The bus came to a stop as it reached its destination. 

Greyson stepped down onto the unfamiliar land, the weight of his bag settling against his shoulder.

It was his first time outside Taren, yet he moved with a calm certainty. 

He scanned his surroundings first.

Kael was vast, but not in the sense of towering steel or advanced machinery. Layers of culture blended into one another. The stone buildings stood beside newer structures. Vendors called out from shaded streets. Teens laughed and argued.

Greyson stood there for a moment, quietly mesmerized. Then, he unfolded the map in his hand and set off.

It didn’t take long for him to find the gates, and before them stood two guards.

“Halt,” one of them said evenly. “Purpose of your visit?”

Greyson held out his papers. “I’ve enrolled in the Central Esper Academy.”

The guards examined the documents carefully, then nodded. 

“Welcome,” they said in unison, stepping aside.

Beyond the gates, the campus stretched wide, almost opulent. Espers from across the world gathered here, their Resonances whispering in the air.

Greyson walked forward, and it didn’t take long before eyes found him.

A girl broke from her group, confidence blatant in her steps. 

“You look rather fetching,” she said with a sharp smile. “New here? Interested in joining my tea party tonight?”

Greyson smiled politely. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.”

Her expression hardened instantly. 

“Excuse me?” She scoffed loudly. “Do you know who I am? I dare you to say that again.”

Greyson only tilted his head.

Fury flared. 

“I’m going to be the Sword Saint’s son’s wife one day,” she declared. “You should beg for forgiveness while you have the chance.”

“That’s not possible,” Greyson replied calmly.

The surrounding girls gasped. 

“What makes you say that?” one demanded.

Greyson pointed at himself. “Grant, the Sword Saint you’re talking about, is my dad.”

Dead silence.

The girl swayed, nearly collapsing as her companions rushed to catch her. 

Greyson shook his head slightly, adjusted his bag, and continued toward the registration hall.

---

Outside the gates—

Light steps approached hesitantly, the ground where he had passed lacing with ice.

The guards turned. But instead of stopping him, one smiled gently.

“Welcome,” he said.

Frost stopped. His eyes fixed on the Academy beyond the gates, on the place Greyson had chosen, the place Grant had enrolled him in without having discussed it with him.

It was… a dilemma. 

Then, one of the guards spoke again, softer this time. “You might find your answer in this place.”

Frost’s eyes widened, the words settling deep in his chest. He hesitated for a bit longer, but eventually, his heart gave in.

Slowly, he took another step forward, crossing the gates.

---

Further in, voices echoed as the opening ceremony commenced. Rows upon rows of Espers occupied the grand hall, murmurs blending into a noisy hum. 

At the center platform, the principal stepped forward. His voice carried effortlessly, steady and reassuring.

“Welcome,” he began, gaze sweeping over the audience. “Welcome to the Central Esper Academy, and to the next chapter of your lives.”

The hall turned quiet.

“Each of you awakened something rare. A Resonance. A gift that may be loud or subtle, destructive or gentle. Some of you wield power that can reshape battlefields. Others possess abilities that change only a single moment. But never mistake scale for worth. Even the smallest Resonance can make the greatest difference.”

Greyson listened intently.

“Your power is not a curse,” the principal continued. “It is not a weapon by default. It is potential. What you choose to do with it defines its meaning. Here, you will learn control, responsibility, and, above all, purpose.”

Some heads nodded, and a few clenched their fists.

“There will be times,” the principal said, voice softening, “when the world feels too cruel to live in. When loss, fear, or injustice weighs heavier than hope. When that happens, do not forget this.”

He gestured broadly.

“There are people around you. People who will stand beside you. And this Academy, this place, will always be one of them.”

The hall erupted in applause.

Greyson joined in, clapping his hands firmly, eyes bright and alive.

Then—

Something brushed him.

It was that same whisper of cold, familiar and intimate. The chill was just as faint as the last one, nearly swallowed by the heat of the crowd. 

Greyson froze mid-applause, his breath hitching. 

“Where—?”

His eyes sharpened, scanning left and right, gaze darting from head to head.

And there, for just a fleeting second, he saw.

Twin ends of a long white scarf trailed through the crowd like a memory calling out to him.

Greyson’s breath caught. He rose halfway from his seat, eyes locked onto them, pulse quickening.

I have to…

But then—

“Hey!”

A hand waved into his vision.

“I’m Wade,” a guy said with an easy smile. “You new too?”

Greyson blinked, the moment shattering. “Ah—yes. Greyson.”

Even as he spoke, his eyes flicked past Wade’s shoulder, trying to catch another glimpse of the white wisps. 

But the scarf was gone, absorbed by the sea of students.

Wade tilted his head slightly. “You okay?”

Greyson slumped back into the seat, a quiet breath leaving him. 

“Yeah, it’s… it’s nothing.”

But now he knew…

That someone he was looking for was closer than he had realized.