Chapter 8: The Shadow of the Citadel
"Already violating the Taboo?"
I froze mid-step, my heart hammering against my ribs. I turned slowly, only to find myself staring into those haunting, mismatched eyes—one amber, one smoky grey.
Shit. It was a good thing I had covered my face. I instinctively took a step back, but there was nowhere to hide in this empty corridor. He walked toward me, the steady click of his boots echoing like a death sentence. He was dressed in his obsidian Reidar uniform, the dark fabric making his presence even more imposing.
"Cadets are not allowed in this part of the Citadel," he said, his voice a low, vibrating baritone.
I realized my search would have to wait for another day. I turned to leave without a word, hoping to disappear into the shadows.
"Stop right there, cadet!" he spat. I stopped, my back still to him. "Turn around!"
I didn't move. But suddenly, the stones beneath my feet groaned and shifted, rotating on their own until I was forced to face him.
"What the..."
"Now, that's better," he retorted, his eyes tracking the frantic rhythm of my breath. "Take off your hood and scarf."
I lifted my gaze, locking onto his eyes, but my hands stayed at my sides. I wouldn't make this easy for him.
"You will be severely punished," he said, stepping into my personal space. "Perhaps even executed. I have every right to end this right now."
"No, you don't," I said calmly, forcing my voice not to tremble. "You're not my Commander."
He smirked—a sharp, dangerous expression—and took another step closer. "But I am a Commander of this Academy. You were caught walking in a forbidden section without the company of a Reidar. That is enough."
"You are a Reidar, aren't you?" I said brazenly, staring him down. "And you are here. So, technically, I haven't violated any rules."
His eyes brightened with a sudden intensity; I couldn't tell if he was furious or genuinely amused.
"I'm not your Commander—you said that yourself," he repeated my words. "Your name and show your face. That's an order, cadet!"
Damn these rules. With a sharp movement, I pulled down my hood and unwound the scarf.
I watched him, silent for a long beat, before answering. "Elain Aracnum."
He scoffed, his gaze sweeping over my features with clinical precision. "So... the Northern Vanguard, isn't it? You don't have a conscience or fear, do you?" He crossed his arms over his chest.
I just watched him, silent.
He narrowed his eyes, testing the name on his tongue. "I like your defiance, Elain, but that won't work here, nor will it help you. If I tell them about this..."
"But you won't," I cut him off.
His smile widened. "Oh, I will..." He stopped for a moment, his eyes glinting. "...not. But you owe me now. Now, go to your room, cadet!"
I didn't wait for a second invitation. I hurried back, and when I finally reached my room, I leaned against the door, gasping for air. I had been caught by the one person I should have avoided.
The next day at breakfast, a sudden chill ran down my spine. When I turned, I saw him. Reinar was watching me from across the hall.
"You alright? You need to eat, Elain," Tomris called out.
I snapped my gaze back to my plate. "Uh... yes..."
"Finally, we'll learn how to control the little magic we have and actually use it," Felix said, eagerly finishing his food.
"It's called the Flare," I said, my mind still on the corridor.
"And it's not that easy. Even a drop of uncontrolled power can blow you into oblivion," Silas added, taking a slow sip of his water.
Felix's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"
Silas didn't answer. Felix looked at us, panic rising. "Shit! I'm not sure I even want to manifest it anymore."
The Flare Theory classroom was the polar opposite of Ryker's War Chamber. It was a cavernous hall of grey marble, the stone so polished and dark it looked like a frozen stormy sea. The walls were lined with smooth, ash-colored pillars that seemed to absorb what little light reached this depth. It was a place of biting silence, so cold that our breath misted in the air, drifting like ghosts over rows of silver basins filled with still, obsidian water.
Professor Isolda Grey stood at the front, as pale and motionless as a statue carved from the very stone around her. Her hair was bone-white, and her eyes were so light they were almost transparent, reflecting the dull grey of the marble.
"I heard a few cadets talking," Felix whispered, his voice trembling as he looked at the cold stone floor. "They said at least three cadets blow up here every year. It's inevitable."
I nudged Felix hard with my elbow and hissed, "Listen!" He jumped slightly, finally shutting his mouth, though his eyes remained wide with terror.
"Magic is not a gift," Isolda said, her voice cutting through the room like a scalpel. "It is a slow-burning pyre beneath your skin. My job is to ensure you do not turn to ash before your time. Now, everyone, close your eyes. Imagine the source of the Flare inside you. Let go of the mana, just a little. Do not rush. Concentrate."
I closed my eyes. At first, there was only darkness. Then, the floor beneath my feet turned obsidian black. Silver lines began to crawl across the surface, spider-webbing toward a central point. When I lifted my eyes, I saw it: a massive blue crystal in the shape of a frozen flame. It glowed with an eerie, beckoning light.
I stepped closer and touched it. It wasn't hot; it was bone-chillingly cold. Suddenly, the crystal began to pull me in, absorbing my very essence. "Ugh... no!"
I wrenched myself away and snapped my eyes open. I was back in the classroom, breathing heavily, sweat trickling down my temple.
Around me, the room was transformed. Tomris was staring at her hand in amazement as it glowed with a warm red light. Silas and Felix had also manifested their Flare.
"Whoa... I did it! And I didn't explode!" Felix cheered. Silas pinched him to shut him up, motioning toward me.
"I'm okay," I whispered, though my heart was still hammering. "I will try again."
I dove back in. Back to the Flame Crystal. This time, I didn't just touch it—I grabbed it, wanting to shatter the icy shell and free the fire inside. "I'm going to get you, no matter what!"
My soul started to shake.
In the classroom, my body began to emit a blinding blue radiance. My limbs trembled violently, the air around me snapping with static.
"Stop it!" Professor Isolda commanded, her voice losing its icy calm.
"Professor, she doesn't hear you!" Tomris cried out.
"She's going to blow!" someone yelled.
And then, the world went white.