The moon of Solaria shone with a cold gleam that night, brighter than usual, casting long shadows over the empty hallways of Altamira Academy. The air was thick with a strange energy—something that made the more sensitive students uneasy. But for Raven, that unease had become a constant ever since Zephyr appeared.
Four days had passed since that first encounter in the occult club, and Zephyr's words still echoed in his mind. What Raven hadn't foreseen was what would happen that night.
He was alone in his dorm room when he heard the window creak. A soft sound, barely perceptible, but enough to set him on alert. His instincts sharpened immediately. He rose from his bed, sensing a dark presence in the air—and when he turned, he saw it.
Zephyr was there, towering, like a shadow escaped from the depths of the cosmos. His black mask, its cracks glowing with a faint purple aura, gleamed in the dim light of the room. His eyes, dark and piercing, were locked onto Raven. But he wasn't alone.
Kneeling on the floor, bound and gagged in front of Zephyr, was a boy—Lucian, one of the most troublesome students of the academy's first cycle. The kind who had always bullied younger students, including Raven once upon a time. Tall and broad-shouldered, Lucian's usual cocky attitude had vanished. Now, he looked terrified.
His face was pale, his body trembling as he struggled against the tight bindings around his wrists. A gag muffled his voice, preventing any cry for help. Why him? Raven thought, a twist of discomfort rising in his chest. Lucian had never been easy to deal with, but seeing him like this stirred something—an unsettling blend of anger and compassion.
"Raven..." Zephyr's voice was soft, yet threatening. "I knew you'd eventually have to make a choice."
Raven stood still, mind racing. He couldn't take his eyes off Lucian, whose gaze now reflected pure panic. He can't be doing this. He can't just use someone like this...
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Zephyr?" Raven spat, his voice taut. He tried to keep calm, but the fear pressing in his chest was undeniable.
Zephyr stepped forward, the tension thickening. His grin, barely visible beneath the mask, was mirrored in the malicious gleam of his eyes. He was enjoying this.
"I'm here to do what you already know I must," he said calmly. "You have something I want, Raven. Something that belongs to me. But I know you're not foolish enough to give it up easily."
Raven's heart pounded. What does he want from me? The question repeated in his head. But with Lucian trembling at Zephyr's feet, being used as a pawn in this cruel game, everything felt like it was about to collapse.
"Don't misunderstand me," Zephyr continued, slightly leaning toward Lucian. "I have no interest in this... insignificant mortal. He's just a means to an end."
Lucian tried to scream, but the gag silenced him. Raven's stomach twisted. The contempt in Zephyr's voice was evident, but something deeper unsettled him. He'll kill him if I don't do something.
"You know what I'm looking for, don't you?" Zephyr's voice dropped, growing darker. "The stellar energy in this place... it's a source I can't ignore. And you, Raven—you're at the very center of it all. You have no idea how useful your abilities could be to me. All you have to do... is give in."
Raven took a step forward, body trembling with suppressed fury, but deep down he knew he wasn't in control. Not here. Not with Zephyr.
"What do you plan to do with all that energy?" he asked, already fearing the answer.
"Isn't it obvious?" Zephyr leaned closer to Lucian, letting his fingers hover above the boy's head like a predator caressing its prey. "Unleash chaos during the tournament. Imagine the panic, the fear, the confusion. All that energy flooding into me like an overflowing river. And then... I consume it. All of it. Including you."
Only the faint gasps of Lucian broke the silence. He struggled harder now, as if his life depended on Raven's next words—and maybe it did.
Raven felt the pressure tightening around him like an invisible noose. What do I do? Let him die? What can I actually do?
"I'm giving you a choice, Raven." Zephyr raised his hand, and a small orb of dark, violet energy began to form, hovering just above Lucian's head. "Give me what I want, and the tournament will be just a minor distraction. Lucian will live to keep being the same bully he's always been. But if you choose to resist..."
The orb grew slightly, emitting a sharp hiss that made Raven hold his breath. He couldn't let Lucian die. Not like this. But if I give in... what does that make me?
The dilemma coiled in his mind like poison. There was no clear answer, only the crushing weight of an impossible decision.
"Choose, Raven. Choose wisely. Because time... is running out."
The cold in the room deepened. The energy orb's hum intensified. Lucian closed his eyes, bracing for whatever came next. Raven stood frozen, trapped between Lucian's life and the looming destruction.
And in that moment, everything held its breath.
Astral Era, Year 7635 – Fifth Cycle, Day 5 (Night)
The tension in the air snapped the instant Raven chose to act.
Zephyr's orb of energy hovered above Lucian's head, its hum deep and bone-rattling. Zephyr's eyes gleamed with twisted anticipation. But Raven couldn't let this go any further.
He inhaled deeply and extended his arms, summoning all the stellar energy he could muster. He felt his power resonate within him, in tune with Solaria's twilight—the sun that always burned within his soul.
Energy surged in his chest, his heartbeat matching the rising pressure. And then, he released it.
A burst of orange light, like the glow of a setting sun, erupted from his hands, surrounding him in a wave of blazing warmth. It was a technique he had learned in secret—a manifestation of his own stellar energy, one he had never used in a life-or-death situation.
The beam shot toward the dark orb Zephyr had conjured. The impact was immediate. The two forces collided mid-air, crackling with an energy that shook the room. Raven's orange brilliance clashed with Zephyr's violet darkness, fighting for dominance.
For a moment, it seemed they would cancel each other out—but Raven poured everything into that final blast. His arms trembled from the strain, but the solar energy held firm, overpowering the darkness and dissolving the orb in a burst of radiant light.
Zephyr didn't flinch, but his eyes narrowed behind the mask—surprise flickering for the first time.
"Interesting..." he murmured, half-amused, half-contemptuous. "Looks like I underestimated you."
Before Raven could react, Zephyr stepped forward and delivered a brutal kick to Lucian, hurling him mercilessly toward Raven. The impact was harsh. Lucian's limp body crashed into Raven, and they both tumbled to the ground.
Raven hit his side hard, the air knocked from his lungs. But it wasn't him who had taken the worst of it. Lucian lay beside him, unconscious, drenched in cold sweat. A faint groan escaped his lips, barely audible—but he was alive... for now.
With sharp pain shooting through his body, Raven tried to rise, but his vision blurred. This can't be happening... not now... But there was no time to think. Zephyr wasn't done.
The masked figure stood tall in the center of the room, his presence vast like a never-ending shadow. Slowly, he raised his hand. Another orb began to form—this one smaller, denser, its violet glow darker, more sinister.
In seconds, the orb morphed, shaping itself into a thin, razor-sharp blade of stellar energy.
"You know this isn't personal, right?" Zephyr said, eerily calm as the blade hovered mid-air. "It's just... necessary."
With a flick of his hand, the blade launched forward—deadly, swift, and precise—heading straight for Lucian.
There was no hesitation. No mercy.
The blade tore through the air with lethal precision, destined to strike its target without fail.
Raven, still sprawled on the ground, felt a visceral panic surge through his body. No!
The sound that followed was unmistakable—a sharp crack, followed by a silence so profound it seemed to swallow everything. The blade had pierced flesh… but in that instant, darkness engulfed Raven.
The image of the blade seared into his memory, but there was no way to know what had happened. The deathly silence that filled the space left only one question hanging in the air: Who had been struck?
Astral Era, Year 7635 – Day 6 of the Fifth Cycle (Morning)
The morning sun cast its first rays over the Altamira Academy, bathing the hallways in warm, golden light. It was as if the day before had been nothing more than a fleeting shadow, and the world now continued its course as usual.
Jake walked through the corridors, stretching as he tried to shake the sleep from his mind. He had spent nearly the entire night overseeing the final preparations for the tournament, making sure everything was in place. Beside him, Sophia yawned—also exhausted—but with a smile on her face. The work was done, and the air at the academy was charged with excitement.
"I can't believe it's already tournament day," Jake said, rubbing the back of his neck as they passed a group of students darting back and forth. "Everyone's going crazy with the setup."
"I know," Sophia replied with a soft laugh. "But that's what makes it exciting, right? This is the first big event of the year. And if everything goes well, the professors will be impressed."
Jake nodded. The tournament was a long-standing tradition at the academy, yet something about it felt different this time. A vague, uneasy feeling had clung to him for days. Maybe it's just nerves, he thought. After all, the competition was fierce, and the most talented students from all across Solaria would be competing.
"You feel ready for today?" Sophia asked, giving him a curious glance.
"I guess so," Jake shrugged. "But with all these prodigies around, I'm not sure I stand much of a chance."
"Don't be modest." Sophia gave him a gentle nudge on the arm. "You've got just as much talent as any of them—maybe more."
They continued walking through the bustling halls. Preparations were in full swing: banners hung from the walls, professors gathered in the auditorium, and younger students scurried back and forth carrying equipment and decorations. Everything seemed perfectly set for a day of celebration and friendly competition.
Yet in some quiet corner of his mind, Jake couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Maybe it's just the pressure, he told himself, trying to focus on the day ahead. The tournament promised to be the highlight of the year—and he wasn't about to let a strange feeling ruin it.