The orientation ended with scheduled campus tours, but Elias barely registered the guide's cheerful explanations about library hours and dining hall protocols. His mind was stuck forty-seven days in the future, replaying a memory he'd spent years trying to forget.
The Festival.
He'd been standing in the crowd that night, seventeen years old in the original timeline, watching the evening performance. The stage had been massive, decorated with enchanted lights that pulsed in time with the music. Three hundred students packed into the quad, laughing and cheering as dancers performed.
Then the groaning sound. Metal fatigue giving way.
The world had seemed to move in slow motion. Support beams buckling. The entire stage platform tilting forward. Dancers sliding toward the edge. Someone screaming.
And Elias, frozen. Absolutely frozen. Watching as the structure came down onto the front rows where students had crowded close to see better.
The sounds afterward were worse than the collapse itself. Screaming. Crying. The desperate shouts of people trying to lift debris off trapped bodies. Blood on cobblestones. The smell of fear and death mixing with the sweet scent of festival pastries that had been scattered across the ground.
Twelve dead. He'd known their names. Sat in classes with some of them. Jenna Thrace, who'd helped him with Elemental Theory homework. Marcus Chen, not the bully Marcus Vrell, but a different boy who'd been kind and quiet and died crushed under stage rigging. Others whose faces he could still see if he closed his eyes.
Thirty-four injured. Lyra had been one of them, her arm shattered in three places. She'd been in the hospital for weeks, had to relearn fine motor control for spellcasting. It had set her studies back a full semester.
And Elias? He'd stood there useless while Damien organized rescue efforts, while Seraphine coordinated healers, while Finn used emergency enchantments to stabilize collapsing sections so others could pull people free.
He'd done nothing. Contributed nothing. Just another failure to add to the growing list.
"You coming?"
Elias blinked. The tour group had moved on, and Sarah was looking back at him with concern. They were supposed to be heading toward the combat training facilities.
"Yeah, sorry." He hurried to catch up. "Just thinking about class schedules."
Sarah laughed. "First day and you're already worried about schedules? Relax a little. We've got time to figure things out."
Time. That was the problem, wasn't it? He had exactly forty-seven days to figure out how to prevent a disaster that had already killed twelve people in another timeline. No margin for error. No second chances beyond the second chance he'd already been given.
The Administrator's words echoed in his mind: "Make it count."
That evening, alone in his dorm room, Elias pulled out a blank notebook and began writing. Not just notes, but a full tactical plan. If he was going to prevent the Festival disaster, he needed to understand every detail.
FOUNDING FESTIVAL DISASTER - PREVENTION PLAN
Timeline: 47 days from today
Cause: Stage structural failure - specifically, load-bearing support beams failing under combined weight of stage platform, performers, and decorative rigging.
Primary Culprit: Corvin & Sons Construction - contractors with history of cost-cutting. They'd use substandard materials, skip proper safety inspections, forge certification documents.
Elias tapped his pen against the paper. In the original timeline, he'd heard all about the investigation after the disaster. The academy had sued Corvin & Sons. There'd been a trial. Evidence had shown the contractors had systematically cut corners to increase profit margins.
But that investigation had come after twelve students were already dead.
This time, he needed to prevent it before anyone got hurt.
Option 1: Report suspicions to academy administration
He crossed that out immediately. How would he explain knowing about problems with a stage that hadn't been built yet? The contractors wouldn't even start construction for another two weeks. He'd sound paranoid or attention-seeking. Without proof, they'd dismiss him as a nervous freshman imagining disasters.
Option 2: Sabotage contractor reputation, force academy to hire different builders
Possible, but risky. He'd need to manufacture evidence of past failures or safety violations. That felt too much like manipulation, and more importantly, it might not work. Corvin & Sons had legitimate credentials, even if they abused them. The academy had probably already signed contracts.
Option 3: Covert reinforcement of stage structure
This was what the System had recommended. Wait until the stage was built, then secretly strengthen the weak points. But that meant he'd need to:
Know exactly which support beams would failAcquire reinforcement materials without suspicionAccess the stage covertly to make modificationsHave the technical knowledge to do it correctly
The first point he could handle. He remembered which sections had collapsed. The other three were more complicated.
Finn. The shy genius who worked with enchantments. In the original timeline, Finn had stabilized collapsing sections during the rescue using emergency reinforcement spells. That meant he had the knowledge needed.
If Elias recruited Finn now, they could work together. But he'd need a cover story. Couldn't just say "hey, I'm from the future and I know the stage will collapse."
A knock at the door interrupted his planning.
Elias quickly shoved the notebook under his pillow and opened the door to find a student he vaguely recognized wearing a student council badge.
"Elias Thorne?" the student asked, consulting a tablet.
"That's me."
"Great. You're assigned to Festival Planning Committee. First meeting is tomorrow at six, Room 204 in the administrative building. Attendance is mandatory for all freshman volunteers."
"Wait, I didn't volunteer for—"
"Everyone volunteers," the student said with a tired smile. "Academy tradition. Freshmen help with Festival setup, sophomores handle decorations, juniors manage vendor coordination, seniors oversee everything. Welcome to Astralheim. See you tomorrow."
He left before Elias could protest further.
Elias closed the door slowly, mind racing.
Festival Planning Committee.
He'd completely forgotten about that. In the original timeline, he'd skipped most of the meetings, shown up for the minimum required work sessions, been generally useless. No one had cared because he'd been the bottom-tier student who nobody expected much from anyway.
But this meant access. Direct access to the Festival planning, to the stage construction schedule, to details about contractors and safety protocols and inspection timelines.
A smile spread across Elias's face.
The System had given him foreknowledge. Chance had given him committee placement. Now he just needed to be smart about using both.
The next morning brought classes. Elias had forgotten how overwhelming first day schedules could be. Back-to-back sessions introducing Basic Magical Theory, Elemental Manipulation Fundamentals, Combat Training Principles, and Introduction to Potion Brewing.
In the original timeline, he'd struggled from day one. The theory had felt abstract, the practical exercises had been clumsy, and the constant comparison to more naturally talented students had crushed his confidence.
This time, armed with seven years of additional context, everything clicked differently.
"Mana," Professor Aldric was saying in Magical Theory, pacing at the front of the classroom, "is not some mysterious force you must supplicate or beg to use. It is energy. Measurable, predictable, governed by natural laws as surely as gravity or thermodynamics."
Elias took notes, but his mind was layering new understanding onto old memories. He'd heard this lecture before and hadn't really understood it. Had thought Aldric was being dismissive of the wonder and mystery he'd been taught magic held.
Now he heard it differently. Aldric wasn't diminishing magic. He was empowering students by teaching them they could understand it, master it through knowledge rather than hoping for natural talent.
"In this class," Aldric continued, his sharp eyes scanning the students, "you will learn the fundamental principles underlying all magical work. Mana circulation, elemental affinities, spell construction theory, energy conservation laws. Some of you," his gaze lingered briefly on Damien in the front row, "will find this comes intuitively. Others," now he looked at different students, including Elias, "will need to work harder."
The old Elias would have heard that as confirmation of inadequacy. The new Elias heard it as simple fact. Some things would be harder for him. That didn't mean impossible.
"Both paths lead to mastery," Aldric finished. "The question is whether you have the discipline to walk your path, whichever it may be."
Beside Elias, a student whispered, "He's kind of intense."
"Yeah," Elias agreed quietly. But he was thinking about the System's warning. HIGH THREAT. Advanced temporal perception. Aldric knew something about how time worked, could sense when it was disturbed.
That made him dangerous. But also potentially valuable. If Elias could figure out what Aldric knew without exposing himself...
"Mr. Thorne," Aldric's voice cut through his thoughts. "Since you seem to find our discussion less engaging than your internal musings, perhaps you can explain the First Law of Mana Conservation?"
Every eye in the classroom turned to Elias. In the original timeline, he'd frozen at this moment. Fumbled through a half-remembered answer that had been technically correct but delivered so nervously that it had marked him as uncertain from the very start.
This time, Elias met Aldric's gaze steadily.
"Mana cannot be created or destroyed," he said clearly. "Only transformed from one state to another. When we cast a spell, we're not generating new magical energy. We're drawing from existing mana in the environment or our personal reserves and converting it into a specific effect. The total energy remains constant, though its form changes."
Aldric's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes. Assessment? Recognition of competence?
"Adequate," Aldric said neutrally. "Though you've left out several nuances we'll explore later. Pay attention, Mr. Thorne. The foundations we build now determine everything that follows."
"Yes, sir."
As Aldric moved on to the next topic, Elias caught Damien glancing back at him with something that might have been surprise. In the first timeline, Elias and Damien had barely interacted. Different leagues entirely.
Maybe that would be different this time too.
Six o'clock found Elias in Room 204, a medium-sized conference space filling up with freshman students who looked varying degrees of excited or annoyed about mandatory Festival volunteering.
He recognized a few faces from orientation. Sarah was there, chatting animatedly with another combat-track student. The auburn-haired girl from the riser incident was in a corner, still shooting him occasional suspicious looks. And...
Lyra.
She was sitting alone again, of course, because that's what happened when your classmates whispered "scholarship trash" behind your back. She had a notebook open and was already taking notes, even though the meeting hadn't started yet.
Elias made a decision.
He crossed the room and sat in the empty chair beside her.
Lyra looked up, surprised. "This seat's not—"
"Hi," Elias said. "I'm Elias. We're in the same Magical Theory section, right?"
She blinked. "You're the one Aldric called on. About mana conservation."
"Guilty. You're Lyra, right?" He knew her name from the timeline he'd already lived, but he couldn't admit that. "I heard Professor Aldric mention your name during roll call."
"Yes." She was looking at him warily, like she was waiting for the insult or the condescending remark. How many times had students approached her only to make comments about charity cases or wasted academy seats?
"Cool," Elias said simply. "Anyway, figured I'd sit here rather than hovering awkwardly by the door. Festival committee, right? Should be interesting."
Something in Lyra's posture relaxed slightly. Not a joke. Not an insult. Just a normal person treating her like a normal person.
"It's mandatory," she said. "So interesting or not, we're stuck with it."
"True. But hey, at least we'll learn how things work around here. Academy politics, event planning, all that."
"You sound almost optimistic about it."
Elias shrugged. "Trying to find the bright side. Otherwise freshman year is going to be a long slog."
A small smile tugged at Lyra's lips. "Fair point."
Before they could talk more, a senior student strode to the front of the room. Elias recognized her immediately though she didn't know him yet.
Seraphine Vale. Student Council Vice President. Political operator. Future complicated ally.
She looked exactly as he remembered: dark hair pulled back in a practical bun, sharp features, eyes that assessed everyone with calculating precision. In a few months, she'd try to recruit him for her faction. Right now, he was just another freshman volunteer beneath her notice.
"Welcome, freshmen," Seraphine said, her voice carrying authority despite not being particularly loud. "I'm Seraphine Vale, Vice President of Student Council. I'll be overseeing Festival preparations this year. For those of you who don't know, the Founding Festival is our academy's largest annual celebration. Over three hundred students attend, plus faculty, staff, and selected guests from the city. It's a chance to showcase our academy's excellence and tradition."
She tapped a tablet, and an image appeared on the wall behind her a detailed schedule.
"Festival is in forty-seven days," Seraphine continued. "Construction begins in two weeks. Your jobs as freshmen volunteers will include: setup assistance, decoration placement, vendor coordination during the event, and cleanup afterward. You'll be assigned to teams based on your skills and availability."
Forty-seven days. The countdown was running in his head constantly now.
"This is also," Seraphine said with a slight smile, "an excellent opportunity to make connections, demonstrate work ethic, and show leadership potential. Student Council recruitment often happens during Festival season. Those of you who prove capable might find yourselves with opportunities next year."
Political recruitment. That's what this was partly about. Seraphine was already evaluating which freshmen showed promise for future political maneuvering.
In the original timeline, Elias had been invisible at these meetings. This time...well, he needed to be visible enough to gain access to stage construction details, but not so visible that he drew unwanted political attention.
Careful balance. Story of his new life.
"Questions?" Seraphine asked.
A student raised their hand. "What if we're busy with classes or training?"
"Then you manage your time better," Seraphine said flatly. "Festival volunteering is part of your freshman responsibilities. Everyone contributes. Next question?"
Another hand. "What exactly are we decorating?"
"Everything. The main stage, vendor stalls, pathways, dining areas. We transform the entire campus. It's a massive undertaking, which is why we start preparation weeks in advance."
The main stage. That's what Elias needed access to.
He raised his hand.
Seraphine pointed at him. "Yes?"
"What about stage construction itself?" Elias asked. "Do volunteers help with the actual building, or is that all contractor work?"
Seraphine's eyes focused on him with interest. Good question. Shows engagement.
"Primarily contractors," she said. "But volunteers assist with material transport, site preparation, and basic assembly of non-critical elements. Why? Do you have construction experience?"
"Some," Elias lied smoothly. Well, half-lied. He'd helped with manual labor in his post-academy years. "Used to help my family with building projects."
"Noted," Seraphine said, making an actual note on her tablet. "I'll assign you to construction crew. We need people who aren't afraid of physical work."
Perfect. Exactly what he needed.
Lyra leaned closer and whispered, "Why did you volunteer for that? Construction crew has the worst hours."
"Figured I should be useful," Elias whispered back. "Plus, how else am I going to build character?"
She snorted quietly, covering it with a cough.
The meeting continued with team assignments, schedule details, and Seraphine's stern warnings about responsibility and academy representation. But Elias was barely listening.
He was in. He had access to the stage construction. He had forty-five days left until the Festival.
And somewhere in those forty-five days, he'd figure out how to save twelve lives without anyone knowing he'd done it.
The System had given him the quest.
Now he just had to complete it.
[QUEST NOTIFICATION]
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE: FESTIVAL DISASTER PREVENTION]
Difficulty: HIGH
Objective: Prevent Festival stage collapse
Lives at Stake: 12 dead, 34 injured
Time Limit: 47 Days
Reward: Major stat increases, significant System unlock
Failure Penalty: Timeline disaster, lives lost, heavy guilt burden
System Note: This is your first major test. Success will prove you can handle larger challenges. Failure will have permanent consequences, both for victims and for you. Plan carefully. Act decisively. Remember: balance must be maintained.
Accept Quest? [YES] / [NO]
Elias mentally selected YES without hesitation.
He'd accepted this quest the moment he'd opened his eyes as a sixteen-year-old again.
Everything else was just figuring out the execution.
Forty-seven days.
Make them count.