The next morning, Valthera was strangely quiet.
The sun slowly rose above the city, bathing the towers of Étheria Central Academy in golden light.
Students filled the corridors as usual, but Raizen barely noticed them.
He walked alone, his thoughts still trapped in the battle from the previous day—Kael’s lightning, his own shadow, and those strange red lights that had appeared within it.
Raizen stopped and looked down.
His shadow moved normally.
Nothing strange, nothing unusual.
And yet, he couldn’t forget what he had seen.
What are you?
He slowly clenched his fist.
And why are you inside me?
— You’re thinking too much again, a voice called out behind him.
Raizen turned around.
Kaira stood there, her axe resting casually on her shoulder, with Zayden beside her.
— You always show up at the worst possible moment, Raizen said.
Kaira smirked.
— You’re welcome.
Zayden chuckled softly.
— You should be happy.
We came to see how you were doing.
Raizen looked away.
— I’m fine.
Kaira stared at him.
— You always say that.
— Because it’s true.
— Then why do you look like you’re ready to fight your own shadow?
Raizen remained silent.
Zayden’s smile faded.
— Something happened yesterday, didn’t it?
Raizen hesitated for a few seconds before answering.
— My shadow moved on its own.
Kaira’s expression changed.
— Again?
Raizen nodded.
— And I saw something inside it.
— What did you see?
Raizen lowered his eyes.
— I don’t know.
Zayden remained silent for a moment before speaking.
— Maybe you shouldn’t try to figure this out on your own.
— Why?
— Because sometimes, the things we don’t understand are the ones that can hurt us the most.
Before Raizen could reply, the academy bell rang, signaling the start of class.
Kaira sighed.
— Come on.
We have class.
Raizen started walking, but before leaving, he cast one last glance at his shadow.
For a split second… it moved.
Raizen froze, then it returned to normal.
He said nothing and kept walking.
The Special Class A few minutes later, Raizen entered the Special Class.
Only a few students were present, and the atmosphere was distinctly different from that of the other classrooms.
Everyone here possessed extraordinary abilities.
The instructor entered and placed a large crystal on his desk.
— Today, we will begin a new phase of your training.
The students eyed the crystal with curiosity.
— This crystal will measure the amount of magical energy you are capable of controlling.
A student raised his hand.
— Is this another test?
The teacher nodded.
— Yes.
Excitement rippled through the room, though Raizen remained quiet.
The teacher pointed toward the first student.
— You.
First.
One by one, the students approached the crystal.
Some elicited only weak reactions, while others created powerful flashes of light.
Then the teacher called the next name.
— Raizen.
The room fell silent.
Raizen walked toward the desk and placed his hand on the crystal.
Nothing happened.
A few students scoffed.
— Is that all you’ve got?
Raizen frowned.
Then—CRACK!
A thin black crack appeared inside the crystal.
The laughter abruptly stopped.
The crack spread, followed by another, and then another.
The teacher’s eyes widened.
— Stop!
Raizen pulled his hand away, and the crystal returned to normal.
The teacher stared at him in disbelief.
— That shouldn’t be possible.
— What happened?
a student whispered.
Ignoring the hushed murmurs, the teacher locked eyes with Raizen.
— Your magic doesn’t behave like ordinary magical energy.
— Then what is it?
Raizen asked.
The teacher remained silent for a long moment before finally admitting: — I don’t know.
Raizen’s expression hardened.
Once again, no one had the answers.
The Three Strongest That afternoon, the students were summoned to the main arena.
Kael was already waiting there.
The silver-haired student fixed his gaze on Raizen.
— We still have unfinished business, Kael said.
Raizen stopped.
— I remember.
Kael smirked.
— Good.
Before another word could be exchanged, the instructor stepped into the arena.
— Today, you will spar against one another.
Anticipation filled the air, but the teacher raised a hand.
— However, remember one thing: strength without control is useless.
And power without understanding can become dangerous.
His gaze rested squarely on Raizen.
Raizen understood immediately—the message was directed at him.
Kaira nudged him.
— Don’t let it get to you.
— It doesn’t bother me.
— You’re lying again.
Kaira smiled.
— You’re becoming predictable.
Zayden burst out laughing, and for a brief moment, everything felt normal.
Then… a heavy pressure suddenly blanketed the arena.
Everyone froze.
The oppressive sensation disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
The teacher turned toward the high windows.
— Did you feel that?
Raizen nodded.
Kaira tightened her grip on her axe, while Zayden rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
— Someone is watching us, Zayden whispered.
Raizen looked up toward the academy towers.
He saw nothing, but he knew they were right.
Someone was there.
Somewhere Beyond the Academy Far from the students, a figure stood atop a distant spire.
The wind swept through his clothes as he looked toward Central Academy.
His eyes were fixed on a single person: Raizen.
He had been watching him for a long time—far longer than just since yesterday, and far longer than Raizen’s time at the academy.
The figure slowly closed his eyes.
— So… your power has finally begun to awaken.
He opened his eyes again, his expression impossible to read.
— Interesting.
He turned away from the academy, taking one last look back over his shoulder.
— Become stronger, Raizen.
I want to see how far you can go.
The figure vanished into thin air.
No student had spotted him, no teacher had noticed his presence, and no one knew his name—not yet.
A New Resolution That evening, Raizen stood alone on the academy rooftop.
The lights of Valthera stretched out below him.
He looked down at his hands as memories flooded back: his parents, the cave, the chains, the darkness.
Then came thoughts of Kaira, Zayden, the academy, his battles, his defeats, and his victories.
He slowly closed his eyes.
— I will become stronger.
Strong enough that no one will ever decide my fate for me again.
The wind howled around him.
His shadow stretched across the rooftop, seemingly moving independently of him for a fraction of a second.
Raizen opened his eyes and stared at it.
A faint smile touched his lips.
— Whatever you are… I’ll figure you out eventually.
He turned back toward the glowing city beneath the moonlight.
He didn’t know it yet, but someone had already begun tracking his progress—someone who would eventually shape his destiny.
And somewhere in the darkness… a pair of eyes opened.
To Be Continued…