The world was loud.
Birds cried out across the silver plains, and a warm wind swept through the strange grass that shimmered like liquid light. It was almost too much — sound, color, life.
After the silence of the Void, every breath felt like thunder.
The crimson-haired girl from before knelt beside me, her eyes wide with concern. "You're pale. Where did you come from? There's no village for miles."
I opened my mouth to answer, then stopped. My voice — higher, softer — startled me.
"I… don't know."
She tilted her head. "Amnesia, maybe?"
I hesitated, then nodded. That was safer than the truth. "Yeah… something like that."
"Then you should come with me," she said, smiling brightly. "It's dangerous to be out here alone. Name's Lyra."
"Ser—"
I paused, catching myself before the wrong name slipped out.
"Serena."
"Pretty name," Lyra said warmly. "Come on. There's a town not far from here."
We walked for what felt like hours. The path wound through crystalline woods where trees hummed faintly, like they were alive with mana. I tried not to stare, but everything in this world felt too vivid.
Each sound tugged at the back of my mind, stirring whispers of the Void.
Consume it.
Take what's yours.
I clenched my fists until the voices faded.
Lyra glanced back. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Just… a bit dizzy."
When we finally reached the town, I nearly forgot how to breathe. It was a place out of a dream — spires of white marble, floating lanterns, and glowing runes carved into every wall. People walked by in robes, some carrying staffs that radiated energy.
A sign carved from crystal read:
Welcome to Aetherion, City of Light.
The irony made me smirk.
A daughter of the Void walking into a city worshiping light.
Perfect.
Lyra led me to a small inn on the edge of town. The keeper, a portly elf with spectacles, gave me a curious glance but said nothing once Lyra explained I was a lost traveler.
After a meal that tasted too real, Lyra left to fetch someone she called "a mage who could help."
Alone in the rented room, I stared into the mirror hanging above the basin.
The girl who looked back at me was a stranger.
Pale skin like moonlight, silver hair cascading to her waist, and eyes that shimmered faintly with violet and blue hues — the same void-born colors I saw in that endless darkness.
I reached up, touching my cheek. "So this is me now…"
There was beauty there, sure — but also something terrifying. My reflection didn't blink when I did. Its lips curved slightly.
"You wear my gift well."
I froze. The mirror rippled like water, and the Void's whisper echoed through the room.
"Why are you still here?" I asked quietly.
"Because you are still mine."
A faint pulse spread from my chest, and I felt it — the same dark energy as before, thrumming beneath my skin. It was alive.
"I thought you said I could live freely."
"You can. But freedom and power are never separate."
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Then at least tell me—what am I supposed to do now?"
"Survive. Learn. Grow. The path will reveal itself when your hatred does."
The whisper faded, leaving only silence.
Later that night, Lyra returned with a man draped in indigo robes. His eyes glowed faintly gold — a mage, clearly powerful.
He studied me for a long moment before speaking. "You carry a strange aura, child. Foreign… ancient."
I forced a nervous laugh. "I get that a lot."
He didn't smile. "You're unregistered. No magic seal, no trace of elemental alignment. Tell me, where did you really come from?"
My heart skipped. "I told you. I don't remember."
The mage's eyes narrowed. "If that's true, then your soul has no origin in this world. Curious…"
Lyra frowned. "Master Elion, you're scaring her."
He waved her concern away. "Not my intent. But you, girl—" He stepped closer, and I felt something push against my very being, like invisible fingers probing through my skin.
The Void within me stirred, hissing in warning.
"Enough."
The word escaped before I realized I'd spoken it. Shadows burst from my hand, striking the air and knocking Elion back several feet. The room fell silent.
Lyra's eyes went wide. "What was that—?"
I stared at my trembling hands. The runes beneath my skin glowed faintly again.
Elion rose slowly, his expression unreadable. "Interesting… That was not magic. Not of this realm, at least."
I took a step back. "Please don't—"
He raised a hand gently. "Fear not. I've seen many forms of power. But yours… yours is unique."
He smiled faintly, a scholar's curiosity in his gaze. "You might just find a place here after all, Serena. The Arcanis Academy would welcome one like you."
The name echoed in my mind, sharp and bright against the darkness.
A new beginning.
A chance to grow.
A stage where revenge could take root.
As Lyra and Elion left, I glanced at the mirror again. My reflection's lips curved upward.
"So begins your story, my daughter."
And this time, I didn't look away.