Drifter awoke ahrough his m routine. After dressing in his usual bck high-colred suit jacket, he sank into the sofa, his gaze vat, lost in thought as he wondered how to reach Paxluma, just as he had so many times before.

  Then, the sound of a doorbell echoed through the quiet room—ding dong. Drifter was slightly startled.

  Who...?

  It was rare for ao visit him.

  He opehe door and found Luna Sabriel standing before him, her expression unreadable. She wore a bck dress, paired with a teal coat.

  "M. Are you busy today?" she asked.

  Drifter paused. Could it be that she has an important mission or perhaps news about the cube? His spirits lifted at the thought.

  "Nothing pressing," he replied.

  "Good. Then follow me," Luna said, her tone leaving little room fument. "I'll expin on the way."

  Drifter gave a small nod and followed her without question. The two walked side by side, the early m sun casting long shadows, and soon they reached the Training & Eai Zone, alive with energy. Sounds of ughter from students enjoying their break at the cafeteria. The peaceful ripples of water from the nearby swimming pool added a soft uoo the bustling atmosphere.

  Luna paused, gng over at Drifter.

  “The Skyship Fleet is the bae of our defe’s time for you to learn the fuals of and here,” she said.

  As she mentiohe skyships, a fleeting memory surfaced. The massive structs hovered above, their presence almost surreal. He recalled the war maes of old. Could they truly be Sky Golems now? he wondered, a small nod in response.

  Ahead of them stood a tower of bluish-gray crystal. As the automated door slid open with a soft hiss, it weled them into a corridor bathed in the glow of crystals embedded in the walls.

  Their footsteps echoed as they made their way to the main room. Drifter halted for a moment, overwhelmed by the sight before him. A vast blue sky stretched across the room, dotted with rolling white clouds. Fshes of light darted through the expanse, revealing massive triangur structs floating effortlessly. Some were smaller, resembliallic birds with glowing blue tails.

  The structs moved, firing beams of blue energy from box-shaped modules on their sides. The room came alive with bursts of light and sound until, suddenly, everything faded. The sky dissolved, returning to the crystalliructure of the room.

  "Alright, you're done. Practice whatever you like. Any questions? Hopefully none," a voice drawled from the far end of the room.

  Drifter turoward the source of the void saw a man with curly brown hair, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and bck aviatsses. He stood before the students for a moment, then finally turo take his seat.

  The students nodded auro their soles, as the simution sky once again transformed into a bright blue expanse. Drifter remai the door, the students' activity ily.

  Drifter saw familiar faces each trolling their metallic bird structs. Sloane and Lor seemed to be pying around, their erratients like a circus act, ughing and bantering with Alyssa, Bryan and the others exged insults, their movements turning into a chaotic mess until Lor's struct crashed into the water. He ranted angrily, g his sole had been sabotaged, while the hed loudly and teased him.

  Reine and Erick, oher hand, seemed tehey're the only oruly focused on maneuvering. Some of the other students weren’t even participating, chatting away instead of engaging in the simution.

  Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the noise. Drifter goward the source.

  “What is this, Jaxon? This isn’t a pyground. They’re supposed to be preparing for tomorrow’s live drills—not goofing off under your 'supervision,'” her tone sharp.

  He saw Alina, a woman with blue hair and feline ears standing with a few students behind her—among them, Alma Rosenthal and Nadia Fernleaf move closer to the Jaxon, the man with aviatsses.

  “Oh, rex, Alina. A little chill goes a long way. You wind ’em up too tight, and they’ll snap under pressure,” Jaxon replied, casually shrugging.

  “And if they’re too rexed, they’ll die otlefield,” Alina shot back.

  “How about we settle this, Alina? The cssic way, a simution duel,” Jaxon suggested.

  “Fine. But if I win, you hahe debrief tomorrow,” Alina said.

  “Fine, deal. But if I win, you’re on debrief duty month. Fair trade, yeah?” Jaxon smirked.

  “Alright, crew. You ready to take on Alina’s squad? Let’s show ’em how we turn id-bato lethal,” Jaxon annouo his group.

  “Easy, boss,” Sloane said with a grin.

  “This’ll be a piece of cake,” Lor added, fidence dripping from his voice.

  “Big talk. Let’s see if you back it up,” Alma’s steady voice chimed in.

  Behind her, Nadia Fernleaf gave a subtle nod, her calm eyes refleg quiet determination.

  As both groups prepared, the formation of dark gray ships appeared on the holographic dispy. A massive triangur vessel stood at the ter, fnked by two smaller, angur ships. Four faster crafts darted around the formation, weaving through the air as they advaoward the ter of the simution arena.

  Luna Sabriel raised her hand, pointing at the floating hologram.

  “They’re using a standard formation,” she said softly but firmly. “One Fgship, two Cruisers, and four Corvettes. The smaller ships are operated by students, but Jaxon and Alina are directly trolling the Fgship.”

  Drifter focused on the rge, dark gray triangur ship at the ter.

  “That’s the Fgship,” Luna tinued, shifting the hologram to highlight the ship’s details. “It’s 1,200 meters long and carries up to 600 people. But only one operator is o trol it through the and Nexus. It also deploy hundreds of Skystrikers.”

  Drifter’s fusion was clear. “Wait, Luna... these terms are fusing. and Nexus? Skystriker?”

  Luna g him. “The and Nexus trols the ship, syng with the operator’s mind. Pce your hands on the sole, and the ship moves as if it’s part of your body. It takes time to adapt.” Her tone was calm.

  Drifter nodded, uanding beginning to clear.

  It’s like trolling my spectral swords, he thought.

  Luured to the smaller ships. “Those are Skystrikers—small aircraft trolled by the and Nexus. There's a portable version that lets operators trol them from safer locations.”

  “Thanks, Luna,” Drifter said, nodding slightly.

  Suddenly, the simution’s weather ged dramatically. The sky darkened, and the arena was engulfed in a storm and heavy rain. Drifter watched as the rge ships from Jaxon’s fleet disappeared into thick clouds, while Alina’s fleet held its position, firing tinuous blue energy beams into the storm.

  Moments ter, from the other side of the clouds, Skystrikers from Jaxon’s team emerged at high speed, ung an assault. The attack destroyed one Cruiser and one Corvette from Alina’s fleet before retreating bato the safety of the storm.

  Suddenly, A loud voice shouted through the room.

  "Charge! They’re almost done for!" yelled Lor, his Skystriker surging forward without hesitation.

  "Oi, Lor! That’s not the pn, you know!" Sloane sighed.

  "Let’s finish them!" added Alyssa, as she followed Lor’s lead.

  Lor’s and several other students’ Skystrikers attacked recklessly, their movements uncoordinated as they shot and flew randomly. Meanwhile, Alina’s fleet held firm, raining down sharp, precise energy fire into the storm. Within minutes, one by one, Jaxon’s Skystrikers exploded, leaving trails of smoke in the air.

  The fleet’s ons tiheir relentless barrage, f Jaxon’s fleet out of hiding. Though their ships returned fire with blue beams, without their Skystriker cover, their formation crumbled. Alina’s fleet and Skystrikers swiftly fihem off, leaving behind only wreckage.

  The simuted sky gradually faded, repced by the room’s crystalline walls glowing in soft blue light, signaling the end of the exercise.

  "Alright, alright. You win this time," he said, feigning surrender.

  "Take it seriously ime, Jaxon." Alina's voice low but firm.

  "Well, didn’t you say you wouldn’t lose?" Alma teased.

  "Ah, just a fluke," Lor muttered.

  Drifter noticed Alma, Nadia, Lor, Sloane, and Reine approag him. They spoke casually, teasing him with jokes, and he responded briefly, as he always did. Alma, Sloane, and Lor waved goodbye with casual gestures, while Reine and Nadia offered polite farewells. Drifter nodded iurn. As the students began to filter out of the room, Alina walked toward him. She folded her hands in front of her, her pierg gaze log with his.

  “We didn’t get a eet yesterday, did we?” Alina said. “I’m Alina Walsh, one of the instructors here.”

  “Drifter,” he replied simply. “Good to finally meet you.”

  Jaxon moved toward Drifter.

  “So, you’re the guy from the past, huh? Drifter, right?”

  “Jaxon Virelli. o meet ya, Drifter.” Jaxoended his hand.

  Drifter gave a slight nod, his gaze shiftiweewo instructors.

  “Pleasure to meet you both,” he said, his voice calm and even.

  Luna approached them and spoke to Jaxon and Alina. “Jaxon, Alina… I have a request. I want Drifter to observe the Skyship training directly tomorrow. I think it’ll be very useful for him to experie firsthand.”

  “An observer, huh? Why not? It’s a great experience for him,” Jaxon agreed, nodding toward Drifter.

  “You could try operating one of the Skystrikers if you’d like.” Alina said, turning to Drifter

  Drifter hesitated, the memory of trolling the old golems fshing in his mind—using rune trol sticks in a cockpit, far different from the modern and nexus, though he had never actually been a golem operator himself. He sighed softly.

  “Thank you, but I’d rather just observe for now… I’m not sure I ha yet,” Drifter said, shaking his head.

  “I’ve seen you fight. Bet trolling it’s as easy for you as handling those h swords,” Jaxon teased. “e on, give it a try.”

  “Maybe ime,” Drifter replied, a faint smile pying on his lips.

  “ month, if you want to try, let me know.” Alina said.

  “Of course.” Drifter answered.

  With that settled, they moved toward the door, their versation gradually fading. Jaxon and Alina exged a few more words, but the atmosphere had shifted—more rexed now. Luna, who had been silently , gave Drifter a small nod, signaling it was time to tiheir tour.

  As they walked through the academy halls, Luna expihe education system. Students graduated from public school at twelve, after which they could choose to enroll in the academy for advaudies. At eighteen, they decided whether to pursue admission into the Order.

  Those who tiheir studies here would graduate at twenty-two, at which point they could choose from various divisions within the Order. These divisions included health, researd development, intelligence, education, urban pnning, evocyte energy ma, infrastructure development, cultural preservation, a artifavestigation, and archaeology.

  Luiohat she herself art of the academy division, which focused on education.

  Drifter couldn’t help but reflect—the Order had truly ged. They were no longer just warriors; they now pyed a role in civil ma, shaping society in ways he had never imagined.

  Soon, they arrived at an office where Luna introduced him to the headmaster, Gideon Frostwhisper.

  As the tour tinued, Luna introduced him to more advas of this era. He withings that had never existed in his time—automatons, meical structs perf various funs with precision. The Magisterial sole, a far more advanced version of the Lumina Core, stood fixed in pce, much rger and signifitly more plex to navigate. The rge bck box on his desk at home finally made sense.

  Later, he learned about the modern arm rune system, the Vestra system, aually, he even had the ce to ride an Alcherider—a h vehicle that could be operated by haures or drive itself. It was far more advahan the Alcheriders of the past, which had legs and relied on rune-trolled sticks for navigation.

  Drifter’s legs ached, the weight of the day sinking deep into his bones as night desded. His head felt heavy, overwhelmed by the stant influx of new information and experiehe silence of the residential district felt fn after the bustle of the day, and the path to his quarters seemed to stretch lohan he remembered.

  He gnced back at Luna, her shadow following him without a word. A sudden unease ched his chest. Why was she still with me? His steps faltered, a cold bead of sweat slipping down his spine.

  When they arrived in front of his quarters, Drifter turo Luna.

  “Thank you for today, Luna. See you tomorrow,” Drifter said, his voice strained.

  Suddenly, Luna stepped forward and handed him a book.

  Drifter stared at the book in fusion. He ope and was struck by what he saw. His eyes widened in shock at the intensely packed schedule—no days off. Training for the Alcherider, Skyship, Automatons, and how to use the Vestra system.

  He gnced up at Luna’s calm face. Was she not tired from spending the whole day with him?

  “That book tains your schedule, just as you see it. I’ll be with you every step of the way… don’t worry,” Luna said, her tone reassuring as she turo leave.

  “Okay, thanks…” Drifter answered.

  As she left, Drifter let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of the day settle in. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind didn't linger on anything for long, his exhaustion overwhelming him.

  The m, Drifter quickly skimmed through the book Luna had given him. Its pages outlihe intricate design of a skyship—the and bridge for personnel, a hangar for vehicles, thrusters, anti-gravity engines for propulsion, turrets and ons for ons, and the evocyte peor that powered it all.

  Why bother learning this? he thought. It’s pointless. The Abyssal Breach will make all teology useless anyway. He thought back to the old war mae golems, powered by evocyte geors—frozen in pce whehe Abyssal Breach was active. It absorbed all external energy, but left the internal energy of living creatures untouched.

  He sighed, then closed the book and made his way to the academy’s underground Alcherider parking lot, where students and instructors had already gathered. His gaze fell on a rge blue Alcherider with an elongated, box-like frame. As the door hissed open, students stepped inside one by oaking their seats, followed by Drifter, with Luna sitting beside him.

  The Alcherider began to move, gliding forward as the academy gates faded into the distance.

  Beyond them, the city of hia unfolded like a vast crystal mosaic. T skyscrapers stretched toward the sky. The Eirda River carved through the cityscape like a silver vein, its shimmering waters flowiween rows of exotic trees that swayed gently in the breeze.

  As Drifter observed the crowds, he noticed an overwhelming presence of humans, followed closely by golden elves. Other races, such as beastkin, dwarves, or more unon folk, were almost entirely absent. It was strahough he couldn't quite pce why.

  as they move for some time, in distanethia Airport came into view—a magnifit structure resembling a crystalline , its t spires and gleaming domes reag skyward.

  As they arrived at the departure ptform, a strange sound caught Drifter’s attention—a deep, resonant hum from the skyships. It was different from the others, deeper, more primal, vibrating through the air in a way that felt almost… mystical.

  They walked together past rows of automatons, busily at work—some taking cargo, iing ships, and ing the surroundings. Ahead of them loomed twray triangur vessels, their protruding and bridges atop the ships resembling proud, a s.

  "We’ll be b Jaxon’s Cvusia-Css Cruiser," Luna said softly beside him. "You’ll see firsthand how he ands.""Uood, Luna," Drifter replied.

  An automated elevator carried them up smoothly. The and room greeted them like an orchestra in motion. Students moved swiftly between their and Nexus stations, fingers dang across holographitrol pahat shimmered in a dazzling array of colors. The transparent walls revealed the hia airport and the blue skies outside, while Jaxon sat at the main and Nexus.

  “Alright, today we’re just marking targets. Follow my lead—it’s simple. Winning doesn’t matter, the experience does. Let’s make this fun,” Jaxon said.

  Lor turo Drifter.

  “Hey, old man, don’t get too fortable here—you might just drop dead,” Lor teased, grinning.

  “You’d better watch yourself, Lor. Didn’t you lose to Alma and the others yesterday?” Drifter replied, a barely visible smirk tugging at his lips.

  “That wasn’t ohe and Nexus was glitg. Total trash system,” Lor said, still grinning.

  “Right. Sure. But let me guess—you’ll still be the first oo get shot down,” Sloane chimed in.

  The lighthearted atmosphere shifted when Luna turned her sharp gaze toward them. Her inteare seemed to slice through the air, sileng the group instantly.

  “Perhaps now is the time to get to your positions,” Luna said.

  Sloaraightened quickly, clearing his throat awkwardly. He walked briskly to his station.

  Lor chuckled quietly, his mischievous toill lingering as he nudged Drifter’s shoulder pyfully. "Rex and enjoy the ride, old man."

  Drifter offered a brief nod in response. "Sure," he replied, his voice calm but firm.

  Jaxon pced both hands on the blue-colored holographiterface of the and Nexus. Without any further motion, the sound of engines rumbled—a deep, resonant growl like that of an a beast.

  The room began to shift. The bright blue of the sky outside slowly gave way to inky darkness. The floor beh them vibrated softly. With a seamless motion, the room desded into the Skyship’s hull.

  The once-dark ss gradually turransparent again, revealing the view outside. The endless blue sky stretched before them once more, showing Alina’s Cvusia Cruiser already airbors and bridge was obscured, hidden from view.

  The air grew heavier, resonating with the deep hum of the anti-gravity geors. As the ship asded, Drifter felt nothing, his senses uo grasp the shift as the ship rose.