A week passed. Alex settled into a routine. He went to classes, ate in the large dining hall, and spent his evenings in the West Library with Lyra, Finn, and Maya. He was getting better at pretending to be Kaelen. He learned to laugh at Finn's jokes and to nod along with Maya's serious explanations. But he was always careful. He always held his power back, like holding his breath.
One morning, Proctor Valerius, the Lexicon, entered their Foundational Laws class. The room went silent.
"Today," he said, his cold eyes sweeping over the students, "we will have a practical examination. You will not be graded on power, but on precision."
He waved a hand. In the center of the room, a complex metal cube appeared, floating in the air. It was covered in glowing symbols.
"This is a Puzzle Lock," the Lexicon explained. "It is held together by seven different Laws. Your task is not to break it, but to disassemble it. You must undo the Laws in the correct sequence. Undo one Law wrong, and the entire structure will lock permanently. Who would like to go first?"
Several students tried. One by one, they failed. The lock would shudder, the symbols would flash red, and it would reset, looking more solid than before.
"Kaelen," the Lexicon said, his voice smooth. "Why don't you try?"
Alex's heart jumped. This was a direct challenge. He walked to the front, feeling every eye on him. He could see the Laws weaving around the cube, a tangled knot of light and energy. It was incredibly complex.
I can't nullify it, he thought. I have to do it their way. I have to see the sequence.
He focused, blocking out everything else. He traced the lines of power, looking for the beginning of the knot. He saw it. The first Law was the Law of Structural Cohesion. It was the foundation.
He raised his hand, pretending to weave a delicate counterspell. In reality, he was just focusing his will, carefully loosening that single thread of the Law without breaking it.
The first layer of the cube clicked softly and floated away.
The class murmured in surprise.
Alex moved to the next Law. The Law of Kinetic Binding. He found its end and gently pulled. Another piece clicked and separated.
Piece by piece, Law by Law, he worked. It was like defusing a bomb. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He could feel the Lexicon's eyes burning into him. He knew this was the real test. Not for the class, but for him.
Finally, only one Law remained: the Law of the Core. It was the most complex, a tiny, brilliant knot of energy.
He reached for it with his mind. But as he did, he felt a sudden, sharp pressure. The Lexicon was subtly strengthening the Law, making it harder, testing his limits.
Alex pushed back, his concentration fierce. For a split second, his control slipped. His nullification power brushed against the Law. He didn't break it, but the Law flickered, its light dimming for a heartbeat before he regained control and properly disengaged it.
The final piece of the cube clicked apart and fell silently into his hand.
The classroom was completely quiet. Then, everyone started talking at once.
"That was amazing, Kaelen!" Finn shouted.
Maya looked at him with newfound respect. "Flawless sequence."
But Lyra was silent. She had seen it. She had seen the Law flicker in that strange, unnatural way.
The Lexicon walked forward, taking the cube pieces from Alex. "Adequate work, Kaelen," he said, his voice low. "Your sequence was correct. But your execution was... unusual. That final flicker. What was that?"
Alex's mouth felt dry. "I... I lost my focus for a second, Proctor. It was harder than I thought."
The Lexicon stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment. "Indeed. It seems even the most promising students can have... unexpected flaws." He turned to the class. "Lesson over."
As the students filed out, Lyra waited for Alex.
"You didn't just disengage that last Law, did you?" she whispered, her voice tight. "For a second, it looked like you... erased it."
Alex felt a chill. "That's impossible. No one can do that."
"I know," Lyra said, her dark eyes full of confusion and worry. "But I saw what I saw." She looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Just be careful, Kaelen. People are watching."
She walked away, leaving Alex alone in the hallway. He leaned against the cold stone wall, his heart pounding. He had almost been exposed. The Lexicon was pushing him, and Lyra was getting too close to the truth.
The walls of the academy were starting to feel like they were closing in.