Sylleth sat with his back against the cold stone wall, his fingers idly tracing the dark scar etched into his shoulder. The pulsing black mark seemed to thrum faintly, as if alive, drawing his gaze into its swirling center.
"He called it... a mana sink?" Sylleth thought, his brows furrowing in concentration. "... Who was that woman anyways...?" He thought, recalling the events from a few days ago.
The memory lingered, vivid and unsettling, as he struggled to make sense of it. His gaze lifted, settling on the rest of the group gathered near the towering doors to Corym's lecture hall. They were chatting idly, their voices low but steady, their figures cloaked in the dim light of the academy’s corridors.
"Hey… can I ask you something?" Sylleth called out, his voice hesitant but clear enough to catch their attention.
Niall and Lirian turned toward him, both raising curious brows. "What’s up?" Niall asked, crossing his arms as he leaned casually against the wall.
"Do you guys... know anyone named La—" Sylleth began, the name barely forming on his lips before a thunderous sound interrupted him.
The deep, resonant chime of a bell echoed through the corridor, its vibrations reverberating in the still air. It was loud, commanding, and unmistakably urgent.
In an instant, the heavy doors beside Sylleth burst open with a resounding thud, startling him to his feet. A blonde-haired man stepped through, his commanding presence filling the corridor. His robes swayed lightly as he strode forward, exuding an air of authority mixed with urgency.
“Well, it’s about time,” Niall scoffed, crossing his arms as he glanced at the man.
"It's him..." Thought Sylleth, standing up from the floor and staring at the man.
“Corym, couldn’t you have waited until your lesson was over before calling us?” Sif asked, letting out a sigh of exasperation. Her tone carried a mix of irritation and resignation.
“Unfortunately…” Corym began, running a hand through his golden locks with a weary expression. “Something’s been discovered—something that could lead to massive problems down the line.”
“What kind of problems are we talking about here?” Lirian asked, stepping closer with a curious yet guarded expression.
“Potential devastation of Sibashi and the surrounding towns. Possibly even reaching Yralo,” Corym replied, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt with deliberate precision. His tone was calm, but the gravity of his words hung heavy in the air.
“And you’re bringing _us_ for this job?” Niall interjected, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Feeling particularly reckless today, are we?”
“At the moment, I don’t have a better option, Niall.” Corym replied, his tone measured but carrying a subtle edge. “Besides, I know exactly what you’re all capable of—when you’re not busy turning everything into a joke.”
He glanced sideways, his sharp golden eyes catching Sylleth watching the exchange intently. A faint smile tugged at Corym’s lips, a brief acknowledgment that seemed aimed specifically at the boy.
“And." Corym added, his voice lowering slightly as if sharing a secret, “I’ve got a few aces up my sleeve.”
Sylleth blinked, slightly startled.
“Is he talking about me?” He thought, glancing briefly at his shoulder, where the faint scar seemed to pulse ever so slightly.
“You and your aces…” Lukius interjected from where he leaned casually against the wall, his voice tinged with skepticism. “You sure have a lot of them up your sleeve.”
Corym turned to him with a faintly amused smile, his expression carrying an air of effortless elegance. “What can I say? It’s just the charm of me and my blessings.”
“Blessings…?” Sylleth tilted his head, puzzling over what Corym meant by that.
“All right… so, are we heading out now?” Sif asked, pushing off the wall in one smooth motion, her arms crossing as she shifted her weight expectantly.
“The sooner, the better. Gather your gear—I’ll send for a carriage to take you.” Corym replied, his voice carrying a note of urgency as he sighed and turned toward Sylleth. “And in the meantime, I’ll have a quick word with my new apprentice.”
At his words, Niall and Lirian let out startled exclamations, their disbelief ringing through the corridor. Sif and Lukius immediately shot Corym scrutinizing looks, their expressions sharp and calculating as they tried to piece together the meaning behind his statement.
Only Zara seemed unaffected, standing off to the side with her tail swishing playfully. She tilted her head and looked between the others, clearly the only one who had no idea what all the fuss was about.
“What are you talking about…?” Sif demanded, stepping closer to Corym, her sharp gaze fixed on him.
“You were the one who told me I should take on a student.” Corym began, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of playful defiance. He gestured toward Sylleth, who blinked in confusion, his eyes darting between the two. “Well, I’ve found one.”
"You two know each other?" Zara asked, hopping to Sylleth’s left side, her tail swishing with curiosity.
“We met last night…” Sylleth replied, his gaze still fixed on Corym, unable to shake the feeling of being under a magnifying glass.
“What are you all staring at?” Corym broke the silence, his voice calm but tinged with amusement as he looked around at the group, who were all focused intently on him.
“We just… weren’t expecting this, that’s all.” Lukius said on behalf of everyone, running a hand through his hair and letting out a weary sigh. His tone was casual, but the sharp edge of disbelief still lingered.
“How did you two even meet? And why him, of all people?” Lirian pressed, his voice tinged with curiosity but laced with a hint of concern.
“Last night. Over a cup of wine.” Corym replied with a sly grin, his tone casual, as if that explained everything.
“Great. And now you’re handing out alcohol to minors?” Niall chimed in, throwing up his hands in mock despair.
“No, no, no! I was the one drinking!” Corym quickly clarified, waving his hands defensively in front of him. His expression was a mix of mild panic and amusement as he tried to dispel the misunderstanding.
The conversation lingered in the air, a mix of incredulity and amusement rippling through the group as they exchanged glances. Corym’s casual demeanor and Sylleth’s wide-eyed confusion only added fuel to the dynamic, but the faint urgency in Corym’s earlier words eventually tempered the mood.
"Alright, alright, we don’t have much time... gather only the essentials and wait for me in the courtyard," The blond elf instructed, turning briskly as he headed toward Sylleth.
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Sif nodded sharply, gesturing with a swift motion for the group to follow her. Without hesitation, they fell into line, moving single file through the quiet corridors toward the academy’s exit.
Sylleth trailed a few steps behind Zara, her tail swaying rhythmically as she walked. He was focused on keeping pace, but his progress was halted when a hand gently clasped his shoulder.
Turning, he found Corym standing beside him, a faint, knowing smile playing on the man’s lips.
“Shall we have a quick word, my apprentice?” Corym asked, his tone light but carrying a weight that hinted at deeper intent. Without waiting for an answer, he steered Sylleth with an easy motion, guiding him to turn and follow in the opposite direction of the group.
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The group stepped out of the academy, the chill of the open air brushing against their faces as they joined Syviis and Vidar, who were waiting just outside. Syviis stood up from where she’d been sitting on the stone steps, brushing off her robes, and gave Vidar a hearty pat on the back, prompting him to grunt softly in protest.
"How did it go?" she asked, her sharp eyes scanning the group for any signs of trouble.
“We’re heading to Yralo.” Sif replied simply, descending the marble steps behind Lukius, her tone firm and businesslike.
Vidar nodded silently, standing up and stretching his massive frame as if preparing for a long journey. Syviis, however, raised a brow, her curious expression lingering on the group.
“Hm...” Zara muttered, her ears flicking slightly as she glanced around, scanning the faces of her companions. Her tail swished behind her, betraying her unease. “Where’s Sylleth?”
“Probably dragged off by Corym.” Niall interjected with a shrug, pulling a small block of wood and a slender knife from the pouch strapped to his thigh. He started carving absentmindedly, the blade flicking deftly against the grain.
“But… why?” Zara asked, her curiosity piqued. She bounced closer to Niall, her eyes gleaming with interest as her tail swayed behind her.
“Who knows?” Niall muttered, his tone dismissive as he focused on his carving. “Probably wants to explain something to him.”
“Or keep him out of the way.” Lukius added with a half-hearted shrug, leaning against the stone railing at the base of the stairs. He glanced back at the group, waiting for them to descend, his expression slightly impatient. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
“We’ll question the kid about it later.” Lirian interjected, letting out a sigh as he stepped up beside Lukius. “For now, we should focus on getting ready. I doubt any of us want to head to Yralo without proper preparation.”
“Heh… says the one who’s clearly the most worried about him,” Vidar teased, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest as he leaned back against the railing. His tone was playful, though his expression showed he was mostly clueless about the situation.
Lirian shot him a sharp look, his brow twitching. “I’m being practical, not sentimental,” he muttered defensively, though the faint flush creeping up his neck suggested otherwise.
Vidar just laughed harder, shaking his head. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, friend.”
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“Where… where are we?” Sylleth asked hesitantly, his voice tinged with unease as he stared at the massive doors before them.
“My study,” Corym replied, a faint smile playing on his lips as he pushed the heavy doors open. “This is where I conduct my research.”
Sylleth stepped forward, his breath catching as the vast room unfolded before him. Towering shelves lined the walls, stretching up three stories and crammed with countless books and scrolls. The only way to access the upper levels was a long, sturdy wooden ladder propped against one wall.
The floor was a chaotic sea of scattered papers, each covered in intricate magical circles and cryptic symbols. At the room’s center stood a grand desk, its surface buried under sprawling maps, hefty tomes, and what appeared to be hastily scrawled notes.
Sylleth’s eyes widened as he slowly took in the sight, awe radiating from him.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Corym said with a note of pride, striding toward the desk. With a casual flick of his wrist, he sent the maps cascading onto the floor, clearing a space on the desk as if the clutter was of no consequence.
"Amazing..." Sylleth murmured, taking a hesitant step closer and tilting his head back to gaze upward.
Above him hung a grand chandelier, its cascading tiers of silver crystals casting a gentle, shimmering light across the room. The glow illuminated the towering shelves of books, giving them an almost ethereal quality.
"Don’t just stand there gawking—come closer." Corym said with a faint smirk, gesturing toward a sturdy wooden chair near the massive desk.
The boy tore his gaze away from the chandelier and cautiously moved forward, curiosity lighting up his features.
"So... do you know where mana sinks come from?" Corym began, his tone calm but carrying a weight of importance as he perched on the edge of his desk, a crimson-bound book in hand.
"I... no, I don’t even really know what they are." Sylleth admitted, his voice soft as he lowered himself into the chair Corym had indicated earlier.
"All right." Corym said with a nod, flipping through the book’s worn pages. "How about blessings and curses? Familiar with those?"
Sylleth shook his head, his unease evident in the way his shoulders hunched slightly. "Not really... no." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Corym let out a thoughtful hum, his sharp eyes briefly scanning a passage in the book before closing it with a soft thud. "No need to feel embarrassed. Most people don’t—at least not in detail. But if we’re going to get anywhere with that mark on your arm, we’ll need to start with the basics."
The man turned the book around, angling it so Sylleth could see its contents clearly. The aged parchment was filled with intricate diagrams and flowing, handwritten text.
"In simple terms." Corym began, tracing his finger along the page until it stopped at a small, detailed diagram of a human figure. "A mana sink is created when someone blessed with a **blessing**..." He paused, tapping the figure's chest where a faint glow was sketched. "...gets infected by dark magic—particularly while the blessing is still forming."
Sylleth leaned closer, his gaze fixed on the diagram. The glowing mark on the figure was entwined with inky black lines that spread outward like a web, unsettling yet mesmerizing.
"The mana from the blessing attempts to purify the dark magic’s mana." Corym explained, his voice steady as his hand moved from the book to Sylleth’s arm. He gently pulled back the sleeve of the boy's tunic, revealing the dark, jagged scar etched into his skin.
"And where this clashing mana is most concentrated..." Corym continued, gesturing to the pulsing mark. "...a mana sink forms."
The scar seemed to faintly pulse in rhythm with his words, as if responding to the explanation. Sylleth stared at it, his mind swimming with unease and questions he couldn't yet put into words.\
"Okay... but what exactly is a blessing?" Sylleth asked, his gaze drifting back to the open book on Corym’s desk.
"Ah, well..." Corym flipped through a few more pages, stopping at one filled with dense, flowing script and a detailed drawing of a vertically positioned eye encased in intricate patterns. "...Blessings are gifts bestowed by gods and guardians—usually upon individuals who catch their attention, whether through skill, heritage, or even appearance. And it seems one of them has taken an interest in you."
His voice carried a note of intrigue as he once again reached out, his fingers brushing the edge of Sylleth’s scar. The boy flinched slightly, his mind racing.
"But why me?" Sylleth thought, unease mingling with curiosity.
"Who knows? Maybe you unknowingly crossed paths with some minor deity, and they decided you were intriguing enough to bestow their blessing upon you," Corym theorized, his tone casual as he moved his hand to rest over his chest. "Just like what happened to me."
"You… you have a blessing too?" Sylleth asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
"I do." Corym replied with a small smile as he stood from his chair. "Though it’s not particularly powerful..." He glanced at Sylleth meaningfully before adding, "...it grants me the ability to sense the blessings and curses of others."
"So… what’s mine?" Sylleth shot up from his chair, his voice carrying a spark of excitement.
"Not so fast... first, you’ll need to awaken its power." Corym replied, a knowing glint in his eyes. "But I have a feeling it’s going to be quite fascinating, judging by the unique flow of your mana." He shrugged casually, striding over to one of the towering bookshelves that lined the room.
With practiced ease, he began scanning the shelves, his fingers brushing over the spines of the ancient tomes. "Of course, we’ll need to be cautious. Unawakened blessings are unpredictable... and paired with that mana sink of yours?" He let out a low chuckle. "Let’s just say, it’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds."
"So... when will I be able to awaken it?" Sylleth pressed, his snowy-white hair falling into his face as he leaned forward eagerly.
"Could be now, could be in a week... or perhaps when you’re old, or even after death. Who knows?" Corym replied with a nonchalant shrug, pulling a small slip of parchment from between two massive tomes.
"After... death?" Sylleth stammered, the enthusiasm draining from his expression as he processed the words.
"But wouldn’t sooner be better?" Corym added with a playful grin, flicking the parchment onto the floor.
Before Sylleth could respond, their surroundings were engulfed in a burst of blinding light, sealing the two of them within a strange, shimmering void. The bookshelves and ornate chandelier disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of ethereal whiteness.
"And now..." Corym’s voice cut through the luminous haze as he flipped his long, golden ponytail over his shoulder, leaning forward slightly, his posture suggesting combat readiness. "...let’s test your potential."
"Wait, what—" Sylleth barely managed to sputter before a faint hum filled the air.
Around them, blades began to materialize, hovering mid-air as if awaiting commands. The soft glow of their edges shimmered ominously, casting faint reflections onto the glowing floor.
"Good luck." Corym whispered, his voice low and almost teasing. With a flick of his hand, one of the ethereal swords spun toward Sylleth at a terrifying speed.