Eiden walked through the academy halls with his usual quiet steps. The morning sun was warm, but his thoughts were heavy. Last night, he had read more of his old notes. The strange spells and symbols from the past were still in his mind. Each line was like a whisper from another life.
He sat in class, but he didn't listen to the teacher. His hand moved across the page, drawing small runes in the corners of his notebook. His other hand touched the grip of his sword resting beside his chair. No one noticed. Or so he thought.
From the back of the room, a pair of eyes watched him carefully.
Elara.
She had started watching Eiden for a few days now. It began when she saw him leave the dorms at midnight. She followed him once, but lost him in the maze of underground passages. Still, she felt something strange. His aura was cold and quiet… like a shadow that didn't belong in the light.
That evening, as the sun set behind the towers of the academy, a loud alarm bell rang from the training fields. All students were ordered to return to their rooms. Monsters had appeared on the edge of the forest. Strange ones—twisted, like they were changing.
Eiden stood by his window, watching the lights of the patrol teams. His eyes narrowed. "Too soon," he whispered. "They're already reacting to the magic."
---
Later that night, Eiden returned to the hidden ruin beneath the academy. The old door creaked open, revealing the dusty hall filled with his past work. He lit a small magic light in his hand and walked deeper into the ruins.
He opened a scroll he found the day before. It had a spell he once made: Silent Spark. A basic spell used to hide noise and movement. Eiden remembered it well, but his body was not ready to handle the full power yet.
He held his breath and began chanting. Light flowed from his fingers. The spell activated with a soft hum.
Nothing happened.
Then, a few seconds later, the entire hall went silent. No echo, no breath, no sound at all. Eiden smiled.
"It works," he whispered. But no one could hear him.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his back. He turned.
Someone was in the ruin with him.
He deactivated the spell and grabbed his sword. "Who's there?"
But there was no answer. Just the feeling of eyes watching from the darkness.
---
In the upper floors of the academy, the headmaster met with a few teachers.
"The monsters are acting strange," one teacher said. "They're stronger, and… changing. We think someone is interfering with natural magic."
The headmaster nodded. "Begin an investigation. Check all students, especially those who are talented with ancient runes."
---
Back in the ruins, Eiden slowly moved through the halls. He placed small magic traps behind him. Each step echoed louder now. He felt like he was being hunted.
When he finally exited the ruin and locked the door behind him, he saw a figure standing under the moonlight.
It was Elara.
She didn't speak. She only looked at him with sharp eyes, filled with suspicion.
Eiden nodded once. "Good evening."
Elara crossed her arms. "You're hiding something."
He didn't reply.
She took a step closer. "I'll find out what it is."
Eiden met her gaze. "Then be careful. Some truths are dangerous."
He walked past her and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.
Elara clenched her fists.
From above, a black feather fell from the night sky.
A sign of something darker to come.