The 7 Ruby Trinity

Aetherion Academy – Dawn.

The sky above Elonia shimmered with silvery threads of magic as morning bells floated by on flying scrolls, singing the time into the clouds.

In their shared tower dorm, the seven girls prepared — nervously, gracefully, chaotically — for their first full day at the legendary interrealm school of magic and war, where destinies weren't just studied… they collided.

Ayshia adjusted her starlace collar with silent precision.Bloom summoned a phoenix feather to curl her lashes.Techna cursed under her breath while updating her elemental gauntlets.Flora tried to braid vines into Lucy's hair; Lucy threatened her with a dagger.Erza stared into a bowl of water like it might calm her nerves.Stella read the school's entire Code of Conduct.Lucy simply said, "I'm going to win today."

📚 Class: Elemental Combat & Synergy (Professor Raiven)

The open sky-terrace training arena floated above Aetherion, humming with elemental rings and a glass floor that reflected clouds.

Students from all across Elonia gathered to spar. Magic danced in the air.

Then… they arrived.

ENHYPEN.Seven rareblood vampire princes. Beautiful. Dangerous. Lethal. Trouble.

Ni-ki trailed behind, hoodie half-zipped, dragging his feet like the main character of a tragic novel.Heeseung walked like a silent king.Jake had that devastating smirk of someone who knew secrets and wouldn't tell.Jay looked annoyed already.Sunghoon spun a blade between his fingers like a flirtation.Jungwon looked like he was scanning every soul for weakness.Sunoo blew a kiss to no one in particular.

"Sparring partners will be chosen by resonance," Professor Raiven announced, motioning to the glowing arena floor.

Runes beneath each student's feet pulsed with light — and matched them to another soul.

The arena flared with seven golden lines:

Ayshia ⇄ Ni-ki (unchanged – fate insists)

Lucy ⇄ Heeseung

Erza ⇄ Jake

Techna ⇄ Jay

Bloom ⇄ Jungwon

Stella ⇄ Sunghoon

Flora ⇄ Sunoo

Even Professor Raiven raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

⚔️ The Duels Begin

Each pair stepped into a floating dueling cube.

Ayshia vs. Ni-ki

The stars called her. The shadows clung to him.Ayshia summoned a celestial blade. Ni-ki met it with bare hands — absorbing the starlight with a grimace."Your power feels like it used to be mine," he whispered."Then you must've lost something precious," she answered, eyes locked to his.

—

Lucy vs. Heeseung

Her golden Siamese aura flared like a sunspot.Heeseung didn't move — he simply raised a single hand, creating a perfect crescent barrier of light.Lucy launched herself through the air, daggers glowing.He caught one mid-air and flicked it back with a smirk."Careful," he said. "You could hurt someone.""I plan to," she purred.

—

Erza vs. Jake

Ocean met tide. Water vs. water.Erza's magic moved like emotion: turbulent, flowing, hard to hold.Jake's control was crisp, tactical — ripples around her ankles became snares."You fight with your heart," he noted."And you fight like you're afraid to feel," she said, as a wave crashed between them.

—

Techna vs. Jay

Sparks flew. Literally.Techna charged forward, gauntlets glowing gold, sand swirling around her feet.Jay countered with shadows that reshaped themselves into walls."You're too defensive," she barked."You're too loud," he snapped.The clash of desert and dark cracked the cube's shield.

—

Bloom vs. Jungwon

Fire danced between them.Bloom smiled like a challenge. Jungwon said nothing, just observed — then struck with frightening precision.Her flames bent around his counters like they knew each other."Do you practice emotionless staring?" she teased mid-fight."Do you always talk mid-battle?" he countered, blocking a flamekick.

—

Stella vs. Sunghoon

Ice against elegance.He bowed mockingly before launching a frost-tipped spear. She answered with a blizzard wall."I didn't peg you as a gentleman," she muttered."I'm not," he winked. "I just enjoy beautiful opponents."

—

Flora vs. Sunoo

Vines twisted underfoot. Sunoo backflipped, laughing."You dance well," Flora admitted, trapping him mid-spin."You flirt better," he said, caught — upside down and grinning.

📜 Class Ends — Assignments Begin

As each duel concluded, a chime rang out. Floating scrolls appeared before every pair:

"You have been paired for the Moon Festival performance challenge.""You will also share rune-study hours. Proximity increases resonance."

Lucy blinked. "Excuse me—paired?"

Heeseung raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry, kitten. I won't bite... unless asked."

Ayshia glanced at Ni-ki, startled to feel her ruby pulse again.

Jake, surprisingly, offered Erza a hand to help her up.Jay just pointed at Techna and said, "You're annoying."Techna grinned. "Right back at you."

Professor Raiven closed the lesson with one final warning:

"Some matches are made by magic. Others, by fate. You'll have to figure out which is which."

END OF CHAPTER