Darkness swallowed Max as he fell.
Cold air whipped past him. Dust, stone, and debris cascaded downward like a broken constellation vanishing into the black abyss far below.
His body numbed. His mind floated.
How long have I been falling?
Is this how it ends?
A bitter laugh echoed only in his thoughts.
First week in a magical academy… and I manage to get myself killed over stupid misunderstandings.
Faces flickered in his memory—his parents, Alex, Professor Spark's amused smile, Victoria's burning rage.
Maybe she didn't mean to kill me…
Another memory of fire. Blood. The salamander's roar.
…No. She probably did.
SPLASH.
Max hit ice-cold water, the shock tearing a gasp from his chest. Pain shot through his veins, forcing life back into his fading consciousness.
He surfaced, coughing violently.
"Water…?"
He dragged himself onto jagged stone, trembling and drenched. A river wide, ancient, glowing faintly cut through the cavern, disappearing into twisting tunnels.
Max rested his head against the stone floor.
"This place just keeps… getting better."
His voice croaked weakly.
He forced himself upright and brought up his status.
[Name: Max]
Level: 2
Title: Advanced Human
EXP: 49/50
Health: ?/5
Mana: 2/100
Magic Points: –40
Skill Points: 2
Lightning Resistance: 3%
He stared.
"So I gained EXP… from almost dying."
He sighed.
"And I lost magic points from losing the duel. Great. Negative points. Amazing life choices."
He limped along the rocky pathway, following the faint blue glow reflecting across the cavern walls. Shapes shifted in the shadows… monsters, their eyes glinting. None crossed the waterline.
Something about the river held them at bay.
Hours—or minutes, he wasn't sure. passed before the path split.
One tunnel echoed with bone crunching.
Max stared into the pitch-black opening.
"…Absolutely not."
He followed the glowing water path instead.
It led to a massive metal door carved with runes and of course handleless, and ancient.
Max lifted a trembling hand.
"Scan."
Black static blurred his vision.
Nothing.
He slid down the door, breath shaking.
Everything hurt.
No way back.
No one coming.
He closed his eyes.
A moment later, the metal beneath him pulsed red light glowing through ancient patterns.
A sharp sting flared through his wounds as blood, his blood—lifted from his body, turning fluid again, tracing the engravings like living ink.
Max hissed in pain through clenched teeth.
"Why—why is it always something—?!"
The door shifted.
CREEEEEEAK.
Darkness waited on the other side.
Max swallowed hard.
"Well… forward's the only option."
He stepped through.
The chamber was vast, unnaturally so. Stone tiles sprawled beneath him, etched with spiraling runes. Two opposing energies pulsed across the room.
One side glowed deep crimson.
The other, cold sapphire.
His blood slid past him—now thick and dark—flowing across the floor and merging with the red patterns.
The door sealed shut behind him.
There was no exit.
At the center stood a pedestal.
And atop it A single book.
Pristine. Ancient. Radiating power that felt older than the world above.
Max approached slowly.
"…A forbidden spellbook under the school. Of course. Why wouldn't there be."
He didn't touch it.
He didn't have to.
The book opened itself.
Pages flipped violently until they stopped—and a single word burned across the parchment in distorted black and blue ink.
CONTRACT.
Max exhaled shakily.
"Everything in me says this is a terrible idea…"
He stared at the sealed walls, the unmoving door, the silent room.
"…but I don't have a choice."
He placed his hand on the page.
Instantly the book liquefied—collapsing into black fluid that crawled up his arm like living shadow.
Max screamed.
The liquid burrowed into his wounds searing agony ripping through every nerve. Blood poured from him but then twisted, changing color.
Red then Blue and lastly Black.
It wrapped around him like serpents, forcing itself back beneath his skin.
His screams echoed until his voice cracked then faded.
Darkness swallowed him again.
He collapsed.
Somewhere beyond pain, beyond thought.
A voice stirred.
Ancient. Cold. Curious.
"A human child…"
"Thousands of years—yet finally someone touches my seal."
"Pathetic. Weak. Broken."
A low laugh rolled like thunder.
"Very well."
"If fate dragged you here… then you may carry my inheritance."
A whisper cut through Max's fading awareness—
sharp as a blade.
"Allow me to give you my gift…"
A pause.
A presence leaned close—felt, not seen.
"My curse."