The journey to Europe was long and arduous. After twenty-nine exhausting days, Thalamik, Raymed, and Carmilla finally arrived at their destination—Vanguard Academy.
The academy grounds were in the heart of an interspecies city, a sprawling metropolis where feys, spirits, demihumans, and humans coexisted.
The sheer diversity overwhelmed Raymed as they stepped onto the main concourse of the academy. There were elves in elegant robes discussing advanced spell theory, dwarves hauling crates of materials for forges, and demi-humans practicing martial arts in one corner of the open courtyard.
Thalamik took one look around and scowled. "F*ki*g elves," he muttered under his breath.
Carmilla glanced uneasily at him. "Thalamik…could you not start trouble on our first day?"
He merely shrugged, crossing his arms. "They started the trouble long before I came along. Their very existence disgusts me." Thalamik was agitated beyond measure. Before he attempted to escape by boarding the plane again, Raymed whipped out his secret weapon. Thalamik's sole weakness.
-~
Raymed didn't want to do it. But Thalamik forced his hands.
That's right, the one thing that could make Thalamik bargain was the prized picture kept in his wallet.
It sounds harmless, but this picture was of Amus, his twin children, and Thalamik's parents.
Raymed had predicted that things like this would happen. So at the last moment, Raymed said, "If you board that plane and escape. I will burn this picture into ashes."
"RAYMED YOU DEMON!!!" Thalamik spat as he raised his magical energy crazily.
In the end, Thalamik was forced to join in, and Raymed will return the picture once Thalamik has been registered properly at Vanguard Academy.
-~
Back to the present, noticing the heat of Thalamik's anger. Raymed tried to defuse the tension by changing the subject. "Alright, guys, let's find reception before we do anything else. The orientation packet said it's in the main tower."
Vanguard Academy was enormous—easily twice the size of L'arc Academy. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming. Marble walkways stretched over floating platforms, connecting spires laced with glowing runes. Mana-powered lanterns drifted gently through the air, casting a soft ambient light even in daylight.
Every structure was alive with enchantment—walls embedded with temperature-regulating runes, hovering banners that shifted language based on the viewer's mother tongue, and statues of past heroes that moved ever so slightly, animated by residual spirit energy.
They approached a large, circular counter in the central tower's grand lobby. A busy receptionist, a petite fey woman with translucent wings, greeted them politely.
Even though this person is also a fae kind, Thalamik didn't seem particularly bothered. He just hated the elves.
"May I have your names?" she asked in a chiming voice.
"Raymed, Thalamik, Carmilla," Raymed answered, sliding over their enrollment documents.
She scanned the parchments—magical runes glowed briefly as she verified their authenticity.
"Welcome to Vanguard Academy, Hero Candidates and Saint Candidate. Here are your room keys and an introductory schedule." She handed each of them a tiny envelope. "You'll find a map of the campus inside. If you need anything else, feel free to return here."
"Thanks," Raymed replied, gathering the envelopes. He gave one to Thalamik and another to Carmilla. "Let's see what the campus is made out of!" Raymed said with a renewed spirit.
The idea was to go off on their own for a few minutes and meet back at this place.
As they head off on their other way, a squad of dwarves lumbered past Raymed, hauling equipment and crates stacked with forging tools. One dwarf, burdened by the largest crate, staggered sideways and slammed into Raymed's shoulder.
"Oof!" Raymed stumbled back. "Sorry, I—"
The dwarf's annoyed expression softened slightly when Raymed reached to steady him. "Watch it, lad—these tools aren't exactly light," he grunted.
Raymed quickly bent down to help pick up a hammer that had clanged to the floor. "Here. Sorry about that. I'm new here—just arrived from…well, it's been a long trip."
The dwarf secured the hammer under his arm. "Hmph. Are you a student?"
Raymed nodded. "My name's Raymed. I am a new student in the Hero Candidate Program."
"Dwargo Kors," the dwarf said, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Local blacksmith-in-training. Mostly keep the weapon racks stocked for all you hero types." A spark of curiosity lit his eyes.
Dwargo then gave an odd look towards Raymed. "You've got a pretty strong mana signature. I can feel it from here. I have never seen such mana in a human before."
"Uh, thanks…I guess." Raymed offered an awkward smile. "Your tools also look pretty top-notch."
A faint grin tugged at the corner of Dwargo's mouth. "I'm picky about my craft. One day, I plan to forge an Artifact Weapon." He sniffed, adjusting his grip on the crate. "But let's see if you last long enough to need such a weapon, aye?"
Raymed chuckled nervously. He had no idea what Dwargo was talking about. This is the first time he has heard of the word Artifact. "I'll do my best. Nice meeting you, Dwargo Kors." He replied, hoping not to be rude.
With that, the dwarf nodded curtly and continued on his way, leaving Raymed watching after him, intrigued.
Carmilla tapped Raymed's shoulder. "Hey, are you alright? You seemed nervous! Where have you been?"
"Ah.. I just met a dwarf blacksmith. It's just he's interesting," Raymed murmured with a smile. "A bit gruff, but I can tell he's passionate about forging."
"Who?" Thalamik asked.
"Ohh, I met a dwarf just now! His name was Dwargo." Raymed replied.
"That's cool.. Now, can we go? I'm starving." Thalamik said as he caressed his stomach area.
***
After getting food, they followed the corridor to their assigned dorm building, a sprawling wing designed to house students. Raymed's room was on the third floor, while Thalamik and Carmilla's rooms were across the hall from him. Each room was a studio-like apartment. A single bed, a desk, a private bathroom, a small kitchen, and a wardrobe.
They congregated briefly in the corridor.
Carmilla stifled a yawn. "I'm calling it a night, guys. Tomorrow's orientation, right? Oh! On second thought, I might wanna unpack first."
Raymed glanced at the schedule. "Okay. The orientation ceremony is at sunrise. We should be in the main hall by six."
Thalamik grunted. "Alright, see you there. Try not to be late. By that, I mean you, Ray." As the two bicker, Carmilla enters her room and closes the door.
"Heh. I won't be late."
"Alright."
Thalamik and Raymed stood facing each other.
"Is there something you would like to say, Thal?"
"wHaT Do YooUUU MeAN if ThEre's SOmEThinG I'd LiKE to say?!" He replied in cryptic anger.
"Huh? What?" Raymed stood there still, clueless.
Thalamik stared in anger at Raymed.
"Oohh, you mean this?" Raymed whipped out the photo he was keeping hostage. "You want this so much, huh? A picture of your beloved wife and kids and, of course, your face, which is making such a lovey-dovey face." Raymed teased, followed by a mocking smile.
Thalamik gritted his teeth in embarrassment and "ASSH*** GIVE ME THAT PICTURE BACK!"
At that moment, Carmilla suddenly opened her door, slamming it.
An unknown aura seeps through the corridor.
"I HaVe BeEn PaTiENt tHiS wHoLe DaY."
Carmilla's voice crackled like a cursed spirit trapped between a prayer and a rage quit.
"CaN YoU tWo Be QuIeT—JuSt OnCe? I wAnT. To. SLeEp."
She didn't yell. She didn't even raise her voice. But the air turned cold, the floor creaked under her mana pressure, and for a brief, horrifying second, even the glowing lamps dimmed. A mana crystal nearby flickered violently.
Raymed and Thalamik froze, blinking.
This was no longer the graceful Saint Candidate.
This was a sleep-deprived, sanity-fractured woman on the edge of a divine meltdown.
For a second, Raymed swore he saw a halo… but made of knives.
Silence appeared.
"…ThAt's BeTtEr."
The door closed behind her with the softest, most ominous click.
From behind it, a faint sound could be heard—a quiet, high-pitched "eheheheh…" Like a girl who had clearly been one hour of sleep away from burning the whole academy down.
Raymed blinked.
Thalamik nodded slowly.
Neither of them said a word as Raymed handed Thalamik's picture.
They just quietly agreed, without speaking, that Carmilla would be getting all the naps she wanted from now on.
***
Raymed awoke before dawn, stepping outside to find Carmilla already waiting. She was tightening her boot laces, eyes still puffy from sleep.
"Morning," she muttered with a soft smile.
Raymed nodded, suppressing a yawn. "Where's Thalamik?"
Carmilla gestured down the hall. "He already left a while ago. Probably went to check out the training grounds and do his morning routine."
They walked together to the Great Hall, a vast domed building in the center of campus. Inside, rows of benches were filled with new arrivals—elves, dwarves, humans, fey, and various demi-human races.
Thalamik stood near the back, arms crossed, glaring at any elf who happened to look his way.
Carmilla nudged Raymed. "He's in the mood again."
"Yeah, I can see that…" Raymed muttered. "Let's try not to provoke him."
Moments later, an instructor stepped onto the raised podium at the front. She was tall, slender, with wispy, shimmering hair—clearly a fey of some sort. Her voice echoed throughout the hall, amplified by subtle magic.
"Welcome to Vanguard Academy's New Students," she announced, gazing over the assembled students. "My name is Celathis. I've served in the United Front for a few years now. In 2020, every race fought for themselves back then, yet ever since we gained Grand Saint Veuz's wisdom, we sought a better solution to unify our strengths, resulting in a peace treaty between every race. United Front is made tightly to garner and protect that peace."
The auditorium murmured.
Thalamik looked around and noticed that there were, in fact, some humans here, though the personnel were far smaller than the other races. But Celathis spoke as if she respected Veuz so much.
Is this proof of respect for humanity? Was it all due to Veuz?
"Now, because of our united efforts. We managed to repel the invasion of the Demon Lord Envoys and their endless armies. Which again proved just how right Grand Saint Veuz was in wanting to attain harmony between the races. Vanguard Academy will be the seed of it all. This academy brings together the chosen and strongest warriors from every race, united for a single cause. For the unification and harmony of the world."Celathis continued.
"Here, you will learn to master your abilities. You will train under veterans who have firsthand experience. Fey, Demi-human, Spirits, Humans—our differences mean nothing if we cannot stand against aggressors. Which in this situation is the Demon King's forces. We expect discipline, cooperation, and a willingness to push beyond your limits. In return, you will gain power and knowledge to save our world and maintain a long-lasting peace."
Thalamik clicked his tongue in annoyance. Her argument is weirdly contradictory.
If they wanted a peaceful resolution, why hasn't there been any news on attempting a peace treaty with the Demon Lord Envoys?
He raised his arm as if signaling that he wanted to ask a question.
Celathis noticed Thalamik's gesture almost instantly. She responded quickly by saying, "I will not be opening any room for questions."
With a small grunt, Thalamik brings his arm back down. He knew better than to start an argument in the middle of orientation.
Celathis then gave the floor to a gruff dwarven instructor and a stern elven blade master, each delivering warnings about the intense curriculum. Weapon mastery, Spellcasting, Group combat, and more. When the orientation concluded, the hall erupted in chatter and speculation.
"What did you want to ask back there, Thalamik?" Carmilla asked with a gentle smile.
"I wanted to ask if Celathis thinks United Front is garnering peace. It seemed too hostile towards the Demonfolk to be considered a peacekeeping organization. I had hoped to be proven wrong."
"I see. So, you meant that if the United Front really aimed for peace among the races, then naturally, peaceful discussion should be the first step, and even if after that, the demon folk will also be kept after they comply with us." Raymed said.
"That's righ-"
"Excuse me, are you three from the Human region?" a curious demi-human wolf nearby asked.
Raymed nodded politely. "That's right. We trained at L'arc Academy near South Tang."
"L'arc Academy, huh?" The demi-human's eyes widened in recognition. "I heard what happened there. Must have been rough."
Carmilla's expression darkened. "Let's…not talk about that."
Sensing their discomfort, the student quickly moved on. "I didn't mean to. Have a good day."
"Thank you for understanding, see you soon!" Raymed said.
They were given free time to explore the academy. Raymed took the opportunity to revisit the blacksmith workshop, partly hoping to spot Dwargo Kors again.
The steel clang and hot metal hiss guided him into a large forge area. Rows of anvils, smelters, and racks of half-finished weapons dominated the workshop, overseen by dwarves and a few human apprentices.
Dwargo was hunched over a workbench, examining a battered sword. Sparks flew as he tested the edge, frowning with disapproval. Raymed approached cautiously.
"Hey, Dwargo," he greeted. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
The dwarf glanced up, wiping soot from his cheek. "Raymed, was it? Here to watch a real craftsman at work?" He gestured to the sword with a grunt. "Look at this piece of junk. Some rookie ruined the blade's temper. Gotta reforge half of it."
"That sounds complicated," Raymed said, genuinely intrigued. "Is that your usual routine—fixing other people's mistakes?"
Dwargo smirked. "Most days, yes. But one day, I'll continue forging something worthy—like I told you."
Raymed smiled. "If anyone can do it, I'm sure you can. But I wonder what artifacts are?"
"Oh, so you don't know about those, huh? It's a bit hard to explain. But artifacts are superpowered weapons recently discovered as the demonfolk entered our world."
"So, artifacts are weapons native to the previous Demonfolk's world?"
"Yes. These artifacts possessed amazing capabilities. They are now regarded as the means of killing Demonfolk. If you have an artifact by your side, you can surely win any battle with Demonfolk."
"I see… then what about the weapon the Demon Lord Envoy used? Can that be considered as an Artifact?"
"Hmm? Are you saying you have seen a Demon Lord Envoy and their weapon?" Dwargo asked, confused about what Raymed said.
"Uhh… Yes. I did. When the demon folk entered, my friends and I were basically forced to fight a Demon Lord Envoy to protect the citizens of a nearby border town."
"Ah, I see. I never heard of that story before. It's amazing to think you survived that encounter. You must be a powerful guy indeed. That explains your overwhelming storm of mana pool."
"Yeah… about that. I am not that great at controlling it." Raymed scratched his head.
"I see. But it's a bit weird to see your mana. It looks more like an amalgamation of many colors, rather than the usual one color. Maybe you should check that when you meet one of the instructors at the academy. I ain't got a clue about Mana actually. It's just that dwarves can see Mana in the environment by birth."
"I see that's interesting. Ah, tell you what, next time I'll bring the piece of the Demon Lord Envoy's weapon I told you about."
Silence fell between them.
"Dwargo, is there something wrong?"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU HAVE A FRAGMENT OF THE WEAPON WE TALKED ABOUT!!!" Dwargo shouted and made a face filled with excitement.
"YOU MUST SELL IT TO ME! I NEED TO INSPECT IT."
"Hey, hey, calm down. I'll do that, but it's not in my possession currently. My friend is keeping it safe for me since I am a bit reckless."
"Ah, I see. Then be sure to bring it here when you have the chance, yeah? If you do that… hmm, let's see... What can I do for you in return?"
"Hmmm, how about… showing me or giving me an artifact?" Raymed said. "I am getting curious, too, about them."
"You got it. I'll search my network of artifact enthusiasts!" Dwargo said, giving a thumbs-up.
Later, Raymed regrouped with Carmilla and Thalamik near the dorms. Carmilla was beaming after discovering that there's a specialized healing magic class in the academy, while Thalamik looked as if he'd spent the entire time glaring at elves.
"I take it you guys are finished?" Raymed asked.
Thalamik huffed. "We'll see if this place is worth the hype. If they try to force me to buddy up with an elf—" He trailed off, his scowl deepening.
Carmilla shot him a worried look. "Try not to punch anyone on the first day, okay?"
He didn't reply, though he let out a grumble that sounded suspiciously like "No promises."
Raymed decided to lighten the mood. "So, dinner? The cafeteria's huge, and I hear they serve cuisine from all the different regions."
Carmilla's face brightened. "Oh yes, I heard about some dwarven stew that's supposed to be amazing. But honestly, I could go for Nasi Gule right about now. Like the one in M-Block."
"Whoa! That's actually a good idea! But, I don't think they sell those here..." Raymed said.
DING!
An Idea popped into his head. "You know, we can always cook!" Raymed smiled as he looked at Carmilla.
With hopeful eyes, Carmilla smiled and said, "Really, you can cook, Ray?!" She grabbed Raymed's hand in hope.
"Even better. I know someone who is a 5-star chef who can cook Gule!" Raymed slowly diverts his eye to Thalamik.
"OHH!!! I SEE!!" Carmilla quickly turned to Thalamik as she put her hands in a praying position. "Help us, Thalamik! Cook us Gule!!!! I beg you! It's been 29 days since we last tasted it!"
"Listen here, Carmilla, as much as I wanted to.. I really am not in a very goo-"
Raymed suddenly ran and performed a sliding dogeza. "WE BEG OF YOU, LORD THALAMIK THE FIEND KAISER!"
Carmilla's eyes sparkled as she understood her assignment.
"PLEASE BLESS US WITH YOUR NASI GULE, KING WITH PYTHAGORAS CHIN!"
"YOU LITTLE-" Thalamik was close to exploding.
Then the two hit Thalamik with puppy eyes again.
Thalamik just shrugged. "HUGHGHHH....Fine. Let's go you two are paying for the ingredients."
As they headed to the market, they passed a group of elves laughing among themselves. Thalamik's jaw tightened, but he managed to keep walking without incident. Raymed felt a small surge of relief—progress, however slow.
As night fell over Vanguard Academy, the sprawling city around it began to glow with magical lanterns and modern lights.
The three were having dinner in Thalamik's room because he had cooked the Nasi Gule in his room. They ate on the high balcony that turned out to be available in their rooms. From this high balcony, Raymed gazed out at the interwoven architecture—ornate elven spires, dwarven stonework, and human-designed buildings.
A sense of awe mixed with lingering apprehension settled in his chest.
"Can we really unite with all these races?" he murmured. Yet, he recalled Celathis's words: differences mean nothing if they cannot stand against the Demon King.
A door slid open behind him. Thalamik stepped outside, crossing her arms against the night air. "Hey, the Gule is getting colder. Everything okay?"
Raymed nodded slowly. "Just…feeling the weight of it all. Hale, L'arc Academy, the Demonfolk threat. Now we're here, and everything's bigger than we imagined."
Thalamik let out a quiet sigh. "We'll just have to be strong enough for all of it. Sorry for my actions today. I can't say my Elvenphobia has been solved. Yet, I'll try to be better."
They stood there in companionable silence, gazing at the academy's lights.
Despite the heaviness of the past and the uncertainty of the future, a spark of determination lit within Raymed. They were here, fighting for humanity's survival—and for all races threatened by the Demon King.
Raymed's fingers curled around the balcony rail, and he exhaled softly, thinking of Hale's final words and the promise they carried. They would stand as humanity's shield, no matter the cost. And in this place—a melting pot of cultures and grudges—they would learn to fight side by side for the world they all loved.
"Heyyyy!!! CARMILLA DON'T EAT ALL THE GULE!!" Thalamik shouted as he went back inside the room. Raymed then followed behind him.
"You are not human... what are you?"
Suddenly, chills sent down Raymed's spine as he turned back abruptly.
A whisper was heard.
But who was it? He didn't see anything here.