Valestra: Bound by Soul, Separated by Fate

Chapter 1 - First day at Asteron

Rain had fallen over Asteron sometime before dawn.

The streets still carried the aftermath of it.

Water dripped slowly from iron railings lining the sidewalks while thin fog lingered between the dark stone buildings of the capital. The city was already awake despite the early hour. People in long coats crossed the streets beneath dim street lamps, their footsteps softened by the wet pavement.

From somewhere outside the lodge window came the sharp cry of a bird.

"Kee... kee..."

Lyra groaned quietly and buried her face deeper into the pillow.

The room she rented for the night was small enough to feel suffocating. A narrow bed stood pressed against the wall beside a crooked wooden table cluttered with papers, an empty cup of instant coffee, and a folded recommendation letter carrying the seal of Eryndale Academy.

Cold air slipped through the half-open window.

"...I hate this place already."

Her voice came out muffled against the blanket.

Asteron felt nothing like Eryndale.

Eryndale had warmth.

Even during winter, there was always something quiet and familiar about it. The people spoke slower there. The mornings smelled like rain and cedarwood.

Asteron smelled like metal.

Lyra pushed herself upright slowly, dark auburn hair falling over her tired eyes. She sat there for a few seconds in silence before glancing toward the digital clock mounted above the door.

9:07 AM.

Her expression froze.

"...No."

A beat passed.

Then—

"NO."

She nearly crashed into the table trying to get up.

Papers scattered onto the floor as she rushed around the room grabbing her clothes. A dark hoodie landed over her shoulders while she struggled into black pants, still half asleep.

"The exam—"

She shoved her arms through the sleeves aggressively.

"That old man is definitely trying to ruin my life."

The principal from Eryndale had practically forced her to come to Valmere Academy after personally signing her recommendation letter.

As if being thrown into the most prestigious academy in the empire was completely normal.

Lyra grabbed the folded letter from the table and stuffed it into her bag before stopping briefly in front of the mirror hanging near the door.

Pale skin.

Tired amber eyes.

Hair barely manageable.

"...Hopeless."

A few minutes later she pushed through the lodge entrance and immediately slowed down.

The streets outside were crowded.

Asteron moved too fast.

People crossed intersections beneath glowing traffic signals while black rail trams slid quietly overhead through elevated tracks.

Most of the pedestrians looked like students.

Some wore dark formal coats with academy emblems stitched into the sleeves while others carried long weapon cases strapped across their backs.

No one paid attention to anyone else.

Everyone looked like they belonged.

Lyra did not.

She unfolded the map in her hands again, frowning at the confusing layout of streets.

"...Why are there this many turns?"

The roads curved strangely through the district surrounding Valmere Academy. Several alleyways looked nearly identical, and every building seemed darker and taller than the last.

After nearly twenty minutes of walking, Lyra stopped near a quieter corner street, breathing out heavily.

"I'm lost."

An old woman sat near the edge of the sidewalk beneath a broken street lamp. Layers of worn grey cloth covered her thin frame, and several old bags rested beside her feet.

She looked almost invisible compared to the movement around her.

Lyra hesitated before approaching.

"Excuse me," she asked. "Do you know where Valmere Academy is?"

The woman slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes were strangely clear.

"Entrance candidate?" she asked calmly.

Lyra sighed.

"Yeah..."

A faint smile appeared on the woman's face.

She lifted one thin hand and pointed ahead.

"There."

Lyra followed the direction silently.

Far beyond the crowded streets, partially hidden behind fog and rain clouds, stood a massive structure of dark stone.

Valmere Academy.

Its towering spires rose above the city like something ancient buried within modern civilization. Narrow gothic windows lined the upper walls while dim lights glowed faintly behind the glass.

No floating structures.

No glowing fantasy nonsense.

Just a building heavy enough to make the air around it feel colder.

Lyra stared at it longer than she intended.

"...Beautiful."

The word escaped quietly.

The old woman watched her without speaking.

Then Lyra snapped out of it.

"Right— thank you."

She adjusted her bag quickly.

"I'll repay you someday."

The woman chuckled softly as Lyra hurried off into the crowd.

—

Ten minutes later—

Lyra slowed to a stop.

Her breathing had become uneven from running.

"...Why does it still look so far away?"

The academy tower had not gotten any closer.

In fact—

The street beside her looked familiar.

Too familiar.

A cold feeling settled in her stomach.

She turned sharply.

The old woman was still there.

Sitting beneath the same broken lamp.

Exactly where she had been before.

Lyra stared at her in silence.

"...Was I walking in circles?"

The woman rested her chin against her hand.

"It's not the streets confusing you," she said quietly.

"It's your mind."

The noise of the city suddenly felt distant.

Rainwater dripped from the rooftops nearby.

Lyra frowned slightly before closing her eyes.

Focus.

Breathe.

She had felt this kind of distortion before back in Eryndale— spatial interference magic woven into barriers and restricted zones.

Someone had layered perception magic around the academy entrance.

Annoying.

When she opened her eyes again—

A pair of enormous black iron gates stood directly in front of her.

Lyra blinked once.

"...That's excessive."

The gates towered over her, embedded into tall stone walls covered in faded silver engravings. The symbol of Valmere Academy was carved into the center— a sword crossing through a circular sigil.

Cold wind passed through the narrow gaps beneath the gate.

There were no guards.

No reception area.

No welcoming staff.

Only silence.

"...Definitely insane."

She placed both hands against the gate and pushed.

The heavy iron doors opened slowly with a low metallic groan.

The moment she stepped through—

The atmosphere changed.

Noise surrounded her instantly.

Students filled the enormous inner courtyard beyond the gates. Dark academy uniforms blended into the grey weather while voices echoed beneath the towering stone buildings surrounding the campus.

The academy looked less like a school and more like a fortress.

Tall gothic structures connected through covered walkways and narrow bridges overhead. Rainwater rolled down black stone walls darkened by age while dim lamps flickered beneath archways.

Everything felt old.

Disciplined.

Heavy.

Lyra slowly lifted her gaze toward the central building towering above the others.

The glimpse she saw from outside the city had only been part of it.

"...What kind of academy is this...?"

A strange nervousness settled in her chest.

Without thinking, she pulled her hood over her head before walking deeper into the courtyard.

Not because she disliked attention.

Because she feared recognition.

Students brushed past her carrying books, weapon cases, and black combat coats lined with silver trim. Some conversations drifted through the air around her.

"Did you hear who passed the eastern trial?"

"They said a second-year shattered three swords during training—"

"The entrance candidates this year look weak."

Lyra kept her head down and continued toward the staircase leading into the main building.

Then suddenly—

The atmosphere shifted.

Several nearby students turned toward the opposite side of the courtyard.

Whispers spread quickly through the crowd.

"They're here."

"Senior division?"

"No— that's the Black Crest."

Lyra glanced sideways instinctively.

Five students walked through the courtyard together.

Their uniforms differed slightly from the others. Long black coats rested over fitted dark uniforms, silver insignias stitched neatly near the collars. Sword belts hung naturally at their sides.

No one blocked their path.

People moved aside without realizing it.

The one walking at the back caught Lyra's attention immediately.

Black hair.

Grey eyes.

Tall.

Calm.

His hands rested inside the pockets of his coat while the others around him spoke casually amongst themselves. Unlike them, his gaze wandered across the courtyard with quiet focus.

Observing.

Analyzing.

Like he was searching for something.

Beside Lyra, someone suddenly leaned closer.

"Handsome, right?"

Lyra turned slightly.

Brown hair tied into a loose ponytail.

Bright eyes filled with amusement.

Recognition hit instantly.

"...You."

The girl blinked.

"The one who made me miss my train."

The girl stared at her in disbelief.

"How are you still introducing me like that?"

"You gave me the wrong platform."

"You looked half unconscious!"

The girl let out a dramatic sigh before placing a hand over her chest as if genuinely wounded.

"My name is Amy Valen," she declared. "Please remember me for something other than my crimes. And you were... Lyra, right?"

Lyra narrowed her amber eyes slightly.

"Lyra Ashbourne. From Eryndale." A pause. "And you still caused emotional damage."

Amy stared at her for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Fine. I'll buy you food later as compensation."

Lyra paused for half a second.

Amy immediately noticed.

"Oh my god, that actually worked."

Before Lyra could answer—

Movement ahead suddenly slowed.

The black-haired senior had stopped walking.

Completely.

The others beside him looked at him strangely before following his gaze.

Toward Lyra.

The noise around her faded strangely.

Grey eyes met pale amber eyes.

For one brief moment, Lyra felt something tighten sharply in her chest.

Not fear.

Not attraction.

Recognition.

Like something ancient had stirred awake for a single second.

The boy continued staring silently, expression unreadable.

Amy grabbed Lyra's sleeve nervously.

"...Do you know him?"

Lyra immediately looked away.

"No."

Too quickly.

She adjusted her hood lower over her face before turning toward the academy entrance.

"Absolutely not."

Then she started walking away fast enough that Amy nearly stumbled trying to follow her.

"Hey— wait!"

Amy hurried after her through the crowd.

"Slow down!"