Avince’s body ached as his consciousness slowly re-emerged. The familiar hum of the world around him felt distant, as if he were still somewhere in that wasteland, battling orcs. But the air was warmer here, softer, and the dull ache in his muscles wasn’t the same as when he was trapped in that dungeon. At least this time, he hadn’t completely burned out his mana.
At least I managed to avoid draining myself completely, he thought with a weak smile. The battle against the orcs, though brutal, had gone better than expected. He hadn’t pushed his mana reserves to the brink in one big burst like before but instead used it gradually, pacing himself throughout the fight.
His eyelids fluttered closed, and before he could dwell on it further, the creeping warmth of sleep overtook him again.
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He didn’t know how much time had passed when he stirred again, but this time, a voice caught his attention.
“Avince?”
It was soft but steady, and when he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar face by his side. Erica was sitting in a chair next to his bed, her eyes studying him with concern.
“You’ve been out for a while,” she said, her tone lighter now that he was awake. “You missed school again.”
Avince groaned and rubbed his eyes. “How long was I out?”
Nearly a whole day,” Erica said, her gaze softening. “Your parents were worried. They called in my dad when you wouldn’t wake up.”
Avince blinked, processing her words. Before he could respond, another figure entered the room. It was Erica’s father, Jerome, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a calm, steady demeanor. His hair had begun to gray at the edges, but his presence carried the same authority as it always had.
Jerome gave a brief nod, his eyes assessing Avince. “Good to see you awake, kid,” he said, his voice warm but serious. “You had your family worried there for a bit.”
“I’m fine,” Avince said quickly, though his voice still sounded weak even to his own ears. “Just a bit tired.”
Jerome’s brow furrowed slightly as he stepped closer, placing a hand on Avince’s forehead. A faint glow enveloped his fingers—a telltale sign of his healing ability, one that had served him well in countless dungeon expeditions when he had been part of the same team as Avince’s parents.
“You’ve got dangerously low mana levels,” Jerome said after a moment. “I figured it was something like that when your sister couldn’t wake you.”
Avince glanced toward the door, wondering where Amyra was. “She—she didn’t mean to worry anyone.”
“I know,” Jerome replied, pulling his hand back. “She did the right thing by calling your parents. They contacted me since I was nearby. Your body’s under strain, Avince. Overuse of abilities, especially at your age, can be dangerous if you’re not careful. I’m sure you already know that.”
Avince nodded, but the reminder only added to the weight he felt pressing down on him. He had pushed himself harder than ever in the dungeon, using every ounce of mana he could. But now that he knew his limits, he could strategize better next time. He wouldn't let himself collapse like this again.
“Thanks, Jerome,” Avince said, grateful for the older man’s concern.
Jerome gave a small smile. “Don’t mention it. Just rest up. I’ll let your parents know you’re awake.”
As Jerome turned to leave, Avince noticed Erica lingering by his bedside. She waited until her father had left before sitting back down.
“You really need to stop overdoing it,” she said, crossing her arms. “This is the second time you’ve collapsed.”
“I know,” Avince muttered, his eyes heavy with guilt. “I just didn’t expect...”
‘Didn’t expect what?’ Erica questioned him, raising an eyebrow.
Avince’s face twisted into a faint grimace. “I-it’s nothing.”
“You should take it easy for a while,” she said, deciding not to probe further,” she said, her voice firm but laced with worry. “This is the second time you’ve collapsed, Avince. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this.”
Avince looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “I don’t have a choice,” he mumbled. “I need to get stronger.”
Erica’s expression softened, and she sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I know. But there’s a difference between training and… whatever it is you’re doing.”
“It’s complicated,” Avince admitted. “I just… I don’t have the luxury of taking it slow. You know how hard things have been for me even before my awakening.”
Erica’s eyes held a mix of understanding and frustration. She had seen the pressure he was under, the uncertainty surrounding his abilities and also getting it this late. But she also knew that pushing too hard, too fast, was a dangerous path.
“Promise me you’ll be more careful,” she said after a long moment of silence. “I can’t keep watching you collapse like this. It’s—” She hesitated, her voice catching slightly. “It’s scary.”
Avince glanced at her, surprised by the depth of emotion in her voice. Erica rarely let her guard down like this. He nodded, his resolve firming. “I promise.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Erica offered him a small smile, though the worry didn’t completely leave her face. “Good. Because I’m not bailing you out of detention if you keep missing school.”
Avince chuckled weakly, grateful for the shift in tone. “Noted.”
“Besides, you’ve already missed enough classes.”Erica then said
Avince winced, realizing he missed another class. “What did I miss?”
Erica smiled, sensing the change in his mood. “Not much, but Professor Mira assigned us a new project. Rune crafting and enchantment. We’re supposed to draw a rune of durability and apply it to any item.”
Avince sighed, his thoughts briefly shifting to Professor Mira Solandis, the eccentric master enchanter who ran their rune crafting class. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“It should be simple enough for you,” Erica agreed. “But you’ve missed most of the prep work, so you’ll have to catch up. The deadline’s in a week.”
Avince nodded, already calculating how much time he’d need to finish the project. His mana control had improved significantly, and enchanting items wasn’t new to him, he has drawn and applied a much more complicated rune than the entry level durability rune. Still, it was another task added to the growing pile of things he had to handle.
The quiet moment between them was interrupted by the sound of the door opening again. This time, his parents entered the room. Erwin and Ashna both carried expressions of relief, though concern lingered in their eyes.
Ashna was the first to move toward him, her ice-blue eyes scanning his face for any sign of lingering pain. “You’re awake,” she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay, Mom,” Avince replied, offering a tired smile. “Just a little tired.”
Erwin stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, his stern expression softening slightly now that he saw his son awake. “You gave us quite the scare, son.”
Avince swallowed, guilt gnawing at him. He hadn’t meant to worry them. “I didn’t mean to.”
“We know,” Ashna said, her hand gently squeezing his shoulder. “But you need to be more careful, Avince. You’re still learning about your ability. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this.”
“I wasn’t trying to,” Avince admitted, his gaze dropping to his hands. “I just… I don’t know how else to train. My ability isn’t like yours or dad’s. It’s different.”
There was a pause, and when Avince looked up, he saw a flicker of unease pass between his parents. They had been supportive since his awakening, but there had always been a quiet tension when it came to discussing his powers.
“Your ability is unpredictable,” Erwin said after a moment, his voice calm but firm. “And that makes it dangerous, not just for you but for everyone around you.”
“I know,” Avince replied quickly. “That’s why I’m trying to figure it out.”
Erwin exchanged a glance with Ashna, and then back to Avince. “You didn't inherit your abilities from us, that makes it quite hard to know what it can do.
Ashna’s expression softened as she moved closer. “We’re not saying you shouldn’t train, Avince. But we’ve also been through this kind of thing before. Your father and I weren’t always in control of our abilities. We had to learn—together, and that is even more true for you as we have no idea what your abilities can do”
Avince hesitated for a moment, trying to decide how much to tell them. His awakening had been different—unpredictable—and he knew his parents feared the worst. They hadn’t said it out loud, but he could feel the tension whenever the topic came up.
“I’m fine,” he finally said. “It’s not like that. I was testing my ability, but I’m still figuring it out.”
Erwin exchanged a glance with Ashna. “Testing it how?”
Avince took a deep breath, deciding to tell them part of the truth. “I can simulate battles with my mana. It lets me fight without putting myself in real danger, but if I ‘die’ in the simulation, it drains all my mana.”
Ashna’s brows furrowed. “That’s dangerous, Avince. Mana exhaustion can have serious consequences. We’ve seen it happen before.”
“We don’t want you overusing your abilities,” Erwin added, his tone serious. “It’s not worth risking your health.”
“I know,” Avince said quickly, trying to calm them. “I won’t overdo it. I just wanted to understand what I can do.”
Ashna’s expression softened, though the worry didn’t fully leave her face. “You’re still learning, and that’s okay. Your ability could be quite strong. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”
Avince nodded, relieved they seemed to believe him. He wasn’t lying—not entirely. His ability did simulate battles, but he had left out the part where his consciousness entered real dungeons. It was better this way. Safer, as his ability might make people want to exploit him if they got a hold of what his ability can do.
As the conversation continued, Avince’s thoughts drifted to the implications of his ability. Most dungeons were either government-controlled or owned by private corporations. The fact that he could enter them and even change the direction of the dungeon was a potential goldmine. Resources were limited, and the guilds that managed these dungeon runs had strict contracts for participants.
His parents, for example, had been part of an A-rank dungeon-clearing team for years, contracted by the government. They had earned a stable living, with generous benefits like housing, healthcare, and pensions, but all dungeon drops were surrendered to the government in exchange for these perks. Private corporations offered different deals, but some were known for exploitative contracts that left ability users with little in return.
For now, Avince kept these thoughts to himself. His family was doing well, and they had no reason to suspect the extent of his abilities. By what he told them, only simulating battles is not that strong, it has the potential sure but not nearly as strong as what his true ability really is.
The conversation eventually wound down, with Amyra chiming in here and there. She had been quieter than usual, likely shaken by the whole situation, but she seemed relieved now that Avince was awake and alert.
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Later, Jerome and Erica returned to check on him before leaving for the night. Erica gave him a small smile and waved as she stepped out the door.
“See you at school,” she said lightly, though there was a glint of worry still lingering in her eyes.
“Well, it looks like you and Erica didn't have enough time flirting the whole day. Should we give you two some more privacy?”
Erica flushed a light pink, and Avince shot his sister a warning look. “Don’t start.”
Amyra just laughed, clearly enjoying herself. “What? I’m just saying, you two have known each other forever. Childhood sweethearts and all that.”
Erica’s blush deepened, and she quickly stood up. “I, uh, should get going. My dad’s probably waiting for me.”
Avince sighed as Erica hurried toward the door, clearly flustered. “Thanks for coming by,” he called after her, his voice sincere despite his annoyance with Amyra.
Erica flashed him a quick smile, still red in the face. “Take care of yourself, Avince. And don’t push yourself too hard.”
As soon as the door closed behind her, Amyra burst out laughing. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Avince shook his head, but he couldn’t help but smile. Some things never changed.