Ciel quickly scanned through the text a few times to confirm what he had read.
Even though each sanctuary worshipped a different God, all their creation stories shared the same idea.
In the beginning, the Primordial One awoke and formed THEMSELVES from nothing.
THEY created the Heavens and the Earth.
…
Emptiness remained hidden in the crevices of Conception, so THEY cast it all outside, trapping it together and sealing it away in western sky.
…
THEY populated the Earth with humans throughout the world, breathing life where none had existed.
But the humans lived in turmoil, for the nascent elements ran rampant without check.
So the Primordial One created the Gods, to command each element to stabilize the new world.
…
Seeing THEIR perfect creation, THEY grew dormant, allowing the Gods to rule in THEIR stead.
Together, They became the pillars that held creation.
That last sentence made Ciel pause.
Did I find it?
Pillar wasn’t a specific word on its own, but the scale and grandeur of the topics made it more likely to be unique.
After all, what else could be cosmic besides a God?
So the World Tree itself was a God?
That can’t be right, can it?
Even an imitation of it… could it simply be relating to a God.
An imitation of something close to Them, or something more unknown?
Ciel had trouble making this connection from a conveniently worded phrase.
After all, that would mean he had walked on the body of a God.
Even in a dream, it was blasphemous at best.
Ciel read on for a few more pages before putting the sacred text away.
He had begun to feel a throbbing sensation in his head, remembering the warnings against reading it for too long.
***
By the next day, Ciel was packed and ready to finally move to the Academy.
However, that would be the easiest part.
Just getting there was seemingly an arduous task.
Ciel would be going on a private carriage, taking him and his personal belongings.
Around him, several other carriages would bring armed guards to deter any more assasination attempts.
Further out, the streets Ciel would take between the Drake estate and the Academy were being watched and patrolled by more of the Leichren watch on foot.
This was the final push for Ciel’s safety before he was placed securely in the Academy’s care.
Despite the gravity and risk of the situation, Ciel was a ball of nerves for only one reason.
For the last 10 years, he had worked tirelessly in order to set himself up for success in the academy.
Now his real test would begin, where he would fight for his future alongside many other like minded peers.
His fists clenched as he made his steps out the door, likely for the last time for a few months.
In front of him his adoptive parents Jade and Hugo stood smiling eagerly at him.
Aurore was nowhere to be found, just like the past two days.
His guilty feelings hadn’t settled yet, but neither had his fear.
Leo on the other hand had already said his farewell earlier.
They would all meet again in the academy anyways, so it was more of a ‘see you later’.
Walking up to his parents, Ciel smiled back, and Jade hugged him tightly.
“I’m so glad we could make it,” she said happily, “This is the last time we’ll be here too.
The war will deliver some key turning points in the near future, so your father and I will be making a long excursion outside for a few months.” Hugo nodded, “With you and Leo going to the academy, it looks like we’ll all be going our separate ways for now.”
Jade grabbed Ciel’s hand and held it up to her chest.
“Remember Ciel, your Insight is your choice.
Not ours.
Not theirs.
It’s yours.
She paused for a few seconds, gazing within Ciel’s eyes before adding, “…And if you want to follow your father’s words… make sure that’s your choice too.”
Ciel stiffened at the mention of his late father, but nodded at his mothers words
“Ok.”
“Remember Ciel, don’t just make us proud, make yourself proud too. That’s easily more important.”
Ciel nodded and added a few more words of farewell before moving to his carriage.
Soon enough, he felt the jolt of sudden movement, as his journey to the academy began.
Ciel leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as he raised his head upward.
The past few days had been draining for him.Today, he felt like things could finally change.
The constant threats to his life, the dream that seemed far too real, and maybe, just maybe, Ciel could finally have the power to do something in his life.
His journey was uneventful, surprisingly so.
No attacks were made.
Nothing interrupted him, and they found no one suspicious around.
Ciel was pleasantly surprised that this supposedly powerful organization that wanted him dead for the sake of the world had really let him slip out of his grasp and into the academy.
Maybe they gave up.
Ciel hoped they did.
There were dozens of guards placed around him and his carriage at all times.
Anyone would be hard pressed to attack something like that.
It was midmorning, so the streets were filled with the sounds of other carriages, and people conversing, making sales and going along their day.
It helped Ciel feel a little safer seeing this much normalcy.
He looked out the window and was greeted by gargantuan white walls dominating his view.
Whenever he saw them, he couldn’t help but think of how extremely ancient they looked.
Like they had stood there longer than the city around them.
It isn’t a stretch to say that everyone dreamed of joining the academy as a kid.
If they weren’t interested in the powers they bestowed, they were more likely interested in the secrets kept behind its pristine white walls.
Ciel stared in silent awe as he heard the sound of the gates opening, and the carriage slowly rolled forward again.
He was now making his entrance into this grand stage where history was made again and again.
Ciel breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the gates shut behind him.
The caravan of guards had remained outside, and their service was now complete.
Ciel entered alone, walking through the wide center street.
The Academy was massive from the outside, and it looked even bigger on the inside.
The central street was far larger than any Ciel had ever seen, with lush green grass growing in elegant strips along the sides.
The buildings around it were nothing to scoff at either.
The ornate exterior clearly outlined the tall white buildings that lay throughout the sprawling campus.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Ciel noticed someone standing on the other side of the road.
They calmly waved at him for his attention.
She was a woman with shoulder length brown hair wearing a long white open coat.
Her other hand was hidden within the voluminous pockets at her side.
As Ciel approached, the woman gave him a warm smile as she introduced herself.
“Good morning Ciel, Congratulations on your early entry to the Leichren Academy of Insight. I’m Pearl, a professor of Water Insight, and I’ve come to personally introduce you to the Academy today. We’ve got lots to cover, so please follow me.”
“A professor personally giving me a tour? Wouldn’t an admissions officer usually do that?” Ciel asked as they began walking down the central street.
“Usually, yes. But I have my own personal interests that led me here,” Professor Pearl replied enigmatically.
“It’s not everyday someone gets admitted early after all. There’s barely any students here, so this is the only chance you have to see it all.”
Ciel nodded, not prying further.
Professor Pearl raised her hands, gesturing at the street around them.
“This is St. Reichs Ave. The central hub for the academy, from which everything else was built on. Everything above and below was added on after. Centuries ago, the academy began as a village, where the first Insighted came together to find out the secrets of their powers. Not too much of a different story from the present.”
The street was currently almost empty, only a few students wearing the signature white and emblazoned gold uniforms of the academy could be seen going about their business.
Ciel could only imagine what this street would look like when the entire student population was present, likely almost as lively as the Darkest Nights Festival.
However, something the professor had said stuck out to Ciel even more.
“Below?” Ciel asked, his curiosity piqued.
“It’s better I show you,” The professor replied with a glint in her eye.
She led him into a rather grand building with golden exterior ornaments, The inside was incredibly furnished, the floor was spotless, and bright sunlight filtered in through the open windows.
The professor and Ciel entered an elevator, and made their way downward.
Just as Ciel was worrying about how long it was taking, he heard a small ding as the doors opened into another lobby.
This one was lit with gas lamps all placed high on the walls.
Professor Pearl beckoned him forward.
Ciel froze as he exited the building.
Outside was a huge cavern, so large Ciel couldn’t even see the end of it.
The opening was dominated with buildings seemingly held together by the many bridges that jutted out from each platform.
Massive spires of stone and dirt were spaced apart randomly throughout the cavern, reaching all the way up.
Nothing but darkness could be found beneath these extensive platforms.
Professor Pearl turned to him and announced in a voice full of pride, “This, Ciel, is the real Academy!”