Verdantia Chronicles: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 4: Dawn of Verdantia

The soft sound of early morning birds filtered through the window, casting a gentle song across my room. I stirred in bed, my heart already pounding with nervous energy. Today was the day I would discover my elemental power in the first class. But first, I needed to get ready for the day.

I sat up, The thought of the hatchery and finding my familiar made my stomach twist with a mix of excitement and apprehension. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was still before dawn.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I padded over to the closet. Inside, neatly arranged on hangers, was the Nexus school uniform. It consisted of a selection of items: leather pants or a skirt, a white long-sleeve button-up shirt, a purple vest, a cloak, and a neck bow tie.

I hesitated, eyeing the cloak for a moment before deciding against it. It was uncharacteristic of me to go without a cloak, but it was warm for this time of year, and the thought of wearing a heavy cloak made me feel stifled. Instead, I opted for the white long-sleeve button-up shirt, the purple vest, and chose the leather pants over the skirt. They felt more comfortable, more like me.

I made my way to the bathroom on the top floor. The door swung open silently, revealing a sight that took my breath away. The room was massive, with towering marble columns and
The centerpiece of the room was a pond sized marble, amethyst hot pool. Purple crystals adorned the walls, blending seamlessly with the black granite. I marveled at the design, surprised by how they managed to incorporate so much purple without it becoming overwhelming.

Shaking off my awe, I made my way to the pool and bathed myself, the warm water comforting compared the freezing river water I was used to bathing in. Once I was clean, I changed into the Nexus school uniform, taking a moment to admire myself in the mirror. I had never seen myself in such nice clothing before, and it felt strange yet empowering.

Leaving the bathroom, I glanced outside and noticed that it was still dark. The sun hadn't yet risen, and the grounds of Verdantia Academy were bathed in a soft, pre-dawn light. I decided to go to the lounge and check out the books there until it was time for breakfast.

As I entered the lounge, I noticed someone already seated on one of the plush couches, engrossed in a book. He was another first-year student, with pale skin and pin-straight, neck-length black hair. He seemed somewhat reserved, much like me.

I cleared my throat, catching his attention. "Hi," I said, my voice coming out a little more timidly than I had intended.

He looked up from his book, his dark eyes meeting mine. "Oh, hello," he replied, attempting a small smile.

"I'm Veil," I introduced myself, taking a seat on a nearby couch.

"Sephtis," he responded, closing his book and setting it aside. "Nice to meet you."

We fell into an awkward silence for a moment before Sephtis spoke up. "So, where are you from?"

The question caught me off guard, but I tried to hide my surprise. "I'm from Embarfall," I answered, my voice quiet. "It's a small town on the eastern outskirts of the kingdom."

Sephtis nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I've never heard of it," he admitted. "I'm from a small village in the mountains. It's... isolated."

I noticed how he seemed to choose his words carefully, as if there were more he wanted to say but held back. There was a mystery about him, an air of quiet contemplation that intrigued me.

We continued to chat, the awkwardness of our conversation slowly fading as we discovered common interests. Sephtis was surprisingly well-read, his knowledge of magical history and theory impressive. I found myself opening up a little more, sharing bits and pieces of my own background.