Shirogane’s gonna demonstrate his personal sorcery scroll.
It’s all over the Academy board.” Alarich (straightening his coat):
“Professor Shirogane, as in the White Ghost? The one from the original Flame War…? But that was over 1800 years ago. He’d have to be”
Hilda:
“Yeah, ancient. Or immortal. Or reborn. Or… I dunno, maybe he just drinks phoenix tea.”
The whispering crowd fell into sudden silence as footsteps echoed from the back of the stagemeasured, quiet, but carrying weight like stone on water.
From the shadows emerged a tall figure draped in a pale, flowing coatwhite with deep violet trim.
His long silver hair glowed slightly under the rune lights, and his presence chilled the air as if snow had brushed across the back of every neck.
Professor Shirogane.
His eyes, still glowing faint purple, swept across the amphitheater with ancient calculation.
He carried no staff, no book, just a fine metallic pen that seemed to hum with energy.
Shirogane (calm, commanding):
“Magic… is not just power. It is memory. Law. Pattern. It is resonance. And the greatest form of sorcerywhat I call Essence Logicdoes not merely cast. It constructs.”
He raised a hand, and a floating scroll of ancient design unraveled midair.
A projection of a golden dragon burst forth, made entirely of light and flame, coiling over the heads of the students.
Alarich instinctively opened his notebook, heart racing.
Shirogane:
“This technique is called Rift ChronoBarrier. It was first developed during the war against the Demonlord. And it was only possible because a man named Aethernos dared to defy the very laws of time.”
He snapped his fingers once, and the dragon turned into lines of floating formulasrunes, calculations, wave patterns in the steampunkera Arugula, where Alarich and Hilda attend a lecture from the legendary Professor Shirogane
The bronze bells of Aethernos Academy rang across the copper towers and smokestacks of Arugula, their deep tones echoing like a heartbeat of the city.
Students in longcoats, gearpolished boots, and glimmering monocles hurried along the walkway bridges, steam hissing at their heels.
Hilda tugged at Alarich’s coat sleeve.
Hilda (grinning): “Come on! The show’s about to start! You know how fast these lecture seats fill upespecially when he’s speaking.”
Alarich (distracted): “Wait… who’s ‘he’?”
She rolled her eyes, dragging him by the arm toward the Central Hall of Sorcery and Flame.
The hall was massivemore like an ancient cathedral fused with an engine chamber.
Brass chandeliers hovered in midair, runes glowing gently along the domed ceiling.
Rows of students filled tiered seats surrounding a central platform.
And then…
A hush fell over the room.