THE NEXT DAY
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
At first, I didn't think much of it. Villiam walked into the room like he always did quiet, shoulders tense but proud, a soft frown on his face like the world had offended him before breakfast. But then I saw it. The Stoneheart uniform. Jet black with dark blue stitching, polished silver clasps, and that unmistakable sigil across the chest. The moment he stepped through the doorway, the room froze. No one even tried to pretend otherwise. Gold and red parts of uniform made sure to catch everyone attention. Even Professor Denlor paused mid sentence.
"What in the gods—" Someone muttered behind me.
Villiam didn't say anything. He didn't need to. The uniform spoke for itself. Custom-fitted. Sharp-lined. Regal. Like it had been made for a prince who walked out of a legend and decided to sit in Advanced Tracking 101 like it was normal. My throat tightened. I glanced sideways at Isabella. She was gripping her quill hard enough to snap it.
"Is it just me." She whispered. "Or is he actually glowing?"
"It's the uniform." I said quickly. "Probably has enchanted thread. That's all."
But it wasn't just the clothes. It was him. Villiam moved like he belonged in that uniform. Like it wasn't something borrowed from the past, but something born in him. The silver trim brought out the cool tone in his eyes. The way the coat hugged his shoulders, ugh. No. No, I wasn't doing this. But then he smiled, gods, a real smile, and half the class started whispering. Even Denlor raised a brow, muttered something like.
"Well. I suppose dress code is negotiable for relics of history." And turned back to the chalkboard.
And just like that, Villiam became the center of attention. Girls giggled behind their sleeves. A few boys adjusted their uniforms like it'd make a difference.I felt the heat rise in my neck. Isabella leaned in.
"What the hell is happening?"She asked. As soon as my sister joined the classroom, all she cared about was Villiam.
"He's… popular now?" I muttered, not sure if I wanted to laugh or break something.
But the worst part? He didn't even notice. Villiam just sat in the same chair as always, pulled out his book, and casually ate one of those dumb honey cookies he liked so much. I could hear it the soft little hum in his throat. A low purr. A purr. What the actual hell? My heart did a weird stutter. I glanced at Isabella. Her jaw was tight.
"Did he just…?"I asked.
"Yes." She hissed. "He purred."
We both stared. It wasn't loud. But it was there. Calm. Soft. Real. And then I saw it Laura watching from the doorway, eyes narrowed in interest. She didn't say anything. Just noted it and walked away with a secretive smile. My stomach sank. Something was going on. Something more. And I hated that I didn't know what. I decided I needed to learn more no matter what. Soon Villiam had been lingering under the shade of the academy's willow trees, slowly breaking apart the last honey cookie in his hand. The shadows played across his dark Stoneheart uniform, silver threads catching stray sunlight like webbed moonlight. He looked at peace. But only on the surface.
"Villiam." Laura said gently.
He looked up quickly, blinking.
"Oh, professor."He said.
She smiled.
"It's just Laura when we're alone, remember?"She said.
His shoulders eased, just a little.
"Right… Laura."He said.
She sat beside him on the bench, folding her hands on her lap. For a moment, they just listened to the wind stir through the leaves.
"You're adjusting well. You looked… proud today." She said.
He gave a soft laugh, eyes falling to the blue gem at the center of his necklace.
"Yeah. I guess I did."He said.
Laura tilted her head.
"But you also looked like you were about to cry."She said.
Villiam didn't answer right away. His fingers absently traced the embroidered edge of his sleeve. The Stoneheart crest a blazing sunburst crossed with a howling wolf glimmered faintly against the fabric.
"I'm happy." He said at last. "This uniform... it's not just a relic. It's my family's. My people's. Seeing it on me again hearing people whisper about Stoneheart like it's real and not just smoke it makes it feel like they're not... gone."
Laura waited.
"But." Villiam continued, voice thinner now. "It also reminds me how much I lost. My home. My parents. Friends. The laughter. The forge sparks at night. Even the dumb village festivals where I had to dress like a lord and pretend I wasn't bored out of my mind."
He chuckled, but his eyes were glassy. Laura reached out and gently placed a hand on his.
"You carry them with you."She said.
He stiffened slightly.
"You don't have to say it aloud." Laura added quickly, voice soft. "But I know. And I see how heavy it is."
Villiam lowered his head.
"I don't know if I'll ever stop missing them." He murmured.
"You won't." Laura saidgently. "But now, people remember the name Stoneheart because of you. And they notice. They care. You're not alone."She said.
There was a long silence. Then finally, he gave a small, shaky smile.
"Thanks… Laura."He said.
It was supposed to be a normal day lecture, sparring, a poorly disguised attempt by Isabella and me not to compete for the same person's attention. And then headmaster Celvin dropped a bomb on us.
"In honor of Stoneheart." He said, his voice calm but with that edge of finality that left no room for protest. "All students will be granted access to the Grand Archive. One book. One choice. No supervision."
Gasps spread like wildfire. Even the professors murmured among themselves. I saw Laura's lips part in surprise. Denlor dropped his quill. Hell, even Niall blinked like someone had just slapped him with a wet map.
Because the Grand Archive? That was no ordinary library. That was the place where real knowledge forbidden knowledge slept under spell-locked covers, behind ancient sigils and bloodlines long forgotten.
And for the first time in decades, they were giving us access. All of us. I should've been excited. I should've been burning to get my hands on a lost royal sword form scroll or a tome of blood forging techniques. But instead, my eyes slid to the side. Toward him. Villiam.
He stood quiet among the crowd, that usual air of distance around him, wearing the Stoneheart uniform like it had grown from his skin. It didn't just fit him it claimed him. Blue thread, silver buttons, the sunburst-and-wolf crest over his heart. And when he turned just slightly, the small glint of that necklace silver, deep blue stone in the center caught the sun.
He didn't smile. He never really did. Not around others.
But something flickered in his gaze. Something deep.
Something old. When our class's turn came, we were guided into the archive with minimal instructions basically, 'don't touch what screams' and 'no setting off curses indoors.'. The Archive was massive.
The air was thick with age and magic. Rows upon rows of books, scrolls, and relics filled the chamber like a forgotten cathedral of ink and shadow. People rushed toward the enchanted arts, potion lore, monster theory. Even Isabella darted off, eyes sharp, fingers already scanning book spines. And then Villiam turned and walked the other way. Not a glance at the glowing tomes. Not a second of hesitation. He moved toward the back. The Old Lore section. No light runes. No protective charms. Just cobwebs and forgotten history.
"What's he doing?" I muttered, already following.
"He's going into the Dust zone?" Isabella whispered beside me, incredulous.
"Does he know what's there?" One student asked.
"No one does." I said.
Except... maybe he did. He moved with purpose. Not like he was exploring. Like he already knew what he wanted.
Every step he took echoed through the high, vaulted Archive like it was his place. I kept my distance but didn't let him leave my sight. He reached a far shelf one of the ancient ones. The kind only professors touched, and even then, only during eclipse ceremonies or when the royal family needed consulting. His hand hovered over a massive book. Blackened leather. No title. Just a faded symbol that looked like a sun being eaten by a wolf.
I swallowed. Villiam touched the cover, murmured something—something in a language I didn't know and the book... unlocked. Unlocked. No spell. No runes. No blood offering. It just opened like it had been waiting for him. He pulled it down, cradling it against his chest with a reverence I couldn't name. Then the silence broke.
Professor Niall's voice, rough with disbelief.
"That book..."He started. "That hasn't been touched in over two hundred years."
Even Celvin descended from the upper level, eyes narrowed.
"The Codex of the Sun-Wolf." He said slowly. "Only descendants of Stoneheart's high family could access that book without triggering the glyphs."
Descendants. The room froze. Villiam didn't flinch. Didn't "I know."Villiam said.
The professors stared. Isabella's lips parted in shock.
And me? I felt cold. Not because of fear, but because I suddenly understood nothing about the person I thought I'd been watching this whole time. That wasn't just some quiet, talented student in a worn uniform. That was someone with legacy in his blood. Someone whose people had been erased from history. Someone who just unlocked a door no one else could even see. And he was still standing there like it meant nothing. A home. A family. A life that ended in fire.