The sun was beginning to set, though barely any light broke through the thick canopy above. My footsteps were quiet against the forest floor, the Direwolf trailing silently beside me. The woman who had saved me—Seren, as she'd introduced herself—walked a few paces ahead, still impossibly silent for someone in heavy gear.
"I need answers," I said, breaking the silence between us. "What is this place really? Why are there monsters everywhere?"
She didn't look back. "Viraelon is a war zone. Always has been. Beasts on one side, humans and half-breeds on the other. Except the lines aren't so clear anymore. You're standing in what used to be neutral ground. But ever since the Arcanite Gates started leaking, everything's changed."
"Leaking?" I asked.
"Mana," she said. "Pure, unstable. It warps things. Creatures. People."
"Is that how I ended up here?"
She glanced over her shoulder. "Maybe. Or maybe someone brought you here."
Before I could press further, we heard it—a rumble, then the unmistakable crack of earth splitting.
Not far ahead, smoke curled up into the air in lazy black tendrils. As we stepped into a clearing, I saw what had caused it.
Corpses.
Half a dozen smaller beasts, twisted and malformed, burned to husks. Their flesh was blackened, bones sticking out at odd angles. But the worst part wasn't the smell. It was the pattern. Each of them had been killed the same way—one clean burn through the chest, seared straight through.
Not natural. Not even the work of an uncontrolled wild beast.
Seren cursed under her breath. "We're too late."
"To what?"
"To stop him," she said, jaw clenched. "His name's Kael Draven. He's a rogue warlock. Former S-rank, exiled from the Crimson Guild. He hunts anything—beast, man, or spirit—just to feed his power."
"How charming."
"You don't understand," she said. "He doesn't kill for sport. He absorbs mana from the bodies. All of it. Every kill makes him stronger."
As if summoned by our words, a voice echoed from the trees.
"Flattering. You still remember me, Seren."
From the shadows, a man stepped into view.
He was tall and pale, wearing a coat made from stitched beast hides, jagged black armor underneath. His eyes were pitch black, and dark, pulsing veins ran along his arms. He didn't walk—he glided, like the ground itself wanted to move out of his way.
Kael Draven.
"You brought a pup," he said, glancing at me with disdain. "Fresh reborn, no doubt. I can smell the system's scent on him. Let me guess… 'Infinite Mana?'"
I froze. "How the hell did you—"
"I've been watching," Kael cut in. "They've started sending anomalies through the Gates again. You're not the first… but you might be the last."
Seren stepped in front of me, blade drawn. "You're not taking him, Kael."
"Oh, I'm not here for him," he said, raising one hand lazily. "I just wanted to meet him before I burn him into ash."
Dark energy crackled at his fingertips—like smoke and lightning mixed into one. I could feel my mana reacting, flaring defensively even before I willed it to.
But before the attack could leave his hand—
A blast of sapphire light shot from the treeline.
It struck Kael square in the chest, sending him skidding backward across the ground. His cloak caught fire, and he rolled to extinguish it, hissing like a wild animal.
"Still reckless, I see," came a voice—clear, strong, and slightly amused.
From the edge of the clearing, a girl stepped into the open.
She was… stunning.
Long, navy-blue hair flowed down her back, a few strands drifting in front of piercing teal eyes. Her armor shimmered faintly—silver and cobalt plates over a fitted mage's tunic, with arcane runes etched along her gloves. In one hand, she held a staff carved from crystal and blackwood; in the other, a small flickering flame hovered at her fingertips, dancing like it was waiting for her command.
Seren muttered under her breath. "Of course she shows up now."
The girl ignored her and looked straight at me.
"You," she said. "Newbie. With the red eyes. Don't just stand there."
I blinked. "What?"
"Cover me."
Without another word, she sprinted toward Kael, staff already glowing. I didn't have time to argue—instinct kicked in. I reached into the endless pool of mana inside me and funneled it into a barrier, shielding her from the retaliation spell Kael hurled her way.
The shield flared, taking the hit, and for a second, I thought it might shatter—but it held.
The girl grinned. "Nice."
She leapt into the air, spun once, and slammed her staff into the ground. A shockwave of blue fire exploded outward, engulfing Kael in light. He howled, then vanished into smoke.
Gone.
Not dead. Just… retreated.
"Damn it," Seren muttered, lowering her blade. "He never sticks around."
The girl walked over to me, brushing ash off her shoulder.
"You've got potential," she said. "Way too much mana and not nearly enough control. But I've seen worse."
I stared at her. "Thanks, I guess. You have a name?"
She smirked. "Yeah. It's Lyra Veyne. I'm a spellblade from the Arcanum Order. Top-tier mana channeler. And, apparently, your babysitter."
I blinked. "What?"
"You're not gonna last a week here without someone teaching you how to use all that power. Might as well be me."
Seren groaned. "Please tell me this isn't happening."
"Oh, it is," Lyra said, locking eyes with me again. "Infinite mana, huh? That's not a gift. It's a burden—until you learn to master it."
For some reason, her gaze sent a weird shiver down my spine—not fear, but something else. Like I'd just met someone who might change everything.
I didn't know what came next.
But I had a feeling Lyra was going to be part of it.