In a grand, high-ceilinged hall adorned with arcane sigils and banners fluttering with invisible winds, twelve majestic thrones formed a circle—each seat occupied by a member of the World Magic Council. At the very center, elevated slightly above the rest, sat the Grand Magister on an obsidian throne laced with gold. His bald head gleamed beneath the floating crystal lights, and a golden circlet fused into his forehead pulsed with magical energy. Glowing runes traced down his spine like a living script of power. This was Aureon Vexalis, Head of the Council, and one of the most revered mages alive.
"The current state of the world?" Aureon's voice echoed through the chamber—calm, measured, and commanding.
Darian Sundrake, stern and broad-shouldered, with silver-streaked black hair, sat upright on his throne bearing the sigil of House Sundrake. "All is stable, Lord Aureon," he responded with a respectful nod. "There are no threats worth your concern."
Around him, other council members gave silent nods of agreement, their expressions stoic, unreadable.
But from the opposite side of the circle, Naera Mistral—elegant, sharp-eyed, clad in robes that shimmered like moonlight—spoke with deliberate weight. "Lord Aureon, while there may be no immediate threats, I believe it is time the World Magic Council had greater oversight over Eldorado Academy. If we do not assert some influence, they may begin to see themselves as beyond us. It is not outside our jurisdiction."
Professor Vassilio Cain, aged yet vigilant with a scholar's aura and rings of enchanted metal floating around his wrist, quickly responded. "Miss Naera, with respect, the laws are explicit. Eldorado Academy operates under the sole command of its Headmaster. The Council holds no authority within its internal affairs." He paused, his voice carrying subtle reverence. "And lest we forget, Headmaster Veyros Arclight once sat on this very Council. He's a man of unmatched brilliance and strength."
"I agree," Aureon Vexalis said, folding his fingers before him. A faint smile touched his lips. "Veyros is a dear friend. A man I trust without hesitation. As long as he leads Eldorado, I see no cause for concern. Still, should any... complications arise, we will act accordingly."
Naera gave a slight bow of her head. "Yes, my lord. I understand."
Then, from the far end, Lady Vireya Noctherin spoke. Her presence was cold, regal—a woman of haunting beauty draped in a gown of midnight threads. "Lord Vexalis, might I raise a thought? Should we not begin discussing the Great Mages?"[great mages are the strongest mages ever existed in the history of magic world they are mortal but they have immense magical power that a normal mage could only dream there are total 6 great mages they live different places]
A hushed stillness followed her words.
"The Great Mages," she continued, "are beings of immense magical prowess—perhaps the greatest to ever live. Is it not time we brought them under our jurisdiction?"
Aureon's golden circlet pulsed faintly as he leaned forward. "No, Lady Vireya. That would be folly." His tone darkened, not in anger, but in solemn truth. "They exist beyond our reach, and more importantly—they are not our enemies. None have moved against the Council. And we are all aware..." He looked around the chamber, his gaze lingering on each member. "Should we ever stand against them, we may not live to regret it."
Silence fell once more, heavy and unchallenged.
"But," he continued, his voice firm, "if ever a day comes when we must face them for the sake of the world, then we will. And we shall not be shackled by fear."
The chamber remained quiet, the weight of those words hanging like mist in the air.
"For now, let us cast aside that concern," Aureon concluded. "Today's session is adjourned."
One by one, the Council members stood and descended from their thrones, their cloaks trailing behind them, their footsteps echoing across the marble floor. The great doors of the Council Hall opened with a low hum of magic, and they exited into the vast corridors of power—each carrying the silent burden of the world's balance on their shoulders.
In the heart of the gleaming Sundrake Palace — a sprawling estate of gold-lined towers, floating platforms, and glowing crystal lanterns — the tension crackled like a brewing storm. Inside one of its grand halls, Eris Sundrake stood tall, his golden cloak trailing behind him like a banner of firelight. Before him, his younger brother Kael Sundrake leaned against a marble pillar, arms crossed, a spark of defiance flickering in his eyes.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Eris's voice rang sharp, commanding. "That attack you unleashed could have seriously injured that boy. You could have destroyed half the courtyard!"
Kael scoffed, tossing his silver-streaked hair back with casual arrogance. "Is it my fault the idiot kept provoking me? He wanted a fight. I gave him one."
Eris exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When he spoke again, his tone was low and measured, like distant thunder before the strike.
"Kael… in life, you'll always encounter people who overestimate themselves… and underestimate you. That's nothing new. But you — you know exactly who you are, and what you're capable of." He stepped closer, his gaze firm but not unkind. "Power without control is just chaos. A blade with no hand to wield it. You don't want to be that. A puppet with strength he can't master."
Kael remained quiet, the fire in his eyes dimming just slightly. Eris continued.
"And don't dismiss that boy so easily. He may not look like much now, but he managed to land a hit on you, didn't he? Whether it was a scratch or a blow, it means he has potential. Keep treating everyone beneath you, and one day someone will rise above you. And when that happens, you'll have no excuse."
Eris placed a steady hand on Kael's shoulder. His voice softened, but the weight of his words remained heavy.
"You're the son of the Sundrake family. We're not just warriors. We carry a legacy. Make Father proud. Make me proud. Got it?"
Kael raised his hand in a quiet salute, finally bowing his head.
"Yes, brother. I'll remember that."
Eris gave him a small nod, turned, and walked away — his figure vanishing down the golden-lit hallway. Kael stood there, watching his brother leave, the fire in his chest no longer wild, but tempered — like a forge awaiting its purpose.
The classroom door creaked open as Professor Gromwell Rhok stepped inside, his tall frame casting a quiet authority. His voice rumbled through the room, calm but commanding:
"Good morning, everyone. I'm Gromwell Rhok. Today is my first class with you. But before we begin, I'd like to introduce someone."
With a subtle gesture towards the door, all eyes followed his hand. A girl entered—a presence both graceful and unusual. Pink hair cascaded past her shoulders, her eyes glowing faintly as if lit from within, and she held a leather-bound book close to her chest.
"Everyone, please welcome Mira Kess," Professor Rhok continued. "She's a transfer student from Arcady Magic Academy. Treat her with respect."
A quiet murmur spread among the students. From their seats, Reid leaned towards Alvin and Lira, whispering:
"Isn't she cute?"
Alvin gave a small nod. "Yeah."
Lira glanced over as well. "She really is."
Reid grinned and nudged Kaien. "What about you, Kaien? Don't you think she's cute?"
Kaien's voice was dry, almost dismissive. "Does it matter? She'd never like an idiot like you."
"What did you just say?" Reid frowned, his voice rising.
Before the bickering could escalate, Professor Rhok spoke again:
"Mira, go ahead and take a seat."
Once she was settled, he continued with a thoughtful pause.
"Now that introductions are done, I was supposed to teach you combat magic today. But we'll leave that for the next class. Today, I want to talk about something else—something important. The Six Great Mages."
At those words, even the most disinterested students straightened in their chairs.
"The Six Great Mages," Professor Rhok said, voice steady, "are known as the pillars of our magical world. They are not gods—mortals like you and me. But the magic they wield is… godlike. They exist beyond the jurisdiction of the World Magic Council. If you want to know more, the library holds all the records."
A soft voice broke the silence. Mira had raised her hand.
"Professor," she said calmly, "I've read about them… but why isn't there anything written about the Six Great Mage called Flame King?"
The name settled in the air like a heavy stone. Alvin's expression shifted subtly, his eyes hardening just slightly. Lira and Kaien both noticed.
"Ah… Flame King," Professor Rhok murmured, eyes distant. "He's a mystery in history. While the other Great Mages often involved themselves in world affairs, he did not. Records say he's one of the strongest among the Six. Once, he burned down an entire group of rogue samurais with a single spell."
Reid leaned towards Kaien and Lira again, voice low with a grin.
"What if the Flame King is among us?"
Kaien gave a faint, knowing smile. "I just told you—you're an idiot."
"And you're a dummy," Reid shot back.
Lira frowned thoughtfully. "If he's hiding, that means he's hiding something."
"Not necessarily," Alvin said quietly. "Maybe he just wants to live a normal life."
From another corner, Kael watched them all, eyes sharp and half-hidden behind silver hair.
Professor Rhok ended the lesson there:
"That's all for today. Good day, everyone."
After class, as students gathered their things, Lira turned to Alvin, Reid, and Kaien.
"Are you guys up for the cafeteria? I'm starving."
"Why not," Alvin agreed with an easy smile.
Before they could head out, Reid suddenly bounced ahead of them, eyes bright.
"Hey, can we take Mira with us? Please, please?"
Kaien's fist landed lightly on Reid's head.
"Stop doing those stupidest acts."
"Ow! Why'd you hit me?!" Reid whined.
"Both of you, stop!" Lira scolded. Her patience thinning, she approached Mira directly. "Hi, I'm Lira Solen. My friends and I are going to the cafeteria. If you want, you can come too."
Mira glanced at the group. Seeing their easy smiles, she gave a small, graceful nod.
"Sure. Why not."
As they walked, Alvin introduced himself first. "I'm Alvin Ashford."
"Mira Kess."
Reid practically jumped in. "I'm Reid Harven!"
Mira's eyes moved to Kaien, who stayed silent. Alvin nudged him in the ribs.
"Introduce yourself, Kaien."
With a low sigh, Kaien muttered, "Kaien."
At the cafeteria, they gathered around a table, trays clattering quietly. Lira asked the question first.
"Mira, why did you transfer from Arcady Magic Academy?"
Mira smiled softly. "Eldorado is my dream. I always wanted to study here."
"Me too," Reid said with a goofy grin.
Mira seemed slightly awkward, glancing away, until Lira gave Reid a light slap on the arm.
"Ignore him."
Kaien flicked Reid's forehead. "Stop doing stupidest things."
From a table nearby, Kael sat alone, eyes flicking toward them like a hawk watching prey. Alvin noticed. Quietly, he rose and walked over to Kael's table.
Kael's gaze shifted as Alvin approached, expression unreadable.
Alvin sat down opposite him and spoke evenly. "If you want, you can come sit with us."
Kael's voice was cold. "Why would I want to sit with losers like you?"
Alvin just smiled faintly, eyes locking with Kael's.
"You know… if you think staying alone will make you stronger, you're wrong. You can't grow stronger alone. You always need people."
With that, Alvin stood and walked back to his friends.
Lira raised an eyebrow. "What did you say to him?"
"Nothing," Alvin replied casually.
Suddenly, Kaien cleared his throat. "I want to say something."
Everyone turned to him. Kaien scowled. "Why are you all staring at me?"
"Just say it," Lira urged.
Kaien crossed his arms. "We should do combat training this evening at the training ground."
"Yeah," Lira agreed. "That's a good idea. Tomorrow we have a combat class anyway."
Mira gave a quiet nod. "Yes… good idea."
With that, their plan was set. Evening training awaited.
In the open training ground, students clashed and sparred, flames and sparks dancing in the air. Amidst the commotion, Alvin sat alone on a stone bench, eyes sharp, quietly watching. His posture was calm, almost detached, as though he existed in a separate rhythm from the rest.
Lira noticed him. Her brows drew together as she walked over, brushing stray strands of hair from her face.
"Why are you sitting here?" she asked. "Aren't you going to train?"
Alvin's gaze didn't waver from the sparring students. His voice was steady, almost too calm.
"I'm observing."
"Observing?" Lira frowned lightly. "But… why? Is that better than training?"
"Maybe not," Alvin said, his tone unchanging. "But with good observation skills, you can easily identify your opponent's weak points."
He tilted his head slightly toward the two boys dueling nearby. One wore a black cloak, moving with practiced grace; the other was scrappier, less polished but sharp-eyed.
"Just like those two," Alvin continued. "I've been watching their fight for a moment. The guy in the black cloak is a good mage. He has solid mana control. But the other one—his battle IQ is better. If that second guy attacked from behind, he could beat the black cloak mage. Because... the black cloak guy is a little slow."
Lira followed his gaze, genuinely surprised.
"I never knew you could learn so many things just by observing," she admitted.
For the first time, Alvin gave her a faint smile. It was small, barely there—but real.
Then, out of nowhere, a fireball came hurtling toward Lira. Her eyes widened, caught off guard. But before it could touch her, Alvin raised his hand almost lazily, redirecting the spell with a flick of his fingers. The fireball veered away harmlessly.
Across the ground, Kaien's voice rang out sharply.
"Reid, you idiot! I told you to target the stone, not Alvin and Lira!"
Kaien marched over to Reid and smacked him lightly on the head with the flat of his hand.
"It's my first time! Why are you so rude?" Reid snapped back, rubbing his head.
From the far side of the ground, Reid cupped his hands and called out, "Sorry, Alvin! Sorry, Lira!"
Alvin simply raised a hand, giving them a thumbs-up in silent reply.
Lira turned her eyes back to Alvin, studying him.
"How did you do that?" she asked quietly. "That... direction change?"
Alvin glanced at her, as if considering whether to answer, then shrugged lightly.
"Oh, it's nothing. The spell was weak."
Lira let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh.
"Sometimes, I find you very mysterious."
"In this world..." Alvin said, eyes steady on hers, "everything is a mystery."
Their brief moment was interrupted as Mira approached, wiping sweat from her brow.
"My training is over," she announced. Her eyes flicked to Alvin. "You're not training?"
"I'm good," Alvin replied simply.
"I'm done too," Lira added, brushing dust from her clothes. Her gaze shifted toward Reid and Kaien, who were now arguing about something again. "But maybe they didn't notice."
Alvin called out to them, voice calm but firm.
"Come here. We're leaving."
The five of them gathered and began walking away from the training ground together. As they walked, Kaien looked at Alvin, brow furrowed in thought.
"What can I do to increase my fire spell power?" Kaien asked.
Alvin didn't answer immediately. Then, after a pause:
"Nothing."
Kaien frowned, confused. Alvin continued, voice patient but flat:
"Your natural magic is regrowth and plant magic. And it's already strong enough. So just focus on that."
Reid nudged Kaien with a grin.
"See? I told you."
Kaien scowled, giving Reid a sideways glare.
"Who asked you?"
Lira glanced at Mira, shaking her head lightly.
"Those boys always fight..."
"Maybe they enjoy it," Mira said with a quiet smile.
Back at the training ground, Kael sat alone now, eyes distant. A memory flickered in his mind—a scene from years ago. His brothers stood tall, performing powerful spells far beyond his own capabilities. He had watched them from the shadows, fists clenched, silently thinking:
One day... I'll be as strong as them.
But now, sitting there in the present, doubt whispered in the back of Kael's mind.
Maybe I can't become like my brother...
His hands tightened. Then he shook his head fiercely.
"No... I can."
Kael rose to his feet, determination setting his jaw. He summoned a spell. Flames erupted around him, setting a wide area of the training ground ablaze. He struggled to control the wild fire, sweat beading on his forehead. But finally—finally—he wrestled it down, containing it within his grasp.
"It works," he breathed out, chest rising and falling. "But still... not perfect."
Kael stood taller, eyes burning with quiet resolve.
"One day... I will be the strongest."