The morning bells of Academia Arcanum rang across the campus.Yet for Serena Alvear, the chime no longer felt like the start of a new day. It was a hollow echo, a reminder that each sunrise stole away another piece of her world.
The Weight of Words
Inside the student lounge, Elena—Serena's oldest friend—was summoned by Irena Valkyria. The two sat alone. Irena's voice dripped with feigned gentleness, but venom coiled beneath every word.
"Elena… will you truly remain at her side? Even as the court and academy begin to doubt her?"
Elena clenched her fists."Serena and I… we swore never to abandon each other."
Irena's soft laugh cut through the air. She slid a parchment across the table—a letter stamped with the crest of an influential noble.
"But your family depends on the favor of these houses, does it not? If they believe you are tied to one who wields forbidden power… what do you think will become of your future?"
Elena froze. Her eyes trembled. She was no traitor—but the weight of her family's survival pressed against her chest until she could scarcely breathe.
The Field Trial
Days later, the students were called to the training grounds for a field evaluation: to subdue a magical beast sealed within a binding circle, testing both combat skill and teamwork.
Serena was paired with Elena once more. A frail smile bloomed on her lips; for a fleeting moment, she felt a fragile relief, as though their bond still remained.
But when the beast's fury shook the ground, cracks spidered across the containment circle. Panic rippled through the crowd.
"Watch out!" Irena's voice rang out, sharp and clear. "I saw it—someone tried to break the seal!"
Dozens of eyes turned instantly toward Serena's team.And before she could utter a word of defense—Elena's voice cut across the field.
"It… it was Serena! I saw her casting near the seal!"
A Fractured Bond
Silence crashed over the arena before whispers erupted like wildfire.
Serena's head whipped toward Elena, her eyes wide, raw with shock and pain."Elena… what are you saying? I didn't—!"
But Elena averted her gaze, her pale face trembling. She hadn't wanted to lie—but the crushing weight of family and fear drove her to betrayal.
The Blade from Behind
The beast roared, breaking free from the fractured circle. It lunged at the terrified students.
Serena gritted her teeth, raising her blade despite her wounds. Steel clashed against claw with a ringing scream."If I don't stand now… then my honor will truly be lost."
She fought with every shred of her strength, refusing to let the creature harm anyone else.Just as the beast's rage reached its peak, a secondary seal flared to life, binding it once again.
The instructor's voice boomed across the grounds:"This was no student's doing! The circle failed on its own!"
The Deeper Wound
Relief swept the crowd—but the whispers did not cease. Eyes still lingered on Serena, filled with doubt and suspicion.
Serena stood rigid, her body drenched in sweat, her heart aching far deeper than her wounds."Even the friend I trusted most… has turned her back on me."
A Hand in the Dark
That night, she sat alone in the abandoned armory, clutching her blade, silent tears staining the steel.
A calm, steady voice drifted from the shadows."You've lost a friend… but not everything."
Serena lifted her gaze. Kyren Adelric stood there, pale-blue eyes reflecting the moonlight with quiet certainty. He extended a hand.
"Even if friends betray you, even if the world casts doubt upon you—so long as you still stand, I will be here. You will not fall alone."
Her trembling fingers clasped his hand tightly. Tears still fell, but within her chest, a fragile spark of hope flickered back to life.
The Valkyria's Smile
Elsewhere, Irena stood with Elena at her side, her lips curling into a chilling smile.
"Well done. A single word from you turned the world against Serena."
Elena lowered her head, her body shaking. She hadn't wanted this, yet no path of escape remained.
Irena's laughter was soft, cruel."Wounds dealt by an enemy can heal. But wounds dealt by a friend… those never fade."
Closing Scene
Night draped its veil over Academia Arcanum.One girl had been stabbed in the heart by the friend she trusted most—yet still endured, held up by the hand of another.Another girl advanced her schemes, turning friendship into a weapon sharper than any blade.
And in the silence of the dark, a lone man whispered to himself:"This pain may crush you now… but I will never let history repeat itself again."