Volume 1: Path – [Academy Arc]
Chapter 16: Roommate And Schedule
The dormitories at Thalos Academy were strictly separated by gender, and each dorm both boys' and girls' was divided into three sections - the first section for first-year students, the second for second-years, and the third for third-years.
Within each section, the hierarchy continued. Students were assigned floors based on their rankings. The top-ranked student of the year lived on the highest floor, while those with the lowest rankings resided on the ground level.
Everything from the size of the rooms to the quality of facilities was determined by a student's rank. The higher your rank, the greater your privileges.
In Caelus's dormitory, there were two beds that means he is going to be sharing the room with a roommate.
Caelus lay curled on his bed, silent tears still clinging to his cheeks.
Just then, the door clicked.
The sound jolted him. In a panic, he quickly wiped his face with the sleeves of his uniform, trying to erase any sign of his vulnerability.
The door opened fully with a second click, and a boy stepped inside. He paused for a moment upon noticing Caelus sitting upright on the bed, eyes cast down at his Chronolink.
Without a word, the boy stepped in and quietly shut the door behind him.
Caelus looked at the boy who had just entered.
He had soft silver hair that curled slightly at the ends, giving him a light and approachable aura. His pale blue eyes were lively and friendly, and there was an easy smile resting on his face. He wore the same academy uniform, crisp and clean, with the hourglass insignia displayed neatly over his chest.
He gave off a relaxed, cheerful vibe like someone who always found the silver lining no matter the situation.
"Hello! You must be the one who got half-awakened that Mr. Micheal told me about you," the boy said, glancing at Caelus with a warm smile.
Caelus stood from the bed and stepped forward, extending his hand for a handshake. "Yeah, that's me. Mr. Micheal mentioned you too that you're his proud disciple and that you'd be helping me."
"Absolutely! Just ask me anything." He placed a hand proudly on his chest and puffed it out with mock bravado, his grin never fading.
Caelus blinked, a little taken aback by the boy's brightness. After everything that had happened, it felt alien like sunlight hitting a sealed crypt. "Thanks… I'll keep that in mind."
The boy tilted his head. "You don't talk much, huh?"
Caelus gave a half-smile. "I guess I'm not in the best shape to."
"Ah…" The boy's grin softened. "Makes sense. First day's rough. Especially with all the introduction we need to give in class and we need to prepare for it."
He dropped his bag on the other bed and sat down with a loud, exhausted sigh, flopping backward like a pillow-starved cat. "So! Name's Aiven. Aiven Serel. But just call me Aiv. I think we're gonna be great roommates, Caelus."
"...Right." Caelus's voice was barely audible.
Aiv rolled onto his side, propping his head up on one hand. "Hey, not to pry, but… you okay?"
Caelus tried to deflect. "I'm good."
But Aiv didn't buy it.
He leaned forward slightly, voice gentler than before. "Hey, come on… just tell me. You know, my master used to say when you're sad, you need to share it with someone. Otherwise, it gets heavy. Too heavy for one person to carry alone."
Caelus was quiet for a while. The silence stretched, filled only by the distant hum of the academy's automated ventilation and the soft chirp of birds outside the dorm window.
Then he spoke, voice low.
"It's nothing, Aiv. Just… a lot happened. I lost a lot. And also… gained something, too."
Aiv tilted his head. "Wait is it about someone you love?"
Caelus looked up, startled.
"My master told me about that, so that I can help you ease up," Aiv added quickly, raising his hands. "Didn't say who. Just that it was private and also that it had to do with the reason you awakened."
Caelus's lips thinned into a straight line. "Yeah. She… lost her memories of me. On the same day she confessed her love and then I awakened because of her. At least… that's what your master told me."
Aiv gave a long exhale, like he already knew but still felt the weight of the words. "Man… that's heavy. Still… you awakened. That's rare. Everyone dreams of becoming an Awakener, gaining power, stepping beyond the ordinary."
Caelus's gaze fell to the floor. "I didn't ask for it."
Aiv blinked. "Huh?"
"I didn't ask anyone to awaken me." His voice cracked slightly. "If only I hadn't—"
"'If only I hadn't gone there.' 'If only I'd made a different choice.' 'If only I was stronger, faster, smarter…'"
Aiv's tone sharpened not cruelly, but firmly.
"That's what you're thinking, right? All day? All night? If and if only."
Caelus didn't respond, but his clenched fists said enough.
Aiv crossed his arms, leaning back with a sigh. "Listen… being stuck in the past? It'll tear you apart. It'll rot you from the inside out. You'll drown in regret, and it'll paralyze you when you need to move forward most."
He paused, voice lowering, gaze more serious now.
"You're not in the place where she died anymore. You're here at Thalos Academy. And you've got a future ahead of you… if you choose to reach for it."
Caelus looked at him, uncertain.
Aiv met his eyes. "What do you do now? That's up to you. The past isn't coming back. But the future? It's still yours if you're willing to claim it. So, cheer up."
"You're right… you're right. Thank you for easing my mind," Caelus said, standing up from the bed with a small smile.
Aiv gave him a grin and stepped forward.
Without another word, Caelus raised his hand.
Aiv matched it instantly.
A clean, effortless dap the kind that didn't need rehearsing. The kind of dap that said, "I got you."
Caelus chuckled softly under his breath. For the first time in a while, the weight on his chest felt lighter.
Then, as if on cue, the Chronolinks on both their wrists vibrated sharply—bzzzt.
A soft ding followed, and a holographic screen projected itself into the air above Caelus's watch.
[Chronolink Display — Schedule: Student Name: Caelus Thorne | Rank: 169 | Year: 1]
📅 Date: Year 3542, Cycle 3 – Day 1 (First Academic Week)
📍 Location Sync: Dormitory Tower B – Floor 1 – Room 168-169
🔹 Morning Block: [6:30 AM – 9:00 AM]
6:30 – 7:30 AM – Basic Physical Conditioning (Unranked Level)
→ Held on Courtyard E (open ground training area).
→ Limited access gear (no Leym equipment for ranks below 100).
→ Drills: Mobility circuits, leyline rhythm breathing, joint flexibility prep.
→ Instructor: Garron Vex Talhart
7:30 – 8:00 AM – Break Fast (Level 1 Cafeteria)
→ Students may select from the any type meal plans they want but have to pay using merits.
8:00 – 9:00 AM – Class: Leym Foundation Theory I – Section C
→ Room: Lecture Hall B-12
→ Instructor: Tarell Ornon
→ Content: Leym Core anatomy, Uses of Leym energy, and Historical misuse cases.
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🔹 Midday Block: [9:30 AM – 1:30 PM]
9:30 – 11:00 AM – Class: Combat Fundamentals (Non-Affinity)
→ Arena H, Grid C
→ Uniform check, dummy sparring, breathing link drills
→ No live weapons permitted.
→ Pairings decided via rank-tier wheel
→ Staff Supervisor: Instructor Juran Leif
11:00 – 12:30 PM – Open Leym Absorption Period (Low-Access Chamber)
→ Students must reserve seat 24 hours in advance.
→ Caelus assigned to Absorption Chamber E-15.
→ Room Cap: 30 students. Leym Density: 2.6/10 (Low).
12:30 – 1:30 PM – Lunch Break (Self-Serve, Assigned Slots)
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🔹 Afternoon Block: [2:00 PM – 5:00 PM]
2:00 – 3:30 PM – Class: World Structures & Church Doctrine (Public Track)
→ Taught by Associate Historian Velan Rhime
→ Subject: Overview of the Seven Churches, Virtue Doctrine, Global Territories
→ Discussion forbidden for declared atheists.
3:30 – 5:00 PM – Competition Time (Simulated World Walk)
→ Students can compete against one another for ranks change through duels.
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🔹 Evening Block: [5:30 PM – 9:00 PM]
5:30 – 6:30 PM – Free Study / Elective Consultation Period
→ Optional 1-on-1 mentoring (based on available faculty time)
6:30 – 7:00 PM – Dinner (Low-Rank Queue)
→ Standard nutrition pack and many types of dinner food available.
7:00 – 8:30 PM – Dorm Rest Time (Social or Solo)
→ Shared lounges accessible by rank group.
→ Roommates must report schedule sync.
8:30 – 9:00 PM – Chronolink Log & Sync
→ Required Chronolink entry submission.
End of Schedule. A notification tone sounded as the message ended.
Caelus stared at the screen, brow twitching.
"That's… brutal," he muttered under his breath.
"Yeah, we're cooked as fuck, man," Aiv said, staring at his schedule which was the same thing again.
"Yo, what time is it now?"
They both glanced at the timer sitting on the table between the beds.
"Shit… we fucked up," they said in unison.
[End of chapter 16]