The tournament was over. The cheers had died down. The crowd had dispersed.
But the words Kieran spoke still echoed in my mind.
"I know what you are. And I know what's coming.""You're not ready, Sylas. But soon… you'll have to be."
I sat on the steps outside the Grand Arena, my body aching from the battle. The pain in my ribs had dulled to a manageable throb, but the real injury was to my pride.
For the first time in my life, I had fought with everything I had—and I had still lost.
A Lesson in Defeat
A shadow loomed over me.
I looked up to see Darian Voss, arms crossed, his usual smug grin absent. Instead, there was something I hadn't expected—respect.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, nodding toward my ribs.
I smirked weakly. "You tell me. You lost too."
Darian chuckled. "Yeah. But at least I lost to you. You actually stood a chance against him."
I scoffed. "Didn't feel like it."
Darian sat beside me, staring out at the emptying stands. "Don't get it twisted. That wasn't a normal fight. Kieran… he's different."
I glanced at him. "You noticed it too?"
Darian nodded. "I don't know what he's using, but that wasn't just mana. It felt… off."
I thought back to the way he moved—the way space itself seemed to bend around him.
"Yeah," I muttered. "I felt it too."
Darian was silent for a long moment before speaking again. "You're stronger than I thought."
I raised an eyebrow. "Was that a compliment?"
He smirked. "Don't get used to it."
Before I could respond, Elara appeared, her arms crossed.
"You should be resting," she said, hands on her hips.
I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine."
"You say that, but you haven't moved for half an hour."
"…Fine, maybe I'm slightly sore."
Elara sighed, kneeling beside me. Mana glowed at her fingertips as she placed her hands against my ribs. A soothing warmth spread through my body as the pain faded slightly.
"You did well, you know," she said softly. "You made it all the way to the finals."
I exhaled, letting her magic work through me. "It's not enough."
Elara frowned. "Sylas, no one expected you to even make it past the first round."
"That's not the point," I muttered. "I don't care about what they expected. I wanted to win."
She gave me a sympathetic look but didn't argue.
Because she knew.
This wasn't just about the tournament.
This was about proving I was strong enough for what was coming.
And I still wasn't.
The Academy's Hidden Truths
That night, sleep didn't come easily.
Kieran's words lingered in my mind, gnawing at me. He knew something.
And I needed to find out what.
So, I did the only thing I could—I went looking for answers.
The Academy's Grand Library was vast, filled with countless tomes and scrolls. I had spent hours here before, researching everything I could about mana, history, and the Aberrations.
But this time, I was looking for something specific.
Something forbidden.
The Sealed Archives
I moved past the public shelves, heading deeper into the restricted sections. The Sealed Archives were locked behind heavy iron doors, guarded by complex wards.
No student was allowed access.
But I wasn't just a student.
I placed my hand on the metal surface, closing my eyes. Mana surged at my fingertips, seeking out the weak points in the locking mechanism.
I twisted the energy slightly, just enough to disrupt the enchantment—
Click.
The door creaked open.
I slipped inside, heart pounding.
Rows of ancient books and scrolls lined the shelves, covered in dust. These were forgotten records, hidden from the public.
I scanned the titles quickly, searching for anything connected to Kieran, his powers, or the strange force I had felt during our fight.
And then, I found it.
A single leather-bound book, its cover marked with a symbol I had seen before—the same shifting rune that had appeared when Kieran used his power.
I grabbed it, flipping through the pages.
And what I read sent chills down my spine.
The Truth About Kieran Valen
The text was written in an older dialect, but I could still understand most of it.
"…A power not of mana, but of something deeper. Something beyond mortal comprehension."
"They are not bound by space or time as we are."
"They walk unseen, bending the world around them."
"And they are watching."
My hands tightened around the book.
This wasn't just about Kieran.
This was about something bigger—something ancient.
As I turned the next page, my heart stopped.
A sketch of a symbol, one I had seen before.
One that had appeared in my visions.
The whispers. The Aberrations. The false gods.
Everything was connected.
And Kieran knew exactly what it all meant.
A Sudden Visitor
A voice cut through the silence.
"You shouldn't be here."
I spun around, dagger in hand.
Kieran stood at the entrance of the archive, watching me calmly.
I took a step back. "How did you—?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he walked forward slowly, his golden eyes locked onto the book in my hands.
"So, you found it," he murmured. "I was wondering how long it would take."
I clenched my jaw. "What is this?"
Kieran exhaled. "It's the truth. Or at least, the start of it."
I gripped the book tighter. "You knew. You knew what I was looking for."
"I did," he admitted. "And I let you find it."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"
A faint smile touched his lips. "Because you're finally asking the right questions."
The room felt colder, the air heavier.
Kieran stepped closer, his voice low.
"You and I," he said, "we're not normal, Sylas."
A shiver ran down my spine.
"You've felt it, haven't you?" he continued. "The whispers. The visions. The way the world feels… wrong."
I swallowed hard.
"I don't know what you are yet," Kieran admitted. "But I know one thing."
His golden eyes burned.
"Something is coming. And whether you like it or not—you and I are at the center of it."
I took a slow breath, my grip tightening.
This wasn't just a tournament anymore.
This was the start of something far bigger.
And I had no idea what it meant.