Caleb didn't sleep that night.
He lay on his bunk in the dormitory, staring at the ceiling while moonlight poured in through the narrow window. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Rift. Not the glow or the shadowy shapes moving inside it—just the silence.
And that voice.
Come closer…
The whisper hadn't returned since they left the site, but Caleb felt it everywhere—in the aching behind his eyes, the tremble in his fingers when he poured water, the chill under his skin.
It wasn't fear. At least not the normal kind. It was curiosity wrapped in dread.
By morning, he had bags under his eyes and the reflexes of a soggy sandwich. Jian Mei noticed immediately.
"You look like someone who tried to fight sleep and lost."
"Just... restless night."
"Good. Use it. Exhaustion's a better teacher than I'll ever be."
Training didn't wait. Today was weapon day.
The armory wasn't what he expected—no glowing swords or plasma cannons. Just racks of traditional weapons, upgraded subtly for modern use. Jian tossed Caleb a short staff.
"Standard alloy. Shock-conductive. Basic focus node in the core. Try not to brain yourself with it."
He took the staff awkwardly. "What's the focus node for?"
"Amplifies your ability if you've got one. Or fries you if you don't. Yours shouldn't react yet."
Yet.
He held the staff low, watching the others pair off. Riley twirled twin daggers beside him and whistled.
"You look like a wizard who skipped every class and just now remembered the final is today."
"Thanks. I feel like one too."
Their first matchups were just sparring. No ability use, no shock activation. Just movement and form. Caleb got knocked down three times in the first round.
By the fourth match, he'd learned how to fall without swallowing his teeth. That counted as progress.
Then came solo drills. He stayed late, swinging the staff in uneven arcs, trying to copy the rhythm he saw in others. Jian watched from a distance without saying much.
As he practiced, his focus slipped again.
He saw the Rift.
Not in front of him—but inside. A mental echo, tugging at the corners of his thoughts.
His hands trembled.
The staff sparked.
Just a flicker. Barely visible.
He froze.
No one else noticed. Not Jian. Not Riley, who was still flipping her daggers like she was born with them.
He gripped the staff tighter, trying again.
Nothing.
Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe he was just sleep-deprived and going crazy.
He stayed until the arena lights dimmed.
As he left, he glanced up at the sky. The clouds had cleared. Stars blinked coldly above, silent and distant.
Something about their arrangement reminded him of the Rift. Jagged. Splintered.
He walked back to the dorms, staff slung over his shoulder, trying to convince himself he was still ordinary.
But deep down, he already knew:
The Rift remembered him.