The protective wards of the Ashen Waters pulsed like the slow heartbeat of a giant, their pale glow softening the black scars of battle. The professors stood waiting as the victorious group stepped across the final ridge, exhaustion hanging off their shoulders like a second cloak.

Headmaster Arannis raised a hand for silence. His silver hair, damp with mist, caught the moonlight like threads of spun frost, "You have all done exceptionally well," he said, his calm baritone carrying across the ruined basin.

"This trial was designed to test more than strength. It demanded coordination, resilience, and the courage to face the unknown. And you did not disappoint."

The words seemed to cut through the lingering tension and Arannis paired this words with his mana, the flow of his power washing over the bodies of all of the students, quickly healing them of their various injuries and reinvigorating them.

Every single student felt much better.

Zeus, who was previously leaning against his Battle-Axe, gave a wolfish grin as he stood up straight, looking at his minor wounds were healed in real time with a smile as he quickly commented, "We'd better not have disappointed after all that. Thought the damn water itself was going to kill us."

Morgana gave him a dry glance as she heard his words, "It still might if you keep talking so loudly."

A faint ripple of laughter moved through the group, easing their muscles. Even Raphaeline, who had been quietly observing with a faint, enigmatic smile, inclined her head in approval.

Arannis gestured to the circle of runes carved into the stone at their feet.

"Your efforts here are concluded. The Ashen Waters will be sealed until the next phase of the Academy's program. For now, you will return to the Demon Academy to recover.

"Tomorrow will be a regular day at the Academy. You'll just sit in lessons alongside us and learn the way my students learn. For now, spend the evening resting. Reflect on what you have learned. This," his eyes briefly swept over Albedo, "is only the beginning."

A low hum began to build within the warded circle. Pale glyphs flared to life, spilling silver light across the basalt floor. The scent of ozone sharpened as Arannis lifted his staff, each motion deliberate.

"Brace yourselves," he said simply.

The light surged upward in a single, blinding column and in a single heartbeat later, the damp, sulfur-tinged air of the Ashen Waters vanished.

Cool evening wind replaced it, carrying the faint scent of moonlit gardens and old stone. They stood once more on the teleportation dais at the Demon Academy, the sky above streaked in bands of deep violet and starlight.

Students exhaled in near-unison, the abrupt shift from suffocating mist to the Academy's open courtyards almost dizzying.

Zeus stretched his arms with a groan. "Finally. If I see another puddle of purple sludge, I'm setting it on fire."

"Please don't," Elara muttered, brushing dried ichor from her sleeve. "Some of us like breathing air that isn't full of burning toxins."

Albedo just looked around, waiting patiently until they were dismissed.

Meanwhile, Fade stood a step behind him, her emerald cloak faintly tattered, the dried blood a dark contrast against the silver moonlight. Her breathing had steadied, but the storm in her eyes remained—something Dorne noticed immediately.

Prince Dorne waited near the dais, his tall frame framed by the soft glow of the courtyard lanterns. His gaze locked on his sister the instant she appeared, green eyes sharpening with a mix of relief and something heavier.

Arannis dismissed the students with a final wave of his staff. "Rest well. Tomorrow, you will be briefed on the next stage. Dismissed."

One by one, the groups dispersed across the moonlit lawns, laughter and quiet chatter fading into the sprawling corridors of the Academy.

Fade moved to follow Albedo and the others back toward the residential halls, but Dorne stepped into her path with the silent precision of an elf raised in the cold etiquette of the Royal Family.

"Fade," he said softly. "Walk with me."

Her eyes flicked toward Albedo for a heartbeat. He was already speaking quietly with Elara, seemingly unconcerned. Fade gave a small nod and turned to follow her brother down a side corridor that led into one of the quieter garden courts.

The garden was awash in silver moonlight, the air perfumed with the faint scent of night-blooming lilies. Dorne stopped beside a marble fountain, the water whispering like distant music. For a long moment he said nothing, merely studying her face.

Finally, he spoke, "Are you okay? I saw your injuries, and your mana was drained,"

Fade arched an eyebrow. "I fought monsters. That tends to have an effect."

His eyes narrowed, though not unkindly, "I know, I just wanted to check in on you, and remind you of the risks of every single one of your actions,"

Fade's heartbeat quickened, though her expression remained carefully neutral, "I'm being careful, nothing will go wrong."

"Eyes are everywhere," Dorne said, almost pleading now. "This Exchange might seem like a short opportunity for freedom, but don't be naïve. Every noble house has agents. Every word you speak is carried somewhere. I am not strong enough yet to protect you from all of them."

For a heartbeat, the old ache between them returned, the memory of long nights spent whispering beneath moonlit balconies, dreaming of freedom they were not allowed to claim.

Fade turned her face toward the fountain, watching the moonlight ripple across the water. "I know the risks. But today…" Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sheathed sword. "Today, I felt what it means to fight for myself."

Dorne's jaw worked silently before he exhaled a long, measured breath. "I don't doubt that feeling or what you've seen. But be careful, Valerian...his people are definitely making moves back home. We can't give them any opening to exploit."

The soft murmur of the fountain filled the silence that followed, moonlight scattering across its rippling surface like shards of silver glass.

Fade's grip tightened around the hilt of her sword as Dorne's warning lingered in the night air, heavy with the weight of chains neither of them could yet break.

Her voice was steady, but a faint tremor hid beneath the calm, "How long?" she asked, eyes still on the water. "How long until your plan is ready? Until… all of this can finally end?"

Dorne's green eyes softened, but his reply came with the precision of a blade drawn carefully from its sheath. "At least another year," he said quietly.

"I....I'm still planning. The alliances, the resources, training and preparation, all of it takes time. Every move must be perfect, we only have one shot at this sis. One mistake, and everything we've built will collapse before it even begins."

Fade's shoulders stiffened at the answer. A year. It sounded at once painfully short and unbearably long.

Her breath caught, and she turned her head slightly, blinking hard as a hot sting pricked the corners of her eyes. "Another year," she whispered, the words nearly lost to the sound of the fountain. "I thought I'd gotten used to waiting, but…"

Her voice trailed off as she swiped a gloved hand across her eyes, forcing back the tears before they could fall, "No. I can't cry. Not here. Not now. I'll remain focused on my goals. I won't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break."

Dorne stepped closer, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. The faint glow of the moon caught the fine silver of his rings as his grip tightened, grounding her.

"You don't have to hide your true feelings from me sis, I understand better than anyone," he said softly.

"But you're right. We can't show weakness to anyone else. Every day we wait is another day they tighten their hold—but it's also another day I prepare. I swear to you, Fade… I will succeed. I'll tear down every wall they've built around you. I'll unleash your shackles with my own hands, no matter what it costs me."

Fade turned toward him, emerald eyes glinting in the moonlight. For the first time all night, her guarded composure cracked, revealing a fragile mix of hope and grief.

"I believe you," she said, her voice no more than a breath. "But promise me, Dorne, don't destroy yourself for me."

A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips, though the determination behind it was unshaken. "It isn't destruction if it's the only way to make you free."

They stood there in the silver glow, the fountain whispering like a secret between them. Fade inhaled slowly, then straightened, forcing the storm inside her back into silent order.

"One year," she repeated, the words a vow as much as a reminder. "I'll endure. I'll stay sharp. When the time comes, I'll be ready."

Dorne squeezed her shoulder once more before letting his hand fall away. "And when that time comes," he said, eyes narrowing with quiet resolve, "no one will ever chain you again."

Fade met his gaze, her heartbeat steadying despite the ache in her chest. "Then we fight," she whispered. "Siblings forever,"

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