In the near distance, I saw it.
A huge, fur-covered creature lumbered forward. From the crown of its skull jutted a single ominous horn, curving upward like a twisted blade. Charred flesh clung to its body, pulsing faintly with reddish-green energy that writhed beneath the skin. Its dull grey eyes fixed on the paralysed moose as it crept forward on all fours.
A bear… but warped, corrupted—mutated by demonic mana.
My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground, hands clamped desperately over my mouth and nose to stifle any sound. My body shook uncontrollably, eyes wide, refusing even to blink as I stared at the monstrosity.
It stalked toward its prey without urgency, each heavy step deliberate, almost mocking. The moose's head jerked, and for a brief moment its panicked eyes locked with the creature's.
—!?
A muffled yelp escaped me as both beasts flared their auras.
The bear's presence nearly crushed me to the ground. Its aura radiated like a storm of raw power, a fusion of mana and aether. Compared to it, the moose's aura was a faint spark—pure mana, weak and trembling, utterly pathetic in the shadow of the bear's overwhelming might.
"RAAAAARGH!"
The bear's roar split the forest, shaking the air itself. It reared onto its hind legs, front paws towering high, and then hurled its massive bulk forward with terrifying force.
Time seemed to freeze as it launched toward the paralysed moose. My body slackened, nerves betraying me—I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. The beast was too close, its killing intent overwhelming.
That's when I smelled it.
Not just mana—something fouler, something wrong.
The stench slammed into me like a physical blow: rotten blueberries mixed with rancid garbage, with the sour stench of long-decayed flesh. It clawed at my senses, burrowing deep into my skull. The exact opposite of normal mana's clean, vibrant scent. A grotesque inversion, sickly and vile.
My knees buckled, and I toppled onto my back. The fight blurred from view, lost behind the bushes and the canopy overhead. Above me, fragments of blue sky flickered through the leaves, mocking me with their serenity.
Then came the shaking. Violent, uncontrollable tremors ripped through my body. Something warm trickled down my face—blood, sweat, tears, I couldn't tell. My body no longer obeyed me; I was nothing but a puppet of agony.
All I could do was endure in silence. A single sound, a single breath too loud— and I knew I would die.
Hot tears spilled unchecked as my body seized again and again, locked in the grip of that unimaginable aura.
All I could hear was the deafening roar of the bear, mingled with the moose's slow, pained cries. The sounds pressed in on me, drowning out everything else as I trembled in silence. My vision swam, colours bleeding into one another, edges dissolving.
I'm going to fall asleep.
'No—! C-can't… sleep…!'
I begged myself, but my eyelids grew heavier with every passing second, the darkness clawing at the edges of my mind.
The last thing I heard, before it swallowed me whole, was the bear's triumphant roar.
A victory cry.
And then—
Nothing.
******
-Elara POV-
Ring—Ring—Ring—Ring—
My alarm rings into the silence. With a flick of my wrist, a vine shot out and slapped the digital clock off. It withered away just as quickly, leaving the room in stillness again.
I lay there a moment, staring up at the smooth white concrete ceiling, and sighed.
First official day at work… and nothing to do. I'd already planned the first month of classes ages ago, long before I even got the position. And now? All that preparation leaves me with this. A day with nothing.
With another sigh, I swung my legs out of bed, slippers swallowing my feet in their soft warmth. The room was still dark. Too dark. The system hadn't opened the blinds like it should have, so I padded across the floor toward the window—
—and froze.
A figure stood in the mirror.
Me. Of course. Just me.
"Riiight…" I muttered to myself. "Probably don't want to flash your new coworkers."
Flicking my hand toward the closet, several vines shot out, the soft and familiar feeling of mana flowing freely through my veins as I pulled a simple outfit out from my closet and into my hands.
A soft green long-sleeved shirt with embroidered jewels at the neckline that perfectly matched my eyes, a simple pair of black jeans, and comfy black boots.
I gave myself a little twirl in the mirror and smiled. Mom always loved it when I wore this shirt; she said it perfectly complemented my eyes.
But that smile quickly faded into nothingness as I tried to remember my own mother's face... but I couldn't.
Like a memory that had faded, leaving only the important bits. I still remembered her voice, her laugh, and how she was, but... her face was a blur.
I shook my head, turning to the console beside the two grand windows. I quickly read through it before pressing the "Blinds" button. Machinery whirred quietly behind the walls as the blinds started rising, letting the early morning sunlight pour into my dark room.
Staring off at the massive facilities and courtyards bustling with other teachers, I let out another sigh.
'I don't want to socialise with anyone...'
I close my eyes and probe my core.'Last tier of the Radiant Core stage.'
People used to praise me as a genius, an immense talent the world hadn't seen in centuries, after I reached the Resonance stage at only sixteen years old. But now, when I've literally done the impossible and climbed two tiers higher, they laugh and say I must have used supplements or tapped into demonic mana to raise my core.
Humans really are fickle creatures.
...
Opening my eyes, an idea popped into my head. The director mentioned demonic creatures within the Howling Thicket—a forest east of here that is said to have a cave leading into the Hollow Depths.
I can spend some time clearing it out, and I can also map out an area for future lessons.
Nodding to myself, I start making my way outside. Walking through the wide hallways of the teachers' housing area reminds me of home. Famous paintings of heroes and legends lined the walls, with one standing out the most.
A painting of Arthur Veythral, hero and legend of Aetherra.
Founding father of the Veythral Empire and ancestor of the Royal Family. His name and legacy alone are enough to make anyone bow before the Royal Family.
But looking at the depiction of that man—what he stood for and how he earned it all—the current Royal Family has lost its way.
Stepping outside into the chilly morning air, I slip my hands into my pockets before taking them out, reminding myself of my status.
As I walk through the courtyards, staff members can't help but glance at me, sneering.
"Look! The failed duke's daughter is coming our way," a man comments, while a woman replies mockingly.
"Be careful, she might snap and blow us into bits like her father did that day."
The comment earns a handful of laughs as they continue gossiping about me.
I suppress my anger before quickly clearing my mind and ignoring their words. Quickening my pace, I walk past the massive, looming gated wall of the Foundry. The guards nod as I pass.
Glancing back at the academy, I see huge walls lining the perimeter, while the main gate is guarded by dozens of personnel. At the top of the gate, the words "The Foundry" gleam proudly.
Soon, this place will be filled to the brim with this generation of children, and the world has already placed a massive burden on them…
Turning my back on the school, I head toward the Howling Thicket.
I flow mana through my body, coating my legs as sparks of lightning flicker up and down them. I focus on the forest ahead, and with a swift motion, I lift my hand. The dirt beneath my feet surges upward, propelling me into the air with immense speed. Lightning dances along my form as I soar through the skies.
I smile as the wind whips against my face, my hair fluttering behind me, the crackle of lightning dancing along my skin, and the roar of rushing air in my ears.
This is freedom.
Using the sub-element of lightning—sound—and the acoustic levitation method, I send soundwaves rippling through the air, keeping me aloft as I streak toward the forest.
As I approach the forest's treeline, I use sound to slowly ease myself downward before raising a platform of condensed earth and landing on it.
The forest itself looks ordinary, nothing special about it—at least, nothing in the air. Sending out waves of mana to probe the surrounding area, I feel absolutely nothing. No animals, no wildlife, nothing.
"Interesting."
Lowering the platform, I walk toward the forest, feeling a hint of giddiness at the sensation of being free.