The academy was in chaos. Sprites zipped through the hallways like glowing mosquitoes, giggling while biting anyone in reach.
"Stop hitting them! That just makes more!" Mira shouted, but half the students were too busy whacking away with books and brooms. Each smack only doubled the problem.
Asher cursed under his breath as a sprite crawled out of his hood. "Why do they keep choosing me like I'm a hotel?!"
Luna had accidentally gone invisible, which made things worse. The sprites swarmed around her in a glowing cluster like they were playing hide and seek.
"LISTEN TO MEEE!" Celeste shouted, stomping her foot. "I am your future queen, you must obey!"
The sprites completely ignored her and zoomed away.
Meanwhile, Zane sat calmly on a bench with a piece of bread in his mouth, watching nobles trip over their long robes as they tried to fight. "Yep. This is better than a comedy show. That one gets a 7/10 fall. Would've been a 10 if he landed on his face."
A group of sprites suddenly zipped straight toward him. Everyone braced, expecting chaos. But instead of attacking, they hovered near Zane's shadow—like moths circling a flame. They didn't multiply, didn't bite. Just… stayed there.
"Oh, fantastic," Zane muttered, standing. "Now I'm a glowing bug magnet."
The group followed him to a quiet corner. Zane stretched his hand toward the ground, and his shadow stirred like smoke. Instantly, the sprites were pulled in—gone without a sound.
A faint ping rang in his head.
> [Unstable sprite energy absorbed. Converted to: +1 Shadow Essence]
Zane blinked. "Well… that works."
Mira stared. "Y-you can't let anyone else see that!"
"Relax," Asher said, glancing around. "Everyone's too busy running for their lives."
Celeste crossed her arms. "So basically… you're a walking pest repellent?"
Zane gave her a flat look. "Don't ruin my cool moment, Celeste."
From then on, every time sprites swarmed close, Zane subtly shifted his shadow to swallow them. To everyone else, it looked like the pests simply disappeared on their own. The rumor mill spread like wildfire.
"They say the sprites don't dare come near the Dorm God."
"No way, it's gotta be a divine blessing."
"Nobles can't even handle them, but he doesn't even try—he just exists and they vanish!"
By the time the infestation finally calmed, Zane leaned against the wall with a sigh, his system pinging again.
> [New Hidden Trait: Shadow Sustenance — Host's shadow can consume unstable energies and convert them.]
Zane rubbed his face. "Great. My shadow eats more than I do."