Tuoqo sat in the bright classroom, the air thick with the scent of aged parchment and chalk dust. He was supposed to be listening, but the steady drone of the teacher's voice, that should otherwise arouse attention,  had lulled him into a daze. Just as he began drifting into an ocean of dreams, a sharp voice pierced his skull.

“Tuoqo! Are you even paying attention?” The teacher’s voice rang out, a mixture of annoyance and concern, reverberating off the walls adorned with ancient maps of the tower's higher floors. His pitch, funnily, a bit higher than that of what someone would expect from a person of his stature. Tuoqo jolted upright, a flush of embarrassment creeping across his cheeks. He forced a smile toward his best friend Ayla, who sat beside him, her long brown hair shimmering with hints of green under the bright magic light bulbs.

“Sorry, sir,” Tuoqo mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. The other students chuckled softly, and he could feel the heat rising in his face. “I was…”

“Dozing off?” the teacher pressed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Again! Daydreaming about your future, or perhaps about avoiding the very traps we’re discussing? Traps are crucial for resource gathering and evading pursuers, especially for someone like you who lacks magical ability.”

With every word, Tuoqo felt smaller, and shifted in his seat, wishing he could melt into the floor. Ayla, with her natural grace and talent for magic, seemed to shine brightly with excellence in comparison, and he felt like a mere ant next to her.

The bell rang, releasing the students from the confines of the classroom. Ayla and Tuoqo walked together down the grand hallway of the academy. It was bright, adorned with golden and red drapes, each bearing a symbol of a human diving, a downward arrow that represented descent. The polished stone floors gleamed underfoot, and the flickering lights cast long, elegant shadows. Ayla turned to Tuoqo, with an air of kindness. “Don’t let him get to you, Tuoqo. You have your own strengths.”

He offered her a small, grateful smile, without it reaching his eyes. “Thanks, Ayla. But you can control your lance from a distance while i have nothing… and traps”. As they approached the split corridors leading to their respective dorms, he could feel the knot in his stomach beginning to unravel.

“I’ll see you during dinner?” she asked, her green-hued hair cascading down to her shoulders like a waterfall. Tuoqo nodded, watching the girl go. The scent of roses lingered in the air after her departure, and Tuoqo stood there for a moment longer, staring after her until she disappeared from view.

The silence of the boys’ dorms greeted him, a familiar embrace. It was an emptiness he often found solace in, yet today it felt heavier. Like all the other children at the academy, he had grown up without the warmth of a parent. No teacher had ever claimed any child as their own. He wondered if that would ever change.

Children were born inside the academy, grew up with basic education ‘till sixteen years of age and then the forging began. Special lessons based on magic ability, ethereal potency, martial prowess and cunning. The academy’s purpose was for its children to leave safety behind at the age of twenty two years old and climb down each floor of the tower that accommodates them.

The other guys were at the arena, training, leaving the dorm blissfully empty. The momentary solitude was a relief. He headed straight for the showers, craving the warmth after the tense class.

As the hot water poured over his skin, a sharp, unexpected pain twisted in his stomach. His breathing quickened, heart hammering in his chest as his mind replayed scenes of the bullying from his peers. It was just a few days ago, when they used magic again to torment him, particle acceleration and hydrogen manipulation, turning the water sticky and unbearably hot. He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar sense of helplessness return. His chest felt like it would cave in, the pain almost too much to bear and tears escaped his eyes. His breath came in shallow gasps, and for a moment, he felt his heart might shatter. 

When the memories subsided, the water had already gone cold. Tuoqo hurriedly finished, wrapping himself in a towel as the cool air hit his skin. 

Back in his dorm room, Tuoqo dressed in his academy - issued red pajamas and slid into his bunk near the window. There were twenty beds in the room, all lined with military precision, but his was closest to a window that, like every window in the academy, offered no view of the outside world. Just endless fog.

He sighed and opened the book he’d taken from the academy’s archives. Written by the teachers, the books held precious knowledge about the higher floors of the tower. Tuoqo’s eyes scanned the pages, but his mind drifted, filled with thoughts about the academy, about the future, and about Ayla. His thoughts wandered, but soon, exhaustion claimed him for as he flipped a page, the book slipped from his fingers and thudded against his face. The moment jolted him out of his thoughts and pulled him into darkness.

He found himself running through dark corridors that mirrored the academy’s layout yet felt entirely different. The shadows were deep and unsettling. Ayla was by his side, her face pale and fearful as she clutched her bloodied arm. 

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Keep running, Tuoqo!” she shouted, determination igniting her voice as they raced toward a massive gate adorned with blue glyphs, along with a group of twelve other students. Behind them, the screech of feral creatures echoed, chilling and frantic, causing dread to swell in the hearts of the students. The air was thick with urgency, every footfall pounding against the stone floor in rhythm with their racing hearts.

“Go! We won’t let them get us!” someone commanded. The voice belonged to  a red-haired student from their class who led the charge, his expression serious and focused. “We’re almost there!”

The feral creatures, cat-like beings with short, rough fur and striking green rings on their limbs, sprang forth with unnatural agility. Their screeches pierced the air, reverberating through the corridors and filling the students with terror. As Tuoqo's group fought, a flurry of spells filled the air. Fireballs erupted, ice spears flew, swords clashed against the creatures pursuing them. Ayla’s lance flew through the air, glowing with that familiar green light, her movements graceful, almost otherworldly. Tuoqo could only marvel at her. If a god-like being, a Tower Constant as the teacher’s called them, existed, it would be like Ayla, both in beauty and skill, gliding through the air and fighting valiantly while shining brightly.

“Tuoqo!” Ayla’s voice sliced through the haze of battle trying to focus him. Before he could respond, a creature lunged at her, pinning her down. “Get off me!” she cried, struggling beneath the weight of the beast.

"No!" Tuoqo shouted, his body moving before his mind could catch up. In a desperate attempt to protect her, he sank his teeth into the creature’s leg, feeling its rough, hairy texture. The smell was repulsive, a mix of sweat and dirt, and the taste was gritty, like ground earth. 

The rest of the group surrounded the two, defending against attacks from all sides, not able to help them further. The monster hissed and recoiled, but before it could strike again, Ayla’s lance returned, slicing through the air and piercing the creature’s head. It let out a final screech before dissolving into black ash.

Tuoqo found himself on top of Ayla, the lance's tip dangerously close to her neck, its handle brushing against his cheek. They were frozen for a moment, Tuoqo’s body over hers, locked in each other’s gaze.

“Get up, you two!” the red-haired student barked, urgency lacing his tone. “We need to move!”

As they stood up, Tuoqo’s heart pounded not only from the fight but from the bond they shared, emphasized by the rings they both wore. Magic imbued symbols that bound them together. Their function to prove they were not of the same descent.

The group reached the gate, pushing it open just as the shadows lunged forward. Passing the threshold, Tuoqo turned to Ayla, a soft smile curling on his lips. He leaned in, saying, "Ayla, my love”.

The dream shattered.

Tuoqo was suspended in midair, his eyes clouded in white mist. He was no longer in the battle but back in the dorm, surrounded by students and teachers. One of the instructors had his arms outstretched, white glyphs swirling in the air around him as he examined the boy.

"Chronic Echo..." one teacher whispered while silence ruled over the room.

But then Tuoqo's voice cut through the silence. "Ayla, my love".  The mist in his eyes cleared, and his body fell, collapsing onto his bed. His limbs felt heavy, his mind disoriented. He blinked, trying to make sense of the faces around him, but the first thing he noticed was Ayla, standing nearby, her face burning red with embarrassment.

Everyone fell silent. All eyes were on her. Her gaze darted around the room before she bolted out, too flustered to stay. Some of the students laughed. His gaze fixed on the door where Ayla had fled, but before he could gather his thoughts, the firm hand  of one of the teachers landed on his shoulder.

"You've seen something, haven't you?" The teacher’s voice was low, barely audible over the loud murmurs of the students. Tuoqo's mouth was dry, and he only nodded, still too dazed to speak. What could he say? The dream had felt so real, so vivid. 

"Come with us," the teacher said, his grip tightening slightly before he let go. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and gestured for the other instructors to follow. Tuoqo, still feeling the weight of the students’ stares, rose shakily from the bed. His heart pounded in his chest as he followed the teachers, leaving behind the dormitory and the whispers that trailed after him.

The room they led him to was dimly lit. At the far end of the room, seated on a high-backed chair draped in dark fabric, was the headmaster. His face was obscured by the long hood of his robe, and only the faintest glimpse of his mouth could be seen beneath the shadows.

“He possesses a Chronic Echo,” one teacher explained, their voice steady. “He is a time child.”

The headmaster leaned forward, his fingers tapping softly against the armrest. "A time child... How dangerous they can be," he murmured, his voice deep and resonant, like the echo of a distant bell.

Tuoqo’s breath hitched slightly while thinking that he could be dangerous. But before he could process the weight of that word, another teacher spoke up.

"I disagree," said a younger man, his expression warm as he smiled gently at Tuoqo. "Yes, the Chronic Echo is a matter of great importance but not dangerous. The boy saw the future and I attest to that. Perhaps, in time, with proper training, this boy could become an asset to the academy. Maybe even a teacher, one day."

A teacher? The thought made Tuoqo’s chest tighten again, but this time it wasn’t fear, but hope. He felt useful. 

He wasn’t focused on the conversation for long. His thoughts drifted back to the vision. The battle. Ayla. The ring on her finger. The way their eyes had locked. The way he said “My love”

The headmaster’s voice pulled him back  from his reverie. “What say you, young one? Are you ready to face what lies ahead?”

Tuoqo met the shadowed gaze of the headmaster, but his mind was still lost in the echoes. What would happen to him? What would happen to Ayla?

“Yes,” he said finally. Yet all he knew was that he needed to see more of what the future held.