The afternoon sun filtered softly through the leaves, casting gentle patterns on the worn stone path. Students moved in small groups, laughter drifting in the air, but near one corner of the academy grounds, a different energy lingered—quiet, tense.
Mira clutched her books tighter, her gaze flickering toward a tall figure leaning casually against the wall nearby. His presence was an unspoken warning, stretching like a shadow between them.
Eravas watched her with steady, appraising eyes. Without a word, he closed the distance, his movements deliberate, slow, almost casual. His hand reached out and grasped Mira's wrist with a firm but unhurried grip.
She didn't resist.
Footsteps echoed softly on the path, and Aevion appeared, his long silver hair catching the light. His violet eyes swept over the scene without a flicker of surprise or concern. His expression remained unreadable.
He stopped a few steps away, observing with cool detachment.
Eravas glanced at him with a half-smile. "So, you're here."
Aevion said nothing. Instead, he moved closer, the faint glow of purple and white Nexis stirring subtly around him.
Eravas shifted his stance, his grip on Mira's wrist steady, testing boundaries.
Without a rush, Aevion drew his sword. The blade gleamed, its edge shimmering faintly with the signature hues of his Nexis.
Eravas's smirk tightened. "You want to make this a fight?"
Aevion remained silent, his posture relaxed, almost effortless.
The clash began with measured strikes—no shouting, no grand gestures, just the ringing of steel and the subtle pulse of power.
Eravas relied on raw strength, delivering powerful blows that seemed to shake the air.
Aevion dodged and parried, moving with a grace that blurred the line between deliberate and instinctual.
Their exchange was quiet but intense, a dance of skill and precision.
Mira watched from the side, her breath caught between fear and fascination.
Aevion's blade flickered with purple-white Nexis energy during a swift counterstrike, forcing Eravas to briefly hesitate.
But the difference in power was clear.
In one sudden moment, Eravas seized an opening. His strike forced Aevion back, knocking the sword aside with a heavy blow.
Aevion's eyes narrowed, but his stance didn't falter. He lowered his sword calmly, expression unreadable.
Eravas gave a slight nod. "Fast... but not enough."
Without another word, he released Mira's wrist and stepped away, disappearing into the lengthening shadows.
Mira rushed to Aevion's side, concern plain on her face. "Are you okay?"
He gave a slight nod. "It was expected."
She frowned. "Why didn't you stop him sooner?"
Aevion's gaze was steady, calm. "Sometimes, watching is more telling than stopping."
They walked side by side as the light dimmed, the quiet aftermath of the fight settling around them.
Aevion's mind was already turning to what lay ahead, and the unseen depths of the man who had just walked away.
The heavy wooden doors of the infirmary creaked softly as they closed behind Aevion and Mara. Inside, the scent of herbs and antiseptic mingled with a faint chill that seemed to seep from the stone walls themselves. Liora lay reclined on a narrow cot, her ankle wrapped in tattered cloth stained with dark bruises. The pain was etched plainly across her pale face, but her violet eyes met Aevion's with quiet determination.
Mara's sharp gaze flicked between them. "The nurse says the only thing that can truly mend that injury lies within the Heartspire Ruins — an ancient place few dare to tread. A sacred healing crystal, untouched by time or corruption." Her voice was calm but carried a weight that filled the small infirmary with an unspoken warning.
Liora shifted, wincing slightly but nodding once. "If I don't get better soon… classes will only get harder." Her voice was soft, but beneath it lay a steely resolve that surprised even Aevion. No hint of helplessness lingered in her tone.
"I'll go with you," Aevion said simply, his eyes cold but steady. Mara gave a subtle nod and stepped aside, giving them space.
Outside, the sky had dimmed to a muted gray, clouds swirling low over the ancient trees surrounding the academy. The wind whispered secrets through the rustling leaves as the two moved in silence toward the forest's edge, where the ruins loomed like a forgotten monument swallowed by time.
The entrance yawned wide — a broken archway choked with twisted vines and crumbling stone, carved with sigils worn nearly smooth by centuries of neglect. The air grew thick, charged with something old, a pulse that seemed to hum beneath their skin.
"Stay close," Liora cautioned, limping carefully, leaning on Aevion's arm despite her stubborn pride. "These ruins… they're not just ancient. There's something… wrong here."
Aevion's gaze sharpened, the world narrowing to the faint flicker of Nexis glowing within him. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword — Nellum's Embrace — the blade humming with barely contained power.
As they delved deeper, the shadows seemed to grow heavier, stretching unnaturally as if the ruins themselves breathed around them. The scent of damp earth and faded incense mixed with a faint metallic tang that set their nerves on edge.
Suddenly, from the darkness between shattered pillars, three monstrous figures emerged — grotesque shapes twisted with jagged claws and eyes that burned with cold hunger. The very air rippled around them, a sickening distortion that spoke of a power beyond mere flesh.
Without hesitation, Aevion stepped forward, his sword gleaming with raw Nexis energy as he met the first creature head-on. His movements were fluid and precise, each strike cutting through the air with deadly grace. The blade sang as it clove through scaled hide and sinew, but just as one beast fell, a second lunged from the shadows, striking at Aevion's side.
Pain flared, sharp and unrelenting, but he did not falter. He spun, parried, and drove the creature back — yet the toll was clear. The wounds, though shallow, bled and slowed his rhythm. The third monster closed in silently, forcing him into a desperate dance of survival.
Then, just as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him, a fierce cry shattered the tension. Liora surged forward, her every movement a blur of determination and raw power as she faced down the two monsters. Despite her injured ankle, her Nexis flared fiercely — a brilliant pulse of violet and white that danced around her like wildfire.
She struck with precision and fury, holding both creatures at bay in a relentless duel that pushed her to the brink. Every strike she landed carved hope into the shadows, every block a testament to her unyielding will.
The battle raged through the hollowed halls of the ruins, echoes of clashing steel and guttural roars bouncing off broken walls. The sacred healing crystal awaited somewhere beyond, but the monsters guarding it were no mere obstacles — they were trials, tests of strength, spirit, and resolve.
When silence finally fell, the three beasts lay defeated, their grotesque forms still as stone. Breathing heavily, Aevion and Liora exchanged a brief glance — no words were needed. They had survived, but the ruins had left their mark.
Liora winced, collapsing to one knee, her ankle throbbing fiercely, but a faint smile touched her lips. "Let's find that crystal. I want to heal, but... I'm not finished yet."
Aevion sheathed Nellum's Embrace, the sword's quiet hum a promise of power still waiting to be unleashed. "We move forward. Together."
As they pressed deeper into the heart of the ruins, the air thickened with ancient magic and forgotten secrets — and somewhere, deep within the stone, the sacred healing crystal pulsed, a beacon of hope wrapped in shadow.