Kael's hands rested against the smooth, crystalline barrier that separated him from the Academy officials. The faint hum of Ether reverberated in his chest, a reminder that the Void and Space pulsed within him, unstable yet responsive.
The observation chamber was sterile, its walls lined with etched sigils that glimmered faintly as if alive. Every movement Kael made was reflected in dozens of fractured images across the walls, each one slightly off — distorted, like glimpses of multiple versions of himself.
> [Energy stabilization: 94%]
A soft voice cut through the silence.
"Stand."
Kael complied, shifting his stance. From the far end of the chamber, a figure approached — tall, robed in deep indigo lined with glowing Ether runes. Professor Selene Morvane, Head of the Academy's Ether Oversight, regarded him coolly. Her eyes scanned his body and the faint spiral fractal glowing on his chest.
"You're… unusual," she said, voice calm but sharp. "Not from this world. Not from any records we have."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "That's… flattering?"
Selene's lips twitched, almost a smile, but it vanished immediately. "I don't know if it is. You arrived through… unknown means, wield a combination of affinities long thought impossible, and triggered a dimensional rift within hours of arrival. Explain yourself."
Kael flexed his fingers. A ripple of Void flowed along the containment barrier, pushing gently at its edges. "I didn't exactly plan it. One moment I'm here, one moment I'm… here."
Selene's eyes narrowed. The holographic display behind her flickered, showing Kael's Ether signature: black voidlines intertwined with silver strands of Space energy. The readings pulsed violently, struggling to contain the anomaly.
"This… combination," she murmured, voice low, "hasn't appeared since the Collapse. The Void Lineage was sealed centuries ago. And yet, here you are."
Kael tilted his head, studying her calmly. "Sounds like I'm a walking paradox."
Selene's expression hardened. "A paradox can be dangerous. If you cannot control your Ether, you may collapse this sector — or worse, destroy yourself in the attempt."
> [Warning: Dimensional resonance fluctuating — Void line unstable.]
Kael exhaled slowly, letting the warning sink in. "I've… survived worse."
She paused, then gestured to a projection in the center of the chamber. The scene played out: Kael standing in the crystal forest, the Aetherborn collapsing into nothing, the rift pulsing violently before disappearing. Every shimmer of Void energy frozen in time.
"Do you understand what you've done?" Selene asked. "That rift… it shouldn't exist. And yet, you stabilized it — or at least contained it."
Kael's gaze drifted upward. "It didn't stabilize. It… listened. Like it recognized me."
Selene's brow furrowed. "Recognized you?"
"I saw fragments," Kael murmured. "A world falling. Voices… names. Something ancient waiting."
The professor's fingers traced a rune in the air, and the holographic display shimmered. "If what you say is true… your arrival may not have been an accident. And your potential… is unprecedented."
Kael's violet eyes glinted faintly. "Potential, huh? Sounds like a lot of pressure."
Selene's gaze sharpened. "This is not about pressure. It's about control. You will remain under observation until the Council evaluates your abilities and decides your place in the Academy. One misstep — intentional or not — could have consequences beyond your understanding."
Kael leaned back against the barrier, letting the weight of her words settle. "Understood. I'm guessing the Council doesn't like surprises."
"Surprises are tolerated only when they serve the balance," Selene said coldly. "And you… are far too volatile to be trusted."
Kael smirked faintly. "Then I'll have to prove I can be useful."
> [Observation Log #003 — Subject: Void + Space anomaly. Risk assessment: Extreme.]
The chamber fell silent once more, the hum of Ether the only sound. Kael closed his eyes briefly, feeling the Void and Space pulse in unison within him.
This was only the beginning.
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End of Chapter 5: Interrogation
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If you want, the next chapter (Chapter 6) can focus on:
Kael's first Academy lessons,
Introduction of the ranking system,
Subtle hints that the Council's Watchers are observing him secretly,
Early challenges and rivals that foreshadow the academy arc tension.