I wasn't ready for this class.
I wasn't ready for any of it.
But I still dragged myself to my seat, ignoring the tightness in my chest as I spotted him already seated.
Riven.
The very person I least wanted to see right now.
I exhaled sharply and slid into my chair beside him, keeping my gaze forward, refusing to acknowledge his presence. The tension between us was thick, suffocating. I could feel it, humming like an unspoken challenge in the air.
Riven didn't say a word, but I caught the subtle shift of his posture. A flick of his fingers against his desk. A quiet inhale. Like he was debating whether to speak, or simply waiting to see if I would break the silence first.
I wouldn't.
Not after what he said.
Instead, I gritted my teeth and focused on the front of the classroom just as Professor Calix strode in, his presence effortlessly composed, the embodiment of authority and discipline.
His long, shoulder-length hair was tied at the nape today, the dark strands catching the morning light as he adjusted his sleeves. His coat, embroidered with the golden crest of the academy, was buttoned with military precision. Everything about him exuded control.
The room fell into silence at his arrival. Even Jax, who was always ready with some quip, had the sense to keep his mouth shut under Calix's sharp gaze.
Beside me, Riven shifted, his elbow brushing against mine for the briefest moment.
I stiffened.
He didn't pull away immediately.
Neither did I.
And for some reason, that annoyed me most of all.
"Last time, we discussed the eradication of the Nyxeri and their associated covens," Professor Calix began, clasping his hands behind his back. "Today, we examine the aftermath of the Great Rift War."
With a flick of his wrist, a glowing map of the Omnivale materialized in front of the class. Threads of energy, Leylines, stretched between realms, weaving a complex, interconnected web that pulsed with power.
"The elimination of the Nyxeri was supposed to bring order," he continued, "but what the Council and the Pyrix King failed to anticipate was how their destruction would weaken the very fabric of our world."
He gestured to the projection, and some of the golden Leylines flickered, dimming in certain areas.
"The Nyxeri, despite the myths surrounding them, were rumored to have been a vital source of balance. Their energy was intricately tied to the Leylines, the lifeblood of the Omnivale. Without them, the stability of our realms collapsed in ways no one expected."
Murmurs spread through the class.
Calix ignored them, his tone measured but firm.
"The collapse of the Leylines led to an unprecedented shift in magical energy. Realms once safely connected became fractured. New, unstable rifts formed, gateways to places beyond our understanding."
With another flick of his hand, the map morphed, revealing pockets of darkness where the once-bright pathways had ruptured.
"These rifts created realms where magic twisted into something unrecognizable. Where laws of time and space unraveled. Some who entered these places never returned. Others came back… changed."
A cold chill ran down my spine.
"The Council made desperate attempts to seal these rifts," Calix continued, "but without the Nyxeri, it proved to be a losing battle. The balance had already shifted. The damage was done."
The projection zoomed in on one particularly large void, pulsing with ominous energy.
"That was when the Celestial Guardians intervened."
At their mention, a hush settled over the room.
"The Celestial Guardians," Calix went on, "were the only beings powerful enough to contain the destruction. But their intervention came at a cost."
The map changed again, revealing a battlefield: Council warriors, Pyrix King's soldiers, and Celestial beings locked in combat.
"The Council and the Pyrix King, refusing to accept the consequences of their own actions, challenged the Celestials.They believed themselves strong enough to rival immortal beings."
A slow, humorless smile crossed Calix's lips.
"They were wrong."
The battle played out before us in flickering light—gold against shadows, celestial energy against mortal power.
"The Celestials crushed the Pyrix King and his forces with ease," he stated, his voice calm yet unwavering. "Even the Council's most elite warriors stood no chance. Realizing their mistake, the Council withdrew, but not before suffering massive losses."
He flicked his fingers, and the projection dimmed.
"The Celestial Guardians managed to restore some semblance of order, but the Omnivale was forever altered. Some rifts were sealed, but others, those too deeply woven into the fabric of existence, remained."
His gaze darkened.
"There are still places in the Omnivale where if you take the wrong step, you will never return."
A long silence followed.
For once, Jax didn't even crack a joke.
Calix exhaled, straightening his coat.
"This is the world we now live in, a world permanently reshaped by the Great Rift War. Let it serve as a reminder that power is never without consequence."
The weight of his words lingered.
I scribbled notes absently, but my mind was elsewhere: on the unsealed rifts, on the unknown dangers lurking beyond them.
Somehow, this didn't feel like history.
Somehow, it felt like a warning.
I stepped out of History class feeling drained, my thoughts tangled in the weight of everything that had happened this morning.
Riven.
Runic Language.
The Ancient Rune now etched onto my skin.
And now, the revelation of the Great Rift War's true aftermath.
I barely registered the chatter of students as we moved through the halls. Lunch was next, but the idea of sitting at a table, pretending everything was fine, forcing myself to eat when my stomach was twisted in knots?
I couldn't do it.
"Hey, Athens, you good?" Ezzy's voice snapped me out of my daze.
I turned to find her and Jade watching me, their expressions laced with concern.
"Yeah," I forced a small smile, already knowing they weren't going to buy it. "Just a bit lightheaded. Gonna freshen up, I'll meet you guys later."
Jade frowned, crossing her arms. "You sure?"
Ezzy tilted her head, eyes narrowing like she was trying to read me.
I nodded, backing away before they could ask more questions.
"Alright," Ezzy finally sighed, though she clearly wasn't convinced. "Text us if you need anything, yeah?"
"Yeah," I murmured.
Then I turned on my heel and walked away.
I found myself in the school gardens, one of the few quiet places in Brightforge.
The air here was crisp, filled with the scent of enchanted blooms that shifted colors with the seasons. A small stream ran along the edge of the garden, its waters shimmering with faint magical energy. The trees here weren't just trees: they were old, wise, and thrumming with an almost sentient presence.
I sank down beneath one, letting my back rest against the sturdy trunk. The weight of the day pressed onto my shoulders.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my iPod.
This time, my fingers landed on "Everybody's Changing" by Keane.
I plugged in my earbuds, closing my eyes as the first notes hit.
🎶 You say you wander your own land… But when I think about it, I don't see how you can… 🎶
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.
Fitting.
I reached for my journal, flipping open to a blank page.
My pen hovered for a second before the words spilled out.
(She walks alone, unheard, unseen,)
Through a world that doesn't know her name.
Every face just fades to nothing,
Every truth feels like a game.
(She hides, broken inside,)
Her past is a ghost, a life denied.
She smiles, but it's just a disguise,
No one sees the storm in her eyes.
I gritted my teeth and kept writing, pouring out everything that had been gnawing at me.
(She tries to speak, but words don't stay,)
Every answer slips away.
She's running through a maze of shadows,
But the doors just won't remain.
(And she hides, broken inside,)
Her heart screaming, but she won't confide.
She's searching, but the road is blind,
She's lost in a fate she can't define.
I stopped, the ink pooling slightly at the tip of my pen.
Riven's words echoed in my head like a wound that refused to close.
I agreed to be your stupid date out of pity. Didn't want you looking any more pathetic in front of your friends.
I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly.
It didn't matter.
It didn't.
Shaking my head, I flipped the page, pressing my pen down harder.
(Oh, but no one knows, no one sees,)
She's drowning in the in-between.
Every step, a silent plea,
Just tell me who I'm meant to be.
I exhaled sharply, snapping the journal shut and pressing it against my forehead.
The music swelled in my ears, drowning out the storm in my chest.
I didn't know how long I sat there, lost in the lyrics, lost in my thoughts, lost in everything.
But when I finally opened my eyes, I wasn't alone.
A shadow stretched across the grass, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up, and found myself staring into sharp green eyes.
Professor Calix.
He stood there, tall and effortlessly poised, sleeves casually rolled just enough to reveal a glimpse of ink against his forearm: a faint, intricate tattoo I'd never noticed before. Something old. Something significant.
His dark hair, usually hanging freely past his shoulders, was tied back today, though a few strands had rebelliously slipped free, framing his angular face.
For a moment, with the golden afternoon light casting shadows along his sharp features, he looked like he belonged on the cover of one of Lara's high-fashion magazines rather than here at Brightforge.
"Professor?"
His gaze flickered, as if pulling himself from some distant thought. Then came that knowing, unreadable smile. "You seemed lost in your own world."
I let out a breath of amusement. "Guess I was."
Calix was the kind of professor who didn't need to demand attention, it was given to him effortlessly. Whether it was the quiet confidence in his stance, the way he spoke with absolute certainty, or just the sheer intensity of his presence, you listened when he talked.
And right now, he was watching me like he already knew exactly what was on my mind.
I quickly pulled my attention back to my music, pausing the song and removing my earbuds.
"I just needed some space to breathe and clear my head," I said.
"Tough day?"
"You could say that."
His gaze flickered over my journal for a brief moment, then back to me. "Amara tells me the Ancient Rune has finally marked its chosen one."
I scoffed. "Yeah, turns out the ancestors have unfinished business they'd like to share with me."
Professor Calix chuckled, a quiet sound that carried more understanding than I expected. "That does tend to happen."
I frowned. "You don't sound surprised."
"Because I'm not."
A pause. The weight of the moment pressed between us.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked.
I shrugged. "Suit yourself."
He lowered himself onto the grass beside me, his posture relaxed but his presence anything but. The sunlight filtering through the trees caught on the deep green of his eyes, making them look even sharper.
I hesitated before speaking. "Do you have any idea how this works, Professor? I mean, you are much more knowledgeable about the Great Rift War, and Ms. Amara said the rune had been dormant since then."
Calix took his time answering, his gaze drifting toward the horizon as if searching for the right words. When he finally spoke, his voice was even, careful.
"There are many theories about the Ancient Rune, but one thing remains consistent, it never marks someone without reason. Its magic is deeply tied to history, to forgotten truths that demand to be remembered." He glanced at me then, his sharp green eyes studying my reaction. "And please, call me Rhydan."
I frowned, gripping the edges of my journal a little tighter. "But… why me? There are so many others more gifted, more powerful..."
Rhydan tilted his head slightly, something unreadable flickering across his face. "I take it Myrren hasn't told you much about yourself."
That hit like a stone to the chest. I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. "No. She insists it's for my own safety, that I'll learn everything in time. But what does that even mean?"
A strange expression crossed Rhydan's face. Not pity, no, something closer to understanding. Like he'd seen this before, like he knew exactly what it was like to be kept in the dark.
I narrowed my eyes. "Wait, how do you even know about me and Myrren?" My pulse spiked. "No one here knows she's my guardian. Not unless you..."
"There's so much more beneath the surface, Athena," he said quietly. "Myrren and I… go way back. She's an old associate of mine. A friend. And while she watches over you in Lysoria, I do the same here."
The air around me seemed to shift, my mind reeling from his words. "She told you about the incident last night, didn't she?"
He nodded. "And about Varek. He's already watching you, Athena. Which means we have less time than I hoped."
My stomach twisted at the confirmation. It was one thing to suspect Varek had taken an interest in me, it was another to hear it spoken aloud.
"What does he want?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Rhydan's jaw tightened slightly. "That's what I intend to find out."
Silence stretched between us, heavy with the weight of things unsaid.
I swallowed hard, my thoughts a tangled mess. The rune on my skin pulsed faintly, almost like it knew it was part of something much bigger than me. Like it carried answers I wasn't ready for yet.
Rhydan finally pushed off the tree, standing to his full height. "For now, just do what you've always done. Keep your head down, stay out of the Council's way." His gaze flicked to the rune on my forearm before settling back on my face. "And Athena… be careful who you trust."
With that, he turned and strode away, leaving me sitting there in the quiet hum of the garden, the weight of his words pressing down on me like a warning.