Rei thought his morning was going to be uneventful. He always did. A few moments of stretching, a couple of pages in his grimoire, maybe a glance at the other students trying to master a spell—nothing new. The usual hum of magic-filled classrooms filled the air as Rei stared blankly at the class roster. At least the monsters were gone. He had no intention of becoming a hero, but he did wonder what would happen if the real hero, Light, finally noticed him.
That was before the door to the classroom slammed open with a bang.
"Rei!"
The voice cut through the air like a sword through fabric. He didn't need to look to know who it was—Elara Mystral, the brightest student in Celestia Arcane Academy, and the Hero's future right-hand. She was all fire and brilliance, her golden hair flowing like molten light, her eyes sharp as steel. Everyone knew her. She didn't look at Rei much, but she certainly knew how to make an entrance.
But today, she wasn't looking like the confident prodigy who could level a forest with a flick of her wrist. Today, she looked… distressed.
"Elara?" Rei muttered, though he didn't expect her to even acknowledge him.
"Where is he?! Where is the Hero?" Elara demanded, rushing to the front of the class. Her fiery eyes scanned the room, landing on Rei for only a split second before she turned away, clearly not recognizing the background student as someone worth her time.
Rei wasn't sure what to make of the situation. The Hero wasn't here—again. Light Solaris was notorious for his mysterious absences, though he was supposedly the chosen one, destined to save the world. Maybe it was a test. Maybe this was just another one of those days when everyone waited for him to step up.
"Oh! He's in the infirmary," came a voice from the back of the room. It was Dorian Nightshade, a mysterious student Rei had seen hanging around the edges of the academy but never really talked to. He wore a long cloak that billowed around him, and his raven-black hair always seemed to be in perfect disarray.
"Why?" Elara asked, her eyes narrowing, not satisfied with the answer.
"Nothing serious. He just... overdid it on the practice drills," Dorian said coolly. His smile didn't reach his eyes, and his voice was slow, almost as if he knew more than he let on. He had a reputation for being a bit of a loner, and rumors swirled about him being involved with darker magic.
Elara sighed in frustration but didn't pursue the matter further. She nodded curtly at Dorian, then turned on her heel, her eyes flicking over to Rei again. This time, she actually acknowledged him. "You there, Rei. You seem... different," she said, voice filled with a mix of curiosity and something like caution.
Rei blinked. "I—uh—"
Elara didn't wait for him to finish. "I've seen you around, but I've never seen you do anything useful. You're not trying to get involved with that rift business, are you? We need strong people for that."
Rei raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think I was strong enough for that."
"Don't be so modest. I've seen you stare at that rift. Like you could close it with a thought."
Rei paused, considering. He could tell her he didn't want any part in this. He wasn't here for fame or fighting monsters. He wasn't here for glory.
But something tugged at him. Maybe it was the curiosity in her voice, or maybe the strange way she seemed to notice him. He knew one thing for sure, though. If things continued like this, he wouldn't be able to hide for long. And despite his desire for peace and quiet, he was getting the distinct feeling that fate had already decided.
"Maybe I should start paying more attention in class," Rei muttered with a small smile, the kind that barely curved his lips.
Before Elara could respond, the door burst open again, this time with a bang so powerful that it rattled the entire room.
The Hero himself, Light Solaris, walked in, his blonde hair glowing like a halo. He was tall, handsome, and radiated an aura of charisma that could make anyone believe he was destined to save the world.
Only, today, he looked... exhausted. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he was panting slightly, as though he had been running from something.
"Sorry, I'm late," Light said, not even bothering to explain why he was late or why he looked so disheveled. He was, after all, the Hero. People would forgive him anything.
"I'm here," he continued, flashing a bright, toothy smile that had every student in the room sighing in admiration. Even Elara softened a bit.
Then, his eyes landed on Rei.
There was something about the way Light looked at him that made Rei's skin crawl. It was as though the Hero was sizing him up—assessing something about him that Rei couldn't quite place.
"You," Light said with a hint of curiosity, "You're Rei, right? The one who handled the rift."
Rei didn't know how to respond. Should he lie? Or tell the truth? No one else in the room seemed to notice the tension in Light's gaze, but Rei did. He could feel the weight of it.
"I just did what needed to be done," Rei replied, leaning back in his chair, trying to appear nonchalant.
Light's eyes lingered a moment longer before he turned away, his smile never wavering. "Well, good to know there's someone with potential here, even if they don't show it."
Elara, ever the skeptic, eyed both of them with suspicion. "We'll see what happens when the next rift opens," she muttered under her breath.
But Rei didn't need to hear her words to know what was coming. He had already seen the threads of fate.
And he knew: this was just the beginning.