Smooth walls, no paintings. A wooden bed with worn sheets. A small wardrobe pushed into the corner, a desk stacked with piles of books, and a chair that creaked with the slightest movement. An oval mirror, its frame chipped, rested against the wall beside the door.
"Noah Miller… heh… I'm screwed."
Noah Miller… just another boy like any other. Full of dreams, with a sparkle in his eyes and an almost naïve determination. He wanted to enter Sirius Academy, be recognized, have a future. But life, as always, was unfair. And it was that unfairness that pushed him to that shady awakening potion seller.
Creek…
My muscles protested as I pushed myself up to sit. The mattress sank with a muffled foof.
The reflection in the mirror showed a face that wasn't exactly mine. Handsome, but not exaggeratedly so. Silver eyes, cold as freshly polished metal. Brown hair so light it looked like gold mixed with platinum.
I closed my eyes for a moment… and the memory hit like a punch to the mind.
The dirty wooden counter.
The strong, sweet scent of the potion.
The sweaty coin I handed over with a trembling hand.
The liquid going down my throat… and then, the pain.
It was as if a thousand needles pierced my body all at once.
I remember the moment mana exploded inside me, and the dry crack that echoed in my chest.
I opened my eyes, back to the present.
The mana core…
Few really understand how vital it is. It's not just a reservoir. It's an arcane organ, a living reactor capable of collecting ambient and natural mana, breaking it down into pure particles, removing unstable residues, and neutralizing arcane toxins.
When intact, it regulates the flow, pressure, and density of energy before sending it through the body's channels — ensuring that only refined mana feeds muscles, organs, and spells.
But mine… is cracked.
And every impurity that enters isn't destroyed, only accumulates, corroding me little by little.
I am awakened… but every second brings me closer to what everyone fears: a demon.
I looked at my arm, pulling the shirt sleeve up.
The veins… no longer had their normal color. A fine, dark network spread beneath the skin, pulsing faintly with a purplish glow.
Thump… thump…
It was the sound I imagined hearing every time I fixed my gaze on them.
"Less than a week until corruption… if I'm lucky."
I let the fabric go, letting the sleeve fall back into place. The feeling was strange — as if every heartbeat spread poison inside me.
Normally, a cracked mana core meant certain death, one hundred percent of the time. There was no known cure… but there was an exception. A solution.
The problem? I knew where to look, but not the exact location of that thing.
But it was that… or die.
And I wouldn't give up so easily. "That" could be my salvation.
I put on a coat, shoved my wallet into my pocket, and stood up.
Ugh…
A slight imbalance made me grab the edge of the bed, but my steps didn't falter as I left the room.
--
The narrow hallway of the building was silent, except for the distant echo of footsteps on other floors.
Clack… clack…
The sound of my boots against the cold floor followed me to the exit door.
When I pushed the metal door, a gust of cold morning air hit my face. The street was calm, with only a few cars passing and the distant sound of a newspaper vendor shouting his offers.
I walked along the sidewalk, keeping a steady pace despite the light dizziness that insisted on returning. The coat swayed with the wind, and with each step I felt the weight of time running against me.
Soon after, the modern station building appeared before me, its glass walls reflecting the soft Sunday light. Inside, the environment was clean, organized, and quiet, with only a few people scattered among the platforms and waiting seats.
I stopped in front of an electronic terminal and swiped my card.
City of Lourence.
Beep.
The display flashed, informing that the next train there would arrive in ten minutes.
The whistle echoed low before the train slowed onto the platform. I entered along with a few other passengers, choosing a seat near the window. I leaned my shoulder against the cold glass, feeling the soft vibration as the train began to pick up speed again.
The streets and buildings blurred into streaks of color, and my thoughts inevitably turned to the world I now found myself in… the world of The Hero's Odyssey, my favorite novel.
Earth — or what it used to be called — was, a thousand years ago, just another ordinary planet. That changed brutally when mana arrived. The invisible, chaotic force erupted across the globe, bringing earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters that completely redrew the map. Within a few decades, the continents fused, forming a single landmass: one Pangaea.
But the real terror didn't come from the geographic changes. It came from the fissures.
Portals began opening in random locations, connecting this world to others. At first, creatures once considered myths began crossing through — fairies, dwarves, demi-humans — bringing with them entirely new cultures and technologies. This migration alone would have been a huge challenge for any society, but right behind them came the monsters.
Not all were simple beasts. Some had enough power to obliterate entire cities in mere hours. These were called [Calamities].
The new races, older and more accustomed to mana, quickly began disputing the remaining territory of Earth. With humanity weakened, reduced to only 30% of its original population, the alliances formed were fragile and often unequal, with scarce resources cruelly distributed.
Decades passed amidst wars and invasions until a phenomenon changed the balance. Human children began being born adapted to mana, and, upon turning 14, they awakened special abilities — the so-called Gifts, a name given by the evolved races.
With these new warriors, humanity began reclaiming lands and rebuilding itself, slowly but steadily, until it became a power among the other races once again.
I watched the world pass outside — distant hills, rivers glittering under the sun, and small villages with their watchtowers. Everything seemed so calm, almost bucolic, but I knew this land's history had been written in blood and sacrifice.
And, somehow, my fate was now entwined with it.
Clang!
The train finally braked, grinding against the rails before coming to a complete stop.
Pshhh!
The doors opened, letting in a faint breeze of fresh air mixed with the scent of metal and oil. Noah stepped down calmly, his footsteps echoing across the platform's clean floor.
He looked up at the large digital panel ahead.
11:45 – 02/01/2856.
"Only eight days left until the Sirius Academy exams…" he murmured, a tired smile escaping before his stomach interrupted the moment.
Grrrrrr!
"Yeah… but first, food."
The city of Laurence spread out before him, with its clean streets and low buildings that mixed modern architecture with old-fashioned touches. Noah walked to a small family-run restaurant, with a discreet façade and windows framed in light wood.
As soon as he entered, the bell above the door chimed softly. The aroma of freshly baked bread and strong coffee enveloped him instantly.
Noah walked up to the counter, scanning the menu pinned to the wall. The attendant, a middle-aged man with a cordial smile, greeted him.
"A loaded sandwich and a black coffee, extra strong."
The man jotted it down and nodded, indicating he'd bring it to the table.
Noah turned and chose a corner near the window. He pulled out the chair, sat down, and rested his arm on the table, watching the calm street outside.
Maybe this will be the last time I do something as simple as eating without worrying…
The mana core… when it cracks, it's a sentence. And it wasn't me who caused it — it was Noah, that foolish boy with lofty dreams. Now I'm the one who has to deal with the consequences.
But that thing… if it's still there… it might be my only chance. It's such a thin thread I can barely call it hope, but it's enough to keep me moving forward.
The sound of cups and cutlery in the background mingled with the low murmur from the few other occupied tables. Noah closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, catching the scent of coffee approaching.
..
Clink…
The cup landed softly on the saucer. I stood, paid the bill, and left, stepping back into the cold street. My destination was now the Forest of Falste.
The wind felt colder, but my steps were steadier.
Clack… clack…
As I approached the entrance to the Forest of Falste, the urban scenery gave way to massive trees whose canopies intertwined, filtering sunlight into scattered beams. The natural gloom gave the place an almost mystical air, as if I were stepping into another world.
Foosh…
The soft sound of shifting leaves accompanied the rhythm of the wind. Small animals, altered by mana, peered out from the undergrowth — blue-furred rabbits, fork-tailed squirrels, birds with shimmering plumage. They weren't dangerous, but their eyes gleamed with uncommon intelligence.
Crack…
A dry branch snapped under my boots. Deeper in, the sharp hoot of an owl echoed, drifting among the trees as if tracking me with its gaze. The silence between the sounds gave the place a strange calm, almost inviting.
Foosh…
The air here had a unique freshness, mixed with the faint metallic scent mana left behind. Roots as thick as small trunks rose from the ground, forcing me to constantly adjust my stride.
Screech…
A winged insect, with transparent wings and black markings, zipped past my shoulder before vanishing into the forest. I kept walking, feeling the woods wrap around me like a living cloak, watching each step to avoid surprises.
Though sinister, the Forest of Falste felt… alive. Not like a hostile place, but something waiting.
The wind felt colder, but my steps were steadier.
Clack… clack…
The entrance to the Forest of Falste soon appeared ahead, surrounded by tall, twisted trees casting long shadows over the narrow trail. The air here carried a faintly sweet scent, mixed with the damp aroma of vegetation.
Foosh…
Dry leaves slid with the gentle breeze. Even with the dense atmosphere, there wasn't absolute silence — small sounds blended: the distant caw of a metallic-feathered bird, the snap of branches under some animal's weight, and the hum of luminescent insects. Mana-shaped creatures lived here, adapted to the environment… but none posed a real threat, as long as they weren't provoked.
Clack… clack…
As I advanced, the novel's memory surfaced.
"If I remember right… this forest once hid a scientist obsessed with human evolution. A genius… but completely insane. When he tried to kidnap people from a nearby city to use as… 'volunteers' in his experiments, he ended up killed by the police force."
I paused for a moment, watching shadows shift among the trees.
"Even so, his lab remained untouched. All the old projects stayed there, gathering dust… and at least one of them was already ready for human use. It just needed test subjects. I mean… volunteers. That's why he did the kidnappings."
I sighed, resuming my pace along the trail.
"Even as a lunatic, he didn't have the guts to use his own creation on himself. He feared what he had made. But… maybe that's exactly what could save me now."
Clack… clack…
Between the irregular bird calls and the distant rustle of leaves, another sound began to stand out.
Plish… plish…
With every step, the sound of falling water grew clearer. The trail opened slightly, revealing, between the trees, a curtain of clear water plunging into a small lake. The light filtering through the treetops reflected on the flow, creating bright specks across the surface.
I stopped for a moment, watching.
"So… this is it."
The memory of the novel's descriptions fit perfectly with this scene. Behind the waterfall would be the entrance to the scientist's laboratory.
I approached, feeling the humidity grow with each step. When I got close enough, the water's roar drowned out all other forest sounds.
Plashhh…
I pushed aside some branches and slipped along the edge, looking for the right spot. That's when I noticed — in the rock, partially hidden by the water, there was a long, narrow fissure. It didn't seem like the result of erosion or any natural phenomenon. The lines were too clean, almost symmetrical.
"Definitely… man-made."
Without hesitation, I took a deep breath and stepped into the fissure, leaving the forest's light behind.
..
The gap quickly narrowed, and soon darkness took over completely. The forest's brightness vanished as if swallowed whole.
Click.
I lifted my wrist and activated my watch's flashlight function. A weak beam of light, but enough, cut through the darkness ahead, revealing smooth stone walls, slightly damp.
I moved forward, my footsteps echoing in the tight space.
Clack… clack…
The corridor gradually widened, and suddenly, a row of crystals embedded in the walls lit up with a soft bluish glow. Mana stones, automatically reacting to someone's presence.
The flashlight's beam became useless against the sudden illumination. The path ahead was now fully visible.
And at the end…
A silver metallic door reflected the cold shine of the stones. Beside it, a narrow terminal with a small metal keyboard awaited input. The screen, old but functional, blinked with a simple message:
[Enter password]
"So it really is here…" I murmured, staring at the obstacle.
I stepped closer, my fingers hovering over the keys.
"Next Step."
Beep.
Clank… chrrrk…
The sound of gears echoed through the corridor until the door opened, revealing a pristine laboratory. Metal tables, shelves with crystal flasks, and notes organized as if the owner had left yesterday. In the corner, devices with pulsating mana tubes gave a touch of fantasy to the sterile environment.
I moved forward, and then I saw it.
A tall, sturdy metal cylinder stood at the back of the room, containing a black liquid as dense as onyx. A chrome lever at the base seemed to be the only way to release its contents.
"Finally found you…" I murmured, a brief smile forming.
I gripped the lever and pulled.
Chhhhk…
The liquid stirred, and a muffled sound escaped the cylinder. I reached out — and in a sudden movement, the black mass shot forward, piercing my skin as if it had a life of its own.
Tshhhhk!
A sharp, almost unbearable pain spread through my arm. I had expected something like this, but that didn't make it any less horrible.
The liquid advanced in winding patterns through my body, climbing to my chest, where the mana core pulsed weakly. It lingered there for a moment, as if probing every part of me, before spreading completely, forming a living armor over my skin.
Shhhhk…
The pressure gripped every muscle, every bone, before slowly receding, returning to the center of my chest — leaving only a strange sense of weight and contained power.
The heat in my chest began to grow. It didn't burn, but it was uncomfortable — like something expanding inside me.
Thum…
The first pulse came like an internal punch, knocking the air from my lungs. I dropped to my knees, hand pressed to the cold floor, trying to steady my breathing.
Thum… Thum…
Each new pulse rattled my bones, but along with it came something unexpected: less weakness, more energy.
"Ha… ha…"
A smile crept across my face, slow, as adrenaline surged. The intensity grew, and my laughter matched its rhythm.
Thum… Thum… Thum…!
It was as if my body was awakening to something new. Then, suddenly… silence.
I stopped, panting. I rose slowly and clenched my fist.
Clench…
"Haha… Now we're talking."