Right?
12: Chapter 12: It Was Just an Exam.
Right?
Elora didn’t remember how she got out of the ruins.
The last thing she remembered was the seal breaking, the endless fall, and that terrifying creature.
After that, everything went black.
When she opened her eyes, the ceiling above her was different.
No longer ancient ruins, but smooth stone illuminated by controlled magic.
More importantly, she wasn’t in that dark place anymore.
She took a slow breath and noticed the air smelled different here.
A faint scent of lavender mixed with medicine lingered in the room.
Honestly, it was pretty comforting.
“Ugh…” She tried to sit up and regretted it the second pain slammed through her head.
Her vision blurred for a moment before everything finally came into focus.
An infirmary.
Great.
“Oh, you’re awake.” A woman’s voice came from somewhere to her left.
Elora turned slowly, wincing at the movement, and found a middle-aged woman in light blue robes approaching her bed with a glowing crystal tablet.
“Healer Evelyn,” the woman introduced herself with a kind smile.
“How are you feeling, dear?” “Like I got hit by a boulder,” Elora muttered, pressing a palm against her forehead.
“What happened?” “You had a minor accident during the examination.
Nothing serious, just a small magical backlash that made you unconscious.” Healer Evelyn touched the crystal tablet, symbols appearing across its surface.
“Professor Glynn said it was completely normal for first-year evaluations.” “Small magical backlash?” Elora frowned.
That didn’t sound right at all.
She remembered the collapsing corridor, the throne, the systems and the creature…
And that shadow.
A chill ran down her spine as the memory hit her.
But when she tried to recall more details, everything felt fuzzy, like trying to remember a dream that was fading.
“Where exactly did this accident happen?” Elora asked carefully.
“In the examination chamber, of course.
Resonance testing can be overwhelming for first-year students.” Healer Evelyn made another note on her tablet.
“You were unconscious for about six hours.” “Six hours?” Elora’s eyes widened.
The entire incident in the ruins had felt closer to fifteen minutes.
Her gaze drifted around the room.
Part of her expected to see another floating screen waiting for her somewhere in the air, filled with strange messages and information she couldn’t understand.
But there was nothing.
No glowing text, no notifications, and no sign of the mysterious system she had seen in the ruins.
She blinked a few times just to be sure.
Maybe it really had been part of the examination after all.
It wasn’t like she expected the thing to follow her into the infirmary.
“Can I see the examination chamber again?” she asked carefully.
The healer locked confused.
“Dear, why would you want to go back there?
The examination is already over.” “I just…
don’t remember much.
Maybe seeing it again would help.” “Oh, that’s normal.
Minor magical backlash often affects short-term memory.” The healer smiled like it was nothing serious.
“Don’t worry about it.
The important thing is that you passed.” “I passed?” Elora asked, disbelief slipping into her voice.
Her fingers tightened slightly at her sides as she stared at the healer.
‘That… couldn’t be right.’ “With flying colors, actually.
Professor Glynn was quite impressed with your resonance reading.” She hesitated slightly.
“Though he did mention some unusual fluctuations.” Unusual fluctuations.
What does that even mean?
The academy’s entrance exams were known for using advanced illusion magic to test fear, decision-making, and mental stability.
She had heard stories before—but nothing like that.
Nothing that felt so terrifyingly real.
Still… wasn’t that too much for an exam?
The memories felt fragmented and wrong, like pieces of something that should not exist inside a simple trial.
The more she tried to think about them clearly, the more uneasy she became.
They probably designed the trial to feel realistic on purpose.
That had to be the reason.
Because the alternative…
Elora immediately pushed the thought away.
It had to be the exam.
It had to be.
Elora’s hand moved to her necklace, and she felt relieved when she realized it was still there.
The crystal was normal now—cool and smooth against her fingers.
But as her thumb brushed across the surface, she felt it.
A crack.
Thin as a strand of hair, running down one side of the crystal.
“Healer Evelyn?” Elora called as the woman started walking away.
“Yes, dear?” “During the examination…
was there any structural damage?
To the chamber, I mean?” The healer turned back with a confused look.
“Structural damage?
What makes you ask that?” “I thought I heard…
breaking stone.
Collapsing walls.” “Normally, it was part of the illusion.” She approached the bed again, raising the glowing tablet.
“But let me run another diagnostic.
Auditory hallucinations can happen after magical backlash.” The crystal tablet glowed brighter as she waved it carefully over Elora’s head.
A moment later, more symbols appeared across the surface.
“Hmm.
Your magical aura is still slightly elevated, but nothing dangerous.” The healer lowered the device again.
“The examination chamber is perfectly intact, dear.
No damage at all.” Elora stared at her.
“Are you sure?” “Quite sure.
I was there myself an hour ago delivering supplies to Professor Glynn.” Her expression softened with concern.
“Are you remembering something that felt real?” “Very real.” “That’s completely normal.
Magical backlash can create vivid false memories, especially in students with strong magical potential.” She patted Elora’s shoulder gently.
“It will fade once your magical balance stabilizes.” But Elora knew it wouldn’t fade.
Because whatever had happened in those ruins had been real.
“When can I leave?” she asked quietly.
“Right now, if you feel steady on your feet.” Healer Evelyn gathered her supplies.
“Your belongings are in the wardrobe.
Classes start tomorrow morning, so get some rest tonight.” After the healer left, Elora sat silently on the edge of the bed for a while before finally standing and testing her balance.
Most of the dizziness had faded, but another sensation lingered beneath it now—a strange emptiness in her head, like the echo of something unfinished.
Elora changed back into her academy uniform, the familiar weight of the necklace settling against her chest.
The crack brushed faintly against her skin.
The crystal had survived for years without a single scratch.
Now it was broken.
And whatever had caused it wasn’t supposed to exist.
As she gathered her things and prepared to leave the infirmary, Elora couldn’t stop thinking about the Nexus Orb and everything that had happened during the exam.
None of it felt normal.
And she was going to find out why.
Walking toward the door, Elora paused when she noticed something strange.
Her reflection in the infirmary mirror looked…
different.
There was something unfamiliar in her eyes now.
She stepped closer, studying her own face carefully.
For a split second, the reflection behind her wasn’t empty.
Elora spun around instantly, her pulse jumping.
The room behind her was empty.
When she slowly turned back toward the mirror, her reflection looked normal again.
Elora touched her necklace—the cracked crystal suddenly warm against her palm.
She wasn’t imagining things.
And whatever had happened before…
It wasn’t finished with her yet.