The duel's echoes still lingered in the courtyard long after Thaddeus had sheathed his katana. Though the instructor's voice had declared it a draw, whispers rippled among the students: Moon heir… Solgard heir… shadows and sunlight… rivals already.
Thaddeus felt none of the pride others might have expected. His body still hummed with the resonance of shadow power, and his arms ached faintly from the clash. Yet it was not exhaustion that weighed on him—it was awareness. Evan Solgard was not merely skilled. He was dangerous, and not because of his blade. The boy carried himself like someone who believed the world bent toward him. That kind of conviction was difficult to predict, harder still to counter.
Aurora walked silently at his side, silver hair catching faint light as they left the arena. "You measured him," she said finally. "And he measured you."
Thaddeus allowed himself a small exhale. "He is not careless. Every move had purpose. But… his purpose is predictable. Pride. Legacy. Sunlight that blinds as much as it illuminates."
Aurora's silver eyes narrowed slightly. "And you?"
He looked down at the shadows curling at his feet, tugging like restless hounds. "I am not predictable. And that is why I will not fall."
Later that afternoon, the students gathered in one of Elysium's grand halls for introductions and assignments. The chamber was vast, its ceiling painted with a mural of six elemental sigils surrounding a central eclipse, a reminder that the Academy itself was as much a stage of legacy as a place of learning.
The heirs were introduced one by one. Thaddeus paid attention to each, storing impressions.
Selene Stormhaven stepped forward, bow across her back, posture light as if the air itself carried her. Her eyes were sharp, assessing the room with the same precision she likely used to track an arrow's flight.
Ryan Stormhaven, her brother, carried himself with easy confidence, already exchanging grins with minor nobles in the audience.
Serenity Clearwater moved like water itself, graceful and poised, her icy aura leaving a faint shimmer as she curtsied.
James Clearwater followed, colder, more calculating, his eyes cataloging faces rather than meeting them.
Jacob and Lily Rosewood came together, gauntlets gleaming, their presence steady and grounded, like earth given form.
Blaise and Ashley Emberhart nearly crackled with energy, their spears humming faintly with sparks. Blaise grinned widely, while Ashley's eyes carried a fire sharper than her weapon's edge.
And finally, Evan and Emily Solgard, radiant as the sun. Evan stepped forward first, estoc gleaming, and when he spoke, his voice carried easily through the chamber. Emily followed, her poise deliberate, her gaze steady yet unreadable.
Whispers rose at their appearance, and Thaddeus noted the subtle tilt of Evan's chin, the unspoken claim of dominance. Shadows coiled tighter at Thaddeus' feet.
When the time came, Thaddeus stepped into the center. He did not need to raise his voice. The room seemed to hush instinctively as he drew his katana, the blade drinking the light, shadows responding with fluid grace.
"I am Thaddeus Moon," he said simply. "Shadows are my companions, my weapons, and my legacy. And to all who would test me—be warned: shadows are patient. But they are never merciful."
The silence lingered for a moment longer before whispers erupted, more intense now. Thaddeus sheathed his blade, expression calm, though inside, he felt the pulse of anticipation.
Elysium had heard his name. And now, they would remember it.
After the assembly, students broke into smaller groups to mingle. Thaddeus stayed near Aurora, but the heirs began to approach.
Selene Stormhaven was first. She studied him quietly, her expression difficult to read. "You fight like the wind's opposite," she said. "Where we flow, you constrict. Where we rush, you wait. It is… interesting."
Thaddeus inclined his head slightly. "And you? You fight as though you never stop moving. Do you ever fear the stillness?"
Her lips quirked. "Only when it's too quiet. Silence before the arrow lands is often the most dangerous sound." She stepped back, giving a small nod before rejoining her brother.
Next came Serenity Clearwater. Her tone was soft but confident. "Your shadows are precise. They cut where others would drown in excess. I respect that."
"Water adapts," Thaddeus replied. "But shadows consume. Which will prevail, I wonder?"
Serenity smiled faintly. "Perhaps neither. Perhaps both."
It was the kind of answer that lingered, one that spoke less of rivalry and more of philosophy.
The Solgards approached last. Evan's smile was sharp, his blue eyes locked on Thaddeus like a predator testing its equal. "A good duel this morning," he said. "But next time, I won't let shadows hide your weaknesses."
Thaddeus returned the gaze, unflinching. "And next time, I won't let sunlight blind you."
The tension between them was palpable, an unspoken promise of battles yet to come. Around them, the other heirs watched, already sensing the rivalry that would define their year.
Emily Solgard spoke then, her voice even, her gaze steady. "Prophecies speak of eclipses. And here we stand—sun and moon in the same hall. Perhaps fate has already chosen its players."
Thaddeus tilted his head, silver eyes narrowing slightly. "Fate may choose. But I wield shadows. And shadows serve only me."
Emily's lips curved in a small, unreadable smile. She said no more, but her silence carried weight.
That night, as Thaddeus returned to the Moon Tower, Aurora walked beside him, expression thoughtful. "Today, you gained rivals, but also respect. The Stormhavens, the Clearwaters—they watched you, measured you. Not all are enemies. Some may become… allies."
"Allies?" Thaddeus echoed, shadows curling at his heels. "Or pawns?"
Aurora glanced at him. "That depends on how you treat them."
He looked out over Elysium Academy, towers glowing faintly with elemental energy. He thought of Selene's sharp gaze, Serenity's quiet wisdom, Evan's burning challenge, and Emily's unreadable calm.
"Then I will treat them as both," he said softly. "Allies when it suits. Rivals when it demands. And shadows in the end will decide."
The night deepened, stars scattering across the sky. Thaddeus stood at the balcony of the Moon Tower, katana resting against his shoulder, shadows whispering like old friends.
The bonds had begun. Alliances would form, rivalries would sharpen, and prophecy would weave them all together. But in his heart, Thaddeus knew one truth above all:
He would not be consumed by fate. He would carve his own path through shadow and steel.