Two days after the Riftlight incident, Valenhardt finally returned to something resembling normal. The skies were no longer blue, the Guild stopped panicking every five minutes, and the news headlines had shifted from "The Sky Glows Again!" to "Local Hero Allegedly Allergic to Paperwork."
Kael Draven was not amused.
"I save the city once and suddenly I'm allergic to professionalism," he muttered.
Ember chirped from his shoulder, clearly finding the whole thing hilarious.
Aegros's tail thumped in agreement—or possibly mockery.
At the Guild entrance, Varin waited with his usual calm smile and an official-looking scroll in hand.
"Morning, Draven."
"That's debatable," Kael said. "What's the bad news today?"
"Transfer orders. You're being temporarily relocated to the Central Academy for advanced mana evaluation."
Kael blinked. "So… punishment with better furniture?"
"Research assignment," Varin corrected. "They want to study your resonance safely. The Guild can't contain it forever."
"Define 'safely,'" Kael said flatly.
Varin handed him the scroll. "The Central branch is the most secure magical institution in the continent. You'll be under the care of Professor Thalric."
"Never heard of him."
"He's heard of you," Varin said. "And he's been begging to run tests since the Riftlight appeared."
Kael sighed. "Wonderful. Another scientist who sees me as a puzzle instead of a person."
"Welcome to fame," Varin said with a smirk.
Arrival at Central Academy
The Central Academy looked less like a school and more like a fortress made of glass and runes. Tall crystalline towers pierced the clouds, each humming with mana energy.
Kael walked through the main gates, escorted by two Guild guards who looked equal parts honored and terrified.
Students in long robes turned to stare. Some whispered, others pointed.
"Is that him?"
"The Riftlight guy?"
"They say his mana made the sky explode!"
Kael muttered, "Fantastic. I'm a tourist attraction now."
Inside the central lab wing, a man in a long silver coat greeted him with a wide grin.
"Ah! Kael Draven, the anomaly of the century!"
"You say that like it's a good thing," Kael replied.
Professor Thalric was tall, gray-haired, and radiated the kind of energy only researchers who forgot to sleep for three days possessed.
"It's a pleasure, truly! I've read all your reports. SSS-Rank Summoner, dual-beast synchronization, Rift-linked resonance—fascinating!"
"If this is flattery before you poke me with mana needles, skip to the paperwork."
Thalric laughed. "Oh, delightful! You'll fit right in."
The First Experiment
Thalric led him to a massive room filled with floating mana prisms, humming crystals, and a glowing circle carved into the floor.
"Stand inside the array," Thalric said. "We'll measure your mana's harmonic frequency."
"This feels suspiciously like the start of a bad idea," Kael muttered, stepping inside.
Ember and Aegros joined him automatically.
The moment the array activated, beams of light arced between the crystals, forming a lattice around them. Ember's wings flared gold; Aegros's claws sparked silver.
Thalric's eyes widened. "Incredible! The beasts are adjusting to your mana output in real-time. No instability—just synchronization!"
Kael squinted. "You sound surprised."
"Because this level of harmony shouldn't exist outside of mythical records!"
The light around them pulsed—once, twice—and then deepened to a soft blue.
Thalric's expression changed instantly. "Oh… that's new."
"Please don't say that during experiments," Kael said.
The mana lattice trembled. Runes flickered. Ember let out a sharp cry, wings snapping open.
"Professor?" Kael called.
"It's fine! Probably!"
"That's not reassuring!"
The array surged—and then, suddenly, everything went still. The blue light condensed into a faint sigil hovering above Kael's hand, glowing like a heartbeat.
Thalric's voice was awed. "That… that's a resonance mark."
"A what-now?"
"It's a link symbol. It appears when mana synchronizes across realms. This could mean your power is stabilizing!"
"Or," Kael said dryly, "it could mean I'm about to sneeze another Rift into existence."
Unexpected Visitors
Before Thalric could reply, the lab doors opened. Three figures entered—two wearing noble crests and one in a black Guild uniform.
The one in front, a red-haired woman with sharp eyes, introduced herself crisply.
"Captain Iris Valen, Rift Suppression Division. We've been authorized to oversee Draven's research."
Thalric frowned. "This is an academic matter—"
"And the Riftlight was a global event," Iris interrupted. "You think the other kingdoms won't notice? We're here to ensure containment."
Her gaze landed on Kael. "So, you're the summoner who paints skies."
Kael blinked. "Technically, it was more of an abstract masterpiece."
"Let's hope you don't create a sequel."
"No promises."
A faint smile ghosted across Iris's lips before she turned to Thalric. "Proceed. We'll observe quietly."
"You people have a strange definition of quiet," Kael muttered.
Later That Night
When the tests finally ended, Kael was exhausted. His resonance mark still faintly glowed whenever he touched mana. Ember fluttered beside him, looking both proud and tired. Aegros walked silently at his side, tail brushing the marble floor.
Kael leaned on the balcony overlooking the academy's training grounds.
"Day one at Central Academy," he muttered. "No explosions, minor existential crisis, and a glowing tattoo. Progress."
Ember chirped softly.
Aegros nudged his leg.
Kael smiled faintly. "Yeah, yeah. I know. We'll figure it out."
Behind him, faint lights flickered across the sky again—not Riftlight, just harmless auroras from the academy's mana towers. But the pattern they formed resembled the same sigil on Kael's hand.
He stared at it, unease prickling down his spine.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
The wind carried a faint whisper—soft, like an echo.
Found you.
Kael froze. "Okay. That's new."