The Cornflower Witch

A little past four in the morning, before dawn, a frantic knock at the door jolted Sylutia awake. She quickly threw on a coat and went to open it.

A brilliantly feathered sky-blue crow stood before the door, its silhouette illuminated by the occasional lightning in the sky. A few droplets of water clung to its feathers, but with a quick flutter of its wings, it shook them off in no time.

Laying eyes on Sylutia, a strange mark lit up in the crow's eyes, as if verifying her identity. Then it let out a loud caw. “Hedra! Hedra! A notice for you! Report to the Central Hall immediately!” With that, it turned, took flight, and vanished into the curtain of rain.

Was this the college's dedicated messenger bird? She'd never seen one before.

Back inside, Sylutia quickly changed clothes, ran a brush through her hair three times to straighten it, tied it into a simple side ponytail with a white ribbon that draped in front, called out for her Shadow-Walking Beast to follow, and then charged into the rain.

A transparent barrier formed around her body, shielding her from the raindrops. Then, silver wings spread from her back, carrying her through the sky like a bolt of lightning, a silvery trail that vanished into the night.

Half a minute later, Sylutia descended from the sky. Quite a few people had already gathered at the Central Hall, huddled together in noisy discussion. They were all upper-year apprentices; no first or second years were to be seen.

Pushing through the crowd, Sylutia hurried into the inner hall, where she found several professors and instructors waiting for her.

“I'm here.” Sylutia had no idea what was going on, but a summons this urgent was no simple game.

“You're here, Hedra.” Refas stepped out from the group and approached the young woman.

Among all the professors currently at Tetis College, Refas was the most powerful, standing just a single step away from the Seventh Tier, ready to advance at any moment.

His silver-white hair was neatly combed, and he carried himself with an imposing dignity. If one didn't know he was a powerful mage, they might easily mistake him for a general. In fact, with the Dean rarely handling day-to-day affairs, Professor Refas had long been acting as his stand-in for many duties.

“I've called you here today to announce something important.” His expression was grave as he looked at the young woman. “The Parliament has decided on the relief teams and has begun mobilizing personnel and packing supplies. You are honored to be selected as a member of one of these teams, ready to depart.”

Sylutia wasn't surprised at being chosen, but what came next truly astonished her.

“There will be ten teams departing in total. Your final destination is 'Candela' in the northern part of the Alliance, the magnificent northernmost city, home to nearly a million people. If Candela falls, not only will its residents be unable to escape, but the North Wind Defense Line built around it will also collapse. When that happens, the Gale Season will grow even more ferocious.”

“To prevent that, the ten departing train teams will all be loaded with 'Scorching Sun Crystals.' These are the fire seeds that fuel the 'Furnace.' You can think of Candela as a giant beast that must devour these fire seeds. If the supply is cut off, it will go out.”

“Each team will have nearly two thousand Official Mages and close to ten thousand support staff. You'll be on the ninth train. The team leader is Master Ge Zhen from the Origin Hourglass school, an erudite and experienced elder. Your role will be his deputy, leading the Inspection Department contingent. There will also be an engineering team from the Scorching Sun Furnace school, led by Novadon.”

“The ten trains will follow three routes. The eastern route is relatively safe but goes the long way around. The central route is the fastest, but also the most dangerous, and you'll face many troubles along the way. The western route has seen less damage, but its tracks weren't designed for heavy loads, so only lighter train formations can be used, limiting transport capacity.”

“Your ninth train has been assigned to the central route as the second wave, with the third train clearing the path ahead of you.”

“The first, second, and third trains are already being loaded and crewed. You need to go to the Inspection Department immediately and gather your team. Have everything ready before nightfall tomorrow—not just your people assembled, but also all the supplies checked and accounted for.”

“The train departs at eight in the evening, so the Bell Tower's chime will not be a signal for departure.”

“Do you understand and remember everything?” His gaze was gentle as he asked.

“I remember.” Sylutia nodded.

“Good. This mission is of utmost importance. You represent not just yourself, but the honor of your school. All members of the Mithril Clock school traveling with you will be temporarily under your command. Remember your mission, stay calm, think everything through on the journey. You have no room for error.” His tone had grown harsh by the end, almost a warning.

Seeing this, Professor Vekos and Associate Professor Shalen came over to comfort Sylutia.

“Don't scare the kid. Being so harsh will just make her too nervous and ruin everything.”

“I know.” Refas took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and looked at Sylutia. He raised a hand and placed it on her shoulder, his rough fingers as solid as iron, making Sylutia feel the unyielding will of this elder before her.

“You're still too small, too young. Even if your past has been smooth sailing, until you've faced true hardship and danger, I can never feel at ease.” He patted her slowly a few times, then turned his back.

“Each of these ten teams has representatives from our school. Some are experienced professor-masters, some are long-serving elites, and others are reliable and trustworthy people with plenty of experience. Only you are the youngest, with the least experience, yet you are still one of the team's leaders.”

“I don't know why the Parliament valued you so highly when selecting candidates. But since you've taken this position, you must do your best. Understand, Hedra?”

“I will.” Sylutia nodded again.

“Good. Go now, prepare well. Don't dwell on what I said—just do your best with all your strength.” He finally softened his expression, no longer as intimidating as before.

The young woman nodded once more, then left the Central Hall.

After she left, the professors and instructors began counting the remaining people, assigning them to different relief teams. Some would depart today, others tomorrow.

Sylutia set off immediately for the Inspection Department. By six in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, she stepped through the department's doors, produced her orders, and began calling the team together.

Messenger birds darted back and forth, recalling members on duty. By nine in the morning, she had mustered all three hundred members under her command and headed for the staging area of the ninth train. There, a train as imposing as an iron fortress was being assembled—reinforced with heavier armor, its front lined with sharp, dividing lines, while heavy crystalline cannons were hoisted and mounted, bolted into place.

Inside the station, staff worked frantically to calibrate equipment, the roar of steam and the rumble of machinery a constant din. The army traveling with the train was gradually taking position, all equipped with advanced hand cannons and fine armor, ready for the expedition.

The northern region was no longer the peaceful place it had once been. A shift in mindset could turn disaster victims into violent mobs. Monsters weaving through the storm, empowered by the Vaulted Sky's breath, grew even more savage. The arrival of the bitter cold also brought winter beasts to the land, while aquatic creatures dormant in the Ice Sea could follow the torrential rain and winds south at any moment.

In the distant sky, the storm twisted and tore under the wind. Amidst this magnificent world, the gray iron tracks stretched like an almost invisible fine thread, extending into the distance, finally vanishing into the hazy depths of the rain.

Inside the station, massive iron hammers pounded heavily, driving rivets into the train's body to reinforce it. This steel beast was about to set off.