Julian was halfway through his morning coffee when the mug exploded.
Not literally exploded—that would have been easier to explain. Instead, it simply cracked straight down the middle with a sharp crack that made everyone in the canteen turn to stare. Hot coffee spilled across the table, soaking into Julian's art history notes and dripping onto his lap.
"Shit," Julian muttered, jumping up and grabbing napkins to clean up the mess. Around him, students went back to their conversations, the brief interruption already forgotten. Just another clumsy college kid with a defective mug.
But Julian knew better. The mug had been fine until Noah Hayes had walked into the canteen, spotted Julian, and started making his way over with that determined expression Julian was learning to dread. The moment Julian had seen him approaching—felt that familiar spike of anxiety and trapped frustration—the ceramic had simply given up.
"Julian!" Noah called out, waving as he navigated between tables. "There you are. I've been trying to reach you."
Julian's jaw clenched, and three more students' coffee mugs developed hairline fractures.
"I have to go," Julian said quickly, abandoning his soggy notes and fleeing toward the exit. But Noah was faster, intercepting him near the door with that same concerned smile that had once made Julian's heart race with hope.
"Hey, slow down," Noah said, reaching out to touch Julian's arm. "I know you got my texts. Why haven't you responded?"
Julian pulled his arm away, every instinct telling him to get away from Noah as quickly as possible. There was something off about his behavior—like watching someone wear a mask that didn't quite fit. This wasn't normal behavior for someone he'd only had coffee with once.
"I've been busy," Julian said, pulling his arm away. "Classes, you know."
"Come on, we had such a great time the other day. I thought we really connected." Noah stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I told you I had something important to tell you. Don't you want to know what it is?"
Julian's instincts screamed at him to run. Noah's behavior felt wrong—like someone playing a role they didn't quite understand. This wasn't how genuine attraction worked. This was something else entirely.
"Maybe another time," Julian said, trying to edge around him. "I really do have to—"
"Julian." Noah's hand shot out again, this time gripping Julian's wrist with surprising strength. "I think we need to talk. Now."
The combination of being trapped, touched without permission, and Noah's increasingly unnatural behavior hit Julian like a physical blow. Fear and anger exploded through him in equal measure, and every piece of glass in the canteen—drinking glasses, water bottles, the glass covers over the food displays—vibrated with a low, ominous hum.
Noah's eyes widened as he looked around the canteen, his grip loosening as he backed away from Julian. "What the hell is that sound?" he said, turning his head to try to locate the source of the humming.
Julian yanked his hand free and ran.
He didn't stop running until he reached the sanctuary of Professor Chen's classroom, his heart hammering and his hands shaking. The room was empty—her next class wasn't for another hour—but Julian slumped into his usual seat anyway, trying to catch his breath and make sense of what had just happened.
The glass. All of it had been vibrating in unison, making that low humming sound. But why? What could cause every piece of glass in the canteen to react like that at the same time? Julian's heart was still racing from the confrontation with Noah, but now confusion was mixing with his fear.
"That was your first conscious manifestation," came Valerius's voice near his ear, soft but tinged with concern. "How do you feel?"
Julian looked around to make sure the classroom was truly empty before whispering back, "Like I'm losing control of everything. Did you see what happened back there?"
"Every second of it. Noah's behavior is escalating—Malphas is pushing him harder now that subtle manipulation isn't working." Valerius paused. "But Julian, what you just did... that was remarkable. Unfocused, yes, but remarkably powerful for someone with no training."
"I could have hurt people," Julian said, his voice tight with anxiety. "All that glass—what if it had shattered? What if someone got cut?"
"But it didn't shatter. Your magic responded to your emotions, but some part of you kept it controlled enough to avoid real damage. That suggests excellent instincts."
Julian wasn't sure that was as comforting as Valerius intended. The idea that he had power he couldn't control—power that responded to his emotional state—was terrifying. What if next time he wasn't so lucky? What if next time someone got hurt?
His phone buzzed. A text from Noah: That was weird back there. Are you okay? We should really talk.
Julian deleted the message without responding, but his hands were still shaking. This was getting worse, not better. And if Noah was going to start cornering him in public places...
"I need to call Professor Chen," Julian said quietly. "I need help figuring this out before someone gets hurt."
"Good instincts," Valerius replied approvingly. "She has the knowledge and experience to guide you through this safely. And Julian? What happened back there—it's not something to be ashamed of. It's part of who you are. We just need to teach you how to control it."
Julian pulled out the piece of paper Professor Chen had given him, with her home address and phone number written in neat handwriting. It was time to stop pretending he could handle this alone.
By the time Julian made it back to his dorm room that afternoon, his nerves were stretched thin. Noah had tried to approach him twice more—once outside the library, once near the student center—and each time Julian had felt that same spike of fear and anger, followed by small supernatural incidents. A streetlight had flickered when Noah called his name. A vending machine had started dispensing free sodas when Julian's frustration peaked. A window in the humanities building had developed a spider web crack when Noah had actually started following him.
Julian was starting to understand what Valerius meant about magic being tied to emotions. Every time he felt threatened or angry or scared, something in the environment responded. It was like having a supernatural tantrum, and he had no idea how to make it stop.
Marcus was at his desk when Julian entered their dorm room, surrounded by anatomy flashcards and looking frustrated with his studying. He looked up when Julian came in and smiled.
"Hey, how was your day?"
Julian managed a smile back. "I'd say the same, but that would be a lie."
It wasn't entirely a lie, Julian thought. His day really had been rough—having your magical abilities manifest for the first time while being stalked by someone acting increasingly desperate definitely qualified as worse than studying anatomy.
"Well, maybe you can explain something weird that happened earlier," Marcus said, setting down his highlighter. "I was in here studying around noon, and I swear I saw shadows moving around the room. Not like, normal shadows from clouds or whatever."
Julian felt his blood run cold. "Shadows? What kind of shadows?"
"I don't know, man. Just shadows. Maybe it was my imagination or something." Marcus shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed.
Julian's mind raced as he stood frozen by the doorway. Malphas. It had to be. The Soul Reaper was escalating his tactics, and if he couldn't get to Julian directly, he was going after the people closest to him. Starting with Marcus.
"Did they... do anything?" Julian asked carefully, trying to keep his voice casual. "The shadows, I mean."
"What could they do? I'm not even sure if I was really seeing things or not." Marcus went back to his flashcards, clearly trying to dismiss it. "Probably just need to get more sleep."
Julian nodded, forcing himself to appear calm even as dread clawed at his chest. Marcus was in danger—real, supernatural danger—and he had no idea. Julian felt trapped between the desperate need to protect his roommate and the impossibility of explaining the truth without sounding completely insane.
How could he tell Marcus that a Soul Reaper was targeting their dorm room because Julian was bonded to a demon? How could he explain that Marcus was now in danger simply because he lived with Julian? And even if Marcus believed him, what could he do about it? Julian didn't even know how to protect himself, let alone someone else.
"Yeah, probably just stress from midterms," Julian managed, his voice sounding strained even to his own ears.
Marcus glanced up at him with a slight frown. "You okay? You look kind of pale."
"Just tired," Julian lied. "I think I'm going to... go grab some fresh air."
He needed to talk to Professor Chen immediately. This couldn't wait until later. Marcus was seeing supernatural activity, which meant Malphas was already making moves against him. Julian couldn't just sit here pretending everything was normal while his roommate was in danger.
"Okay, man. I'll probably be here studying for the next few hours if you need anything."
Julian nodded and grabbed his jacket, his hands shaking slightly as he tried to appear casual. The moment he stepped into the hallway, he whispered urgently to the air around him.
"Valerius, are you here?"
"I'm always with you," came the immediate response. "What's wrong?"
"The shadows Marcus saw—that's Malphas testing his defenses, isn't it? Marcus is in immediate danger, and I have no way to protect him."
"You're right to be concerned. Malphas is escalating faster than I anticipated." Valerius's voice was grim. "He's using the time you're away from the dorm to invade your space—something he would never attempt if I were there. We need to get you to Professor Chen now. Marcus needs protection immediately."
Julian was already pulling out his phone, his heart hammering against his ribs. This was exactly what he'd been afraid of—the people he cared about getting hurt because of his connection to the supernatural world.
As he stood in the hallway, he dialed Professor Chen's number with trembling fingers. It rang twice before her familiar voice answered.
"Elena Chen."
"Professor Chen? It's Julian Cross. Something urgent has come up. I think... I think I need that help you offered, and it can't wait."
There was a pause, and Julian could hear the sound of papers rustling in the background, then what sounded like a door closing. "What's happened, Julian?"
"Things are happening when I get upset—when Noah cornered me in the canteen this morning, I made things around me react. And it's getting worse. My roommate is seeing weird stuff in our room now. Shadows moving around, forming shapes. He's in danger and I don't know how to help him."
"Shadows forming shapes?" Professor Chen's voice sharpened with concern. "That's not good. Something is testing your defenses, looking for weak points. Where are you now?"
"Just outside my dorm. Marcus is inside studying, completely unaware that he's being targeted by a Soul Reaper."
"A Soul Reaper?" Professor Chen's voice went sharp with alarm. "But what would a Soul Reaper want with—" She paused, then her voice became more urgent. "Never mind. Don't go back to your room. Can you come to my house now? We need to get your roommate protected immediately, and then we need to start your training. If a Soul Reaper is involved, this situation is far more serious than I initially thought."
Julian felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. "Yes. I can be there in forty minutes."
"Good. And Julian? The fact that a Soul Reaper is targeting your roommate means it's preparing for direct confrontation. We're out of time for a gradual approach to your training."
The line went dead, leaving Julian staring at his phone with a mixture of relief and growing urgency. Help was coming, but Marcus was still in danger right now.
Julian sent a quick text to Marcus: Got called away for a group project meeting. Will be back later tonight. If you need anything, just call me.
"You did the right thing," Valerius said softly as Julian headed toward the bus stop. "Professor Chen will know how to protect Marcus properly."
"But he's still in danger right now," Julian whispered, pretending to be on a phone call. "What if the Soul Reaper does something before we can help him?"
"Soul Reapers want specific targets, not random victims. He's using your roommate to get to you, to make you desperate and careless. The shadows are psychological warfare—meant to frighten you into making mistakes."
Julian wasn't entirely comforted by this logic, but at least it suggested Marcus wasn't in immediate physical danger.
The bus arrived, and Julian climbed on, still wrestling with guilt. Every choice he made seemed to drag more people into a world they'd never asked to be part of.
Professor Chen's house was a modest Victorian in a quiet neighborhood about twenty minutes from campus. Julian stood on her front porch for a moment, gathering his courage, before ringing the bell.
She answered the door almost immediately, as if she'd been waiting for him. In jeans and a sweater instead of her usual professor attire, she looked younger and somehow more approachable.
"Julian. Come in." She stepped aside to let him enter. "You look like you've had a difficult day."
The interior of her house was what Julian might have expected from an art history professor—walls lined with bookshelves, carefully curated artwork, comfortable furniture that had clearly been chosen for both aesthetics and functionality. But there were also things that definitely didn't belong in a normal academic's home: crystals arranged on windowsills, what looked like protective symbols carved into the door frames, and an overall sense of power that made Julian's marks tingle with recognition.
"This place feels..." Julian searched for the right word.
"Safe," Professor Chen finished. "It should. I've spent years warding it against supernatural intrusion. No one can reach you here."
She led him into a living room where a fire was crackling in the fireplace, casting warm light over shelves full of books with titles like "Practical Defensive Magic" and "Bloodline Genealogies of the British Isles."
"Sit," she said, gesturing to a comfortable armchair. "Tell me exactly what happened today."
Julian settled into the chair and found himself spilling everything—the incident with the glass in the canteen, Noah's increasingly aggressive behavior, the shadows in his dorm room, Marcus witnessing supernatural activity. Professor Chen listened without interruption, occasionally making notes in a leather-bound journal.
When he finished, she was quiet for a long moment, studying her notes.
"Your magical development is accelerating faster than I expected," she said finally. "Telekinesis manifesting during emotional stress is typical for your bloodline, but the scope of what you affected—every piece of glass in the canteen—suggests considerable power."
"Is that bad?"
"Not bad, exactly. But it does mean we need to accelerate your training. Untrained power at your level can be dangerous, both to you and to others."
She stood and moved to one of the bookshelves, pulling out a slim volume bound in deep blue leather. "This is a primer on emotional control and basic telekinetic techniques. We'll start with breathing exercises and meditation to help you maintain emotional equilibrium, then move on to focused manipulation exercises."
Julian accepted the book. "How long will it take? To learn control, I mean?"
"That depends on you. Some people master basic control in weeks, others take months. But given your power level and the current threat situation, I'd say we need you functional within days, not weeks."
Professor Chen returned to her chair, her expression growing more serious. "Julian, there's something else we need to discuss. A Soul Reaper targeting your roommate represents a significant escalation. But first..." She turned to look directly at Valerius. "I think you need to explain to me exactly why a Soul Reaper is hanging around and targeting one of my students."
Before Julian could respond, the air in the room shimmered, and Valerius materialized beside his chair. Professor Chen didn't seem surprised by the sudden appearance.
"Mr. Ashford," she said with a slight nod. "I was wondering when you'd join us. Now, before we go any further, I need you to explain why a Soul Reaper is targeting Julian."
Valerius was quiet for a moment, his golden eyes shadowed with old pain. "It's a long story, but the short version is that I escaped death six hundred years ago through my grandfather's magic. The Soul Reaper has been hunting me ever since, trying to correct what he sees as a fundamental imbalance. Now that Julian and I are bonded, he's targeting Julian as a way to get to me."
Professor Chen absorbed this information, her expression growing more grave. "A six-hundred-year grudge. That explains the intensity." She turned back to Julian. "This makes your training even more urgent. Now, let's begin. The sooner you learn to control your abilities, the sooner you can start fighting back instead of just reacting."
She led them to a back room that had been cleared of furniture except for a table in the center holding various small objects—pencils, coins, feathers, small stones.
"We'll start simple," Professor Chen said. "Telekinesis isn't about forcing objects to move—it's about extending your will through space and gently guiding them. The emotional component that triggered your manifestation earlier is power, but it's unfocused. We need to teach you precision."
Julian approached the table, feeling nervous. "What if I break something?"
"Then we clean it up and try again. But I don't think you will. Your instincts are better than you realize."
She positioned Julian in front of the table and placed a pencil at the center. "Close your eyes and think about you picking up the pencil."
Julian closed his eyes and tried to picture himself picking up the pencil. At first, there was nothing. Then, gradually, he could visualize reaching out for it. When he opened his eyes, the pencil flew directly into his hand.
"Excellent," Professor Chen said, and Julian could hear the approval in her voice.
Julian looked down at the pencil in his hand and felt a surge of excitement mixed with relief. He'd done it. He'd actually controlled his power instead of just letting it explode outward.
"That was perfect," Valerius said, pride evident in his voice. "Controlled, precise, exactly what we hoped for."
"It felt different than this morning," Julian said. "Calmer."
"Because this time you were working with your magic instead of against it," Professor Chen explained. "This morning, your emotions triggered a defensive response—your power protecting you from a perceived threat. What you just did was intentional manipulation, which is much more sustainable and safe."
They spent the next hour working through progressively more complex exercises. Julian learned to move multiple objects at once, to lift things into the air and hold them suspended, to manipulate objects with enough precision to stack coins into neat towers. With each success, his confidence grew.
"Your learning curve is remarkable," Professor Chen said as Julian successfully moved a feather through an intricate pattern in the air. "Most people take weeks to achieve this level of control."
"Is that because of my bloodline, or because of the bond with Valerius?"
"Probably both. Your bloodline gives you raw power and natural aptitude. The bond with Valerius provides emotional stability and access to centuries of magical knowledge, even if it's subconscious."
Julian was about to attempt levitating one of the stones when his phone rang. Marcus's name appeared on the screen.
"I should take this," Julian said, accepting the call. "Marcus? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but something really weird happened after you left." Marcus's voice was tight with confusion. "That shadow I mentioned earlier? It came back, and this time I know I wasn't imagining it. I saw it move for just a second, but it was definitely real."
Julian met Valerius's eyes, both of them understanding the implications.
"Are you hurt?" Julian asked.
"No, just freaked out. Julian, what the hell is going on? And don't tell me it's nothing, because shadows just don't move around when they feel like it."
Julian looked at Professor Chen, who nodded encouragingly.
"Marcus, I can't explain everything over the phone, but you need to come here right now. I'm at Professor Chen's house—she's the one helping me figure out what's happening." Julian gave him the address. "Please get here as soon as you can."
"Julian, this is starting to sound really serious. Are you telling me there's actually something going on here?"
"Yes. Like I said, just get here now and soon you'll understand everything."
There was a pause, then Marcus's voice came back steadier. "Yeah. I'll be right there. I know we weren't close like other roommates, but we've always respected each other. If you're telling me I need to come there, then I will. And Julian? I'm glad you trust me enough to include me in whatever this is."
After hanging up, Julian looked at Professor Chen and Valerius. "He's coming. And I think... I think it's time he knew everything."
"If he's going to be part of this, he'll need proper protection," Valerius said, his expression serious. "A basic ward won't be enough against a Soul Reaper. He'll need something stronger."
Professor Chen looked at him curiously. "What did you have in mind?"
"Demonic protection. Something like what we have, but you know how it is working with other demons—they'll always want something in return. It's the only way to ensure a Soul Reaper can't touch him."
Professor Chen nodded thoughtfully. "I know someone who might be able to help with that. Another demon who owes me a favor. We'll discuss the details when Marcus gets here."
She turned back to Julian. "For now, let's continue your training while we wait."
For the next forty-five minutes, they worked through a few more exercises, Julian's confidence growing with each successful manipulation. Professor Chen guided him through increasingly complex tasks - moving multiple objects simultaneously, maintaining precise control while distracted by conversation, even attempting to manipulate objects he couldn't directly see.
He was in the middle of levitating three coins at once, watching them orbit each other in a slow dance, when the doorbell rang.
Professor Chen stood. "That must be Marcus."
Julian felt his stomach clench with nervous energy. "Should Valerius stay visible?"
"Yes," Professor Chen said firmly. "No more hiding. He needs to understand the full scope of what's happening."
She returned a few minutes later with Marcus, who looked confused but determined. "Julian, what's this all about? And why did Professor Chen insist I come to her—"
Marcus stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. Julian standing in the middle of the room with three coins floating in the air around him. Valerius clearly visible beside the table, golden eyes and elegant horns catching the firelight.
"What the hell?" Marcus whispered.
"Marcus," Julian said gently, "I know what you're thinking, and no, you're not seeing things. Yes, there is a demon in this room. His name is Valerius, and he's... he's bonded to me."
Marcus stared at Valerius for a long moment, his face going pale. Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.
Professor Chen sighed. "Well, that could have gone worse."