Arian entered the house carrying a strange sense of disappointment. His steps were heavy, and every laugh or mocking glance from the academy still echoed in his ears, like a haunting resonance that followed him everywhere.
He sat on the floor beside the bed, his back straight yet tense from the weight of his emotions, his hands clasped over his knees, his eyes fixed on the ground. The room was quiet, with no sound except for the faint whisper of wind drifting through the open window.
— "Why did all this happen? I only tried to be serious… to do something good…" Arian murmured under his breath, but the words brought him no comfort.
Falco sat in the corner of the room, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, watching him silently. He neither moved nor spoke, yet his presence was steady—like he knew something important was about to happen.
Moments later, the room shifted. A gentle warmth spread through Arian's body, carried by a strange breeze. He didn't understand what was happening, but a shiver ran through him, as though the very air was changing.
Suddenly, a tiny speck of light appeared, barely visible, flickering faintly in the air before him. It wavered gently, almost like it was breathing. Arian held his breath, stunned by the strange sight.
Falco stepped forward, his ears twitching slightly, his golden eyes fixed on the flickering speck. Then, in a low voice, he said:
— "That's… not an ordinary spirit. I can't determine its level."
Arian stared at the speck, speechless. Something within him stirred—a mix of fear and excitement—but he still had no idea what he was witnessing. The speck was impossibly small, smaller than anything he could have imagined, yet it moved, alive, as though it was waiting for him to notice it.
The spirit wasn't still. It swayed softly, coiling and drifting through the air, reacting to Arian's presence, yet revealing no strength or clear form. All Arian could do was watch, and in return, the speck followed his gaze with delicate motion, as if whispering: "I'm here… but you must be ready."
He sat in silence, struggling to grasp what was happening. All his frustration, all his disappointment, seemed to fade just a little before this flickering point of light. Something within him shifted—an unfamiliar sense of power—but he wasn't yet aware of what this spirit could truly become.
Falco seated himself beside him, his tone a hushed warning:
— "Be careful… this spirit is powerful. But its level can't be defined now. It needs time… and it might change depending on what's inside you."
A faint smile crossed Arian's lips, as something within began to take shape. He didn't yet know what the spirit was capable of, but he felt—strangely—that it wasn't merely a force. It was alive, a companion, waiting for him to discover himself before it revealed itself to the world.
The tiny speck began to glow brighter, swaying with soft, breathing motions, leaving trails of light across Arian's face. The air grew warmer, filled with a subtle energy, a quiet radiance that seeped into the room.
— "I… will know you, no matter what…" Arian whispered to himself, his eyes never leaving the flickering light.
Falco remained beside him in silence, golden eyes gleaming in the dark, as if to say: "I'm with you… but everything depends on you."
The speck of light continued to move, shimmering, mysterious, waiting for the moment Arian would be ready to bring it forth into the world. No sign of its true power yet—only mystery, only a beginning. A small glimmer of something greater, something that would change everything Arian knew about himself and the academy.
Lying back on the floor, Arian gazed at the flickering light, feeling it drift around him. Yet he didn't try to control it. He didn't dare touch it. Deep inside, he knew this power required patience, time—and that he was only at the very start of the path.
Night advanced, shadows stretched, and the tiny speck still shimmered, alive, waiting.
Falco sat beside him, golden eyes glowing faintly in the darkness, weighing the moment carefully. Then he whispered, his voice barely above a breath:
— "This spirit… is not natural at all."
After that, his gaze drifted away, leaving Arian alone with the flickering speck. The silence grew thick, and Arian sank into his thoughts, his heart swaying between a vague fear and an unknown hope.
He kept staring at the little light, not knowing whether it was the beginning of his salvation… or the start of a burden heavier than he could bear.