Eryx walked the corridors with a restless energy, his eyes scanning his surroundings, but his mind elsewhere. The usual hum of student chatter felt distant, as though it didn't quite reach him anymore. Everything had shifted in the past few moments—his encounter with the upperclassmen, Liora's warning. He hadn't realized how much of the Academy he still didn't understand, but now that gap felt more pressing than ever.
As he turned a corner, he spotted Liora ahead, standing by a set of windows that overlooked the training grounds. She was gazing out, her expression unreadable, but he knew better than to assume she hadn't noticed him. She always did.
When he approached, she turned, her eyes meeting his with a flicker of recognition. She didn't smile, but there was something different in the way she regarded him now, a quiet acknowledgment that hadn't been there before.
"You've been distant lately," Eryx remarked, crossing his arms. "What's on your mind?"
Liora hesitated for a moment, her lips pressing together as she considered her response. "You haven't noticed, have you?"
Eryx frowned. "Noticed what?"
"The way the others are acting," she said softly. "The way they're looking at you."
Eryx felt a twinge of discomfort. "What do you mean?"
She took a step closer, lowering her voice. "The upperclassmen. You've caught their attention, Eryx. It's not just your skills—they're watching you for something else. Something they don't want you to see."
He frowned. "And what exactly is that?"
Liora didn't answer right away. She studied him closely, the weight of her gaze almost unnerving. "I don't know yet. But you need to be careful. This place isn't just a school, and they aren't just students."
Eryx felt his chest tighten at her words. She was right—he had already seen enough to know that something far bigger was at play, something that didn't fit within the Academy's walls.
"Why are you telling me this now?" he asked.
"Because you're getting too close," Liora said bluntly. "And I don't want to see you get dragged into something you can't escape."
Eryx remained silent, the gravity of her warning sinking in. She had always been perceptive, but this felt different. She wasn't just trying to protect him—she was trying to steer him away from something far more dangerous than he'd realized.
"I'll figure it out on my own," Eryx said, his voice steady.
Liora's expression hardened, but she didn't argue. Instead, she simply gave him a long, lingering look, as if she wanted to say something more but knew there was no use.
"Just don't say I didn't warn you," she said quietly before turning and walking away.
Eryx watched her leave, her figure disappearing down the hallway. He didn't know why, but something about the way she said those words lingered in his mind. He had crossed a line. There was no going back from it.
As the day wore on, he couldn't shake the feeling that the walls of the Academy were closing in on him. The rumors had grown louder, and he had heard more whispers—talk of tests, of hidden agendas, of students who had disappeared without explanation. It was clear now that the Academy's trials were only the surface of something much deeper.
His training had prepared him for many things, but this? This was different. It wasn't just about skill anymore. It was about power, politics, and secrets far beyond his reach.
But Eryx had always been drawn to what others avoided. He had always found his way through the cracks in the world—whether by choice or fate. And he wasn't about to stop now.
He walked toward the training grounds, his mind racing with the implications of everything he had learned. Whatever was coming next, he would be ready. He had to be.