My shadow peeled away from my feet, stretching upward like a living thing. The students on nearby platforms didn't notice—they were too absorbed in their own puzzles—but I felt exposed nonetheless.
This was a dangerous gamble.
"Cover," I commanded softly.
My True Shadow spread across the platform, enveloping the runes in darkness. The symbols stopped shifting immediately, frozen in place by the absence of light. In the darkness, they began to glow with a faint purple luminescence.
A pattern emerged.
It was not crafted out of random symbols but a coherent message written in an ancient human language. A language I'd invented for my novel but never fully developed.
"Embrace the void to find the light," I translated.
The runes pulsed once, twice, and then the entire platform hummed with energy. My shadow retreated back to me as the puzzle recognized its solution.
The platform's edges glowed green, signaling completion.
I straightened up, trying to look casual, as if I'd simply used a clever trick rather than revealing my true nature.
A quick glance around showed most students still struggling with their puzzles. Kael was halfway through his, manipulating fire and water simultaneously in an impressive display of elemental control.
Professor Brhaisse's eyes swept across the arena, pausing briefly on me. Had she noticed? Her expression revealed nothing as she continued her surveillance.
The insignia on my hand warmed slightly. I covered it with my other hand, hiding its glow. Lux was watching through it, I realized. She'd seen everything.
"Fifteen minutes remaining!" Brhaisse announced.
More platforms began to glow green as students completed their puzzles. Others grew increasingly desperate, their magic flaring wildly as they tried solution after solution.
I stood quietly on my completed platform, mind racing.
I'd revealed my shadow abilities in public. It wasn't obvious enough for most to notice, but any keen observer might have questions. I'd have to be more careful in the next tests.
'Perhaps, I can attribute it to a form of Magic Manipulation… I just need to learn the actual magic in the future.'
I couldn't help but glance at my MAGIC attributes.
—Ding!
[]=[]=[]=[]=[]=[]
> INT: F-Rank (0/3)
> FLUX: F-Rank (1/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (1/3)]
> M-RES: F-Rank (0/3)
[]=[]=[]=[]=[]=[]
"…I have a lot of work to do,"
The platform beneath me shifted again, lowering slowly to join with others that had been solved. We were being gathered into a new formation, those who'd passed this first challenge.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips.
That was a lucky break.
* * *
My platform joined the others in a circular formation at the center of the arena. About half the students had completed their puzzles, while the rest remained elevated, frantically working against the clock.
I scanned the successful group.
Kael stood confidently, arms crossed, his elemental magic still swirling around him in a subtle display of power. Lyra Emberheart had also passed, her platform settling next to his. They exchanged smiles that made my stomach twist—another deviation from my original storyline.
The insignia on my hand pulsed again. I resisted the urge to look at it directly.
"Well done to those who have completed the first challenge," Professor Brhaisse announced as the final timer counted down. "For those still working, remember that failure at this stage does not disqualify you from the academy. It merely affects your initial class placement."
The remaining platforms began to descend, successful or not. Several students looked devastated, their magic fizzling out as they accepted defeat.
"The first test evaluated your problem-solving abilities and magical intuition," Brhaisse continued. "The second test will measure something equally important for heroes: adaptability."
The floor beneath us shifted again. The circular formation we'd formed began to separate, platforms drifting apart like islands in a current.
"Heroes must often work alone, but they must also know when to cooperate," Brhaisse's voice echoed across the arena. "Your next challenge requires both skills."
The floor between our platforms suddenly dropped away, revealing a labyrinth of pathways below. The walls rose up around us, transforming the open arena into a maze.
"Navigate to the center of the labyrinth. Some paths require cooperation to pass. Others must be traveled alone. Choose wisely."
My platform locked into place at the entrance of a dark corridor. The walls were inscribed with more runes, but these were different from the puzzle.
They were warning signs.
I glanced at the insignia on my hand. It glowed faintly, a reminder of Lux's watchful presence.
Somehow, that made me more anxious.
"Begin!" Brhaisse commanded.
Students scattered, some rushing forward while others hesitated, studying the maze's entrance. I took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness.
I stepped into the dark corridor, letting my True Shadow merge with the darkness around me. The runes on the walls pulsed with a faint blue light, illuminating just enough to reveal the path ahead.
My footsteps echoed against the stone floor. Unlike the other students who rushed forward with their magic blazing, I moved cautiously, keeping my senses alert.
The labyrinth felt familiar yet foreign—another creation of mine that had evolved beyond my original design.
"Shadow magic," a voice whispered from behind me.
I turned to find a girl with silver hair and piercing violet eyes watching me. Vex Nighvalle. The assassin prodigy who shouldn't be here yet.
"Interesting choice for someone applying to be a hero," she said, falling into step beside me.
"I could say the same about assassination techniques," I countered, recognizing the subtle way she moved—another detail I'd written into her character.
Vex's lips curled into a half-smile. "Touché."
We reached a fork in the path. The left corridor glowed with warm light, while the right remained shrouded in darkness.
"Light or shadow?" Vex asked, studying my reaction.
I examined both paths. The light corridor had runes that suggested cooperation—multiple magical signatures required to pass. The shadow path bore marks of isolation and individual trials.
"You take the light path," I said. "Find someone with complementary magic."
"And you?"
I gestured toward the darkness. "I'll take the path that suits me."
Vex nodded, understanding the unspoken message. We were both outsiders here, in different ways.
"See you at the center, shadow boy," she said before heading down the light corridor.
I watched her go, wondering how many other characters I'd encounter who weren't where they were supposed to be. The timeline was fracturing around me, characters appearing out of sequence, relationships forming that hadn't existed in my original story.
The insignia on my hand pulsed again, reminding me that Lux was watching. I turned toward the shadow corridor and stepped forward, embracing the darkness that was now part of me.
The path narrowed as I progressed, the ceiling lowering until I had to crouch.
The runes here were older, their magic more primal.
They recognized my shadow nature, responding to my presence with subtle shifts in their glow.
"…Please don't be that,"