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Chapter 14 - Disappointment...?

The bell rang, signaling the start of class. Rune slumped into his seat, half-asleep, thinking, History is so boring. Yet a spark of excitement stirred within him as he recalled that today was Veil Theory—his favorite subject, where he might finally learn more about veilflow and his own mysterious ability.

Before class formally began, Madam Selene entered. Her messy purple hair fell in tangled strands around her face, and her dark, tired eyes, framed by thin glasses, spoke of countless sleepless nights. She moved with a slow, almost lifeless gait, as if each step was weighed down by exhaustion. As she scanned the classroom, her thoughts drifted into her own mind.

That kid in the back… Rune. He seems completely lost. Fresh from the countryside, no idea what he's in for. She frowned inwardly but quickly masked her thoughts as she prepared to speak.

After a moment, she announced, "Today, we are moving our session outdoors. Follow me to the courtyard."

The class filed out of the room and into the spacious courtyard. The late morning sun filtered through ancient trees, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow over a gathering of eager students. Here, Madam Selene's tone became more measured. "Alright" she began, "if you've practiced what we've learned over the past few days, you'll be able to efficiently veilflow and activate your veil signature."

As the students spread out to find their own practice spots, a shimmering barrier formed in one corner—a subtle but unique display of veil manipulation. While many of the students managed to coax small, elegant manifestations from the ambient energy, Rune stood apart, his expression a mix of confusion and barely concealed excitement as he watched them.

After a few minutes, Madam Selene wandered among the practicing groups, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. It was then that she noticed Rune, still standing awkwardly near the edge, lost in thought and not attempting to engage with the exercise. With a sigh, she approached him

Rune closed his eyes and tried to focus, picturing the Veil as a soft, shimmering expanse stretching out before him. At first, he felt calm and determined, but soon the minutes began to drag on. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, willing the invisible force to reveal itself, yet nothing happened.

A bead of sweat slid down his temple as he realized that while everyone else had moved on, he was still there—standing motionless in the middle of the courtyard. His heart started pounding a little faster. Don't mess this up, he thought, glancing around furtively. He could see pairs of eyes peeking at him from the corners of the courtyard, whispers barely audible.

"Focus" he muttered under his breath, his tone half-determined, half-panicked. The silence grew thicker, punctuated only by the rustle of leaves and distant chatter as students began to leave. Every passing minute felt like an eternity—a really long time, a really, really long time.

His stomach rumbled audibly. Rune tried to ignore it, tightening his grip on his concentration, but the absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on him. I've been here so long, maybe I should get a medal for endurance, he mused silently with a wry smile that quickly faded into worry.

A couple of students stopped in their tracks, exchanging amused glances as they noticed the lone figure still practicing in vain. One of them whispered, "That kid's been at it forever..." Another snickered quietly. The whispers stung, and Rune's mind raced with a mix of embarrassment and determination.

He opened his eyes just a fraction, peeking around, only to see more students casually walking away. The pressure of their expectations, of everyone in this school being able to activate their veil signature, made his heart sink a bit further. Am I the only one who can't do this? he thought, the worry creeping in.

Just then, a gentle tap on his shoulder startled him. Madam Selene was standing there, her dead eyes softening ever so slightly. In a calm, measured tone she said, "Rune, if you still haven't activated your veil signature, try closing your eyes again and imagine the veil. Grasp onto it."

Her words, though simple, jolted him back. Rune took a deep breath, closed his eyes once more, and focused—this time with a renewed, if anxious, determination. Despite the stares and whispers, he vowed to master this ability.

As he concentrated, the courtyard gradually emptied, leaving him with nothing but his racing thoughts and the silent, elusive promise of the Veil.

In that moment, Rune felt the weight of expectation pressing down on him. Deep down, everyone in the academy knew the truth.

Everybody in the school knows Rune can't activate his veil signature...

The courtyard was nearly empty when Rune finally surrendered to sleep. He had been trying for what felt like hours to activate his veil signature—if he even had one. His mind swirled with worry and a stubborn determination, but nothing tangible happened. Shifting into a criss-cross position, he eventually fell asleep, his head resting on his folded arms, lost in the dark.

Later that night, long after all his classmates had departed, Madam Selene returned to the courtyard. As she strolled past the empty benches and silent pathways, she paused by the spot where Rune was still sitting. A small smile flickered on her face, not mocking but with a hint of approval. "Wow, he's still at it," she mused quietly, thinking to herself, Perhaps his persistence is admirable—even if he is talentless.

In the darkness, something began to shift around Rune. Unnoticed by him, his concentration—and maybe a spark of that elusive power—triggered a subtle change. A flashback recalling Professor Alden's words from history class: "Whenever a veil signature is used, there will be an indication—be it a mark, a shift in air pressure, or a change in your surroundings." Rune was bored out of his mind and wasn't paying attention to this so he never remembered.

As the night deepened, Rune's body remained unmoving, his eyelids fluttering briefly. Then, in a moment that seemed both surreal and comical, his right eye flashed. For a few seconds, it shifted from its usual teal blue to a void-like white with a small, rapidly spinning black wheel for a pupil. Rune, half-asleep, only blinked in surprise, assuming it was a sleep reflex. The strange display vanished as quickly as it appeared, his eye returning to normal.

Oblivious to the significance of the moment, Rune stirred and attempted to stand. His foot caught on an uneven stone, and he tumbled forward with an undignified thud, landing face-first in the cool courtyard. "OWWWWWWW," he groaned, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. Embarrassed, he quickly scrambled to his feet. He brushed off the dirt, thinking it was merely the grogginess of sleep.

As he wandered back toward the male dorms, Rune noticed a guy clutching a scratch lottery ticket nearby. He cast a half-interested glance with his eyes barely open, barely registering the stranger's excitement.

Yet, in that fleeting moment, as he watched the kid, another brief flash occurred. Unbeknownst to him, his right eye once again turned void-white with that spinning black pupil—only for it to return to normal just as quickly. Rune's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly dismissed it. After all, he wasn't even sure he possessed a veil signature to begin with since he did not know much about voidborns.

The kid suddenly screamed, "OH MY GOD, I WON, I WON!" Rune only managed a small, rueful smile. He wasn't paying attention to the lottery ticket; his thoughts were still muddled by the odd incident with his eye.

Exhausted and perplexed, Rune's only wish was to get back to bed.

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