Rise of Lunars

Rain fell softly over the outer sectors of Vestella.

Neon lights reflected across wet metal streets while distant flying vehicles crossed the dark skies between towering skyscrapers far beyond the city’s industrial edge. Giant holograms flickered above the richer districts in the distance, glowing through the rain like floating stars.

But none of that light reached Edwin Lunar’s apartment.

The small room remained quiet except for the sound of tools clicking against metal.

Edwin sat beside his old repair table, carefully reconnecting wires inside a damaged service drone. Tiny blue sparks flashed between his fingers while screens and broken machine parts covered nearly every corner of the apartment.

Some things never changed.

Even after everything that happened on Noroel…

He still repaired machines.

The drone suddenly activated.

Its small eyes blinked blue.

“System restored,” it chirped mechanically.

Edwin smiled faintly.

“There you go.”

The drone floated happily around the room before landing near the window.

Outside, rain continued pouring across the city.

Edwin leaned back quietly in his chair.

Fourteen years old.

For some reason, that felt strange.

A year and a half ago he had been fixing broken gadgets alone in Vestella, trying to survive another day without getting thrown out by his landlord.

Now he had survived underground sectors, combat trials, academy training, and the mysteries beneath Lunar Dominion Academy.

And yet somehow…

This apartment still felt like home.

His eyes moved toward the old scarf hanging beside the bed.

His mother’s scarf.

Next to it rested the silver ring of Wingard Lunar.

Even now, faint blue patterns sometimes appeared across its surface during the night.

Edwin slowly picked it up.

The metal felt warm again.

Not dangerous.

Almost comforting.

A sudden loud knocking shattered the silence.

“LUNAR!”

Edwin sighed immediately.

Right on schedule.

The apartment door slid open before he could answer.

Mrs. Grent walked inside carrying her usual expression of permanent irritation.

“You still owe hallway maintenance credits.”

Edwin crossed his arms.

“I repaired the building drones last week.”

“Yes, and one of them insulted me yesterday.”

“That sounds like a personal issue.”

Mrs. Grent narrowed her eyes.

“You’ve become more sarcastic.”

Edwin almost smiled.

Noroel probably did that.

Before she could continue complaining, a mechanical sound echoed outside the apartment window.

A hovering silver drone stopped outside.

Its surface carried the symbol of the academy.

Edwin immediately stood.

Mrs. Grent blinked.

“…What now?”

The drone projected a holographic seal into the room.

LUNAR DOMINION ACADEMYTHIRD-YEAR AUTHORIZATION

Edwin’s heartbeat quickened slightly.

The letter.

The drone’s voice echoed softly:

“Student Edwin Lunar. Your return transport to Noroel has been approved. Departure scheduled tonight at 21:00 through Vestella Underground Transit Sector Seven.”

A second hologram appeared.

RANK STATUS UPDATE: ADVANCED BEGINNER CLASSIFICATION

Edwin stared at the screen quietly.

Then another line appeared.

PRELIMINARY THIRD-YEAR EVALUATION REQUIRED

Mrs. Grent looked between Edwin and the hologram.

“You’re leaving again?”

Edwin nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

She remained silent briefly.

Then crossed her arms harder.

“…Good.”

But her voice sounded less rude than usual.

The drone projected one final message.

“HAPPY FOURTEENTH BIRTHDAY, STUDENT EDWIN LUNAR.”

Then it flew away into the rain.

Silence returned to the apartment.

Mrs. Grent looked genuinely surprised.

“It’s your birthday?”

Edwin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“…Apparently.”

She stared at him for several seconds before placing a small box on the repair table.

Edwin blinked.

“What’s this?”

“You fixed my heating system during winter.”

“…So?”

“You almost froze while doing it.”

Edwin looked confused.

Mrs. Grent looked even more uncomfortable.

“It’s called gratitude. Don’t make it strange.”

Then she immediately walked out of the apartment.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Edwin stared at the box for several seconds before opening it carefully.

Inside was a small mechanical toolkit.

New.

Professional quality.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Then he smiled quietly.

Maybe she wasn’t completely terrible.

Hours later, Vestella’s rain had grown heavier.

The apartment looked emptier now.

Edwin packed slowly:

academy uniform, repair tools, several old clothes, his mother’s scarf, and the silver ring.

He paused before leaving.

The room felt smaller than before.

Or maybe he had simply changed.

He walked toward the window one final time.

Far away, beyond the crowded industrial sectors, the massive skyscrapers of central Vestella glowed against the night sky.

A year ago, those towers had felt impossibly distant.

Now his thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

Noroel.

The academy.

Carl.

Iris.

Sector Zero.

And the glowing red box confiscated beneath the academy after the events of last year.

Nobody had explained what was inside it.

But Edwin never forgot the feeling it gave him.

Like something alive was hidden within it.

The ring suddenly pulsed warmly.

Edwin looked down immediately.

For half a second, faint silver markings appeared across the metal.

Then vanished.

“…Not tonight,” he muttered quietly.

A few hours later, Edwin entered Vestella Underground Transit Sector Seven.

The hidden station looked enormous beneath the city.

Silver transport rails stretched endlessly through giant tunnels while advanced trains floated silently above glowing magnetic tracks.

Travelers moved through security gates beneath holographic announcements while academy guards watched carefully from elevated platforms.

Edwin adjusted the bag over his shoulder and stepped toward the boarding platform.

Then suddenly—

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SECTOR BOY!”

Edwin turned instantly.

Carl sprinted across the platform waving both arms dramatically.

Edwin actually laughed.

“You’re alive.”

“Barely. Third-year preparation assignments nearly killed me.”

Carl stopped in front of him grinning widely.

His black hair looked messier than ever.

Then he handed Edwin a small wrapped package.

“Birthday gift.”

“You bought me something?”

“Technically yes.”

“Technically?”

“It may also explode.”

Edwin stared at him.

Carl quickly raised his hands.

“Only a little.”

A familiar voice interrupted them.

“It does not explode.”

Iris approached calmly through the crowded station carrying a silver data case beneath one arm.

As always, she looked perfectly organized while Carl looked like he survived a natural disaster.

Edwin smiled slightly.

“It’s good to see you both.”

Iris stopped beside them.

Then quietly handed Edwin a small metallic bracelet.

“A synchronization stabilizer.”

Edwin blinked.

“You made this?”

“It helps regulate Flame interference around advanced systems.”

Carl pointed dramatically.

“She spent three weeks building it.”

Iris immediately glared at him.

“You were not supposed to say that.”

For the first time all evening, Edwin genuinely smiled.

The station announcement echoed overhead:

“Transport departure to Noroel begins in five minutes.”

Passengers started boarding the massive silver train ahead.

Carl stretched excitedly.

“Third year.”

Iris adjusted her glasses slightly.

“The difficulty level increases significantly.”

Carl immediately looked less excited.

Edwin looked toward the train doors slowly.

Noroel waited beyond those tunnels once again.

But something felt different now.

Not fear.

Not uncertainty.

This time…

He was returning home.

Far above Vestella, thunder rolled across the city skies as the underground train doors closed.

Then the transport accelerated into darkness—

Carrying Edwin Lunar back toward Noroel.