The sun broke over the Academy grounds, its light creeping through the slits of the dormitory window. Toho sat cross-legged on the floor, breathing slowly and deliberately, the bruises on his ribs deep purple. His eyes were closed, his focus turned inward. Across the room, I lay sprawled across his bed, a cold pack pressed to my temple.
"Still feel like my ribs are arguing with gravity," I muttered, shifting slightly. Toho gave a soft exhale that might've been a chuckle. "You should've dodged more."
"You should've warned me that guy hits like a meteor."
The calm was interrupted by a short buzz from the wall intercom. Gohan's voice was brisk. "All four of you. Training Hall. Now."
I groaned. "No rest for the stupid." The Training Hall was still cold from the night. Terra leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, a slight scowl on her face. Lucian stood beside her, arms folded in his coat, his expression unreadable.
Gohan waited at the center of the room. His arms were behind his back, eyes sharp.
"You're alive," he began.
He looked each of us over in turn. "You all have power. But your teamwork? A mess. You didn't cover for each other. You didn't anticipate. You didn't adapt. If that had been real combat, someone wouldn't have come back."
Lucian shifted slightly but said nothing. Gohan continued, tone clipped. "Still... there's potential. One chance. One mission. You'll be sent on a real field op. If your performance meets standards, you'll be able to continue real operations and the Academy. If not, then you'll focus on the Academy." He paused, letting the weight settle in. "Dismissed. I'll inform you when the mission arrives."
Back in our room, Toho dropped onto his bed with a loud exhale. "Real mission. Feels like Gohan's letting us dig our own grave." I didn't respond. I picked up the remote and flicked on the TV. The image shifted through channels before settling on a news network.
A polished studio came into view. Behind a sleek desk sat Seraphis Valenor. Her silver-white robes shimmered under the studio lights. Her presence was serene, yet commanding.
The news ticker scrolled beneath her: LIVE: Seraphis Valenor Addresses 7 Wonders Developments.
"...Following the World Council's recovery of one of the Seven Wonders," she said, voice smooth, "the artifact was entrusted to me for containment and study."
I sat up straighter. "Toho, look! She's the debated strongest sorcerer in the world, and we're finally getting more details about that Wonder they found a couple of days ago!"
Seraphis continued. "After extensive testing, we've determined that this Wonder appears to be a form of Enhanced Prowess. When activated, it channels immense energy through the user's body, enhancing physical speed and strength to inhuman levels."
On the screen, a clip rolled of a researcher lifting a pillar of solid alloy, muscles rippling unnaturally, veins lit with a faint blue light, then collapsing to the floor moments later.
"However," Seraphis said as the camera returned to her, "this comes at a price. Energy drain is extreme. Physical strain borders on lethal. The effects, while powerful, are temporary and highly volatile."
Toho's brow furrowed. I whistled low. "Enhanced strength? It must provide a greater boost than normal Essence coated over the body."
Seraphis leaned forward slightly. "The World Council is continuing its efforts to locate the remaining six Wonders. Searches are underway across all known planetary systems. We cannot afford to let these artifacts fall into another civilization." The broadcast ended. Silence returned to the dorm room.
Toho turned off the screen. "They're escalating." He paused. "You think our planet will be the one to find the rest?"
"I don't know," I replied, "but there are a lot of people out there—in space, different planets. Surely, someone has found another one of the Wonders."
***
Toho and I finished up the rest of our classes for the day.
Disappointment struck once we returned to our dorm and saw the pile of homework on our beds. Our instructors showed no concern for the reason behind our house arrest—no pity. Later that evening, while buried in assignments, Toho raised his head.
"Zero, remember that time spell you've been creating?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. I haven't had much time to practice it, considering everything that's been going on. But I made some progress," I said, jumping out of bed.
Toho jumped up and stood in front of me. "Ready?"
"Wait, wait, wait." I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath. Whispered, " Reversal." I let my body flow with Time Essence. It wasn't easy, considering it wasn't one of my affinities, nor do I have much practice.
"Try it," I said calmly. Toho summoned a small bullet made of Pure Essence and thrust it forward. The bullet made its way, grazing my cheek lightly before dissipating into the air.
The world felt like it slowed down. The air grew heavy. My eyes closed. All I could see was... nothing. A tear of blood streamed down. The cut spanned across my cheek. My body flinched slightly. The sharp pain was there for a second, but then I opened my eyes... and the pain wasn't there anymore.
All I could see was Toho smiling and jumping. "It actually worked!" He paused. "It worked! Your spell worked!" He jumped around.
I turned around to look in the mirror. No sign of a cut. No blood. My face completely healed. The spell worked. The Time Essence did its job.
The spell didn't reverse time itself, just my body's moment. Rewinding a second's worth of injury, making it seem like I was never injured. I could feel the recoil in my chest. I struggled to sit down. But still, I smirked.
It worked.
Time Essence: Reversal.