The morning sun cut softly through the majestic, high windows of the base, painting golden streaks across the heavy timber. The suffocating chill of the subterranean realm was gone, replaced by the comforting warmth of toasted bread, hot herbal tea, and the dry, rich scent of aged wood. It was a free morning for the alliance, but no one moved with any real speed. The brutal aftermath of the battles they had fought was still taking a heavy toll.
Nyx and Silarias were among the last to shuffle into the central hall. Their boots scraped listlessly across the thick wooden floorboards, their bodies weighed down by bone-deep exhaustion. Nyx pinched the fabric of her outfit with two delicate fingers, hoisting it slightly as if the cloth itself weighed a ton, her eyes half-lidded and heavy.
Nicola and Lyn were already seated at the long table, quietly sipping from heavy earthenware mugs. Balamore and Izamaro exchanged low, rhythmic words near the edge, while Vulkan sat beside Valeria, wincing as he tried to roll his stiff shoulder back into place. Zax and Bonk slouched close behind, facing Aurelius, Jane, Beat, and Apollo, who formed a quiet row across from them.
At the far end of the table sat Miki and Ren. The two looked as though they had been dragged through a flour mill and left for dead. Their arms hung limp like stretched elastic down the chair legs, their foreheads pressed flat against the cool wood.
“My back…” Vulkan groaned, his voice raspy as he set his elbows on the table and massaged his neck with a dull cracking sound. “Every single muscle feels like a stone pillar dropped straight onto it.”
“Don’t even talk to me about backs,” Silarias grunted. He let himself collapse onto the bench beside Nyx with a heavy thud, dropping his forearms onto the timber. “My entire shoulder girdle is completely dead. I can’t even feel my own armor.”
Nyx slowly leaned her head against Silarias’s shoulder, her eyes closed tight. “If anyone asks me to stand up right now, I’m staying on this bench until next year…”
Miki and Ren, however, took the crown for pure misery. A faint, muffled whine vibrated out of the tabletop where Miki’s face was planted.
“Ren…” Miki wheezed, her shaky child’s voice cutting through the quiet room. “I can’t feel my legs… I think I’m paralyzed. For real. They’re gone.”
“My arms too…” Ren squeaked without opening his eyes, a dramatic, chest-heaving sigh escaping his lips. “My arms don’t belong to me anymore. Miki… when the food comes, you have to stuff it into my mouth.”
“Can’t…” Miki groaned back, her face remaining glued to the wood. “My fingers stopped working. They completely melted.”
Meanwhile, Ponich glided through the hall carrying a heavily loaded tray of steaming bowls. But the mechanical assistant was acting visibly unhinged. His internal gears and magical conduits turned with nervous, twitching clicks, his polished metal eyes darting frantically from side to side.
Whenever his path brought him even remotely close to Silarias and Nyx, he executed an absurdly wide, exaggerated detour around them. He would randomly stop to dust the carving of a stone pillar with a rag, stare intently at the floor as if searching for priceless artifacts that weren’t there, or intensely inspect the ceiling rafters. It was a masterclass in how desperately an assistant could avoid any mention of the previous night’s events.
Silarias tracked the little construct with one open eye, letting out a short snort, but he was simply too exhausted to chase after him.
Breakfast continued in a serene, sluggish silence. The group chewed lazily on toasted bread, staring ahead with empty, dazed expressions.
Near the middle of the table, Lila sat beside Beat. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until her head dipped forward. With a soft, distinct splash, her face dropped straight into her warm bowl of porridge.
Kaelid nearly jumped out of his skin. His eyes went wide as he dropped his mug, grabbing Lila by the shoulders to pull her upright. Panicking slightly, he reached for a clean rag and began delicately dabbing the porridge from her cheeks and hair. Lila didn’t even notice, drifting peacefully in his grip with deep, rhythmic breathing.
KRRRR-TJOE!
The massive double doors of the main hall burst wide open with a thundering slam. The heavy wooden panels crashed against the stone walls, sending a shower of dust drifting down from the rafters.
In stepped Master Davinci.
He wore a colossal fur coat of rich golden-brown that draped majestically over his broad shoulders. Heavy gold rings gleamed on his fingers, catching the morning sunlight in brilliant flashes. He marched in with his chest puffed out, his steps bursting with boundless energy, as if the night’s grueling trials had never happened.
“How are my favorite students doing?!” Davinci’s booming voice echoed off the high vaults.
He clapped his hands together with a loud, resounding crack that reverberated through the entire hall.
An absolute, icy silence fell over the room.
Nobody moved. The entire alliance stared at him with dull, uninspired eyes. Vulkan slumped sideways over his bowl, Silarias glared at him in complete, exhausted bewilderment, and the rest remained frozen, slumped listlessly over the table.
Davinci froze mid-stride, his arms hovering awkwardly in the air. He surveyed the sleeping chaos, the groaning alliance, and the cozy, domestic atmosphere hanging over the room despite their utter ruin.
A tiny, amused smirk twitched at the corner of his lips. He recovered his suave charisma in a split second, raising his chin as he thought to himself: Alright, alright Davinci… you’re Davinci. Come on.
With a smooth, fluid glide, he moved between the benches and took a seat near the middle of the long table.
The group followed his movements with slow, heavy turns of their heads. Miki and Ren hadn’t even processed his dramatic entrance and remained sprawled across the wood like ragdolls. Lila was still dangling limply in Kaelid’s arms as he wiped her face clean.
Davinci spread his hands with a wide, dazzling grin. “Now, now… no need to be scared, haha! I don’t bite. I love leveling with my students. I don’t get to see you walking around all that often, so I treasure the moments I am here.”
With one effortless motion, he let the massive, ridiculously expensive fur coat slide from his shoulders. He lifted the heavy garment and draped it over the backs of Miki and Ren with a warm, caring sweep, burying the two kids almost completely beneath the thick fur.
He looked down at them with a soft smile. “You two really are the youngest students I’ve ever had…”
The sudden, intense heat of the heavy coat seeped straight through Miki’s clothes. Her eyes snapped wide open. She lifted her head, saw Master Davinci’s gleaming face hovering right above her, and panicked. Instantly, she swatted Ren on the shoulder as hard as she could.
“Ren! Wake up!”
The slap sent Ren bolting upright so fast he nearly slid off the far side of the bench. “W-what?! Who?! What’s happening?!” he stammered, flailing wildly until he felt the heavy fur across his chest and spotted the imposing figure of Davinci.
Both kids scrambled to fix their posture in a flash. With wide, shining eyes, they stared at the master, took a deep breath, and delivered a sharp, albeit sleepy, simultaneous salute.
“Good morning, Master Davinci! We’re going to work super hard today!”
Davinci burst into a rich, booming laugh. The sound was so infectious that even Vulkan’s mouth twitched into a faint grin.
“You’re already doing that, little ones!” Davinci chuckled, patting their heads. “Just be yourselves… that’s more than enough.”
Across the table, Silarias caught Nicola’s eye. He raised a brow, giving him a subtle, knowing nod. Nicola offered a small, quiet smile in return. Silarias had to admit that despite all the theatrical flair and golden extravagance, Davinci was actually a remarkably chill guy to have around.
Davinci leaned back against the bench with a satisfied look. He glanced around at the grand architectural details of the hall, lifting his magical staff and tapping the butt of it firmly against the wooden floorboards twice.
TAP. TAP.
A shower of brilliant, golden ethereal sparks exploded from the tip of the staff. The light particles drifted upward like floating stars, illuminating the vaulted ceiling above. Davinci’s eyes filled with genuine wonder.
“This…” he murmured, his voice dropping into a deeper, reverent tone. “How in god’s name did you pull this off? A few days ago, this place was nothing more than a collapsed, crumbling ruin… and now?”
Miki and Ren shot up again, their exhaustion instantly wiped away by pure pride.
“Yeah! Yeah!” Miki started, flailing her arms as the fur coat slipped off her shoulder. “Kaelid blew on his stone flute! He played it and everything just started fixing itself! The stone and wood literally flew back into place! He even floated through the hall on a giant boulder!”
“And Lila too!” Ren cut in, his voice cracking with excitement. “Lila pulled out all the rotten roots and nasty weeds! She made super pretty flowers grow everywhere, and they even built a giant meeting room and…”
Lila finally stirred awake in Kaelid’s arms, blinking several times as she lifted her head.
“Ehh…” Kaelid interrupted quickly, a bright blush spreading across his cheeks. He and Lila bowed their heads in deep modesty. “We only made a small start, really… nothing more than that. Without everyone’s motivation, we couldn’t have done a thing.”
CRACK!
A sharp, harsh noise shattered the moment behind them. An earthenware bowl fell onto the stone threshold near the archway, shattering into pieces.
The hall went dead silent as everyone turned to look. Faustus stood beneath the archway. His arms were crossed tight over his chest, his gaze sharp and tense.
“A start, yeah…” Faustus said, his tone heavy with meaning. He fixed his eyes straight on the master. “Alright, Master Davinci… could you come with me for a second? Let’s take a look at that ‘small start’ they mentioned.”
Davinci looked at him curiously, his eyebrows raised high. “Wait a minute… why so tense, kid? I’m certainly curious.”
Faustus shifted his posture in a heartbeat, throwing on a completely nonchalant expression and casually shrugging his shoulders. “Nothing… just thought we should head over. Right now.”
The tension in the room spiked instantly. The entire alliance tried to push themselves up from their seats to follow, but the moment their boots hit the floor, they caught sight of their own filth. Their armor was caked in grime, their hair matted with sweat, and their clothes still stank of the subterranean dampness.
Silarias looked at Davinci and rubbed the back of his neck. “Ehh… we really need to clean ourselves up first.”
Davinci burst into another loud, jovial laugh, waving his hand dismissively. “Alright, alright! Half an hour! The clock starts now!”
At that exact second, total chaos broke loose.
The quiet, lazy atmosphere dissolved into a storm of frantic movement. The whole crew scrambled toward the wide corridors leading to the sleeping quarters and the bathhouse. Boots thundered against the floorboards, and doors slammed open and shut.
Within minutes, the long hallways toward the hot springs echoed with a chaotic mess of voices, splashing water, and loud laughter.
“Nyx, not over there! Haha!” Silarias’s voice echoed merrily down the corridor alongside Nyx’s giggles, followed by the sound of a massive water splash.
“Hey, I’m getting blasted right in the face!” Aurelius shouted further down through the thick steam of the bathhouse, while Jane’s mischievous laughter rang out nearby. “Angle that hot spring jet away from me! I’m drowning here!”
Back in the central hall, Davinci listened as the noise and laughter bled through the thick stone walls. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a chuckle, but deep down, a profound warmth filled his chest.
These really are the Goats, he thought to himself, a swell of deep pride crossing his face. They’re honestly an incredible bunch of kids to have around. I’m damn lucky to have a group like this as my students.
Precisely thirty minutes later, thick streams of warm steam began drifting from the hallways into the main hall. Freshly washed and clad in clean attire, the Goats stepped back into the central hall one by one. Their refreshed voices and the sharp clatter of clean armor echoed through the corridors. The warm water and vigorous scrubbing had washed the lingering fatigue from their muscles, though the underlying tension still hung heavy in the air. Faustus marched stiffly at the front, his eyes locked firmly on the exit.
Master Davinci was already waiting at the threshold. His broad fur coat draped smoothly over his shoulders, heavy gold rings catching the incoming morning sunlight. He lifted his staff, letting the base rest softly against the timber floorboards.
“Alright then!” Davinci’s booming voice echoed off the high vaults. “Time is up! Show me what kind of masterpiece you managed to build here in just a few days. I’m ready.”
Faustus stopped, turning slowly while attempting to keep a straight face, but he failed miserably. Standing right beside him, Silarias couldn’t keep his composure either.
He really thinks this is just some tiny room, Silarias thought to himself. He has absolutely no idea what Kaelid and Lila built down here.
The suppressed tension snapped all at once. Faustus and Silarias burst into loud, shared laughter, the liberating sound ringing through the entire hall.
“Man…” Silarias wheezed, rubbing a hand over his face as he looked at Davinci, choking with laughter. “Faustus is playing it all secretive and tough, but we haven’t even told you about the best part yet.”
Davinci’s eyebrows shot up. His eyes widened, his posture instantly shifting. “Oh really? Did you keep something from me? Come on, don’t drive me crazy! Show me then!”
“Just follow me,” Silarias said, taking the lead and gesturing for the rest of the crew to follow. “Time for a quick tour downstairs.”
Silarias guided the group toward the back of the building, where a massive spiral staircase plunged into the depths. Step by step, they descended. The familiar scent of aged timber faded, replaced by a fresh breeze carrying the scent of lavender and mineral-rich stone.
The moment Master Davinci’s boots cleared the final step, his breath caught in his throat.
The sunken meeting hall opened up before them: a majestic amphitheater of lush green moss, illuminated by a spiral of bright blue and golden fire roaring in the center. A colossal round table of mirror-sheen obsidian encircled the flames, its etched channels filled with pulsing liquid silver. Throne-like benches, overgrown walls covered in luminous purple foliage, and gentle waterfalls completed the majestic council chamber.
Davinci froze just inside the entrance, his arms hanging limp at his sides. The golden particles drifting from his magical staff flared in response to the sheer purity of the magic in the air.
This isn’t possible… Davinci thought, his gaze sweeping across the meeting hall. These are kids. How in god’s name can kids raise a sanctuary of this caliber out of the dirt?!
“This…” Davinci stammered, his voice dropping to a rasp of pure disbelief. “This isn’t a simple renovation anymore… This is pure, unrivaled art!”
One by one, the Goats sought out their familiar spots. Silarias and Nyx walked toward the head of the circle, where the two royal thrones stood. Vulkan, Apollo, Jane, Nicola, Aurelius, Beat, Miki, Ren, and the rest settled quietly onto the heavy benches.
Once everyone was seated, Davinci remained standing alone in the middle of the mossy floor. He scanned the circle, admiring how seamlessly everything was arranged, before noticing with a faint blush that while every Goat had a seat, there was no seat for a mentor.
Davinci quickly smiled, waving his hand modestly. “Ah… don’t worry about me at all! You really don’t need to tear down the whole hall just for a few extra seats. I can easily stand…”
Silarias burst out laughing, the sound echoing sharply off the surrounding rock walls. “Hahaha! Sure, sure… Kaelid, if you would?”
Kaelid stepped forward with a calm, confident smile. He drew his refined stone flute and brought the instrument to his lips.
He blew into it, and a breathtaking, sweeping melody filled the cavernous chamber.
The stone floor began to hum with a soft, rhythmic vibration. In a visual escalation of living magic, the obsidian layout began to reshape itself. The primary seats of Silarias and Nyx remained untouched at the apex, but along the flanks, the stone shifted as if it were liquid water. The flute’s melody shifted tone, as though Kaelid were channeling an ancient heroic saga through the instrument. Rising slowly from the depths of the earth, directly between Vulkan and Kaelid, two heavy, pitch-black obsidian thrones formed flawlessly from the shifting stone and gleamed beneath the blue firelight.
Davinci stared at the furniture rising from the stone, his jaw literally dropping open.
“So that’s how…” he whispered in absolute awe. “Magnificent…”
Without another word, he stepped forward and took a seat on one of the new obsidian thrones, positioned right between Kaelid and Vulkan.
Placing his heavy hands on the cool stone, Davinci surveyed the group. He reclaimed his mentor persona, adopting a serious, composed expression.
“Alright… listen to me,” Davinci began, his voice carrying a calm authority. “As you know, the hourglass upstairs is almost out of sand. Once it runs out, the entire academy will be watching, and the expectations will be brutal. And while what I see here is undeniably impressive… that doesn’t mean you automatically have everything sorted out.”
He offered them an empathetic, reassuring look. “It’s completely fine if you don’t have a name for this guild yet, or if the core concept isn’t fully fleshed out. That’s only logical! You’ve only been here a few days! You still need to adapt to the rules, the pressure, the…”
“Well, actually…” Silarias cut in smoothly.
“We already…” Nyx attempted to interject.
“No, listen to me!” Davinci spoke right over them with warm enthusiasm, convinced he needed to ease their minds. “It doesn’t matter at all! I’m already impossibly proud of what you’ve accomplished at your age!”
Nicola opened his mouth to clarify, but Apollo caught the movement and gave him a subtle, discreet signal with his hand. Shaking his head faintly, Apollo chuckled under his breath: Just let him talk.
CRACK-BOOM!
The quiet moment was shattered. Down the steep spiral staircase came a sleek figure tumbling at an absurd speed. With a loud crash and a series of erratic somersaults, the figure flew across the golden-green moss, landing sprawled flat on its belly before the obsidian table.
It was Fukarou. He lay there half-stunned, tangled in his own cloak, a tightly rolled scroll clamped in his small talons.
Davinci stared with wide eyes at the anthropomorphic owl chick lying at his feet, then turned his head toward Silarias. “Wait… what is this? What’s happening?”
Silarias chuckled and shrugged. “Apparently, this is just standard procedure around here. Exact same thing happened on day one. Right, Fukarou?”
Fukarou snapped out of his daze. He looked up, spotted Master Davinci sitting on the obsidian throne, and his large owl eyes instantly widened into saucers.
A teacher?! A master?! the little owl panicked internally.
He scrambled to his feet instantly, frantically dusting off his cloak as if nothing had happened, and marched straight into a tight, military posture.
He bowed deeply before Davinci. “P-pleased to meet you, sir! You must be a completely new teacher here!”
Silarias leaned over the table, grinning. “So spill it, Fukarou. What are you here for?”
Fukarou pushed his round glasses straight up his beak with a quick flick, the lenses flashing brightly in the firelight. “RIGHT! All seven guilds have officially approved it! The main guilds are ready to welcome you with open arms until you secure your own place and, of course, a name on the…”
“Hmmm… so this is where you’ve been hanging out.”
A heavy, deep voice cut straight through the owl’s beak. The thunder of heavy footsteps echoed down the spiral staircase. Solomon strolled calmly down the steps, with Doppo following closely behind.
“So tell me, Davinci,” Solomon called out as he descended. “I went down to retrieve my hourglass, only to find you gone, and then I find them… WHOA! What in god’s name is THIS?!”
Solomon froze midway down the stairs. His eyes scanned the swirling vortex of blue fire, the gleaming obsidian, and the ethereal light particles floating through the luminous foliage.
Davinci leaned back casually in his new throne, shrugging with utter nonchalance. “My students built this. To be completely honest, I didn’t know a thing about it until five minutes ago… and I had the exact same reaction you’re having right now. Yep.”
Solomon stepped into the chamber with wide eyes, running his fingers over the polished stone. “This is insane… Everything here is carved with absolute precision.” His gaze fell on the small owl, and he gave a short nod. “Fukarou.”
Fukarou snapped a rigid bow. “Sir!”
Doppo stepped forward with a swift motion, snatching the scroll straight out of Fukarou’s talons. He unrolled the parchment, sweeping his eyes across the golden lettering.
“Mm… what do we have here…” Doppo muttered. “Mm, extremely interesting.”
Solomon looked over his shoulder. “What does it say, Doppo?”
Doppo looked up from the paper, his expression filled with pure astonishment. “Well, Sire… it actually appears they have secured official recognition from all seven main guilds.”
Solomon spun around instantly, glaring at Silarias. “How on earth did you pull that off?!”
Silarias immediately pointed toward Apollo. “No, no, not us! Credit goes entirely to Apollo. Without his sister Athena, we wouldn’t have even gotten a line of communication open with them.”
Solomon looked at Apollo in surprise. “Heh… you and Athena really seem like you come from two completely different worlds.”
Apollo chuckled softly, nodding. “Yeah, I get that a lot. But she really takes good care of me.”
Solomon nodded with respect, recovering his serious demeanor as he surveyed the room. “SO! Listen closely. It is completely fine if you don’t have a name for all of this yet. A guild is all well and good, and you can see that everyone is backing you to secure a place and a title as quickly as possible. But that’s a brutal task even for adults, let alone for students your age…”
Solomon trailed off mid-sentence. He looked at Silarias and Nyx, who were staring back at him with deadpan, completely unimpressed expressions.
Solomon knit his brows. “Wait… why do I get the feeling this isn’t landing at all? Either you don’t care… or…”
Doppo interrupted him, jolting in sheer disbelief as his eyes locked on the bottom of the scroll. “Or… they’ve actually already pulled it off.”
Silarias looked at the instructors, a faint flush creeping onto his cheeks from the suppressed excitement.
“Ehh… yeah,” Silarias said with a wry grin. “It’s a long story…”