The Gray Halls of Ardencrest Academy were a world apart from the gleaming grandeur of the Golden Tower. The uneven stone walls seemed to absorb the faint glow of mana runes etched into them, their light sputtering like dying embers.
For the students wearing Gray-ranked badges, the dim corridors weren’t just a place—they were a reflection of their station in the academy.
Ayo Solara kept his gaze low as he moved through the narrow halls, clutching his notebook tightly. Around him, other Gray-ranked students shuffled to their classes in silence, their plain uniforms blending into the shadows of the drab walls.
"Watch it, Gray!" A Silver-ranked student brushed past him with an audible scoff, their polished badge catching the flicker of enchanted light.
Ayo stumbled, catching himself before he fell. A sharp retort burned at the back of his throat, but he swallowed it. He didn’t have the luxury of starting something—especially not here.
"This is fine," he muttered, his voice low. "Just another day."
But the familiar mantra did little to calm the knot in his chest. His gaze flicked to the dull Gray badge pinned to his uniform, a constant reminder of his place in the academy’s rigid hierarchy.
As he turned the corner toward his lecture hall, a familiar voice called out. "Ayo! There you are!"
Ayo glanced up to see Eike Eravyn leaning against a nearby column, his ever-present grin lighting up the shadowy corridor. The Gold badge on his chest gleamed like a miniature sun, and for a moment, Ayo’s tension eased.
“You’re late,” Eike teased as he fell into step beside him.
“Barely,” Ayo replied, adjusting his notebook. “You wouldn’t believe the gauntlet of Silver egos I had to get through.”
Eike chuckled, throwing an arm over Ayo’s shoulders. His easy confidence was infectious, a stark contrast to the oppressive weight of the Gray Halls. “You’ve got to stop letting them get to you,” Eike said.
“Easy for you to say,” Ayo muttered, his eyes flicking to Eike’s badge.
Eike’s laughter softened, and he turned to face Ayo with a rare seriousness. “You know, when my mom took you in, it wasn’t out of pity.”
Ayo blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
“It’s because we believe in you,” Eike said firmly. “My mom, me… even my dad, if he were here. He’d be proud to call you family.”
Ayo’s throat tightened. He wanted to respond, but the words wouldn’t come.
“And don’t think I didn’t notice last week,” Eike added with a knowing grin. “During sparring. You used Nyvra.”
Ayo stiffened. “I don’t remember doing that.”
“Well, I saw it,” Eike said, his golden eyes gleaming faintly with the Eyes of Nyx. “You’ve got potential, Ayo. You just have to stop doubting yourself.”
Before Ayo could reply, Eike glanced at the clock. His grin disappeared. “Oh no. Thendris Kaelthorn’s class—I’m late!”
Eike said, his voice rising in panic. “Do you know what he does to late students? Last time, I had to spar with three Silvers at once!”
Eike’s golden mana flared to life, swirling in radiant arcs around his hand as he flashed a confident grin.
“Catch you later!” he called, vanishing in a burst of light and leaving Ayo standing alone in the hallway.
Ayo laughed quietly, shaking his head. Eike always made it seem so effortless.
The lecture hall buzzed with subdued conversation as students settled into their seats. Ayo slipped into the back row, grateful for the anonymity. His desk, scarred with carved initials and old ink stains, stood in stark contrast to the polished seats reserved for Silver and Gold students near the front.
At the head of the room, Professor Mirek began his lecture. “Today, we’ll discuss anomalies—phenomena that emerged after the Realm War.”
As Mirek spoke, Ayo leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. The diagrams of mana flows and crystalline structures reminded him of the Aether Hollow, a dangerous anomaly near the academy grounds.
When the professor mentioned Nyvra, the room shifted uneasily. “Nyvra is chaos incarnate,” Mirek said. “It is not to be trifled with.”
Ayo hesitated, then raised his hand. “What if the Veil isn’t just holding back Nyvra?
What if it’s weakening over time, and these anomalies are warnings?” he asked.
The room turned to stare, and Ayo’s face flushed.
Mirek regarded him thoughtfully, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually composed features. “An intriguing perspective, Mr. Solara. Not without merit.” He straightened, his tone turning sharper as he addressed the class.
“Speculation aside, what we know for certain is this: anomalies like the Aether Hollow are hazardous. They warp mana flow, destabilize the surroundings, and attract those reckless enough to attempt harnessing their power. Now, open your books to page 214.”
As the whispers of his classmates faded, Ayo slumped in his seat. But the professor’s words lingered.
Later that evening, Ayo found a note waiting on his desk. The handwriting was sharp and precise.
“Meet me at the Aether Hollow. Prove you’re more than Eike’s shadow.”
Lirien Veyra❤️.
Ayo crushed the note in his fist, anger flaring. She always knew how to twist the knife. But this time, he wouldn’t back down.
He stood and grabbed his coat, slipping out of the dormitory and into the cool night air.
The academy grounds were eerily quiet, the towering spires of the Golden Tower gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Ayo’s footsteps echoed as he made his way to the training area, where rows of weapons lined the walls. Most were old and worn, their edges dulled by years of use.
He selected a longsword from the rack, its blade slightly chipped but serviceable. The hilt felt foreign in his grip, but it would have to do. Strapping the sheath to his waist, he turned and headed for the edge of the academy grounds
The path to the Aether Hollow wound through dense forest, the trees casting long shadows across the dirt trail. The cool night air carried a faint, acrid tang—like burnt ozone mixed with the metallic bite of mana residue.
The Hollow was far from the academy, secluded enough that no one would hear the clash of steel or the crackle of magic. The isolation was both comforting and unnerving.When Ayo reached the clearing, the air grew heavier, thick with the sharp scent of raw energy.
The crystalline formations of the Aether Hollow glowed faintly, their jagged surfaces reflecting the moonlight like shards of broken glass.
A faint, earthy musk clung to the clearing, overlaid with the unnatural tang of mana-infused air that tingled faintly in his nostrils. He stepped into the clearing, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword
“You actually came,” Lirien’s voice rang out from the shadows..
She stepped into the light, her spear resting against her shoulder. The polished Silver badge on her chest caught the faint glow of the crystals, a stark reminder of the gap between them.
She stepped into the light, her spear resting against her shoulder. The polished Silver badge on her chest caught the faint glow of the crystals, a stark reminder of the gap between them.
“I didn’t come here to lose,” Ayo said, forcing his voice to remain steady.
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Lirien smirked, circling him like a predator. “You know, you can’t hide behind Eike forever. Seeing the strong side by side with the weak—it makes me sick.”
Ayo didn’t respond, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.
“I’ll tell you what,” she continued, stopping a few paces away. “If you win, I’ll vouch for you to the headmaster. Get you bumped up to Silver rank. But if you lose…”
She shrugged, twirling her spear with a casual grace. “Let’s just say, after tonight, Ardencrest will be the least of your concerns.”
“This is your moment, Solara,” she said, her voice laced with mockery, a false smile tugging at her lips. “Show me you’re more than just a stray Eike pulled in off the streets.”
Ayo’s jaw clenched. “I don’t owe you—or anyone—anything.”
Her smirk deepened, a glint of challenge in her eyes. “We’ll see about that.”
The duel began
The first strike came fast—too fast. Lirien lunged, her spear a blur as it shot toward Ayo’s shoulder. He barely managed to sidestep, the blade grazing his uniform as he swung his sword in a clumsy counterattack.
Lirien parried with ease, twisting her spear to knock his blade aside. The force of the blow jarred his arm, sending vibrations up to his shoulder.
“Pathetic,” she sneered, spinning her spear in a fluid motion before lunging again.
This time, Ayo anticipated the strike. He sidestepped, bringing his sword down in a wide arc aimed at her exposed side.
But Lirien was faster. She pivoted, her spear whirling to block his attack with an effortless precision that left him open. Her foot lashed out, sweeping his legs out from under him.
Ayo hit the ground hard, his sword skittering from his grasp.
Lirien loomed over him, her spear pointed at his throat. “Is this the best you’ve got?” she taunted.
Ayo gritted his teeth, scrambling to his feet as Lirien backed away to give him space. His chest heaved with exertion, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword as he retrieved it.
Lirien twirled her spear, her movements almost lazy. “You can’t hide behind Eike forever, Solara. You’re just a shadow—a flicker of light that’ll burn out the second it’s tested.”
Her words hit harder than her strikes, but Ayo forced himself to push them aside. He lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air in a reckless attempt to close the gap between them.
Lirien sidestepped, her spear darting out to strike his side. The blade caught his uniform, tearing through fabric and grazing skin.
“Come on,” she said, her voice almost bored. “Show me something worth my time.”
Ayo’s frustration boiled over. He swung wildly, pouring all his strength into a series of rapid strikes. His blade clashed against Lirien’s spear again and again, but her defense was impenetrable.
Finally, she knocked his sword from his hands once more, threads of mana flickering around her fingers as she shot them toward him. The tendrils wrapped around his wrists, pinning his arms to his sides.
“You’re out of your league,” she said, her tone almost pitying. “Why don’t you save us both the trouble and give up?”
The words stung, but Ayo refused to surrender. He struggled against the mana threads, his breath ragged.
“Fire,” he thought desperately, summoning every ounce of strength to channel mana into his fingertips. A wall of flames erupted between him and Lirien, the heat shimmering in the air as it rose like a barrier of molten fury.
The air grew hotter, the flames crackling with intensity. Lirien raised her free hand, her fingers weaving threads of mana into the inferno. The fire twisted and spiraled upward, transforming into a vortex of blazing heat that encircled Ayo.
The searing air licked at his skin, sweat streaming down his face as he clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest.
Through the whirling flames, Lirien stood with calculated precision. Her mana surged as she charged her Sundering Lance, her focus unwavering. In a swift motion, she unleashed a volley of mana-infused arrows, each one slicing through the vortex.
Ayo felt the searing pain as they struck, tearing through his defenses and driving him to his knees. His cry of agony was swallowed by the deafening roar of the flames.
The heat was suffocating, the pain unbearable. Despair clawed at his mind like a shadow, whispering that there was no escape. He gritted his teeth, his vision blurring as the fire raged around him. This is it, he thought bitterly. I can’t do it. She’s right.
The crystalline formations surrounding them seemed to pulse rhythmically, their faint glow steadily brightening as if feeding off the rising tension. It was almost as though they were alive, silently observing the duel, waiting with bated breath for something to erupt.
Then, deep within Ayo, something shifted. A raw, untamed energy stirred, coiling through him like a sleeping beast awakening. It felt both alien and strangely familiar, a forgotten part of himself that now demanded recognition.
The whispers grew louder at the edges of his mind, urging him to let go—to release the power within and let it consume everything. Lirien’s eyes narrowed as the air around Ayo shifted, charged with a crackling energy that pulsed through the clearing, sending prickles across her skin.
The fiery vortex that had once trapped him bellowed like a wounded beast, its orange flames darkening into a deep, unnatural purple.
The sharp tang of burning mana filled the air as the vortex collapsed inward, consumed entirely by the violet aura surging around Ayo.
His energy erupted upward, piercing the sky like a blazing purple beacon, its sheer intensity illuminating the clearing in an eerie, otherworldly light.
The mana threads binding his wrists shattered into glittering fragments, disintegrating into the ether as violet energy sprang to life around him, swirling in fiery, serpentine arcs. The aura pulsed like a living force, consuming everything in its path and radiating a power that made the air thick with tension.
“What the—” she began, but her voice faltered as Ayo slowly lifted his head.
His dark brown skin glimmered faintly under the aura’s eerie light, the glow enveloping him like a second skin. The two-strand twists in his hair unraveled one by one, the dark coils bleaching to an unnatural white as if consumed by the raw energy coursing through him.
His hair, now a mass of loose, curling strands, lifted gently in an unseen breeze. His eyes, once unassuming, now burned a deep, luminous purple, their piercing light casting ghostly shadows that danced across the clearing.
Lirien’s spear trembled in her grasp, the steady precision she prided herself on now faltering. The confident smirk she had worn moments ago dissolved, her expression shifting to something she couldn’t mask—fear, raw and undeniable, etched across her face.
Ayo reached for his fallen sword, his hand steady despite the raw energy coursing through him. The blade, chipped and broken, seemed almost insignificant.
But as he gripped the hilt, the violet aura surged, wrapping around the weapon in a spiraling vortex of light. The jagged edges of the blade gleamed with newfound power.
“I’m not done yet,” Ayo said, his voice steady and resonant, carrying a weight that wasn’t entirely his own.
Lirien gritted her teeth, gripping her spear tightly as silver mana began to coalesce around her, swirling in luminous arcs. Her focus sharpened, every ounce of her energy channeled into the weapon in her hands.
“Fine,” she said coldly, her voice cutting through the tense air. “Let’s end this.”
The mana spiraled faster, condensing into a blinding light as she poured her intent into shaping the Sundering Lance. The spear pulsed with raw power, the air around her crackling with electricity as the ground trembled beneath the weight of her concentration.
The ground quaked beneath them as the two opponents squared off, their energies colliding in an invisible yet palpable storm between them. Lirien’s mana surged, the runes etched into her spear blazing with silvery light. With a swift motion, she hurled the weapon into the air.
“Sundering Lance!” she cried, her voice echoing through the clearing like a rolling storm. The spear swelled as her mana surged into it, transforming into a towering weapon that dwarfed the battlefield. It streaked through the air with blistering speed, a searing arc of silver light that scorched the atmosphere and left a blazing trail in its path.
Ayo stood resolute, his broken sword lifted as violet energy surged around him, condensing into a fierce, spiraling storm of raw power.
“Violet Tempest,” Ayo murmured, the words escaping his lips like a command woven into the very fabric of the storm around him. The violet energy erupted, surging through his broken blade and shaping into a colossal, arcing slash.
The strike burned with raw, unrestrained power, tearing through the air in a dazzling streak of purple light. It crackled and howled like a living force, leaving a shimmering trail of destruction in its wake as it hurtled toward its target with relentless fury.
The violet slash met the Sundering Lance in a cataclysmic collision, the impact erupting with a deafening roar that shook the clearing to its core. Shockwaves tore through the air, rippling outward as the crystalline formations shattered into radiant shards.
The fragments cascaded like fragments of a broken sky, each glinting with ethereal light as they rained down like falling stars
In the wake of the collision, Ayo’s aura surged violently, the violet energy cascading downward as if drawn into the depths of his shadow. The darkness at his feet writhed and expanded, twisting upward with an almost living intent.
It rose into a towering, shadowy wall, its surface rippling like liquid night. The barrier braced against the shockwaves, absorbing the relentless force of the impact and shielding Ayo from the destruction raging around him.
When the violet light faded, Ayo stood alone in the clearing, his broken sword dissolving into shimmering shards of energy that vanished into the air. A few paces away, Lirien lay sprawled on the ground, her shattered spear beside her. Her chest rose and fell in uneven gasps as she struggled to catch her breath.
She pushed herself up, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. You… actually beat me,” she whispered, disbelief trembling in her voice.
Ayo took a shaky step forward, his body threatening to give out beneath the weight of exhaustion. He didn’t answer. The whispers in his mind had gone silent, leaving behind an eerie stillness that felt heavier than the chaos they replaced.
Far above, at the pinnacle of the Golden Tower, Eike stood motionless, his gaze locked on the faint violet beacon still lingering in the sky. A faint smile touched his lips, though unease flickered in his eyes. “Atta boy,” he murmured under his breath, his voice carrying both pride and worry.
Back in the clearing, Ayo’s legs finally gave out, and he dropped to his knees. The battle was over, but the weight of what had just unfolded pressed down on him, suffocating in its intensity.
He opened his mouth to speak—maybe to call out to Lirien, maybe to say something defiant—but before the words could form, his body gave in. Darkness swept over him, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
When Ayo stirred, it felt as though only moments had passed. The air was cool against his skin, and the once-violet glow of the Aether Hollow had dimmed to faint, pulsing embers. He looked around, but Lirien was gone. No doubt she’d managed to drag herself back toward the academy.
With a groan, Ayo pushed himself to his feet, his limbs trembling as though every step might topple him. In the distance, the Golden Tower’s soft glow cut through the night, guiding him like a beacon.
His thoughts churned in a chaotic storm as he stumbled forward, the whispers of Nyvra still faint, lurking at the edges of his mind. Reaching the dormitory at last, Ayo paused at the door, turning back to the distant clearing. The faint glimmer of the Aether Hollow still lingered, a quiet reminder of what had taken place.
"What did I just do?" he muttered, his voice low
End of Chapter 1