[One Week Later][Location: Academy Rooftop][Time: Dawn - Fifth Morning Practice Session]
Sol opened his eyes as golden light faded from his meditation.
[MP: 94.7/117.3][Growth This Week: +28.1 MP capacity][Previous Weekly Average: +8.2 MP][Multiplier Confirmed: 3.42x normal rate]
Seven days of practicing with Godfrey, and Sol's mana pool had grown more than in the previous three weeks combined. The Grace of Shared Soul wasn't just effective—it was transformative.
"You're smiling," Godfrey observed from his position floating cross-legged three feet off the ground. He'd stopped bothering with surfaces during their private sessions. "Your pool expanded again. I can see it—like watching a flower bloom in fast-forward."
"Seventeen more points of capacity this session alone," Sol confirmed. "At this rate, I'll hit 250 MP in six weeks instead of ten."
"And then the connection becomes bidirectional!" Godfrey descended to sit properly on the rooftop, his excitement genuine. "I've been reading about that in the temple archives. Mother let me look through the records of other people who had Grace of Shared Soul throughout history. When both people have substantial pools, they start charging each other exponentially. It's like..." He scrunched up his face, thinking. "Like two fires that make each other hotter just by being close."
Sol had been thinking about that constantly. Once he reached the threshold, Godfrey's 800+ MP pool would charge Sol's smaller pool rapidly, while Sol's refined cultivation techniques would optimize Godfrey's raw divine energy. They'd create a feedback loop of mutual enhancement.
"Your control improved too," Sol observed. "Yesterday you were holding the levitation for three minutes before losing focus. Today you maintained it through the entire meditation."
"Because your soul is teaching mine patience!" Godfrey grinned. "Normally I get bored and my concentration slips. But through our connection, I can feel how your mind stays focused for hours. It's like... borrowing your discipline while I build my own."
[Analysis: Shared Soul Benefits][Sol gains: Accelerated mana growth, capacity expansion, divine energy infusion][Godfrey gains: Refined techniques, cultivation knowledge, enhanced control][Both gain: Faster overall progression, complementary skill development][No detected drawbacks yet]
The sun was rising properly now, painting Alexandria in shades of gold and amber. They had maybe fifteen minutes before they needed to get to breakfast.
"Show me the Grace of Perfect Balance again," Sol requested. "I want to understand how it interacts with your center of gravity."
"Okay!" Godfrey stood up, then proceeded to stand on one foot. Then one toe. Then one fingertip. Then he was balanced on the tip of his nose somehow, his entire body perfectly horizontal in the air, sustained by nothing but divine Grace and physics that had given up arguing.
Sol's analytical mind cataloged every detail. The Grace didn't just enhance balance—it fundamentally redefined what "balanced" meant for Godfrey's body. His center of gravity became wherever he needed it to be, adjusting instantaneously to maintain perfect equilibrium.
"Could you teach someone else to do that?" Sol asked. "Without the Grace?"
Godfrey flipped upright and considered. "Maybe? Not the nose-balancing part—that's pure Grace. But the principle of shifting your center deliberately? That might be teachable. Why?"
"Because in six months, you'll start formal combat training. If you can teach the instructors something new, they'll respect you instead of just being awed by you."
"Oh." Godfrey looked thoughtful. "That's... smart. You think ahead a lot."
"Eight hundred and forty-seven years of practice."
They gathered their things and headed for the rooftop door. As had become routine, Godfrey opened it by walking through it first, then unlocking it from the inside.
"Same time tomorrow?" Godfrey asked.
"Same time every day," Sol confirmed. "We should add an evening session too. Professor Aldwin said I could use his office after dinner—he has better privacy wards than anywhere else in the Academy."
"Perfect! I'll bring the good meditation incense. Mother gave me some blessed herbs that make divine energy flow easier."
They descended the stairs together, Godfrey occasionally floating down three or four steps at a time when he forgot to walk normally.
[Current Progress][Days Until Thirteen: 17][Sol's MP: 94.7/117.3][Growth Rate: 3.42x normal][Estimated MP at Thirteen's Arrival: 145-160][Estimated MP at Bidirectional Threshold: 6 weeks from now]
Sol was actually ahead of his most optimistic projections. The Shared Soul connection was even more effective than Godfrey had predicted, possibly because Sol's ancient soul knew exactly how to optimize every aspect of cultivation.
They reached the ground floor and headed toward the dining hall. Morning students were already filling the corridors—yawning, chattering, complaining about assignments.
"SOL! GODFREY!"
Lyra waved from down the hall, then hurried over. She'd become something of a bridge between Sol's isolated existence and normal Academy social life—not quite a close friend, but a reliable ally.
"Morning practice again?" she asked, falling into step with them. "You two disappear every dawn. People are starting to notice."
"Let them notice," Godfrey said cheerfully. "We're not doing anything wrong. Just meditation and mana cultivation."
Lyra lowered her voice. "Marcus is noticing. He's been asking questions about where you go, what you're doing. He's..." She hesitated. "He's planning something. I don't know what, but he's been talking to some of the older students. The mean ones."
Sol's mind immediately went to tactical assessment. Marcus had been unusually quiet this past week—no direct confrontations, no public humiliation attempts, just watching. Which meant he was gathering information, building a strategy.
"Thanks for the warning," Sol said.
"Be careful," Lyra urged. "Both of you. Marcus doesn't like losing, and Godfrey choosing Sol as a friend means Marcus lost some kind of social contest he was playing."
They entered the dining hall together. The morning chaos was in full swing—hundreds of children eating, talking, arguing over nothing. Sol started toward his old isolated table out of habit, but Godfrey grabbed his arm.
"No! You promised. We eat together now, remember?"
Godfrey's table was much more centrally located—better light, better food service, and unfortunately, much more visible. Sol had been eating there all week, and it still felt exposed compared to his old corner.
But that was the point. He couldn't hide forever. Especially not with the Thirteen arriving in seventeen days. Better to start building a more public presence now, on his own terms.
They sat down, and servants immediately brought fresh bread, fruit, and hot porridge. Godfrey started chattering about a book he'd been reading on ancient heroes, while Sol ate and listened and observed the room.
Marcus was three tables away, holding court as usual. But his attention kept drifting to Sol and Godfrey. Calculating. Planning.
And Sol noticed something else: two older boys sitting near Marcus, watching Sol with undisguised hostility. Level 18 and 19 respectively, probably nine or ten years old. Not friends of Marcus exactly—more like hired muscle.
He's recruiting, Sol realized. Building a coalition. He can't confront Godfrey directly—too politically dangerous, too divinely protected. So he's going to isolate me from Godfrey somehow. Make me look bad, or get me in trouble, or...
"Sol?" Godfrey was watching him with those unnervingly perceptive red eyes. "Your thinking face is showing. What's wrong?"
"Nothing immediate," Sol said quietly. "Just observing patterns."
"Marcus patterns," Godfrey guessed. "I see them too. His red control-threads are getting more active. He's weaving something." He took a bite of bread. "Want me to warn him off? I could be very publicly divine at him. Make it clear that you're under my protection."
"That would make things worse," Sol said. "He'd just get more subtle. Better to let him make his move, see what he's planning, then counter appropriately."
Lyra, sitting across from them, looked between them worriedly. "You two sound like you're preparing for war."
"We're preparing for Marcus," Godfrey said. "Same thing."
[Later That Morning][Location: Professor Aldwin's Office][Time: Between Classes]
Sol had developed a routine of visiting Professor Aldwin daily, ostensibly for "tutoring" but actually for advanced magical theory that he couldn't safely discuss anywhere else.
Today, the professor was examining Sol's mana pool with a diagnostic spell, his expression growing more intrigued by the minute.
"Remarkable," Professor Aldwin murmured. "Your growth rate is extraordinary. I've been tracking it discreetly—you've gained more capacity this week than most students gain in a month." He looked up sharply. "What changed?"
Sol hesitated. He trusted Professor Aldwin, but revealing the Shared Soul connection meant revealing Godfrey's involvement.
"I see," the professor said, reading Sol's hesitation. "Godfrey. Of course. The divine-blessed child chose to help you." He waved a hand dismissively. "I won't pry into the specifics. Divine Graces are between you, him, and whatever gods blessed him. But I will say this: be careful. Rapid growth can be destabilizing if not properly managed."
He pulled out a scroll and began writing. "I'm creating a cultivation schedule for you. Specific exercises to help your mana channels develop in pace with your expanding pool. If you grow capacity without growing infrastructure, you'll damage yourself."
"I know," Sol said. "I've been cycling my mana through reinforcement patterns every night to strengthen the channels."
Professor Aldwin paused mid-writing. "That's... advanced knowledge for a four-year-old."
"I had a good teacher," Sol said neutrally.
"In your previous life, you mean." The professor set down his quill. "Sol, we should discuss that. Your reincarnation. I've been researching, and there are... complications you need to be aware of."
Sol's attention sharpened. "What kind of complications?"
"Souls aren't meant to retain full memories through death," Professor Aldwin explained. "The cycle of reincarnation normally includes a cleansing process—old memories fade, old attachments dissolve, the soul starts fresh. But you didn't go through that process. You were... preserved. Transferred intact."
"The Phoenix contract," Sol confirmed. "I paid for resurrection with memory preservation."
"Yes. Which means your soul is fundamentally different from your body. Your body is four years old—developing, growing, establishing its own patterns. But your soul is ancient, already set in its ways, carrying 847 years of accumulated karma and destiny." The professor's expression was serious. "That creates tension. Your body will try to grow naturally, but your soul will resist, insist on old patterns. You need to manage that carefully."
Sol had noticed this. His four-year-old body wanted to play, wanted to be spontaneous, wanted to experience things with childlike wonder. But his ancient mind dismissed those impulses as distractions, maintained rigid control, refused to engage with anything "childish."
"How do I manage it?" Sol asked.
"Let yourself be young sometimes," Professor Aldwin said gently. "Not as a disguise—genuinely. Play with other children. Be curious about simple things. Let your body's natural development happen instead of forcing it to conform to your soul's expectations." He smiled. "Godfrey is good for you in this regard. He makes you act more age-appropriate despite yourself."
Sol thought about that. It was true—around Godfrey, he found himself relaxing slightly, engaging with childish enthusiasm about magic in ways he normally suppressed. The five-year-old's genuine excitement was contagious.
"Now," Professor Aldwin continued, returning to business, "let's discuss contract theory. You mentioned wanting to understand multi-dimensional bindings..."
They spent the next thirty minutes deep in theoretical discussion—the kind of advanced magical scholarship Sol had been starving for. Professor Aldwin was genuinely brilliant, even if his knowledge was eight centuries out of date in places. Sol had to be careful not to correct him too obviously.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
"Enter," Professor Aldwin called.
The door opened to reveal Marcus, looking perfectly polite and princely. "Professor Aldwin, I apologize for interrupting. I was hoping to speak with Sol about a family matter."
Sol's analytical mind immediately went on high alert. Marcus never sought him out privately. This was part of whatever he was planning.
"Of course, Prince Marcus," Professor Aldwin said smoothly. "Sol, we can continue this tomorrow."
Sol had no choice but to gather his materials and follow Marcus out of the office. The crown prince led him down the corridor, away from classrooms, toward a more isolated section of the Academy.
"Where are we going?" Sol asked carefully.
"Somewhere private," Marcus said. "We need to talk. Brother to brother."
They'd never had a "brother to brother" talk. This was a trap.
Marcus led Sol to an empty classroom, checked to ensure no one was nearby, then closed the door. He turned, and his polite mask slipped away, replaced by cold calculation.
"Let's establish something," Marcus said quietly. "You're clever. I'll give you that. Befriending Godfrey was a brilliant move—you've acquired protection I can't easily circumvent. The divine-blessed child makes you effectively untouchable through official channels."
"I didn't befriend him for protection," Sol said. "I genuinely like him."
Marcus laughed—sharp and humorless. "Please. You're the orphan bastard who showed up three months ago knowing nothing about Academy politics, and now you're perfectly positioned with the most powerful student-age divine blessing in the kingdom. That's not friendship. That's strategy."
Sol kept his expression neutral. "Believe what you want."
"I believe you're more dangerous than you appear," Marcus said, circling slowly. "I believe you're hiding something significant. And I believe that when Father finds out what you really are, you'll be removed from the Academy, the Estate, and possibly the kingdom."
"I'm not hiding anything."
"Liar." Marcus stopped circling. "But I don't need to prove what you're hiding. I just need to make you leave. And since I can't touch you directly without angering Godfrey..." He smiled coldly. "I'll touch everyone around you instead."
Sol's jaw tightened. "Like you did with Kieran."
"Exactly like Kieran. Except now I won't be satisfied with a bleeding shoulder. Now I'll be thorough." Marcus leaned against a desk casually. "Here's what's going to happen: every person who shows you kindness will suffer. Every friend you make will be hurt. Every ally will become a liability. Until you either leave voluntarily, or you have literally no one left who will associate with you."
"Godfrey—" Sol started.
"Is divine-blessed and therefore protected by higher powers than me," Marcus interrupted. "I know. I'm not stupid. But Lyra? She's vulnerable. Mira? Definitely vulnerable. Kieran? Already broken once, easy to break again. Even Professor Aldwin—he can't watch his office all the time, and accidents happen to valuable research."
Sol's mind raced through responses. Threatening Marcus wouldn't work—the prince had the social power to destroy him. Fighting him was impossible—Sol was four years old and Level 1. Running to authority would just make Marcus more careful and more vicious.
"Why?" Sol asked. "Why do you hate me this much? I've done nothing to you."
Marcus's expression darkened. "You exist. That's enough. You're Father's bastard son, given opportunities you didn't earn, attracting attention you don't deserve. And worse—you're doing it while pretending to be humble and harmless." He pushed off the desk. "I see through you, Sol. I see the intelligence you're hiding, the knowledge you shouldn't have, the way you manipulate people into liking you. You're a threat to everything I've built."
"I'm four years old," Sol said flatly.
"You're something much older," Marcus shot back. "I can't prove it. But I know it. The way you watch people, the way you analyze situations, the vocabulary you occasionally slip into—you're not a child. You're pretending. And I won't let a pretender steal what's mine."
He walked to the door, paused with his hand on the handle. "You have a choice, Sol. Leave the Academy voluntarily—tell Father you want to go back to whatever orphanage he pulled you from—and everyone stays safe. Stay, and watch everyone you care about suffer until you're alone."
Marcus opened the door, his polite mask sliding back into place. "Think about it. You have three days to decide."
He left.
Sol stood in the empty classroom, his hands clenched into fists, his mind already calculating options.
[Analysis: Marcus's Strategy][Objective: Force Sol to leave through social isolation and targeted harm][Method: Hurt Sol's allies until Sol has no support structure][Weakness: Cannot touch Godfrey directly (divine protection)][Timeline: Three days to decide][Threat Level: HIGH - Marcus is genuinely dangerous and has resources]
Three days.
In three days, Marcus would start hurting people. Lyra would have an "accident." Mira would be humiliated publicly. Kieran would be injured again. Professor Aldwin's research might be sabotaged.
Unless Sol left.
Or unless Sol found a way to neutralize Marcus's threat entirely.
[That Evening][Location: Academy Rooftop][Time: After Dinner]
Sol explained the situation to Godfrey while they practiced their evening meditation. The five-year-old listened with unusual seriousness, his red eyes reflecting the sunset.
"Marcus is smart," Godfrey said when Sol finished. "He found your weakness—you care about people—and he's exploiting it. Classic villain strategy."
"It's effective," Sol admitted. "If I stay, people get hurt. If I leave, I lose access to the Academy, to Professor Aldwin, to you and our Shared Soul connection. Either way I lose."
"Unless we change the game," Godfrey said thoughtfully. "Marcus is playing a game where he has all the advantages: social power, legitimate status, resources. We need to play a different game. One where we have advantages."
"Like what?"
Godfrey's expression shifted—that unsettling moment where he looked much older than five. "Marcus's power comes from social status and fear. He maintains control by making people afraid to oppose him. But that control is fragile. It only works because no one challenges it."
"Challenging a crown prince is suicide," Sol pointed out.
"Not if you have divine protection," Godfrey countered. "Not if you're so publicly blessed by the gods that harming you would be sacrilege. Not if you're me." He stood up, golden light beginning to glow around him. "I've been passive. Accepting. Letting Marcus run the Academy like his personal kingdom because I didn't care about politics. But he threatened my friend. That changes things."
"Godfrey," Sol said carefully, "what are you planning?"
"I'm planning to be very, very publicly divine," Godfrey said with a smile that was somehow both childlike and terrifying. "Tomorrow, in front of the entire Academy, I'm going to demonstrate exactly how protected you are. Marcus can't hurt you without going through me. And he can't go through me without angering powers that make his father's throne look insignificant."
"That will escalate things," Sol warned.
"Good. Let it escalate. Let Marcus see that you're not alone, not vulnerable, not someone he can casually threaten." Godfrey's Grace of Divine Champion activated unconsciously, making him glow with golden light. "He thinks divine blessing is just pretty magic. He's about to learn what it actually means to threaten someone under divine protection."
Sol looked at his friend—this five-year-old with forty-nine Graces and absolute conviction—and realized Godfrey was genuinely angry. Not the tantrum-anger of a child, but the cold righteous fury of someone who'd been pushed too far.
"What do you need me to do?" Sol asked.
"Just show up to breakfast tomorrow," Godfrey said. "Sit at our usual table. Act normal. I'll handle the rest."
"You're sure about this?"
Godfrey's glow faded as he regained control. "Marcus made a mistake. He thought you were alone except for me. He thought I was just a weird blessed kid who didn't understand politics." His red eyes gleamed. "He's about to learn that divine blessing isn't political protection. It's actual power. And I'm very, very good at being divinely blessed when I need to be."
They sat in silence for a moment, watching the city lights begin to glow as darkness fell.
"Sol?" Godfrey said quietly. "Whatever happens tomorrow, we're still friends, right? Even if things get complicated?"
"Even then," Sol confirmed. "You're the first genuine friend I've made since... since everything changed. I'm not losing that over Marcus's pride."
Godfrey smiled—pure and genuine and heartbreakingly young despite everything else. "Good. Because you're my first real friend too. And I don't let people hurt my friends."
They practiced meditation for another hour, their Shared Soul connection pulsing with golden warmth, both their mana pools growing steadily as the stars came out overhead.
[MP: 97.4/119.8]
Sol was growing stronger every day. In seventeen days, the Thirteen would arrive. In six weeks, he'd hit the bidirectional threshold and his growth would accelerate further.
But tomorrow, Marcus would learn that threatening Sol meant threatening someone under divine protection.
And divine protection, when wielded by someone with forty-nine Graces and genuine righteous conviction, was not a passive defense.
It was a weapon.
[Next Morning][Location: Grand Dining Hall][Time: Breakfast]
Sol arrived at breakfast to find the dining hall more crowded than usual. Word had spread somehow—probably through Godfrey's mysterious channels—that something was going to happen.
He sat at their usual table, Godfrey already there and looking unusually calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that preceded earthquakes.
Lyra slid into the seat next to Sol, looking worried. "What's going on? Everyone's acting strange."
"Godfrey's going to make a statement," Sol said quietly.
"What kind of statement?"
Before Sol could answer, Godfrey stood up.
Not dramatically. Not with announcement. He just stood up, and the entire dining hall went silent.
Because when Godfrey stood, he glowed.
Not the faint shimmer of Grace activation. Full radiant divine light, blazing from his small body like he'd been carved from sunlight. His red eyes burned like rubies on fire. His gold hair seemed to float on wind that wasn't there.
[Grace of Divine Presence: ACTIVATED][Grace of Divine Champion: ACTIVATED][Grace of Righteous Authority: ACTIVATED][Grace of Holy Voice: ACTIVATED][Multiple Additional Graces: ACTIVATED]
"Students of Alexandria Academy," Godfrey said, and his voice carried with impossible clarity to every corner of the hall. Not loud—perfectly audible, as if he were speaking directly into each person's ear. "I am Godfrey, blessed by the gods with forty-nine Divine Graces, chosen of the divine powers, and protected by forces beyond mortal authority."
Every single person was staring. Some looked awed. Some looked terrified. Marcus, three tables away, had gone very pale.
"I stand here today to make something clear," Godfrey continued, his glow intensifying. "Sol of Alexandria is under my divine protection. He is my friend, my soul-companion, and blessed by association with my Graces. Any harm done to him is harm done to me. Any threat against him is threat against divine power."
He raised one small hand, and golden light pooled in his palm. "I do not make threats. I do not play political games. I simply state truth: those who harm what the gods protect will face divine judgment. Not from me—I am merely the vessel. From powers that care nothing for mortal titles, mortal wealth, or mortal authority."
The golden light in his palm formed into a sword—not solid, but pure divine energy shaped by will. It was beautiful and terrifying.
"Let it be known throughout Alexandria Academy," Godfrey said, his voice resonating with power that made the windows rattle, "that Sol walks under divine protection. He is chosen-friend of the blessed. And the gods do not forget their own."
He closed his hand, and the sword dissolved into sparkles of golden light that spread throughout the dining hall, touching every student, every servant, every surface. Where the light touched, people felt it—a warm pressure, a gentle warning, a promise of protection and consequence.
Then Godfrey sat down, his glow fading to normal, and picked up his fork. "The eggs are good today," he said conversationally to Sol.
The dining hall remained silent for three full seconds.
Then, slowly, conversation resumed. Quieter than before. More cautious. Everyone acutely aware that they'd just witnessed something significant.
Sol looked at Godfrey. "That was subtle."
"I thought so!" Godfrey said cheerfully, completely unaware of the irony. "I could have done the full divine manifestation with the glowing wings and holy fire, but Mother says that's showing off."
Across the hall, Marcus sat frozen, his expression unreadable. The two older boys next to him looked genuinely frightened.
"You just declared divine protection over me in front of the entire Academy," Sol said.
"Yes. Now Marcus can't touch you or anyone near you without risking divine judgment. Which he's smart enough to avoid." Godfrey took a bite of eggs. "Problem solved!"
It wasn't solved—if anything, it was more complicated now. But Marcus's three-day ultimatum was definitely neutralized. No one would dare hurt Sol's allies after that display of divine power.
"Thank you," Sol said quietly. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yes I did. You're my friend. And friends protect each other." Godfrey smiled. "Besides, I've been wanting to try the full Divine Presence manifestation. Mother's always telling me to practice my Graces properly. Now I have!"
Lyra, still staring at Godfrey with wide eyes, finally found her voice. "You have forty-nine Graces?"
"Forty-nine confirmed," Godfrey said. "Possibly more that haven't manifested yet. The gods are generous!"
Students were beginning to approach their table—not threatening, but curious, awed, wanting to be near the divine-blessed child who'd just demonstrated genuine divine power.
Sol found himself surrounded by people for the first time since arriving at the Academy. Not because of his own merit, but because Godfrey had declared him protected, chosen, blessed by association.
It was uncomfortable.
It was strategic.
It was friendship.
And looking at Godfrey's genuine smile as he chatted with approaching students about his Graces, Sol realized the five-year-old had just fundamentally altered the entire social structure of the Academy.
Not through politics.
Through divine power and absolute conviction.
[Social Status: Changed][Sol's Position: Under Divine Protection (publicly declared)][Marcus's Options: Severely Limited][Godfrey's Position: Recognized as genuinely divine-blessed][Academy Atmosphere: Transformed][Note: Everything just changed. Again.]
[Later - Professor Aldwin's Office]
"That was quite the display this morning," Professor Aldwin said, examining Sol over his spectacles. "The entire Academy is talking about it. Godfrey publicly declared you under divine protection."
"I didn't ask him to," Sol said.
"No, but you needed him to. Marcus was going to hurt people." The professor set down his teacup. "Godfrey is... remarkable. I've never seen a child wield divine power with such certainty. He didn't threaten—he stated divine law and let everyone draw their own conclusions."
"Is Marcus going to retaliate?"
"Not openly. Not after that." Professor Aldwin smiled slightly. "Marcus is many things, but he's not foolish. Openly defying divine protection would be career suicide. His father wouldn't protect him—the King is too politically savvy to anger divine powers over a childhood rivalry."
Sol felt some tension ease. "So it's over?"
"For now. Marcus will redirect his efforts elsewhere, focus on different problems. You'll have breathing room." The professor leaned back. "Which gives us time to work on your education properly. You're growing fast—your mana pool will hit 120 MP within days. We need to start teaching you actual spell work, not just theory."
Sol's interest sharpened immediately. "You'll teach me to cast?"
"Basic spells only. Your body is still too young for anything complex. But simple light, minor levitation, basic protective wards—those are within your capability." Professor Aldwin pulled out several books. "And more importantly, we need to prepare you for when your former family arrives."
"The Thirteen," Sol said quietly.
"Indeed. They're close now—I've felt disturbances in the magical currents that suggest powerful entities searching the city. They'll find you soon." The professor's expression was serious. "When they do, Sol, you'll have decisions to make. About who you are, what you want, and how to balance your past life with your present one."
Sol looked out the window at Alexandria below. Seventeen days. Maybe less.
Seventeen days until everything changed again.
But this time, he'd be stronger. He'd have allies. He'd have Godfrey's protection and Professor Aldwin's guidance and his own growing power.
This time, he'd be ready.
"Let's begin," Sol said. "Teach me everything you can in seventeen days."
Professor Aldwin smiled. "That's the spirit. Now, let's start with the basic light spell..."
[End Chapter Eleven]
[Status Update][Days Until Thirteen: 17][Sol's MP: 97.4/119.8][Growth Rate: 3.42x normal (Shared Soul active)][New Status: Under Divine Protection (publicly declared)][Threat: Marcus (neutralized for now)][Godfrey: Revealed full divine nature to Academy][Professor Aldwin: Beginning actual spell instruction][Note: Sol is growing stronger, gaining allies, and approaching the reunion with preparation instead of helplessness]