Irden worked with the frantic desperation of a man who believed his life depended on not making a mistake. His hands shook as he tinkered with the aura sampler, adjusting tiny runes that glowed far brighter than they should have.
Rafe kept his hand on the device as it pulsed in irregular bursts of light and smoke, like it couldn't decide whether to read him or detonate.
Irden muttered nonstop under his breath:
"No affinity arrangement like this exists… this layering shouldn't be possible… this isn't a child, this is a mana disaster walking around…"
Mara crossed her arms and clicked her tongue."Hey! Don't talk about him like he's a monster."
Irden flailed an ink-stained hand at her without looking."Monster? He's worse! He's a contradiction. Contradictions explode!"
Rafe let out a slow breath and stared at the runes swirling beneath his palm. Lyn stood close beside him, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.
"Does it hurt?" she whispered.
"Just feels strange," Rafe said.
He didn't mention the other presence.
The one watching from deep inside his core.
The Primordial wasn't whispering this time.But it was awake.Alert.Observing every shift of mana like a creature studying its own reflection.
Mara eyed Rafe critically."You do look… different. Not in a bad way. Just… brighter. Kinda."
Rafe blinked. "Brighter?"
"Yeah," Mara said. "You stand out more. Even when you're trying not to."
Lyn nodded softly."It's like… like you glow a little."
Rafe groaned quietly.Great.Exactly what he didn't want.
Irden suddenly jolted upright, yelping when the sampler spat a few sparks.
"AH—! It's done! More or less— Selene, come here, I'm not touching this thing for another second!"
Selene stepped forward and leaned over the device. The runes had settled into a soft gold color — bright, clean, uniform.
Irden pointed at the glow with a trembling finger.
"There. That's your new outer aura. Pure bright-light affinity. Rare, but not dangerous. If anyone scans you superficially, that's what they'll see."
Rafe lifted his hand slowly, watching the subtle shimmer that clung to his skin.
"So as long as I use just light magic—"
"You'll look normal," Irden finished. "At least on the surface."
Selene exhaled in relief.
"Excellent."
Irden did not share the relief.
He turned around, grabbed a small flask, downed half of it, wiped his mouth, then glared at Rafe.
"Kid. Listen carefully. You are a Light-affinity student now. If you use Shadow magic around anyone trained in detection? They'll know. If you use mixed magic? They'll know faster. And if you use… whatever that other thing inside you is—"
He shuddered.
"They'll send more Hunters. And not the cheap kind."
Rafe stiffened."…Other thing?"
Irden froze.
Selene stopped moving.Even Mara stiffened.
Irden coughed violently."I-I said nothing. Forget I spoke."
Selene stepped toward him slowly.
"Irden. What did you see?"
He swallowed hard.
"…There's a third layer."
Silence crashed into the room.
Rafe felt his chest tighten.
"What do you mean, third layer?"
Irden pointed at the sampler.
"Light is your surface. Shadow is below that. But beneath both of those…"His voice lowered."…there's something compressed. Something dense. Something that doesn't read as mana at all."
Selene whispered, horrified:
"That's impossible."
Irden jabbed a finger toward Rafe again.
"So is HE!"
Mara stepped closer to Rafe protectively. Lyn grabbed his sleeve again, terrified.
Rafe stared at the floor.
He didn't feel a third layer.
He didn't sense anything unusual.
But somewhere deep inside, the Primordial stirred slightly — as if its presence had been acknowledged, however indirectly.
Selene closed her eyes briefly, then spoke with calm resolve.
"We'll manage it. Finish the papers."
Irden nodded rapidly and dove back into his work, scratching out legal names, origin stories, registry numbers, and minor enchantments.
Rafe tried to still his heartbeat.
Light.Shadow.And something else.
Something the world wasn't meant to see.
When Irden finished, he slammed three sealed documents onto the counter with a flourish — and a groan of relief.
"There. Three forged identities. Three masked signatures. And a very tired craftsman who wants nothing to do with any of you from now on."
Selene took the papers with a nod.
"You've done well."
Irden pointed at her.
"I swear, Selene, if anything involving this boy blows up part of my shop again—"
"Nothing will explode," Selene said.
Irden pointed at Rafe instead."Not even accidentally?"
"No promises," Mara muttered.
Irden let out a strangled noise and waved them away.
"Get out. Please get out. Before the third layer decides to say hello."
Rafe followed Selene out the door.
But someone else was watching.
A girl about his age stood half-hidden near the corner of the building, dark hair tied back, eyes sharp like a hawk. She had been observing them since the moment they entered.
Rafe
felt her gaze the moment they stepped outside.
So did the Primordial.
Something hunts with curiosity.
Rafe ignored it.
He kept walking with the others toward the inn.
But the girl's eyes tracked him the entire way.
And she smiled.