Chronicle Of The Stars

"It was that guy, 0250..."

Velmir, who was still sweating nonstop, looked at the fainted man on the ground, or his palm to be exact.

"He wears gloves...?" - "Then how did I see his mark..."

The moment he woke up, he felt everything so clearly, yet also the unknowing pain.

So he asked himself. "...What if I didn't see it, but rather sensed it?" - A conclusion popped up in his mind as he concentrated. 

A shock wave flowed in his brain, and the whole room itself was recreated perfectly into his mind as it became clearer than ever. 

Low beats echoed through his awareness, as though it was syncing with his heartbeat. 

The library, the ink in each book, the structure of everything appeared. However, it wasn't any ordinary imagination... but a detailed equation of all.

He saw a world not out of color, but as lines and numbers. Space folding into form, knowledge twisting into dimensions. It wasn't a vision... It was omniscient knowledge. 

"Three-dimensional space."

Everything revealed itself from his viewpoint, and the beat grew stronger each second.

He was speechless, yet a thought crept in...

"Is this what it means to be ... a Seeker?"

His eyes were full of awe, his left hand clenched in hope as he quietly reached his hand to Ariel's right palm...

"Cough" - It was a cough from Ariel. With a sudden motion, Velmir moved away from Ariel, watching him carefully after stopping his perception.

A minute passed. The library remained silent, shimmering in heavy and slow. But then-

This time, it wasn't only a cough, but also a move from his hand. 

Velmir saw it. Despite the mystery that wasn't uncovered, he slowly turned away, leaving Ariel alone. 

His fingers curled back. He wanted to wait... but what if they couldn't be allies? Velmir was doubting, he hesitated, and looked back for a second before actually going away.

"... In the reflection, I was only a light. There could be a chance that he didn't see me. If he doesn't, I'll hide myself; this place has too many secrets."

However, in his departure, Velmir missed one crucial thing - the old book was gone. No sound, no pulse - just vanished, like it never existed.

As Velmir's back gradually faded away from the vision, Ariel also woke up. He was slow, and his eyes could not fully open. 

Dazzled in the ancient library, Ariel lifted his right hand, clutching his head as a pained expression clung to his unmasked face.

"I was... in that realm?" 

He tried to recall what had happened in the end, but nothing came; therefore, he shifted to what he still remembered. 

"Where is that guy? I have to find him." 

With eyes dimmed in confusion, Ariel still managed to get up, but the moment he thought of Velmir's code name, something was wrong.

"000... I- can't remember it?" 

It wasn't right... He wouldn't forget something important... or someone had taken it

Ariel stood there, questioning inwardly, unsure of himself, before widening his eyes "...That water spear... I thought only scared elements could be used in that realm."

Above the sea of stars, the child in the moon grew a mark on its hand, a golden mark... but was it only golden? 

Through the surreal realm, a sound liberated the moment the mark pulsed once - then twice- before turning into a haunting purple glow, "He wasn't ready..." 

On the surface of the ocean, two luminous figures were collapsing still... it was Velmir and Seo Wero.

In the darkening library, a ray of sunset slipped through the glass.

"...Light?" - The dusty atmosphere clung to Ariel's nose, he took off his glove while looking at the glowing mark on his palm. Next to him, a diary appeared out of nowhere as if it had been waiting for him to command it. 

[Ascension Throne: The Sacred Journey]

[Soultrails: The Knight]

[Race: Human]

[Echelon: Chain 5]

[Tale Myth gained: Blessings]

[Myth Available: Artifacts Hunter / Blessings / Candidate Of War]

In the ancient corridor, veiled in dust, Velmir now stared at its wall with another eye. 

"Runes... They use runes to carve magic formations everywhere!" - On the wall, the floor, even doors, each line wasn't sculpted or carved without a meaning.

They weren't random; every line, every mark belonged to a formation. Through his perception, he acknowledged all of them, yet he looked odd.

"...Strange... why do I know all of it? I... didn't learn runes..." - Words came out of his mind, not intentionally, but unaware. 

He traced them with his eyes... then with his fingers trembled.

The moment he lifted his hand, everything slowed down. It wasn't because of time, but because of his consciousness. 

"Protection runes... of the 2nd Era, the Era of Guidance. Year 250 099... the runes were carved, year 250 199, the end of the 2nd Era." 

"Huh!?" - Velmir gasped, almost vomiting. His skin was pale, and he was more sensitive than ever, like a boy blinded by fear.

With his hand shaking, he spoke uncontrollably.

"How did I know it?" Questions piled his mind - loud, chaotic, unanswered. Until...

"...The lines! Was that the pillar and the lines that made me know all of this?"

He leaned back, lifting his hand to cover his head. His mind was full of chaos.

But steadily, Velmir's voice, which drove my madness, lowered as he pressed the part where his heart resided. And, a feeling of relief dissolved the chaos in him.

It took many breaths, many minutes- until his body stopped shaking and his thoughts became his own again. 

"I'll know soon...but... what if this knowledge wasn't mine?" He stepped forward and looked for the class, leaving the question unsolved.

However... in the place he had left, a faint blue spark slowly vanished - as if something had always been watching... and left?

...

...

...

The scholarly session began 5 minutes ago.

Just like what Magister Leiny said yesterday, only self-learning.

Velmir got in the class and was lost in thoughts, unable to answer himself.

The room remained silent, filled with the scratchy sound of turning pages. The occasional breathing and coughing echoed in the class, highlighting the sound of turning pages even louder.

Then, Zeon Bathon, who was now wearing a mask, stood up.

His posture was graceful, casual even as he walked to the board. He didn't speak at first, only a simple look. 

Every single person, one by one. A careful, measured gaze from his smiling eyes.

The kind that made you feel watched, even if you'd rather be invisible.

"You know," Zeon Bathon spoke, a delighted, relatively friendly voice. "Masks... are quite the case."

Some locked their look onto him, and some ignored. 

Still, he smiled cheerfully and continued while resting a hand on the professor's desk.

"To hide yourself. They protect, conceal, and also divide."

He tapped his chin. "In Risodia of the North, they have a saying: One only lives when they see others smile."

No one responded, but some shifted their quill.

Don't get me wrong, I know the rules. The Academy encourages incognito. But what if we live a life that's not "alive"?

An intentional pause. His tone changed... more intimate.

"So I'm just wondering, would- we be the same?" He glanced "...Would you be? Or would I be?" 

Someone at the back let out a laugh. Another, in the front, slightly tilted their head in attention.

And then, Zeon struck.

"...Why don't we... change it a little?" - For a minute, a pact between classmates was formed. No communication, no actions, just a bare look.

He bowed, slow and respectful. Then raised his hand, inch by inch, until he touched his mask.

In an immediate motion, "Crack" - The mask split into pieces, falling to the ground like a shattered shell.

Steadily, Zeon turned his posture up and gave everyone a healthy stare. 

I- Zeon Bathon, once again, offer this to everyone - from today on, I live as myself.

Whispers covered the room as they all looked at his face. It was an ordinary face, yet very clean and sculptured in a noble way.

But more importantly, it was calm. Gentle and peaceful.

Eyes of gold blinked once. "See? Nothing happened, no curse, no harm, only... freedom." 

Silence, no one spoke.

Then, a boy near the large window held back for a second and took off his mask as he thought, "I didn't know him... but when he smiled, I felt seen, like he already knew me... No, like he is my friend..."

Another boy on the left of the class also did the same. "He didn't ask to... I didn't want to... but when he looked at me... I couldn't stop revealing myself..."

Some broke their shells, some stayed frozen, but hesitation could be seen behind their mask.

Zeon didn't force them; he only stood there smiling.

"Sometimes, bravery is when you face your fear. Living a life of your own." 

To the desk, Zeon finished his sentence and sat down quietly, deliberately. 

"Those... who hide too long... forget what it is to be alive."

And then, his eyes fixed on Velmir.

Not a threat.

Not an invitation.

Only... a quiet observation.

And yet, even when he smiled... his eyes didn't blink.