The next morning, Ronan woke up groggily, finding himself sprawled on the cold, hard floor of his room. A sharp ache radiated from his burned hand, but his mind was elsewhere, consumed by the haunting experience from the night before.
Sitting up, he instinctively held out his palm and summoned a small flame, his heart pounding until it flickered to life. The warmth spread across his hand, steady and familiar. Nothing seemed amiss, at least for now.
He exhaled in relief and moved through his morning routine. The hot water from the shower did little to wash away the unease clinging to him, and the simple breakfast felt tasteless. His thoughts replayed the unsettling vision: the infinite darkness, the suffocating silence, and the terrifying inability to conjure fire. The small flame he had eventually managed to create had been weak, fragile, barely illuminating his palm. It felt so vivid, too vivid to dismiss as a mere dream.
Once dressed, Ronan sought out Mr. Alden. "Morning, Ronan. You look like you've seen a ghost," Mr. Alden remarked.
Ronan hesitated before speaking, his voice quiet. "Something happened last night." Mr. Alden gestured for him to sit, his demeanour shifting to one of concern. "Tell me everything."
Ronan recounted the ordeal in detail: the void-like darkness that robbed him of sight and sound, the oppressive nothingness that seemed to swallow even his own body, and the desperate struggle to ignite even the smallest flame. When he finished, his voice trailed off, uncertainty clouding his expression. "It felt so real, like I was really there."
Mr. Alden leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. The part about the fire… natural fire does have fewer magical properties, making it notoriously difficult to manipulate. Most fire mages don't bother trying to absorb or control it for that very reason. As for the vision..." He paused, his brow furrowing. "I've never heard of anything like that."
Ronan's heart sank. "So you think it was just my mind playing tricks on me?"
Mr. Alden met his gaze, his tone firm yet measured. "You've been training hard these past two months. Exhaustion and stress can do strange things to a person's mind. Hallucinations aren't out of the question. But..." He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "If it happens again, I want you to come to me immediately. Understood?"
Ronan nodded slowly. "Understood."
"Good," Mr. Alden said, his voice lighter now. "Now, put it out of your mind for the moment. You have training to get to, and we're almost through this phase. In a few days, we'll head out for your monster hunt. You'll need to be sharp for that."
Ronan forced a small smile and rose to his feet. "I'll get to it."
As he walked away, his thoughts lingered on Mr. Alden's words. Hallucination. The idea gnawed at him, but deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that what he'd experienced was more than a trick of an overworked mind. The sensations had been too vivid, the emotions too raw. The void, the struggle, the fragile flame, they had all felt real.
Ronan clenched his fists as he headed toward the training grounds. He couldn't explain it, not yet, but he vowed that one day he would uncover the truth. That suffocating darkness, that unyielding silence... they held answers he needed to find. And until then, he would train, grow stronger, and prepare himself for whatever lay ahead.
Meanwhile, at the Academy
The meeting room of Serenwyn Magic Academy was a place of solemn grandeur, with high-arched ceilings, intricately carved wooden panels, and the faint glow of enchanted sconces casting a warm light. Yet, the atmosphere in the room was far from welcoming. The weight of the recent events hung heavy over everyone present: Alaric Viridion, Cedric Greenbriar, and Gideon; Academy members Felix Drayton and Ms. Elara Wren; Guild Master Garrick Thorn; and two higher-ups from The Luminal Covenant.
Felix Drayton's voice, though steady, carried the tension of the ordeal as he recounted the events of the ill-fated mission. "We encountered two individuals," he began. "One wore a white and black striped mask. The other was cloaked in grey, wielding a massive sword. When he stabbed the sword into the ground and removed his hood, there was no soul in the body; it was already dead.
He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in. "The second individual was far more formidable. I suspect he is at least a Master Tier Nine, possibly even a Grandmaster. However, we have no evidence to back this claim."
Guild Master Garrick Thorn leaned forward, his rugged face set in determination. "This isn't a matter to take lightly. I propose a joint investigation. The guild, the Academy, and the Luminal Covenant should pool our resources to get to the bottom of this."
Alaric Viridion nodded in agreement, but the two representatives from The Luminal Covenant, a stoic woman with piercing eyes and a man with an air of unyielding authority, remained unmoved.
"We appreciate your concern," the woman began, her tone clipped, "but The Luminal Covenant is fully equipped to handle this matter. We have enough Grandmasters in our ranks. Cooperation is unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?" Garrick's voice rose, his fists clenching on the table. "This isn't a competition! We're dealing with forces that could threaten the entire kingdom!"
"And we have the expertise to deal with such threats," the male representative interjected coldly. "Your involvement will only complicate matters."
Despite impassioned arguments from the guild and academy representatives, the Luminal Covenant remained adamant. By the meeting's end, the investigation had been handed solely to them, leaving the others with no choice but to agree.
Outside the meeting room, Gideon's sharp gaze scanned the corridor until he spotted Ms. Elara Wren and Felix Drayton. He strode toward them.
"So, the Luminal Covenant will handle the investigation." Gideon's voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the edge beneath it. "Then what, pray tell, was the point of this meeting?"
Ms. Elara Wren sighed, her elegant features shadowed with frustration. "There's nothing we can do. They hold too much power. Even the Academy has to tread carefully."
Gideon's jaw tightened. "Power doesn't excuse arrogance. Felix, if you uncover anything more about that masked man, I expect to hear about it immediately."
Felix nodded, determination flickering in his eyes. "Of course."
After parting ways with Felix and Elara, Gideon made his way to the training grounds, where his former students Kellan, Elenor, and Kairos were sparring. The sight of them brought a rare smile to his face. They paused their practice as he approached, their expressions lighting up at the sight of their old mentor.
"Master Gideon!" Kellan called out, sheathing his blade. "What brings you here?"
Gideon crossed his arms, surveying them with a critical but fond eye. "I needed a breath of fresh air after that insufferable meeting. And I thought, what better way to clear my mind than to see how my students are faring?"
Elenor chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "We're holding our own. Kairos nearly bested Kellan earlier."
"Nearly," Kairos echoed with a mock pout, eliciting laughter from the group.
Elenor, standing to the side, looked up thoughtfully. "Master Gideon, is something troubling you? You seem… tense."
Gideon sighed. "It's The Luminal Covenant. But enough about that. How are your studies progressing? Have any of you encountered difficulties?"
Kairos smirked. "Not unless you count Elenor's fire spells nearly singeing my eyebrows off."
"You're exaggerating," Elenor shot back, though her cheeks flushed slightly.
Their banter lightened Gideon's mood, but only momentarily. He knew the world beyond these walls was fraught with danger, and his students would inevitably face it.
As the conversation wound down, Gideon placed a firm hand on Kairos's shoulder. "Look after each other. You are more than mages; you are a team. Whatever challenges come your way, face them together."
"We will," Kairos replied, his voice steady with resolve.
With a final nod to the group, Gideon turned to leave. As he walked away, the laughter and camaraderie of his students echoed behind him, a poignant reminder of what he was fighting to protect.