Chapter 2: Train to Port Velis

  The morning sun warmed the courtyard of Aurelian Academy, casting long shadows across the stone pathways. A soft breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the scent of dew through the mostly empty grounds. The usual buzz of students and instructors was absent—most Harmonists were already out on mission.

  Lysander Valenor lounged beneath a tree, one knee propped up as he flipped through a half-folded action comic. His silver eyes skimmed the panels lazily. He wasn’t reading it so much as existing in the space between panels—killing time. Two gravity bracelets clamped onto each wrist and ankle, but he moved like they weighed nothing.

  Across the courtyard, Amara Nullis practiced alone. Her fists cracked against a reinforced training dummy with startling power. Each strike was sharp and precise, guided by muscle memory and relentless discipline. She had no resonance energy, but it never seemed to matter.

  Above them, hidden in the shadowed branches, Seren reclined silently. His fingers idly twirled strands of translucent thread, weaving something unseen. His eyes were half-lidded, but he watched everything—still, alert, and unreadable.

  They were together, yet distant. The air carried a strange tension, as if the world itself held its breath.

  Miles away, a sleek black car glided down the capital’s expressway, city lights flashing past the tinted windows.

  Inside, Caelen Valenor sat in the back seat, dressed in a rolled-sleeve black version of the Academy’s uniform. A caramel latte steamed in one hand, while a pastry box rested on his lap. His circular sunglasses reflected the early light, obscuring the faint glow of his Aria Lux eyes.

  His phone buzzed.

  He raised it with mild disinterest and read the incoming message from the Association:

  Priority Mission: Cargo Escort – Resonance Crystal Transport Train.

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  Departure from Capital: 2 hours.

  Threat level: Unknown.

  Assign Unit 0.

  He exhaled softly, sipped his latte, and tapped his earpiece.

  “Prep Unit 0. We’ve got work.”

  By the time Caelen stepped through the doors of the Headmaster’s office, Lysander, Amara, and Seren were already standing at attention.

  Caelen didn’t look the part of a squad leader. He strolled in with a cream puff in his mouth and his phone still open in one hand. Sunglasses on. Completely unfazed.

  “Alright, kids,” he said mid-chew, “we’ve got ourselves a little train babysitting gig. Big ol’ choo-choo, resonance crystal transport—civilian train. Try not to blow anything up. It leaves in two hours.”

  Seren frowned. “Are you serious?”

  Amara glanced aside, hiding a smirk. Lysander, still holding his comic, just blinked slowly.

  Caelen swallowed. “You’ve got thirty minutes. Pack what you need.”

  As he turned to leave, he called out without looking back.

  “Oh—and don’t die.”

  Elaron Station was alive with motion—steam hissed from idle trains, merchants hawked goods, and travelers bustled across the platforms.

  Unit 0 stepped off their transport and onto the stone platform, eyes adjusting to the noise and chaos.

  “This is a public train?” Seren asked, scanning the crowd.

  Amara nodded. “Makes sense, I guess. Easier to blend in. No one would suspect high-value cargo on a ride like this.”

  Lysander didn’t even look up from his comic. “As long as it doesn’t explode, I’m fine.”

  They passed through the crowd unnoticed and slipped into the cargo section. Giant canisters lined the walls—sealed and glowing with contained resonance energy. Technicians in escort gear nodded silently as the trio entered.

  Lysander raised an eyebrow. “We’re guarding glow rocks?”

  “Glow rocks that power cities,” Amara said with a grin.

  Seren’s voice dropped low. “If a wraith hijacks this shipment…”

  No one replied.

  The train’s doors slid shut with a metallic hiss. The engine rumbled to life. Destination: Port Velis.

  Their mission had begun.

  Back on the highway, Caelen leaned into the seat of his luxury car, phone in one hand, coffee in the other.

  A new message lit up his screen.

  Escort Unit: 0

  Train #47 to Port Velis

  High-risk cargo. No backup assigned.

  He smirked.

  “Sure. Let’s put the continent’s most powerful crystals in the hands of three unstable kids with trauma. What could go wrong?”

  He tossed the last piece of cream puff into his mouth and sighed.

  “Guess I’ll check in after dessert.”

  [end of episode 2]

  Author’s Note:

  Hey everyone! Thanks for reading the second chapter of Resonantia! I hope you enjoyed it.

  Quick heads up: I’ll be updating weekly, so keep an eye out for new chapters every Thursday. If you’re liking the story so far, feel free to leave a comment your feedback means a lot to me!

  If you have any thoughts or questions, drop them in the comments.

  Till next week! ??