The day had finally come. The three of them stood before the eastern gate of the Primordial Academy, the morning sun casting long shadows behind them. Their departure wasn't secret, and it wasn't subtle either. Eyes followed them—from the arching balconies, behind scrolls in study halls, and even from the dining terraces. There was no announcement, but everyone knew something was happening.
Dawn walked ahead, his expression as steady as ever. Ingrid flanked his left, and Gary his right, the weight of purpose clear on their faces.
Their destination: the Hollow of Stilled Glass.
The location Ingrid had found wasn't one listed in public maps. It had taken her days of research, cross-referencing hidden notations in old records, and even prying whispers from a half-senile groundskeeper who'd once roamed far beyond the Academy's bounds. But she'd found it—a place where light moved with reluctance and air held the memory of stillness.
Unsurprisingly, they weren't alone.
Cedric Vaughn and his usual gaggle of followers had taken notice. They didn't confront the trio openly—too risky, especially with instructors alert to the rising tensions. But they followed from a distance, always just beyond earshot, yet never truly hidden. Cedric's bulk didn't lend itself well to stealth.
The instructors, for their part, watched too.
In the high chambers of the central spire, Valeris stood with arms crossed as he gazed through the glass walls. "They've taken the path," he said.
Aeliana, his counterpart and longtime friend, leaned forward slightly. "Should we intervene?"
Valeris didn't answer immediately. "There's more growth in struggle than silence. Let them face it. Let them learn."
Aeliana sighed. "And if Cedric does more than just follow?"
"Then Cedric will learn something too."
Far below, the trio continued. The path to the Hollow was more perilous than expected. Crumbling ridges, shifting forest trails, and patches of ethereal mist that disoriented even the strongest sense of direction plagued their route.
And yet, Dawn navigated with uncanny precision. He never hesitated at forks, seemed to know when to slow down or quicken their pace, and avoided areas that later proved unstable or even dangerous. He didn't boast, didn't explain. He just knew.
Ingrid gave him a sideways glance as they crossed a particularly narrow cliff ledge. "Dawn… have you been here before?"
"No," he answered, eyes fixed ahead. "But I have more experience with forests than you. The forests used to be my playground once upon a time."
Gary raised an eyebrow but didn't press. He could feel it too—something quiet but immense pulsing just beneath the surface of his friend's calm.
Behind them, Cedric's group fared worse.
They struggled with the terrain, stumbled in the mists, and at one point, one of Cedric's lackeys slipped down a short ravine, forcing them to stop and pull him out. Cedric cursed, seething that Dawn and his party had slipped farther ahead.
By the time Dawn and the others reached the Hollow of Stilled Glass, the sun had started to disappear amidst the starry sky. The landscape opened into a wide depression, ringed by tall stone pillars that shimmered faintly in the light. The air felt heavy—not oppressive, but thick with potential. Sound was dampened here, every footstep echoing too softly, every breath too loud.
It looked as though the world itself had paused.
The Hollow was aptly named. Pools of water mirrored the sky perfectly, unmoving despite the wind. Even their reflections felt… off, as if some subtle delay lingered in the glassy surface.
Gary stepped forward and retrieved a case he'd carried strapped to his back. He laid it down carefully and unfolded it, revealing the apparatus: a circular platform of dark alloy, etched with tiny inscriptions, and a set of 360 fine, glimmering needles, each precisely aligned.
Dawn let out a low whistle. "That's what you had made?"
Gary nodded. "Custom-forged. Each needle corresponds to one of the 360 joints in the human body."
Ingrid leaned in closer, eyes scanning the mechanism. "What do they do?"
Dawn's answer was simple: "You'll know when the time comes."
Gary smirked, half impressed, half unnerved. "Cryptic. I like it."
The group took in the Hollow in silence for a while longer. The location, the apparatus, the moment—they were aligned.
It was almost time.
---
Back at the Academy, Luna Ashbourne leaned on a balcony rail, her eyes set in the direction they had gone. One of her attendants spoke hesitantly, "Shall we follow, Your Highness?"
Luna shook her head, silver hair catching the light. "Courtesy demands distance. Besides… I'll have my answers when they return."
---
Somewhere else, Valeris and Aeliana still watched.
"Three pieces in place," Aeliana murmured.
"And a fourth hidden," Valeris replied, more to himself than anyone else. "Let's see what shape this puzzle takes."
In the Hollow of Stilled Glass, Dawn stepped onto the platform and sat. Around him, Ingrid and Gary took position, their breathing calm, hearts aligned.
The sky dimmed.
And the real work began.