Jade sat up, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his brow. The dream's impact hadn't worn off it lingered, crawling under his skin like something alive. The dark figures, the way their magic twisted reality… and his failed spell.
He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled, forcing his heart to steady. It was just a dream. But the warning felt too real to ignore.
And then, that voice.
"You are not alone. You are more powerful than you realize."
It wasn't the same as the earlier whispers—the cold, taunting dragon-like presence that chilled his spine. This voice was calm. Reassuring. Like an anchor in stormy water.
He glanced at the moonlight pouring in through his window.
Sleep wouldn't be coming back tonight.
By the time morning arrived, Jade was already dressed, his school robes fitted sharp and proper, and his sword strapped neatly at his hip. His mind was still restless, but the academy moved fast. There was no time to dwell on dreams, no matter how prophetic they might feel.
Magic class was today.
The first practical lesson.
Unlike last year's dry lectures filled with dusty books and spell diagrams, this one would be hands-on. Real casting. Real channeling. And after last night's failed dream attempt, Jade was more than ready to prove himself.
The Grand Hall of Arcane Studies was nothing short of breathtaking.
Dozens of tall windows let in beams of golden light. The ceiling sparkled with suspended mana crystals that pulsed softly, giving the room a quiet rhythm—like a heartbeat made of light. Tapestries of famous battles and legendary spells adorned the walls, stitched with metallic threads that glimmered as you passed.
Students trickled in, hushed with anticipation.
Then the doors opened, and Master Eldric entered.
A tall, lean man with sharp eyes and silver-streaked hair, he carried a staff that pulsed with quiet energy. His robes were layered with runes stitched in thread that shifted color as he moved—sometimes red, sometimes silver, always watching.
"Welcome, second-years," he said. "From today forward, you step out of theory and into power."
His voice was low and steady. No theatrics. No grand displays. Just quiet authority.
"You'll start with something deceptively simple," he continued. "A spell called Possessing Assault. It allows you to channel your energy into an object or creature and momentarily seize control. In time, you'll learn to combine it with elemental or spiritual influence. But for now—we focus on control."
He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
A silver orb floated from the corner of the room and hovered in the air before him.
He spoke no incantation. No gestures.
Just pure intent.
The orb trembled—then shot forward in a straight line, made a sharp turn mid-air, zigzagged, and returned to hover before him.
"The spell doesn't rely on brute force," Eldric said, letting the orb drop into his palm. "It requires precision. Focus. And emotional neutrality. You lose your calm, you lose your grip."
He paused, then nodded to the students.
"One at a time. Step forward. Let's see what you've learned."
The first few attempts were expectedly messy. A girl accidentally flung her orb into the wall. Another lost control and nearly hit a classmate. A boy tried to power through it with sheer magical force and caused a short mana shock that knocked him flat.
Jade's turn came faster than he expected.
He stepped up.
Hands steady.
Breath calm.
The orb rose before him.
He muttered the incantation, slowly weaving it with his intent. Unlike his dream, this wasn't a chaotic battlefield—this was a controlled space. He let the energy gather in his chest, guided it through his fingertips, and aimed it toward the orb.
The moment it connected, he felt it.
The flicker of resistance—then compliance.
The orb was his.
He moved it forward, slowly at first, then curved it around himself in a spiral. He increased speed—pushed further—and finally, made it zip through the air like a blade before calling it back and letting it settle gently in his hand.
Silence.
Then Master Eldric nodded. "Good control. Very good. Next."
Jade stepped back, pulse calm but heart quietly racing.
He could do this.
Even if those dream beings mocked him—this was real. This was his.
The rest of the class blurred by. As students returned to their seats, Eldric offered corrections and rare praise. Jade could feel the shift in how some of them looked at him now—respectful, but wary. A good performance didn't go unnoticed here.
When class ended, Eldric gestured for Jade to stay behind.
Jade approached cautiously.
"You've trained with someone," Eldric said, studying him. "Before the academy."
"Yes, sir. My family's combat-oriented."
"I can see that," the mage replied, rubbing his chin. "You're used to channeling intent under pressure. You don't flinch. But power alone won't be enough if your mind can be invaded."
Jade frowned. "Invaded?"
Eldric leaned closer. "What you experienced last night—it wasn't just a dream, was it?"
Jade stiffened.
"…No."
Eldric's eyes sharpened. "Good. Then you're already ahead of most. Dreams are not always dreams in this school. The moment you started channeling power, you became visible to things that walk between realms. Beings that notice talent. And want to twist it."
Jade's voice was low. "They were strong. I couldn't touch them."
"Yet," Eldric corrected, stepping back. "The fact you remember them means you resisted. That's your first victory. But there will be more. Much worse."
He placed a hand briefly on Jade's shoulder. "Keep practicing. Especially that spell. You may need it for more than just floating orbs."
That night, Jade skipped dinner.
He needed silence.
He went back to the practice room and summoned a target dummy. Focused. Recast the Possessing Assault spell again and again not just to move objects, but to command them, to link himself to something beyond his own body. He started with the orb. Then a broom. Then one of the steel-plated training shields.
Each time, his control grew tighter. Sharper. Cleaner.
But in the back of his mind… that dark laughter lingered.
When he finally returned to his dorm, Kieran was already asleep. Moonlight filtered in through the window.
Jade lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.
And that's when it came again.
The voice.
"You're waking up."
But it didn't sound mocking.
This time, it sounded impressed.
"We're not the only ones watching you."
A chill ran through his limbs.
"Next time… don't resist."