The path to the Spire of Dawn shimmered faintly under the early morning sun, its layered sigil-glass panels casting soft glints across the plaza. The group walked in a loose formation—Rowan and Kai up front, chattering about point mechanics, Seria and Lyra just behind, while Aston brought up the rear, quiet as always.

As they reached the base of the Spire, a collective groan met them from the front steps.

"…It's packed," Rowan muttered.

The main lobby of the mission office was swarming with students—mostly first-years, many of them still in uniform, others clearly fresh from morning drills. The board that housed the job listings flickered with dozens of tabs and notices, constantly reshuffling themselves as more students scanned in.

"Guess we weren't the only ones Oscar 'inspired,'" Seria said wryly.

"I mean, he basically said 'earn or vanish,'" Kai added. "Even I felt it."

A spirit attendant at the front motioned them toward a row of scanning pylons lined along the right wall.

"ID check, first-years. Step up, confirm your status, and your AP balance will be displayed on-screen."

Kai was the first to tap his badge against the rune slot. The screen blinked.

[Kai Vernhollow – Year 1 – Scouting Arts Division] Current AP Balance: 14 Attendance Bonus: +12 Library Auxiliary Tasks: +2

Rowan gave an impressed whistle. "Book boy's secretly a hustler."

Kai flushed. "I just like organization."

Next was Rowan.

[Rowan Delle – Year 1 – Scouting Arts Division] Current AP Balance: 12 Attendance Bonus: +12

"Punctual and loud," Rowan declared, satisfied.

Seria and Lyra scanned theirs as well.

[Seria Sacramento – AP: 12]

[Lyra Yves – AP: 12]

Finally, Aston stepped up. He tapped his badge.

The screen buzzed—then displayed in bold white:

[Aston Rhyner – Year 1 – Scouting Arts Division] Current AP Balance: 9 Attendance Bonus: +9 [System Note: Attendance deficit recorded (5 days absent)]

For a beat, no one said anything.

"…Yikes," Rowan muttered.

Aston didn't flinch. "Expected."

"Looks like we've got some catching up to do," Lyra said. "C'mon. Let's hit the boards."

—

The listings were color-coded by type: green for errand and supply runs, blue for scouting, yellow for relay and delivery tasks, and red for combat-optional hazard zones—most of which were locked behind upper-year clearance. The ones available to first-years flickered in and out as students claimed them.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Kai hovered near a board displaying errands within the East Sector market district. "There's one for transporting sealed charm crates—three points."

"Too easy," Rowan said, already pointing at a blue-coded scouting post. "This one wants a ridge mapped and echo-tagged. Needs a two-person team. Four points each."

Seria found one listed under Academy Relay Services: Escort duty for traveling researcher – 5 AP. She raised an eyebrow. "This looks promising. Only medium distance. Within barrier reach."

Lyra tapped a yellow posting. "This one's listed as group-compatible. Three to five first-years. 'Confirm elemental presence near dried leyroot formations.' Reward: six AP each."

"I like the sound of that," Rowan said. "No running. Just spirit scanning and not dying."

Kai nodded. "We just need to confirm the terrain, assign roles, and—"

A quiet chime pinged from one of the nearby sub-terminals.

Aston had wandered slightly to the side, eyes drawn to a different section—fewer postings, deeper violet in tone. They weren't red-tier missions, but they weren't meant for general hands either. Most had disclaimers requiring permission, recommendations, or specialized gear.

His gaze landed on one toward the bottom of the list. The font was smaller. The header didn't flicker for attention like the others. It simply pulsed.

—

[Mission Code: SX-C74 – Priority Capture Order – Imperial Relay Registered]

Target: Linna Veydran (Alias: Silverroot Broker)

Location: Outer Zone 3 – Westridge Hollow Settlement [Last Verified] Classification: Rogue Ritualist | Unauthorized Core Manipulation Recommended Response Team: 4th-Year minimum, B-Rank clearance

Objective: Confirm presence of target Apprehend without public disruption Seize associated contraband and tagged core shipment Submit target for questioning by IWB handlers

Reward: 20 AP + Imperial Commendation (pending completion)

—

Aston's breath caught—just slightly.

Westridge Hollow Settlement.

Again.

He stared at the name longer than he should've: Linna Veydran.

The Silverroot Broker.

His fingers tightened slightly at his sides.

He remembered the dim fog curling above that basin town. The pottery shop alley. The scent of binding wax and venom-threaded bark. The faint gleam of a silver thread wrapped around a spirit crate.

He remembered the mission scroll, encoded for his eyes only.

And he remembered how close she'd come to finding him.

He hadn't thought her name would surface so soon. Not publicly. Not through an official board. Not tied to an Imperial-level commendation.

They'd acted on it.

They had followed the trail.

That relay tag he planted—it had worked.

And now the Academy was turning it into a sanctioned mission.

But something about it sat uneasily with him.

If a fourth-year squad—or worse, a full strike team—went in loud, it wouldn't be clean like his covert operation. Westridge would erupt. Linna would vanish. Or someone else would die trying to stop her.

Aston's thoughts tightened, his brow faintly furrowed.

She was a threat. He'd never doubted that. But she wasn't reckless. She was precise. Controlled.

She'd moved the moment she knew she was compromised.

And now… the Empire wanted her in chains.

A flicker of prismatic feathers brushed the side of his vision—Mirage, hidden in rafter perch, watching silently. Even Gray, curled behind his heel, twitched his tail once.

Aston stepped away from the sub-terminal and returned to the others just as Rowan was pulling up a map interface for their registered leyroot mission.

"You alright?" Seria asked, tone quiet, but tuned to him.

He nodded.

But his thoughts remained behind.

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