The Resonance Hall had never felt colder.
Morning light filtered through the prism windows, breaking into hundreds of fractured colors — but today, the air was heavy, almost still.
The two masked instructors stood at the center of the hall. Their robes shimmered faintly, embroidered with symbols none of the students recognized.
One mask reflected silver and amethyst — calm and cold.
The other gleamed like a shattered prism — sharp, dangerous, unreadable.
"Welcome, Initiates," the silver one spoke. "We are your Echo Mentors. You may call me Zief "
"And I," said the second voice, smooth and steady, "am Kaelith."
A faint murmur spread across the room — the names sounded ancient, almost mythic.
"Your task," Kaelith continued, "is simple. Reveal your truth… or be devoured by your illusion."
The floor beneath them rippled like glass.
A circle of mirrored light expanded outward, surrounding the six students.
Draven glanced at Lyra, tension flickering in his eyes. "They're using soul resonance magic."
Lyra frowned. "That's forbidden for Level Ones."
Zief's mask turned toward her. "Then prove you are not Level One."
A flash — and suddenly, the hall vanished.
They stood in an endless, glowing void.
Each student saw something different — pieces of their own memories hovering in fragments around them.
Eira gasped softly. "This is… inside our minds?"
Kaelith's voice echoed everywhere at once.
"Inside your colors. Every hue hides truth — fear, regret, desire. Face them."
The first to move was Vale.
He reached for one of the floating shards — it showed his younger self standing before a broken reflection, watching as light dimmed around him.
His hands shook. The shard pulsed faintly.
And from his satchel, something stirred.
A faint chirp echoed. Then, Lumi — glowing brighter than ever — burst out, floating in midair.
Everyone froze.
Its fur shimmered like liquid light, eyes wide and unafraid.
"Lumi, no—" Vale started, but the creature let out a musical cry.
The mirrored void around them shuddered.
The shard in Vale's hand dissolved — replaced by warmth spreading from Lumi's glow. The fear vanished, leaving calm clarity behind.
Zief's voice was soft now.
"Ah. A familiar spirit. Rare… and untamed."
Kaelith stepped closer, voice sharp.
"That creature should not exist yet. The bond is premature."
Draven instinctively moved in front of Vale. "Then maybe the bond chose him."
Kaelith's mask tilted, unreadable. "Perhaps. Or perhaps your generation awakens something the Council sealed long ago."
The mirrored world flickered again — then shattered into streaks of light.
The students found themselves back in the hall, panting, shaken, but unharmed. Lumi floated down gently, landing on Vale's shoulder and purring like nothing happened.
Zief and Kaelith exchanged a long, silent glance.
Then Zief spoke.
"Class dismissed. But remember — the echoes inside you are never silent."
As the students left, Lyra whispered to Vale, "You okay?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just… feel like I saw something I wasn't supposed to."
From the balcony above, Headmistress Veyra watched once again.
Behind her, Zief and Kaelith stood in shadow.
"He bears the first link,"Zief murmured. "The familiar is responding to the old pulse."
"Then the Vault stirs faster than expected," Kaelith replied.
"Shall we warn them?"
"No," Veyra said quietly. "Let them find the truth. Only light born of fear can open what was lost."