The air in the Meditation Hall was heavy with an oppressive tension as Milo sat cross-legged on the floor, beads of sweat forming on his brow. His deep purple eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to focus on his breath and steady the racing of his heart. The usually calm and serene atmosphere had been shattered by a vision that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness – an ethereal woman with a face shrouded in darkness, her presence emanating an unsettling aura that sent chills down Milo's spine.

"Focus, Milo," he muttered under his breath, trying to shake off the image. But the more he tried to push it away, the more vivid and persistent it became. A nagging suspicion began to take root in his mind – could this mysterious woman be connected to the Alliance of Three?

He dared not entertain the thought, but the seed had been planted, and it began to grow like a poisonous vine, entwining itself around his every thought and action.

"Hey, Milo, are you okay?" Marco's voice broke through his reverie, concern etched across his face. "You're looking pretty shaken up there."

Milo hesitated, caught between the desire to confide in his friends and the fear of what that might mean for them. Xu Wei, Alexis, and Marco had become like family to him, but if his suspicions were correct, their association with him could put them in grave danger.

"Nothing... just a bit distracted," he lied, forcing a smile that felt hollow and insincere. "I'll be fine."

But as the days wore on, Milo couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, hunted by unseen eyes. He began to distance himself from his friends, avoiding their company whenever possible in a futile attempt to keep them safe from the potential danger that lurked in the shadows.

"Are you avoiding us or something?" Alexis asked one day, her brow furrowed in confusion and hurt. "You've been acting strange lately."

"Strange?" Milo echoed, trying to laugh it off. "I don't know what you're talking about." But his laughter was hollow, and the worry in Alexis's eyes only served to deepen his resolve.

"Whatever's going on, you can tell us," Xu Wei added, his voice gentle but firm. "We're your friends. We'll help you through it."

"Really, I'm fine," Milo insisted, evading their gaze. "I just... need some space right now. That's all."

He watched as a flicker of disappointment crossed their faces, followed by a mixture of concern and confusion. He longed to confide in them, to share the burden of his fears and doubts, but the thought of endangering them was too much to bear. And so, Milo retreated further into himself, withdrawing from his friends like a wounded animal seeking shelter from the storm.

Milo's muscles strained as he swung his staff in the secluded clearing outside the academy, beads of sweat rolling down his tanned skin. He had chosen this spot for its isolation. Far enough from prying eyes to allow him to focus on honing his skills and magical abilities undisturbed, yet close enough that he could retreat into the safe confines of the academy should an opponent ambush him. The sun cast dappled light through the canopy above, flickering over Milo's form as he moved with purpose. His deep purple eyes were narrowed in concentration, teeth gritted as he pushed himself beyond his limits.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath, wiping the perspiration from his brow. His inner turmoil was mirrored by the wild energy radiating from him, a storm contained within his very being. With each swing, each burst of magic, Milo sought solace in the exhaustion that came with relentless training. It was a desperate attempt to escape the unsettling vision that plagued him and the gnawing fear that the Alliance of Three might be involved.

He rubbed the amulet around his neck. "Hector, I need your help right about now," he whispered. "I'm lost, I don't know what to do."

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"Need a break?" a voice asked, shattering the silence. Milo tensed, swinging around with his staff at the ready, only to find Marco standing nearby, hands raised in surrender. "Hey, I come in peace."

"Sorry," Milo said, lowering his weapon and rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't realize anyone knew about this place."

"Neither did I," Marco admitted, smirking slightly. "Guess we both needed some solitude, huh?"

"Something like that," Milo replied, keeping his thoughts guarded. As much as he wanted to confide in his friends, he couldn't bring himself to involve them in his mess.

"Alright, then." Marco gave a nod of understanding before turning to leave. "Just remember, you don't have to do this alone."

Once he was certain Marco was gone, Milo resumed his training with renewed fervor, pushing away the guilt that tightened around his heart like a vice.

...

In the dimly lit library of the academy, Milo found himself scouring ancient tomes and scrolls for any information he could find on the Alliance of Three and Void Magic. The smell of old parchment filled his nostrils as he flipped through pages, seeking answers to the questions that haunted him. He needed to uncover the truth behind the mysterious woman's identity and motives, no matter the cost.

"Looking for something specific?" Gwenyth asked, her eyes sharp as she studied Milo from behind her desk.

"Anything on the Alliance of Three," Milo replied, trying to sound casual.

"Ah," she said, raising an eyebrow. "A student of history and current event, try not to get too caught up in it."

"Thanks for the advice," Milo muttered as Gwenyth handed him several dusty volumes. As he opened the first book, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. The dark histories and twisted tales seemed to reach out to him, whispering secrets better left buried.

"Come on, come on," Milo mumbled to himself, flipping through the pages with increasing urgency. His determination to uncover the truth was a fire within him, consuming everything in its path. And as he delved deeper into the books, he vowed to himself that he wouldn't rest until he had unraveled the mysteries surrounding the enigmatic woman and the Alliance of Three.

He would face whatever darkness lay ahead, no matter the cost. For himself, and for the friends he sought so desperately to protect.

...

Milo's heart raced as he stood in the middle of his makeshift training ground, nestled deep within the woods outside the academy. Sweat dripped from his brow, staining the earth beneath him as his breaths came in ragged gasps. The isolation had become a physical manifestation of his inner turmoil; the shadows cast by the towering trees seemed to close in on him, suffocating him with their oppressive presence.

"Damn it," he muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Each swing of his staff felt heavier than the last, and the relentless whisper of self-doubt threatened to strangle every bit of conviction he possessed. The thought of being hunted by the Alliance of Three gnawed at him, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked just beyond his reach.

"Can I really protect them?" Milo thought, his grip tightening around his staff until his knuckles turned white. He was haunted by visions of Xu Wei, Alexis, and Marco lying broken and lifeless before him, their blood staining his hands. The responsibility weighed heavily upon him, crushing him beneath its burden.

"Hey, Milo!" called Marco's voice, snapping him back to reality. His friends stood at the edge of the clearing, concern etched into their faces as they studied him. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Milo replied curtly, putting down his staff and turning away from them. "Just training."

"Alone? In the middle of nowhere?" Alexis arched an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You've been acting really strange lately."

"Strange how?" Milo retorted defensively, his pulse quickening in response to her probing questions. He couldn't let them get too close, couldn't risk dragging them down with him.

"Like you're hiding something," said Xu Wei, his calm demeanor unshakable even in the face of Milo's growing unease. "You've been pushing us away."

"Look, it's just... complicated," Milo mumbled, his voice barely audible as he tried to bury the truth beneath a mountain of denial.

"Complicated or not, we're your friends," Marco insisted, his face softening as he tried to bridge the chasm that had opened between them. "We can help, whatever it is."

"Enough!" Milo snapped, the words tearing free from him like a wild animal escaping its cage. "Just leave me alone!"

His friends exchanged worried glances before reluctantly retreating, leaving Milo to wrestle with his demons in solitude once more. Their confusion and concern only served to deepen the shadows that clung to him, feeding on his fear and doubt.

"Can I really do this? No, I have to do this. Only I can." Milo thought, his chest tightening as the weight of his secret threatened to crush him entirely. But as his friends disappeared from sight, a flicker of determination ignited within him, fueled by their unwavering faith in him.

"Whatever it takes," he whispered, his resolve hardening like steel as he resumed his training. "I'll protect them, no matter the cost."