The wind still carried the scent of smoke.
Arven stood in the same spot, eyes fixed on where the crack had opened.
Nothing remained but the cold night air and the distant murmurs from the commercial district.
'I really saw that... right?'
He brought a hand to his head, trying to convince himself he hadn't lost his mind.
His heart was still racing, and his whole body felt too light — as if part of him had been drained along with the creature that vanished.
"Arven?"
A male voice echoed, pulling him back to reality.
Turning, he saw Lucien Temaki, the blonde boy with a teasing grin, walking beside Gabriella Asumi, a girl with long blue hair that matched her eyes, dressed in a white elegant coat.
Lucien looked at him with his usual hint of irony.
"You look pale, man. Like you just saw a ghost."
Arven took a deep breath, trying to hide his nerves.
"Must've been the training," he said, forcing a half-smile. "Guess I overdid it today."
Gabriella glanced at him, her tone polite but distant.
They weren't close — Arven only remembered her because he once stepped in when she was arguing with Elara.
"You sure you're alright? You're sweating…"
"Yeah," he lied. "Just tired."
Lucien chuckled softly.
"If you're gonna pass out, give us a warning, alright? Don't wanna see you faceplant on the street."
He spoke playfully, but something in his eyes hinted that he too sensed something strange in the air.
For a second, Arven thought maybe they had felt it as well… but no.
Both seemed completely unaware of what had happened.
"Let's go, Lucien," Gabriella said, tugging his arm. "It's late."
Lucien gave Arven one last glance — half curious, half cautious — before shrugging.
"Alright. Try to get some sleep, yeah?"
With a lazy wave, the two disappeared down the bright street.
Arven stood alone.
The wind blew again, but differently — the air still carried an almost imperceptible weight, a density that made his skin crawl.
He lifted his gaze to the sky. The stars seemed farther away than usual.
'It was real... I know it was.'
The streetlights flickered again for a brief second.
'That thing... it looked at me. Even without eyes, I felt it.'
He took a deep breath and decided to head back to the dorm.
The night fell silent over the island.
Outside the window, the sea shimmered silver, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks set the rhythm of the night.
Arven lay on his bed, but sleep wouldn't come.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the crack again — the air splitting, the dry sound, the smoke twisting.
'That was mana… I could feel it. But not like normal mana.'
He clenched the sheets and turned to his side.
'Could it be... something calling to me?'
His whole body trembled. Not from fear, but from a strange unease.
And within that turmoil of thoughts, he finally drifted off.
In the dream, he stood once more before the crack.
But this time, the sky was red.
The creature was there, motionless, staring at him — and now, two crimson eyes glowed within the fog.
A whisper spread through the air, voiceless and without direction:
"You... also belong to the void."
Arven jolted awake, sweating and breathless.
The room was still dark.
He looked around — everything seemed normal.
But in the small mirror beside his bed, he swore he saw a shadow move behind him for just a second.
He stood up, took a deep breath, and went to the window.
The night air felt heavy, almost metallic.
'I'm losing it… or something's really trying to reach me.'
The next morning, the sun seemed determined to disguise the exhaustion left by the night before.
The academy courtyard was full of students, the sounds of training echoing across the open field.
Arven walked slowly, his mind adrift.
He could still feel the ground faintly trembling beneath his feet.
"Hey."
A familiar female voice called out.
Turning, he saw Elara.
She wore the academy uniform, her hair tied back in a ponytail, carrying a small training bag.
Her expression, usually cold and focused, now carried a hint of curiosity.
"You vanished after yesterday. I thought training had knocked you out for good," she said, crossing her arms.
Her tone was teasing, though a faint trace of concern hid beneath it.
Arven forced a smile.
"Almost. Just didn't sleep well."
"Didn't sleep well?" she raised an eyebrow. "You look worse than that."
She took a step closer.
"You're pale… and those dark circles — what happened?"
Arven hesitated.
He didn't know what to say. If he told her the truth, she'd think he was crazy.
But something in her eyes — maybe the honesty in her curiosity — made him speak before thinking.
"Have you ever felt… like the air itself was breaking?" he asked quietly.
Elara blinked.
"Breaking?"
"Yeah… like the space around you just cracks apart."
He chuckled awkwardly. "Forget it, it's just in my head."
For a moment, Elara said nothing.
Then she replied,
"If it's in your head, it's a pretty creative one."
She smiled faintly — and even that small smile eased the tightness in his chest.
"You should go to the infirmary. I can go with you if you want."
"No need," he said too quickly, and she laughed softly.
"Alright, lone hero. But if you faint during training, I promise not to let anyone laugh."
Arven smiled back, and for a brief moment, the weight on his chest seemed to fade.
The sun reflected on Elara's golden hair, and the distant sound of training swords echoed as if everything were normal.
But he knew it wasn't.
'Yesterday... that thing saw me.'
'And somehow, I know it'll find me again.'
------+++++++-------
On the other side of the island, Professor Aria Greenish stood atop the academy's observation tower.
Her emerald eyes scanned the horizon, sharp and focused.
The wind brought with it a familiar sensation — a fluctuation in the mana around her.
For a brief moment, the breeze turned cold, and the sound of the sea vanished.
Aria frowned.
"Again..."
She closed her eyes, feeling the air vibrate faintly.
The same energy as yesterday. Dense. Distant. Dark.
A black feather fell before her feet.
She picked it up, feeling the chill seep through her fingers.
"This isn't natural..."
The academy's bell rang, marking the beginning of a new day.
But for Aria — and for Arven — something had definitely changed.