Chast lay unconscious on the ground, his body shimmering within a royal-blue haze. The Enigmatic professors and students closed ranks around him, hands clasped in a tight circle. A veil of white mist unfurled, swallowing them from sight and concealing his condition from the crowd. Together, they worked to keep his secret hidden.
"Cho...sen! Cho...sen! Chosen!" Nottie pressed close beside him, slapping Chast's shoulder in desperation, its tiny voice cracking under panic. Tears streamed down the elf's face in quick, unstoppable drops.
"Maagasan ka... bumangon ka!" Professor Morrwynn whispered. Her fingers glided gracefully like wings, weaving glowing threads of haze into a spell that shimmered between her palms.
But the magic didn't take. Chast remained still, glowing brighter with every passing moment.
Whispers spread inside the mist.
"What's going on?"
"Why is he still unconscious?"
"Is he dead?"
"What really happened to him?"
"Why isn't it working?"
"Was he attacked during the storm?"
Professor Vrynth's voice wavered. "What should we do, Professor Morrwynn?"
"We keep trying. This student's life depends on us." Morrwynn's tone was sharp, desperate, her gaze locked on Chast as if sheer will could draw him back.
"Maagasan ka... maagasan ka! Bumangon ka! Bumangon ka!" she chanted again, repeating the ritual with renewed intensity.
Still—no change.
At last, Professor Valkiery, who had been silent, stepped forward and knelt beside her colleague.
Morrwynn blinked in surprise but did not falter in her chant.
"I will take it from here," Valkiery said softly. She offered Morrwynn an assuring smile. With a reluctant nod, Morrwynn stepped aside.
Valkiery drew a steadying breath. She lifted her hands, and a radiant sphere bloomed between her palms. Pressing both hands to Chast's head, she leaned close until her forehead touched his. Her chant was calm but firm, each syllable thrumming with raw power:
"Maagasan kan... bumangon kan edwani!
Maagasan kan... bumangon kan edwani!"
For long, tense moments, nothing happened. Then Valkiery gasped, pulling back pale and panting, as though drained to sickness.
But Chast stirred. His glow softened. A faint rise and fall lifted his chest. The sound of smooth, steady breathing filled the circle.
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the professors and students.
"They'll find us if we stay," Valkiery warned quietly, catching the echo of approaching footsteps. "We can't let anyone see him like this. We must move him—somewhere safe."
Morrwynn and Vrynth stepped closer in agreement.
"Remember what we instructed," Vrynth told the students.
"Yes, professor," they answered in unison.
With a sharp snap, the three professors vanished with Chast. The mist dispersed into nothingness.
Chast found himself standing before a colossal tree. Its massive trunk rooted deep in the earth, vines cascading from its glowing canopy down to the roots. The tree pulsed with life, beating like a giant heart. Leaves shimmered with radiant light, scattering flecks of brilliance across the darkness.
A whisper slithered through his ears:
Awaited long, now found at last,
The curse shall break, the storm shall pass.
Come, O seeker, claim your due,
The world awaits its fate from you.
The words repeated, circling him like cold smoke. Chast spun, searching desperately for the source—yet the forest stood empty, silent but for his ragged breath. His legs trembled. Cold sweat trickled down his spine.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" he barked, forcing steel into his tone though his pulse hammered with fear. He bent his knees slightly, fists clenched, ready to strike.
I'm a black belter. I can fight, he reminded himself. Alone in the middle of nowhere, anything could happen.
But no voice answered.
Instead, firefly-like creatures emerged from the shadows, scattering across the air with soft, eerie giggles. They swarmed together into a glowing cluster and spoke in chiming unison:
Awaited long, now found at last,
The curse shall break, the storm shall pass.
Come, O seeker, claim your due,
The world awaits its fate from you.
Chast's heart pounded as the words dug into him like a prophecy carved in stone. He shook his head, swallowing hard.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, his voice cracking in defiance. But the weight of the riddle had already coiled inside his bones.
The moment the words left his mouth, the tree shuddered. Vines whipped violently, swaying like serpents. The fireflies dimmed and scattered in panic.
Shit! Is this another storm? Chast's chest clenched. His eyes darted north, south, east, west. Where do I even run?
Too late.
A massive vine lashed out, coiling around his legs. "Shit—ugh!" He barely gasped before it yanked him upside down, suspending him before the colossal trunk.
The riddle echoed again, pounding in rhythm with the pulse of the vines.
This tree... it's alive. He gritted his teeth, straining, but the more he fought, the tighter the vines constricted.
The tree groaned. Its trunk split open.
From the hollow stepped a young woman in a flowing white dress. Long gray hair tumbled down her back, framing a face Chast knew too well.
His emerald eyes widened. His chest thudded painfully.
"Xy... Xylene?" he whispered. The woman he had yearned for, the one he missed most, was standing before him. "Where have you been?"
"Come... come to me, Chast." Her voice was soft, sweet, coaxing—yet subtly commanding. "I have been waiting for you."
The vines loosened, dropping him to the ground. Step by step, Chast moved toward her, caught in a trance. Each stride dragged like the world itself pulled him closer. After five steps, he froze.
"Come closer, Chast," she urged, arms opening wide.
"Xylene..." he breathed. His chest ached. But then—like lightning cleaving the sky—realization struck.
Her voice. Xylene's was always rough, loud, teasing. Never soft. Never sweet.
A smirk tugged at his lips. His eyes hardened. "You're not Xylene. Who are you?" he demanded, pointing at the figure.
Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, unreadable mask. Vines snapped out, seizing his wrists and ankles, tightening until his bones screamed.
"Ughhh!" Chast groaned, writhing against the bind.
The woman lifted her arms, her hands fluttering like wings. Lavender haze burst forth, swirling around him, swallowing his body as her voice rang like a curse:
Awaited long, her shadow nears,
The bells will chime to mark the years.
Seek her, and the fates shall bend,
Her step will wake the fight to rend.
The storm shall break, the curse shall end.
The haze engulfed him. An image flashed—Xylene, bloodied, being stabbed.
"No!"
Chast bolted upright, gasping for breath, his body drenched in sweat. Every muscle ached, as though he had fought through an unending battle.
He massaged his temple. The dream was slipping already, hazy and broken, but the riddle still rang clear in his ears:
Awaited long, her shadow nears,
The bells will chime to mark the years.
Seek her, and the fates shall bend,
Her step will wake the fight to rend.
The storm shall break, the curse shall end.
"What... what was that?" he whispered. He tried to stand, but his wrists and legs screamed with pain. Pulling the quilt aside, he froze.
Red marks circled his wrists like restraints had bound him tight.
Where did I get these?
Forcing himself upright, he realized he wasn't in the forest anymore. He was in a strange, luxurious room, lit by a few glowing orbs that cast a soft light. The deep maroon walls pressed in, adding to the mystery. A strong, masculine scent hung in the air.
Where am I?
He heard voices arguing outside and got up to investigate. As he moved toward the closed door, he slightly opened the door and he pressed his ear against it, trying to catch the conversation.
"This is crazy! This isn't the first time this has happened in the Academy!" a woman snapped, her high-pitched voice sharp as glass.
"Someone's trying to attack us from the shadows," a man said coldly. "We'd be fools to ignore it."
"Jacob is right," Professor Sylverynth added, her voice weary. "But why? The Academy has been at peace since the last incident..."
Professor Morrwynn spoke lower, almost hushed. "We can't lower our guard. They've already attacked a student. That means they're waiting and watching for the right moment. We can't risk another student getting hurt."
Attacked student? Are they talking about me? Chast's stomach dropped. What kind of mess did my parents throw me into? This place is dangerous!
He leaned closer, about to peek through the door crack—
"Didn't you know eavesdropping is disrespectful?"
Chast froze. A deep voice rumbled behind him. Shit! I got caught!
He turned slowly. A tall man loomed in the dim light, his features hidden, but his hazel-blue eyes glowed.
"Uhh... uhm..." Chast stammered. He swallowed hard. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
The man said nothing. The silence stretched, broken only by the muffled argument outside.
Should I say something? Should I bolt?
Finally, the man spoke again. "Now that you're awake, come with me. They've been waiting."
He swung the door wide open.
The room beyond fell silent. Professors and council members turned, their gazes locking on Chast. Questions burned in every pair of eyes.
Chast forced a polite smile, heat crawling up his neck. Why are they staring? Do I look like some celebrity? Come on—it's just me. Just Chast.
The silence broke when Professor Valkiery spoke softly, her gaze shifting between Chast and the tall man beside him.
"You look like a father and son."