Martin regained his vision.
He stood beneath a bright, flickering light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere. Beyond it, there was only darkness. No walls. No ceiling. No corners. Just void. He inhaled sharply, his breath hitching as he turned in place, trying to get his bearings.
Is this... the system space? he wondered.
A voice echoed suddenly flat, emotionless, and omnipresent.
"Welcome, hosts, to the Grand Witchery Academy."
Martin's heart skipped. Hosts?
So he wasn't alone?
Where are the others?
He could barely see anything beyond the light.
A chilling thought slithered into his mind.
Are there also ghosts? He shuddered and held his breath, terrified that even the sound of his breathing might attract something in the dark.
"You have all been selected after rigorous trials of survival and aptitude, uniquely tailored for each of you," the voice continued.
"You will be released back into the world only after completing the milestones set before you."
A surge of anxiety rippled through Martin's chest. He squinted into the dark. Shapes shifted beyond the edge of the light blurry silhouettes moving silently.
Then, with a flicker, the void lit up.
He was surrounded by more than a dozen people, all just as tense and confused as he was. No one stood close to anyone else. Everyone hovered on their own, backs half-turned, eyes downcast or wary. Not a word was spoken.
Martin took a shaky breath. "System... are you there?" he whispered.
A mechanical sound responded:
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Initial system loading...
Welcome, Host.
You are now enrolled in the Academy of Witchery.
I will be your guide and tutor until your milestone is complete.
Martin didn't hesitate. "When can I go back?" he asked, voice tight and urgent.
The system cannot register your question.
His jaw clenched. "When can I go back?" he repeated, more forcefully.
The system cannot register your question.
Martin exhaled sharply. Frustration clawed at his chest. "What can you tell me?"
The voice shifted slightly—as if recognizing the input.
Beep…
Question registered. Compiling data…
Beep…
Data compilation successful.
Beep…
Encyclopedia compiled.
Beep…
Injecting into the host's brain…
Then everything started to go wrong.
Authority bypassed.
Information overload detected.
System reset initiated.
Progression denied.
Forceful injection commencing…
A wave of searing pain tore through Martin's skull like molten electricity rushing through every neuron. He didn't even have time to scream before the darkness pulled him under again.
He woke with a gasp.
The ceiling above him was smooth and white unfamiliar. He sat up quickly, pulse pounding. The room was pristine. No windows. No doors. Nothing but the crystalline bed beneath him and a shimmering floor that looked like a field of stars.
"System?" he called out weakly.
> Sub-System 33 at your service.
> Scanning host location…
> Location confirmed: Infirmary, Grand Witchery Academy.
> Scanning host condition…
> Scan complete…
The voice continued in a calm, clinical tone:
> Name: Martin Keller.
> Age: 19.
> Gender: Male.
> Arcane Rank: Initiate, Tier 0.
> Mana capacity: Empty.
> Vital thread: Intact.
> Astral marks: None.
> Soul weave: Stable.
Then came the static.
It crackled through the system's voice, followed by a subtle change less robotic, more... unstable.
> Glitch detected: Information overload.
> System anomaly confirmed: Unlimited access to all recorded spells.
> Warning: Access level invalid.
Martin froze.
All recorded spells...?
> Forbidden Archives: Unlocked.
> Spells available: 42,681.
> Tier restrictions: Bypassed.
> Access control: Temporarily masked.
His mind reeled. Forty-two thousand? He had access to all of them?
> Active incantations: None. Selection required.
> Passive rites: Overflow Memory Sync (Level 1), >Arcane Retention (Level 1)
And finally:
> Phase 1 Milestone: Soul Attunement. Status: In Progress.
> Note: Anomalies may occur during progression due to system instability.
Martin sat still, the weight of it all crashing down on him. The air smelled faintly of chlorine, sharp and sterile but that was nothing compared to the numb disbelief flooding his senses.
"Where am I?" he asked.
A transparent golden window blinked into existence before his eyes. Words shimmered in the air:
Current Location: Aveol World.
Prion Continent.
Sublocation: Dark Forest.
Accurate Location: Grand Witchery Academy's Infirmary.
Martin stared at the floating text.
This is insane. This is like living inside a novel.
Warning: Physical health restored.
Action Required: Proceed to the Assembly Point.
He didn't move.
He couldn't stop thinking about his mother. What if she was sick? In pain? What if she thought he had disappeared or died?
But what could he do? He was helpless. No one had asked him if he wanted to be here.
Think, Martin. Think. Use your brain for once! he screamed inwardly.
Whoever brought him here had a plan. A purpose. This wasn't some random event. It was kidnapping coated in magic and mystery. And he couldn't even trust the system guiding him. If it could read his thoughts, then nothing was safe not even the inside of his mind.
He needed a plan. A foolproof plan.
But first he needed information.
Warning: Proceed to the Assembly Point.
A glowing map blinked into view. A pulsing arrow pointed toward one of the white walls.
Martin squinted. Assembly Point? But where's the door?
He examined the wall. No hinges. No seams. Just smooth, featureless white. Until he stepped closer.
The wall shimmered then vanished like mist.
Beyond it stretched a corridor of pale sky-blue, glowing faintly. Straight. Endless. The arrow still pulsed, pointing forward.
Martin stepped into the corridor. He didn't care about its strangeness anymore. Not now. Not when he might find answers. If the Assembly was his only shot at truth, he had to take it.
He didn't know how long he walked. Minutes? Hours? When he looked back, the room was gone vanished without a trace.
The deeper he went, the more surreal it all felt.
Who made this place?
How is any of this possible?
Nothing added up.
Then the corridor opened and Martin stepped into a coliseum.
It was massive. Circular. The high ceilings shimmered with embedded runes. He recognized a few faces people from earlier, when the space first lit up.
They were seated in silence.
No one spoke. Some stared into space, eyes full of dread. Others lounged like they didn't care. Everyone looked lost.
Only one seat remained. It glowed faintly like it had been waiting just for him.
Martin sat down, glancing around. Was this really the right place?
No guides. No system voice. No welcome.
Just silence.
And the weight of the unknown.