LEGENDS OF ELDORIA

CHAPTER 6

After finishing their lunch, a loud bell echoed through the Citadel, signaling the end of their brief break. An officer stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, calling for all elite students to gather in the courtyard based on their factions for class separations.

Azim, ever the joker, groaned dramatically. "Alright, here we go. Time to see if we're all stuck together or not."

Elara smiled softly, trying to hide her own nervousness. "Let's hope we end up in the same class."

Darian nodded in agreement, though his serious expression hinted that he, too, was feeling the weight of the moment. Zariel, on the other hand, stayed quiet as they made their way toward the gathering spot. His heart raced, not only because of the upcoming class separation but also because of the looming sense of responsibility on his shoulders. He wasn't just a recruit; he was a prince of Ignaroth.

As the elites gathered, the instructors began calling out names, assigning students to one of the four classes: A, B, C, and D. The best performers from the preliminary tests were placed in Class A, while the others were sorted based on their rankings, with Class D holding those who had just barely scraped by.

Zariel's breath caught in his throat when the officer called his name for Class A. He swallowed his nerves and walked toward the designated area, feeling anxious. What if the others weren't there with him?

As he entered the class, he scanned the room and froze. Sitting in the front row were three familiar faces—Azim, Elara, and Darian. The moment he stepped in, they all looked up and smiled at him, their faces lighting up with recognition and relief.

Azim waved lazily. "Look who made it! Glad to see you didn't get stuck in Class D, Prince Zar."

Zariel rolled his eyes at the nickname but couldn't help the smile forming on his lips. "I told you not to call me that," he muttered, though the tension in his chest eased seeing them all there.

Elara giggled, and Darian gave him a reassuring nod. "Looks like we're all in this together."

Just as Zariel started to feel a sense of belonging, his gaze shifted toward the corner of the room. There, sitting alone and avoiding all interaction, was Kai. His dark eyes stared blankly ahead, his posture rigid and unwelcoming. It was as if a wall of isolation surrounded him, making him untouchable. Unlike the others who greeted one another with excitement or relief, Kai sat completely detached, his presence heavy with an unsettling energy.

Zariel frowned slightly, sensing something off about the boy from the Abyssal Seas. The rumors about Kai's power and the fear he instilled in others were well-known, but seeing him so isolated, even among the elites, made Zariel wonder what had happened to him in those years. There was more to Kai's story, something darker than what met the eye.

"Hey, Zar, you alright?" Azim's voice broke through Zariel's thoughts.

Zariel blinked and quickly nodded. "Yeah, just... thinking."

As the officer finished calling out names, the students settled into their seats. The real journey was just beginning, but for Zariel, being in Class A with his new friends was a comfort. Even though the road ahead would be tough, for the first time, he felt like he belonged somewhere.

But as his eyes flicked back to Kai, he couldn't shake the feeling that the isolation and darkness surrounding him would become something far more dangerous in the days to come.

Soon after the students settled into their seats, the door to the classroom creaked open, and in walked a tall, imposing figure. The man had a presence that demanded respect, with broad shoulders and a sharp gaze that seemed to assess each student as he entered. His long, dark coat flowed behind him, and his boots echoed across the stone floor as he moved to the front of the room.