The rain at the Arcane Academy never stopped. Its drops fell like repeated whispers, soaking the stone towers and the windows adorned with ancient runes. For Seraphina, the sound of the rain was her only friend. She walked through the cold library corridor, her pale fingers tracing the spines of old books on the shelves.
She wasn't searching for stories or poetry; she was searching for answers. Ever since the rumors about her family spread, Seraphina had become a ghost among the students. They feared her, avoided her, and saw her magic as a curse. A magic that should never have existed.
She stopped in a hidden section where books on forbidden magic were stored. The titles there were dusty, as if they had never been touched. Her finger brushed against a book with a black leather cover. "Rimes of a Curse." An ironic title. That's what people called her magic.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps. Not the usual footsteps, but a hurried and emotional pace. She pulled the book out, hid it under her cloak, and leaned against the shelf.
A young man appeared from around the corner. It was Kael, the Cursed Swordsman. The entire academy talked about him. A genius who had lost his magic, now relying only on his sword. Seraphina felt a flutter in her stomach—a feeling she couldn't explain—as she saw faint, pale blue veins pulsating under his skin. Kael didn't see her; his eyes were fixed straight ahead, towards the window where the rain continued to beat against the glass.
He looked restless, like someone who had lost their compass. There was something familiar in his eyes, as if he were facing something only he could see. Seraphina observed him. She saw a scar on Kael's hand, a wound that wouldn't heal even with the best healing magic. It wasn't a physical wound but a wound from distorted Essence.
Kael turned, and their eyes met.
For a moment, time seemed to stop. Kael's gray eyes, usually empty, were now filled with surprise. His gaze dropped to Seraphina's hand, to the book she was holding tightly.
"What are you reading?" Kael asked, his voice hoarse. He wasn't asking in an accusatory tone, but a tired one. He saw the fear and her own suffering reflected in her emerald eyes.
Seraphina froze, surprised that Kael, the quiet one, was talking to her. She couldn't lie. Carefully, she took out the book.
"It's just an old book," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Kael saw the title. "Rimes of a Curse." A bitter smile appeared on his face. "Are you looking for answers, too?"
Seraphina nodded slowly. "Yes."
There was a silence between them, not an awkward silence, but a comfortable one. Kael looked at her with a knowing gaze. "It seems we aren't so different."
Seraphina dared to take a step forward. "I know about your curse," she said, her tone filled with caution. "Maybe... I can help."
Kael stared at her. His tired eyes looked shocked, but there was a spark of hope. It was a spark he had long forgotten.