The classroom buzzed faintly with chatter and magic.
Runes shimmered on the walls, drawing lazy circles of pale light as students packed their notes.
Rivan sat near the back, silent. His desk trembled faintly every few seconds — not from nerves, but from the mana that wouldn't stay quiet anymore.
Each time he tried to focus, it rippled through him again. Warm. Alive. Watching.
The same warmth that had nearly torn him apart days ago.
He exhaled slowly, keeping his hand flat against the desk. "Calm down," he whispered to himself.
But it didn't.
The rune beneath his palm pulsed once — golden instead of blue. A soft hum rolled through the air, enough to make a few students glance over.
Liora, standing near the front, shot him a sharp look. The message in her eyes was clear: Not here.
He quickly withdrew his hand, pretending to check his notes.
The rest of the class passed in a blur. Words about mana flow and elemental balance echoed faintly, but none of it stayed in his head. All he could hear was that voice.
Faint. Distant. Waiting.
"The light listens when you do."
The whisper brushed against his mind like a sigh. His heart skipped a beat. He turned sharply — but no one was there. Only the other students leaving in pairs, laughter fading down the corridor.
Liora dismissed the class with a wave, her tone calm. "Tomorrow, we'll begin practical assessment. Don't be late."
When she looked at him again, her expression softened — barely. "Stay after class," she murmured.
He stayed.
Liora approached once the room emptied. Today her silver hair was tied back, glinting faintly under the sunlight that streamed through the glass. Her uniform was crisp as always, but her eyes… tired. Concern hid behind that calm face.
"You're losing control again," she said quietly.
"I'm trying," Rivan replied. "It's not something I can just stop. It reacts on its own."
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she sighed. "Whatever's inside you—it's not normal mana. The healers can't read it. Even the Academy's sensors distort near you."
He swallowed. "Then what am I?"
"That's the question, isn't it?" she murmured. "Just… be careful. Power like that attracts more than curiosity."
He wanted to ask what she meant, but the look in her eyes said she wouldn't answer. Not yet.
Later that evening, he found himself walking the outer courtyard. The sky bled crimson as the twin suns sank behind the towers. Shadows stretched long across the stone paths, and faint mana lamps began to flicker awake.
He stopped by the fountain — the same spot he'd woken in two days ago.
Water shimmered with runic light. The surface reflected him back, his golden eyes glowing faintly even in the fading light.
"Why me?" he whispered.
The water rippled, though no wind stirred it.
"Because you were light once," the voice replied softly.
He froze. The voice was clearer now — echoing inside his head, yet it didn't feel hostile. More… familiar. Like something ancient trying to remember itself.
"Who are you?" he asked quietly.
"The question is… who are you, Starborn?"
The reflection shifted — for a brief second, he saw not his own face, but a silhouette of someone standing in burning light. Cloaked. Tall. Holding a fragment of a star.
And then it vanished.
Rivan staggered back, breathing hard. The air around him shimmered faintly, golden motes drifting like dust.
A sudden chill ran through the courtyard. Someone was watching.
He turned. At the far archway, a cloaked figure stood half-hidden in the dark. The same silent presence he'd felt before — the one from the day of the awakening.
But before he could speak, the figure was gone.
Only the fading echo of footsteps remained.
Rivan clenched his fists, eyes narrowing.
He didn't know if the voice was guiding him or warning him — but he was sure of one thing now.
The Academy wasn't what it seemed.
And neither was he.
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Author's Note:
Rivan's starting to feel the pull of something greater — a voice, a power, and secrets buried deep within the Academy. Things are slowly shifting from confusion to destiny.
What do you think that voice really is?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories below!
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