Chapter:12
The world around them had transformed.
Where once stood training stones and trimmed grass now rose a forest of warped trees and gnarled roots that twisted like serpents. Shadows slithered through the mist like phantoms. Whispers—not real words, but fragments of fears—echoed through the air.
"Stay together!" Evan called, gripping his mana blade tightly.
Basil's body coiled tighter around his shoulders, his slit pupils scanning the shifting landscape with precision. "Sssomething's wrong… thessse are not normal illusssions…"
"You can talk in here?" Evan blinked.
Basil flicked his tongue. "Only in your mind. This realm draws on inner thoughtsss… That'ss why… you feel them, don't you?"
Evan clenched his fists.
He did feel them.
Not monsters. Not beasts. But memories.
A small cry echoed in the air, and suddenly—he was no longer in the forest.
He stood in a cold stone cellar, with the scent of mildew and blood in the air. Chains hung on the wall. A boy—him, from his past life—curled in the corner, bruised and broken.
"No," Evan whispered. "Not this again…"
"Hey, you bastard!" a voice snarled.
A phantom stepped forward—his abuser from the previous life. Not physical, but real enough in this illusion realm.
"I said kneel when I talk to you, runt!"
The figure surged forward—
CLANG!
A flame barrier burst to life around Evan. Lilith appeared, her crimson aura flaring. "Not on my watch."
"Lilith?!"
She didn't answer with words. Her fangs bared, her eyes full of rage—not at Evan, but at the phantom.
"I don't know what that is, but if it hurts you—I'll erase it."
Cassia's voice followed from the distance, calm and sharp. "Focus, all of you. These aren't just projections. They feed on your emotions. If you fall into despair—they'll devour you."
Gareth roared somewhere to the side, punching through a false memory of his clan's exile. Silva stood on a floating disk of wind, shielding the group with runes of purification.
Evan's knees buckled, but Basil slithered down his arm, hissing with fury. "You are not that child anymore… You are my tamer… my king."
And then—
The mark on Evan's hand glowed—a mixture of water and darkness flaring into a majestic spiral.
Black and deep blue light coiled around him.
He stood tall, slicing through the illusion with a wave of his mana blade enhanced by Basil's essence.
The phantom screamed—and was gone.
Only silence remained.
The squad regrouped near a glowing leystone as the light returned. Maeron Vey stood watching with interest.
"Not bad," he muttered. "To overcome your own trauma mid-illusion… Few can do that."
He turned away, his cloak billowing behind him. "Rest well, Squad Eleven. You've passed the first test. But the next trial… will test your very will to continue."
Evan collapsed to his knees, panting.
Lilith knelt beside him and offered a handkerchief, cheeks red. "Are you okay?"
He looked at her and managed a weak smile. "…Thanks."
Cassia sat a few feet away, brushing leaves from her coat. "That was foolishly heroic of you."
"…Was it?" Evan asked, chuckling weakly.
"It was," she said. "But effective."
Gareth fell back onto the grass, arms spread. "Damn. I thought I was gonna fight a monster. Not… myself."
Silva glanced at the others, adjusting her glasses. "It seems we all carry weight heavier than mana."
Evan looked down at Basil, who was curling up on his chest like a cat.
"Guess I owe you a name, huh?" Evan said softly.
The tiny Basilisk opened one eye. "It better be grand…"
He smirked.
"How about… Nyx? From the old tongue—it means Night. But also… rebirth."
The little beast's eyes sparkled. "Nyx… I like it."
The stars above Aflety shimmered with an eerie brilliance.
Evan stood alone on the balcony of the eastern tower, the cold wind brushing past his hair. Below, the academy grounds glowed with faint mana lines—protective enchantments woven over centuries. A gentle chime rang from the crystal orb embedded in the wall behind him, signaling midnight.
His eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
He had named his beast. Fought the fragments of his past. Passed the illusion test. And yet—he felt no rest.
Behind him, Nyx—his newly named Basilisk—dozed beside a flickering flame crystal. Occasionally, the tiny creature would puff a tiny plume of black mist and mutter in its sleep, "King… must protect… sssnack…"
Evan smiled faintly.
That smile didn't last long.
Because that was when the crow came.
A black-feathered creature landed silently on the balcony railing. Its eyes gleamed crimson, and in its beak was a scroll sealed with a symbol—
A black spiral nest.
Evan's expression sharpened.
He recognized the mark.
He opened the scroll cautiously, fingers trembling slightly.
To the heir of Rochel…
Your presence at Aflety will not go unchallenged.
You have awakened something that should remain buried.
This academy has long slept beneath the shadow of the Nest.
We are watching you.
— S.C.
The scroll burst into black flame and vanished.
Evan stood frozen.
"S.C.…" he muttered. "Shade Cardinal."
Nyx opened an eye groggily. "That name sssmells like rot…"
Just then—bells rang through the academy. Four sharp tolls.
Emergency summons.
A gust of wind swept Evan's coat as he turned and bolted back inside.
By the time Evan reached the Grand Lecture Hall, dozens of students had already gathered.
Gareth, sweaty and panting from his sprint across campus, waved him over.
"You got the bell, too? What the hell's going on?"
"I don't know," Evan muttered, still shaken from the scroll.
Cassia stood at the front, arms crossed. "Something's wrong. The bell's only used during emergency magic protocol or…"
"Or when there's a threat inside the grounds," Silva finished beside her, unusually grim.
Lilith appeared moments later, her cloak fluttering behind her. She walked straight to Evan's side and said nothing, but the look she gave him said everything:
She felt it too.
A moment later, Dean Gawain entered.
The entire hall fell into silence.
His presence was overwhelming—a towering figure with silver hair, battle-scarred armor beneath his mage robes, and golden eyes that seemed to pierce every secret.
When he spoke, it was not loud, but it echoed nonetheless.
"Students of Aflety. It is time to begin your first semester examinations."
There was a collective mix of groans, nervous laughter, and sighs.
"But this year…" Gawain continued, voice darkening, "…the exams will take a different form."
A shimmering illusion unfolded behind him, revealing the outline of a massive underground arena beneath the academy grounds.
"The First Trial will take place in the Labyrinth of Ardent Stone—an ancient training domain created by the founders of Aflety. It contains elemental fields, summoned beasts, illusions, traps, and relic echoes of the twelve elements."
Evan's eyes narrowed. "The twelve elements…"
1. Nature
2. Water
3. Fire
4. Wind
5. Time
6. Darkness
7. Light
8. Ice
9. Earth
10. Space
11. Belt
12. Metal
Gawain pointed to the illusion. "Each squad will be tested not only on strength—but cooperation, strategic awareness, and bond with your beasts. This is not a battle you can win alone."
His gaze briefly met Evan's.
"And there are… other forces at play. Be vigilant."
A chill passed through the room.
Evan suddenly felt Lilith's hand brush against his. "If it's dangerous… I'll protect you."
He didn't answer. He couldn't.
Because deep in his chest, something had shifted.
Not just fear—but anticipation.
This exam wasn't just a test. It was a warning.
And the Black Nest was already moving.
Later that night, Evan returned to his dorm.
Nyx lay curled on his pillow, wide awake.
"I sssmelled it," Nyx murmured. "The letter… That crow… That power wasn't natural."
"I know," Evan replied, brushing a hand over Nyx's back.
From the window, he could see the stars again. Peaceful. Deceptive.
But war had already begun beneath that calm.
He pulled out his training gear.
If the exam was truly that dangerous—he needed to grow. Fast.
He wasn't the same broken soul from his last life. Not anymore.
Now… he had something to protect.
And something worth fighting for.
Chapter End