The Academy's library was alive with quiet energy. Students hunched over desks, holographic schematics, and Rift analyses, minds alight with both study and practice. Even the upper floors, reserved for advanced combat training, hummed faintly with Rift energy, the pulse of magic weaving through the stone and steel.
Ren slid into a secluded corner, satchel dropping with a soft thump. Textbooks, notes, and energy simulators were scattered around him. Today's schedule was packed: lectures on Rift biology, tactical strategy, and controlled simulations—followed by hands-on combat drills. The Academy demanded its students not only master their abilities but understand them on a theoretical level.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the warmth pulsing beneath his skin. The memory of the previous day's Rift breach and the controlled creature haunted him—a reminder of both the power and the risk. He tapped his pen on the table, brow furrowed.
"You're here early," a voice said.
Ren glanced up. Lucien was already standing at the edge of his workspace, hands clasped behind his back, posture perfect. Public Lucien. Polished. Cordial. And yet… the shadows at his boots twitched, alive, responding to Ren's pulse even from across the room.
"I like… quiet," Ren said, trying for casual. "You know, before the chaos starts."
Lucien's mouth twitched faintly. "Chaos is inevitable," he replied, voice calm. "Better to prepare than regret."
Ren's chest tightened. Even under the polished veneer, he could feel Lucien's awareness, a subtle thread tugging at him, guiding him.
The morning's lecture focused on Rift energy interactions with human physiology. Professor Varis demonstrated kinetic resonance on the holographic simulators, detailing how excessive energy could destabilize both body and mind. Ren scribbled notes furiously, glancing up when the instructor mentioned rare Manifested with soul-level connections—those whose energy pulsed from empathy, intention, or healing.
Ren's pulse quickened beneath his skin. That's me. That has to be me.
By midday, the students moved to the combat arena. Each pair or group honed their powers, executing drills, calculating force, and timing. Ren's turn came, paired with a group of upperclassmen. The controlled environment was tense, the Riftlight above pulsing faintly as if sensing the gathering power below.
"Focus," Lucien said quietly, stepping beside him. The proximity made Ren's chest tighten. Shadows curled lightly at Lucien's boots, responding to both the Rift and Ren's pulse. "Do not overextend. Channel through control, not force."
Ren nodded, though his fingers twitched, itching to feel the warmth expand, to test the healing pulse again. A classmate faltered mid-drill, striking the floor hard. Without thinking, Ren reached out, letting the warmth flow. Muscles tensed, bruising eased, cuts sealed.
The classmate staggered, eyes wide, whispering, "Did… did he just—"
Ren caught Lucien's storm-gray gaze. No reprimand. Just… acknowledgment. A thread of private recognition.
"Good," Lucien murmured. "Now focus on the next sequence. One mistake, and the energy will overwhelm you."
Ren's pulse throbbed beneath his skin. The warning wasn't just about the creature or the drills—it was about him, about control, about the line he hadn't yet learned to walk.
Later, in the afternoon, the Academy's instructors gathered the students for a briefing. The Rift above pulsed violently, a subtle tremor running through the walls. Professor Wrenna's expression was tight, clipboard clutched to her chest.
"Attention," she said, voice firm. "There's been a Rift anomaly detected near the western barrier. A potential agent of Xylos has been confirmed."
A murmur rippled through the students. Some paled. Others clenched fists. Ren felt the warmth beneath his skin spike involuntarily.
"Your task," Wrenna continued, "is to maintain academy defense protocols while continuing standard training. Any engagement must be coordinated with your instructors. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!" came the chorus of voices.
Ren glanced at Lucien. Storm-gray eyes met his. Shadows at his feet flickered slightly.
"You'll be tested today," Lucien said quietly, just for him. "Not just by the Rift agent… but by your own limits."
Ren swallowed. "Limits, huh? Guess I'll find out soon enough."
Lucien's mouth twitched faintly. "Do not test them alone."
Evening fell, and the controlled chaos of study, combat, and strategy drills gave way to practical application. The western barrier shimmered faintly as Rift energy leaked through, and students were stationed in groups. Ren stood near the edge, hands trembling with both fear and anticipation.
A Rift creature emerged—not massive, but sleek, fast, predatory. Lucien was at his side instantly, shadows flowing around them like armor.
"Focus," Lucien whispered. "Channel, don't force."
Ren exhaled, letting the warmth beneath his skin spread outward, pulsing in rhythm with Eidros' subtle coiling at Lucien's back. He healed minor wounds in the simulators, then tested the pulse against the Rift creature's corrupted energy. Sparks flared, the energy pushing back—but Lucien's guidance kept him tethered, safe.
"You're doing well," Lucien said softly. "Do not strain beyond control. I'll step in if necessary."
Ren's lips curved faintly. "Always my bodyguard, huh?"
Lucien's storm-gray eyes flicked to him. Shadows pulsed slightly. "Always," he said quietly. Public Lucien. Polished. Cordial. Private Lucien… everything Ren had felt, threaded into a single word.
The Rift creature hissed, then recoiled, overwhelmed by the combination of Ren's pulse and Lucien's shadows. With one precise strike, Lucien flung it back into the Rift portal. The breach shimmered closed. Silence fell over the Academy grounds.
Ren's chest heaved, pulse racing—not just from exertion, but from the proximity, the bond, the awareness threading between them.
Lucien stepped closer, shadows receding just enough to let him breathe. "You managed your pulse well," he said quietly. "And controlled your fear."
Ren let a teasing edge creep into his voice. "And here I thought you only saved the day in front of an audience."
Lucien's mouth twitched faintly. "Perhaps this time, it was for you alone."
Ren swallowed, chest tight, knowing that no one else could see the flicker of private acknowledgment.
Above, the Rift pulsed. Xylos' shadow lingered beyond the horizon. But for now, in the quiet after the trial, Ren knew he wasn't alone.
And Lucien… was always there.