolding, Lucas's heart warmed. His family was safe, alive — and that was enough.
---
Ruby Drazmere
Ruby's Aether Pad blinked to life. Her braided black hair shimmered faintly as she sat taller, instantly straight-backed at the sound of her father's voice.
"Ruby," he said firmly, "you fought, didn't you? I can see it in your eyes."
"Yes, Father." Her tone was steady, but inside, she felt the tremors of exhaustion still lingering in her body.
Her mother leaned in from the side, eyes softer, hands clasped together. "Are you hurt? Please tell me you're not pushing yourself too far."
Ruby gave a small smile, though it was more restrained than usual. "I'm fine. It'll take more than this to shake me. I promise."
Her father nodded, approval glinting in his stern eyes. "Good. You carry the Drazmere name well. But remember—strength means nothing if you don't return home alive."
Ruby's heart swelled at the rare softness hidden beneath his words. She lowered her head. "I'll remember."
---
Aria Irelith
Her flame-like hair was lit up by the pad's glow. Her father's voice was sharp, cutting straight through the air:
"Aria, report. Are you injured?"
"No," she answered quickly, her tone clipped, her arms folded tight.
"Then why do you look pale?" Her mother's voice, softer but insistent, came next. "Aria, tell us the truth."
Aria's fiery eyes flickered, betraying something she couldn't voice. She forced a crooked smile. "I'm fine, really. Don't worry. I… I'll get stronger."
Her father's face softened for only an instant, his voice quieter: "Good. Because you must."
The call ended, leaving her staring into the dim glow of the fading pad, her lips pressed tight.
---
Marcus Corvax
Marcus's call was brief but no less heartfelt. His family's faces appeared, their expressions stern yet trembling with restrained emotion.
"Marcus," his mother said, her voice carrying both authority and worry, "did you remember your training?"
"Yes, Mother." His voice was calm, collected.
"Did you…" His father hesitated, rare for a man of his composure. "Did you see anything… unbearable?"
Marcus's dark eyes softened, though he didn't answer directly. "Nothing I can't handle."
Though his family said no more, their silence carried their love. They trusted him. And Marcus, quiet as he was, felt it.
---
Kaelith Vaelthorne
Kaelith's call was the most composed of all. His family's faces appeared — sharp features, voices cool yet filled with quiet care.
"We heard the Verdant Rift collapsed. Were you at the site?"
"Yes," Kaelith replied evenly.
"Are you harmed?"
"No."
There was a long pause. Then, softly, his mother spoke: "You did well."
That was all. The call cut, leaving Kaelith staring at the darkened pad, his expression unreadable. But his fingers lingered on the pad longer than they should have, as though he wasn't ready to let go of their voices.
---
Aftermath
When the last call ended, silence filled the dorm again. Each of them sat with their own thoughts, warmed by love, weighed down by expectations.
Lucas groaned loudly, breaking the heaviness. "My sister's really going to come beat me up, isn't she?"
Ruby smirked faintly. "You deserve it."
That small burst of laughter rippled around the room, easing the tension. For a moment, they weren't heirs of powerful families or survivors of a crisis. They were just kids, relieved their families still waited for them.
---
— Group Call
The dorm had quieted after the parents' calls, but the mood still buzzed with a strange, tender energy. Then another Aether Pad chimed — a group call request.
The screen split open into two smiling faces: Liora Silvercrest with her silvery hair tied back casually, and Elaria Calder, her snowy hair shimmering under the glow of her room.
"Finally! We were waiting for you all to pick up," Liora said with a playful grin, her blue eyes sparkling.
Elaria, calmer but no less warm, gave a small wave. "We heard what happened. Are you all safe?"
"Yeah," Ruby answered, a rare smile tugging at her lips. "Mostly in one piece."
Lucas leaned closer to the pad, grinning. "Did you miss me that much, Liora?"
"Please," Liora scoffed, though a faint blush betrayed her. "You probably spent the whole Rift tripping over your own feet."
Everyone chuckled, the heaviness of earlier finally cracking.
Then Elaria's fingers moved across her interface. "I'll add Nex to the call. He should be here too."
For a moment, the pad blinked — Calling: Nex Calder.
The light pulsed. Once. Twice. Then it stilled. No answer.
Elaria's expression dimmed, though she quickly masked it. "He's probably… busy." But the faint drop in her tone revealed her worry as a sister.
The others exchanged looks. No one wanted to shatter the fragile comfort of the call, so they let it go.
---
Extended Connection — Reaching Everyone
Elaria, not giving up, instead added Eren, Ryan, Rose, and Sylphie into the group.
Suddenly, the screen split into a patchwork of faces across different dorms:
Ryan, cheerful as always, waved with both hands. "Hey! Everyone's alive! Told you it'd be fine."
Eren, calm but warm, gave a small nod.
Rose, brushing her long hair, smirked. "Took you long enough to answer. We were betting Lucas would faint halfway through."
Sylphie, tucked into her bed with a pillow hugged tight, beamed with joy as her thought kept drifting to the enrollment ceremony.
---
While the call went on, Aria sat cross-legged on Lucas's bed. She was supposed to be listening, but instead she kept poking at Lucas's arm with a small flame at her fingertip.
"Hey—stop that, it tickles!" Lucas complained, swatting her hand away.
"Then stop making dumb faces at the screen," Aria shot back, smirking.
Ruby rolled her eyes, muttering, "Children."
The others laughed, and for a moment the group call felt less like an aftermath of tragedy and more like a slumber party among friends.
---
The Unspoken Absence
Yet, amidst the smiles and bickering, the missing piece weighed on them. Nex's small square on the call remained gray, dark.
( Nex's pov)
Outside the dorms, the academy grounds were silent. The cool wind carried the faint hum of city lights in the distance, but here it was only stars and silence.
Nex sat on the edge of the training field, headphones snug against his ears. A soft melody trickled in — slow, wistful notes that felt like they were cradling his heart rather than playing for it.
He tilted his head back, watching the night sky. The cosmic moon hung massive and pale above, but his gaze locked on a single star — brighter, fiercer, refusing to be swallowed by the endless dark.
Slowly, almost childlike, Nex raised his hand. Fingers stretched upward, he tried to catch it, to hold that little shard of light between his fingertips. Of course, it slipped through his grasp, but he chuckled quietly to himself.
"Still out of reach, huh…" His voice was light, not broken, not tragic — just carrying a warmth he didn't often show.
The song in his headphones swelled, and Nex closed his eyes, letting the music paint the night in soft colors.
When he opened them again, he was still smiling. The star was still there — distant, untouchable, but shining. Just like the boy with golden hair he once named.
And as the music wrapped around him, Nex whispered under his breath, not for anyone else to hear:
"I've still got things to protect. So don't worry… I won't fall."
With that, he leaned back, the smile lingering as the night stretched on, the lone star burning stubbornly against the cosmic moon.
________________________________________
(Third person pov)
The days passed like blur and the day of the Enrollment ceremony finally came.
Students buzzed with excitement choosing their dresses and partners as the academy had given them holiday for two days due to the incident,
The students used it to their full potential.