Chapter 1: Arrival

The shuttle hummed, its viewport a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of cascading constellations. Elara pressed her hand against the cool, transparent pane, her breath fogging the surface as she stared out at the nebula-streaked darkness. She remembered nothing of the stars, nothing of where she’d come from. Only the sterile hum of the craft and the meticulously crafted memories in her mind, a life that felt like a well-researched textbook rather than a lived experience. Her name, her fake parents, her manufactured talents—all a whisper of someone else’s invention.

A gentle chime echoed through the cabin. The pilot’s voice, a calm, mechanical monotone, announced their final descent. “All passengers, please secure your personal items. Welcome to the Astraea Academy.”

Below, a vibrant sphere of green and gold shimmered into view. Aethelgard. It was a world that defied all logic, a planet teeming with both ancient, pulsating magical forests and towering, chrome-plated spires that pierced the clouds. The Astraea Academy itself was a marvel, a nexus where a monumental, floating citadel met the earth, its polished silver halls and crystalline domes reflecting the light of a twin sun.

The shuttle docked with a soft thud. Elara’s heart pounded in her chest, a nervous rhythm she couldn't quell. A crowd of students spilled from the other shuttles, a chaotic mix of sleek, Skyborn youths with data-chips embedded behind their ears and Earthbound students with a more rugged, natural elegance, their clothes woven from luminescent fibers. Elara felt invisible, a ghost in her own skin, a nobody in a sea of somebodies.

As she stepped out onto the landing platform, a sudden, sharp pain flared in her head. It was a fleeting image, a flash of red light and the sound of breaking glass, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of loss. She stumbled, clutching her temples. Just as quickly as it had arrived, the memory vanished, leaving only a dull throb.

“Watch it,” a voice cut through her daze.

She looked up to find herself face-to-face with a young man with sharp, angular features and eyes the color of a winter sky. His hair, a striking white, was styled meticulously, and the pristine, black and silver uniform of a Skyborn elite fit him perfectly. He was Kael, if her manufactured memories were to be believed. A scion of one of the founding families, and a genius in his own right.

He didn't seem to notice her dazed state. Instead, his gaze lingered on her, not with curiosity, but with a cold, analytical scrutiny that made her feel like a problem to be solved.

“The Skyward transport line is over there,” he said, his voice a low, precise baritone. “Unless you’re looking to get lost on your first day.”

Before she could reply, a blur of motion swept past, and a different figure appeared beside her. He was tall, with dark, unkempt hair and eyes as deep and stormy as the old-growth forests of the planet’s lower hemisphere. He wore the simple, elegant robes of the Earthbound, and a faint, earthy scent of petrichor and moss clung to him.

Lyraen. She recognized him from her fabricated files too. A prodigy, but one who chose to live a quiet life, shunning the limelight.

He didn’t say a word to Kael, but the tension between them was palpable. He simply placed a hand on her back, a light, guiding gesture that felt surprisingly grounding. The touch sent a strange jolt through her, a sense of familiarity that contradicted her amnesia.

“Follow me,” he murmured, his voice as quiet as the rustle of leaves. “I’ll show you the way to the dorms.”

He didn't look at her, but his presence was a shield, separating her from Kael’s scrutinizing gaze. She didn't hesitate. She simply nodded and followed him, a silent observer to the subtle, unspoken rivalry that seemed to define their every interaction. She didn't know these boys, but as they walked, she felt the first fragile threads of her destiny begin to pull, drawing her into a world she didn't remember, and a past she had no idea she was about to reclaim.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***