The rising sun filtered lazily through the dormitory windows, tinging the sheets with gold and awakening a symphony of murmurs and laughter among the young mages of Aldaria Academy.
The aroma of damp earth and mist-fresh leaves filled the air, along with a subtle electricity that signaled the start of another day filled with magic.
"Wake up, Logan," Kassia whispered, nudging her friend.
The memory of the previous day's classes was still vivid in their minds, mixing achievements and mistakes in equal measure.
"What did you think of yesterday's Basic Magic class?" Blake asked, trying to break the silence as they walked. "Professor Flameheart was impressed with my ice
"I'm still trying to control the gust of wind from mine," Kassia confessed, a glint of determination in her golden eyes.
"The force is great, but the precision… not so much. What about you, Logan? Did you get to practice your shadow shield?"
Logan forced a nod, the memory of the wooden bench disintegrating into dust still fresh in his mind. "A little. It requires more control than I thought. The energy is… unstable."
It was a half-truth. The energy wasn't unstable; it was wild, primordial, and he could barely scratch the surface of controlling it.
"And Potions class?" Blake continued, changing the subject. "Kassia, Professor Starbloom must be planning to give you a scholarship already. Logan and I, on the other hand, nearly created a sleeping draught instead of a concentration potion."
"My potion turned yellowish and had a strange smell," Logan admitted, allowing himself a tired smile. "I don't think Alchemy is my strong suit."
"Don't say that," Kassia intervened. "It's just a matter of finding the right harmony with the ingredients. You'll get it."
Logan thanked her with a look but knew the problem was deeper. His mana, now infused with the essence of Fenrir, resisted the subtlety required by Alchemy. It was an energy made for hunting and dominating, not for delicate mixing and balancing.
***
They finally arrived at the Magical Creatures complex. The structure was unlike any other at the academy. It stood not as a single building, but as a self-contained ecosystem.
The central tower, made of rustic stone and ancient wood, housed the theoretical classrooms, but it was what surrounded it that took one's breath away. Vast crystal domes, each housing a different biome, spread across the grounds.
To the left, a giant dome contained a fragment of a tropical rainforest, with immense trees, waterfalls, and the distant sound of exotic creatures. A humid mist fogged the glass, and Logan could smell the scent of wet earth and wildflowers even from a distance.
To the right, an ice dome pulsed with a bluish light, recreating the frigid landscapes of Frostgard, complete with miniature snowy peaks and a frozen lake.
Further on, a rocky, arid area simulated a desert, with cacti that glowed with mana and air that shimmered with contained heat. Each habitat was a world unto itself, perfectly segregated and maintained by magic.
"By my grandfather's beard…" Blake murmured, amazed. "They have a piece of every kingdom here."
"It's so we can study the creatures in environments as close as possible to their natural habitats," explained Nyx, who had joined them at the entrance, accompanied by Elian, Darian, and Lyra. "It ensures their behavior isn't altered by captivity."
They entered the central tower, climbing a spiral staircase to the classroom. The room was spacious and circular, with rows of dark wooden benches facing an elevated platform.
The walls were covered not with paintings, but with enchanted windows showing, in real-time, glimpses of the different habitats outside. In one window, a royal falcon tended to its nest atop a rocky mountain. In another, iridescent-scaled water serpents danced in a deep lake.
The group found seats at the back, a strategic position that allowed them to observe the entire class. Shortly after they sat down, the door opened and the professor entered, bringing with him an immediate silence.
Ethan Cross was the personification of military authority. Nearly six feet three inches tall, his body was strong and defined, moving with the economy of motion of a veteran warrior.
His hair and beard, both short and impeccably trimmed, were a surprising white, contrasting with his sun-tanned skin. A small scar, thin as a silver thread, cut through his right eyebrow, disappearing into his hairline. His eyes, a deep black, seemed to absorb the light, analyzing each student with unnerving intensity.
He wore gray trousers with the discreet academy symbol embroidered on the thigh, held up by a black leather belt from which a sword hung. The weapon was functional and unadorned, with a dark steel hilt and a blade that seemed to drink the light.
Completing the attire were sturdy black boots and a thick white t-shirt, with the academy emblem—the quill and sword over the book—embroidered in silver thread over the left side of his chest.
Logan felt an instant shiver. The man was undoubtedly human in appearance, but the aura surrounding him was different. It wasn't the pure, overwhelming energy of an Arcane Beast like Kaelor, nor the primordial darkness of Fenrir. It was something… different. A contained force, like a storm dormant beneath a calm surface.
Curious, he decided to test the ability Professor Flameheart had taught them. Discreetly closing his eyes, he activated
"It can't be, Logan thought", frustration mixing with his curiosity. "I feel it. There's something more to him." Then, a bold idea emerged, inspired by his duel with Marcus. If he could infuse
He concentrated again, but this time, instead of drawing on the essence of fire, he reached for the connection with Fenrir.
He pulled on the shadows, feeling the cold, wild energy flow from his core to his eyes. The first attempt failed; his vision blurred, stained with darkness, and a sharp pain forced him to stop.
He took a deep breath, remembering the Qilin's lessons on control. Not to force, but to guide. He tried again, merging the mana more subtly, weaving the shadows into the spell's structure.
Finally, on the third try, it worked. The world transformed. It was no longer a heat map, but a dual plane of existence. He saw the physical world, but superimposed upon it, he saw the world of shadows. And it was in Professor Cross's shadow that the terror revealed itself.
The silhouette projected on the floor was not that of a man. It was that of a colossal creature, a monster of unimaginable power. Immense wings, with feathers that seemed forged from metal and storm, were folded against a massive leonine body. The head was that of a majestic eagle, with a sharp, curved beak, and in place of eyes, two slits of pure darkness. It was a Griffin. And it was gigantic, its shadow filling the platform and extending almost to the first benches.
As Logan watched, paralyzed, the Griffin's shadow head turned slowly, as if sensing his intrusive gaze. In the darkness of that spectral head, two bright yellow eyes opened, fixing directly on him.
They were not physical eyes, but manifestations of pure consciousness and power, a gaze that pierced the veil between worlds and stabbed into Logan's soul.
The shock was so visceral that he jumped to his feet, knocking over his chair with a crash that echoed through the silent room. He was sweating cold, his heart hammering against his ribs, the air trapped in his lungs.
He deactivated the ability instantly, the world returning to normal, but the image of the Griffin and those yellow eyes was seared into his mind.
"Do you wish to say something, Mister Black?" Professor Cross's voice cut through the air, calm, but with a tone of steel.
Logan froze, his mouth dry, his mind blank. The professor's gaze was the same as before, black and impassive, but now Logan saw what hid behind it.
Kassia, feeling her friend's tremor, gave his arm a sharp tug, the touch pulling him from his trance. "Logan!" she whispered, alarmed.
The professor raised an eyebrow, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Do you wish to say something, Mister Black?" he repeated, his voice visibly irritated now.
"N-no, sir," Logan stammered, righting his chair and sitting down quickly. "My apologies. I… I didn't sleep well."
***
Across the room, Marcus Steelheart watched the scene with contempt and a hint of intrigue. His friends around him snickered.
"Look at the prince of Sky Reaper," one of them mocked. "Looks like he's seen a ghost. Must be the pressure of not being the best at everything."
Marcus paid no attention. He had felt it too. Since the professor had entered the room, an instinctive part of his being, the warrior trained from birth, screamed that there was a predator in their midst. Something terrifying, of a power level he could barely comprehend.
He had used
Logan's startle, however, was the missing piece. He had seen Logan's dark eyes just before he stood up—the same shadowy gleam from their duel.
"He used the shadows", Marcus thought, his mind working quickly. "He infused the vision with his element and saw something we couldn't see." The realization didn't leave him with envy, but with a cold determination.
He needed to understand that power. If Logan could merge elements with basic spells, so could he. Later, he would try. Fire, earth, maybe even light. He would find out what the heir of Sky Reaper had seen.
***
Professor Cross ignored the incident and began his presentation, his voice filling the room with unquestionable authority.
"I am Ethan Cross, and I will be your instructor for the Magical Creatures discipline. During this first year, our focus will be on the fundamentals. You will learn to identify and classify the most diverse creatures that inhabit our realms, from the most mundane beasts to the rarest magical ones."
He gestured to the enchanted windows, which changed to display diagrams and classifications.
"In the first semester, we will have a field activity. We will visit the Miralys Forest, here in Etheria, to observe creatures in their natural habitat. You will learn tracking, non-hostile approach techniques, and most importantly, respect for the magical ecosystem." A murmur of excitement went through the class.
"In the second semester, we will delve into one of the most complex and sacred topics of magic: contracts. You will learn about the different types of bonds a mage can form with a creature." The windows changed again, showing three distinct symbols.
"There are three main types of contracts. The first is the Contract of Servitude. It is the simplest and, often, the cruelest. The mage forces their will upon the creature, subjugating it. It is a bond based on power and fear, common in realms like Eryndark. I will not teach you how to do it, but you will learn to recognize it and, if necessary, how to break it." His gaze swept the room, pausing for an instant on the Eryndark students.
"The second is the Spiritual Pact. This is a mutual agreement, based on exchange and respect. The mage and the creature unite for a common goal, temporarily sharing mana and abilities. It is a bond of partnership, where both sides maintain their independence. Queen Gália of Sky Reaper is a renowned master of this art."
"Finally, the rarest and most powerful of all: the Soul Bond. This is not a contract one makes, but one that happens. It is a deep and irrevocable connection between a mage's soul and a creature's, usually one possessing great power and intelligence. It is a bond for life, transcending death itself. The partners share thoughts, emotions, and their very life force. The bond between a knight and their dragon in the Dragon Country is the most famous example."
The class continued, with the professor detailing creature classifications, but Logan's mind was elsewhere. He barely listened, the image of the Griffin haunting his thoughts.
When the class ended, Kassia and Blake approached him immediately. "Logan, are you okay?" Blake asked, concern evident in his voice. "You turned pale as a ghost."
They stepped out into the now less crowded corridor. Logan glanced to the sides, ensuring no one was listening, and pulled them into a more secluded corner.
"I saw it," he whispered, his voice still trembling. "The professor… he's not human."
Kassia frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I used a shadow version of the magic vision. In his shadow… there was a Griffin. A gigantic Griffin. And it looked at me." Blake and Kassia fell silent, shocked. The idea of a magical creature of that stature passing as a professor at the world's most prestigious academy was terrifying.
"But… how?" Blake asked. "Magical creatures can't just… turn human, can they?"
"They can," Logan replied, his voice low and grave. "The Ancestral Qilin explained it to me. Higher-level creatures, like the descendant Arcane Beasts, and especially the ancestral ones, can assume a human form. It's a way to interact with the world without attracting constant attention. They can't demonstrate their full power and potential outside their main form, but they remain extremely strong."
The three friends looked at each other, the same frightening understanding in their eyes. Aldaria Academy was much more than a place of learning. It was a chessboard where powerful pieces moved, and they were right in the middle of it.
They arrived in front of the door to their next class but stopped, the weight of the revelation hanging over them. The world had just become much larger, and infinitely more dangerous.