The morning sun crept through the window, brushing against my face. Its warmth stirred me slowly, a soft contrast to the cold weight still lodged in my chest. Like a splash of water across a dream, it dragged me into waking. My eyes opened. The clock blinked back at me—mocking, bright, unforgiving.
I was late.
No time to think. I moved fast, grabbing the Academy uniform and slipping it on with practiced speed. The collar was still crooked as I ran, but I didn't stop to fix it. The halls blurred past, filled with echoes of students already settled into their routines. By the time I reached the central class building, the group had already formed—waiting for the master, their voices hushed with expectation. I slid into the first empty seat I could find, trying to make myself smaller, invisible, as if that could erase the fact that I'd arrived. Apparently you could choose three classes to take. Today was just to inform seekers about all the classes we could take.
Minutes passed. Then a tap landed on my shoulder—light, deliberate. I turned, and there she was again.
Silver.
She leaned in close, her voice a whisper only I could hear. "Follow me."
Before I could respond, she grabbed my wrist. Her fingers were warm, her grip certain. She didn't wait for consent—just moved, pulling me along with her like a current too strong to resist. Down the corridors we went, her pace quick and effortless. I barely had time to glance at the rooms we passed. Silver didn't look back once. It felt like she'd already seen the path in a dream.
She stopped in front of a classroom that looked abandoned. Inside, a man sat at the back, silent. Middle-aged, built like someone who'd fought things that didn't leave wounds you could see. His eyes softened slightly when they met Silver's, then sharpened the moment they dropped to our joined hands.
"I told you," he said, voice firm, "don't force anyone into my class."
"She didn't," I said, stepping forward, loosening her grip. "I came because I wanted to."
Silver smiled—subtle, quiet.
The man studied me for a moment, then nodded toward the desks. "Well… come in, then. Sit down. My name is Raven. You can call me that, or something else, I don't really care."
He stood, arms crossed, and looked over the empty room. "You're probably wondering what this is. BioLife Class. Not popular. Most people rush to combat classes like they're the only thing that matters. But out there in the Dreadscape, if you don't know how to survive—how to sense, how to adapt, how to move and learn about the bio-system of spawns— or you die without doubt."
He let the words linger in the silence.
"They all forget that," he added after a moment, then smiled faintly. "Let's begin."
The lesson that followed wasn't like the ones in the standard lectures. There was no shouting, no theatrics. Just clear instruction, layered meaning, and the kind of sharp awareness that came from lived experience. Raven didn't waste time. Everything he said held weight. Every move, every example, felt like it was being passed down, not taught.
When it ended, I lingered for a moment. Introduced myself. Thanked him. He nodded, and I stepped out into the corridor again, heading toward the exercise room.
My thoughts were quiet, but my mind wasn't.
***
Walking through the corridor, the classes around me were calm and quiet. But there was a certain place were a lot of people were gathered judging by the shadows i could sense in my range. I walked towards the class,i wondered maybe something there could catch my attention or give me a hint to becoming stronger.
I got to the class in minutes, it wasn't as far as i expected, i pushed the door open. The sound of swords clashing at one another echoed into my ears. It was a combact drill against master jade.
I was surprised, although i couldn't see who was fighting, it was amazing. Although master jade didn't even move at all. The person who fought him was relentlessly striking. The moment his blade struck pass through jade's defense i felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find silver looking upset.
"I told you to wait for me"
Sorry i got carried away by spar. I wanted to see who was the person who beat master jade but he was no longer there.
I walked away from the door, i was originally heading to the exercise class. I waved at silver and continued walking towards the execise room.
---
It was large, lined with every type of weapon—blades, spears, staves. A sign on the wall caught my eye:
[ No Use of Chronicles ]
I didn't mind. The Forgotten King's Blade was broken, damaged by the Black Flame. I hadn't tried to control it since... since the scar appeared.
And the scar—
Rune
Scar: [Fading Memory]
Your memory serves as its fuel. The darker its flame, the more your memory fades. Only ??? can free you from this curse.
It burned through what I had left—memories. The last thread of hope I held.
But if I couldn't use that… I still had my other traits.
I looked down. My shadow shifted beneath my feet. Strange. It had been acting odd since I returned. Then I remembered:
[Shadow Kin] was a passive trait.
I crouched low, whispering, "Move forward."
And it did.
My shadow stood, peeling off the floor like liquid pulling into form. I stumbled back, heart racing. It looked at me—not blankly, not loyally—but with something closer to disdain, like I had ignored it for too long.
"I'm sorry," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "Do you… have any kind of shadow abilities?"
It shook its head slowly. Figures.
"Can you… punch the wall?" I asked, half-joking.
It stepped forward and swung. Its hand passed through—no sound, no damage. A shadow, yes, but something more. I wasn't sure yet.
I hesitated, then whispered, "Shadow Devour."
The moment the words left my lips, its form trembled.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then came the Hex Voice:
[ You cannot devour your shadow ]
I let out a breath. It made sense.
So I tried it on other shadows. And this time—it worked. The shadows I devoured didn't vanish. They changed. What came out was mist—formless, quiet, perfect for stealth attacks.
But still... it wasn't enough.
"Just like before," I said under my breath. "My traits are useless."
My shadow crossed its arms—or something like that—and gave me a look. Annoyed. If it had a face, it would've been scowling.
It didn't matter.
It slid back toward me, rejoining my body—and something shifted.
Power flooded through my limbs. I felt… stronger. Why?
Before I could figure it out, the door burst open.
Silver entered, whip in hand, hair bouncing with every step.
"Night!" she called, grinning brightly as she ran toward me.
I braced instinctively. For a second, I wished I was invincible—because I knew she was about to crush me with that hug.
But the moment she reached for me, something changed. My body shifted—turned intangible.
She passed right through me, stumbling back with wide eyes.
My shadow slipped out again, returning to my feet with what could only be described as a smug expression—if a shadow could even have one.