The air inside Elaris Academy buzzed with a different kind of energy these days. Not the overwhelming power that rippled from the elite, but something subtler, like a heartbeat buried beneath layers of noise and steel. Alexander Grey sat near the back of the Elemental Theory classroom, his face unreadable, his fingers tracing faint patterns on the edge of his desk.
It had been a week since the Origin Trial. The buzz around the academy had shifted. Not toward him—thankfully—but toward the rising tension between factions. Students were on edge. Teachers moved with brisk determination. Rift activity was increasing, and fresh dungeon readings had surfaced in the outer districts. Something was coming.
Instructor Kalen, a middle-aged man with flame-scarred hands and eyes that had seen war, paced before the class.
"The elements are not tools. They are not slaves to your will. Fire does not burn for your amusement, and water does not flow because you say so. If you wish to wield them, you must earn their respect."
The room was silent. Even the elite students sat upright, aware of the weight in Kalen's voice. Alexander listened carefully, absorbing every word.
Kalen gestured, and the board behind him shifted into a glowing display of elemental affinities, runic channels, and resonance charts.
"Each of you has a core element, but through training and synchronization, secondary affinities may awaken. This academy will provide you with the framework. But power… power must be seized."
After class, Alexander stepped into the hallway. He hadn't spoken to many students yet, but a few nods had started coming his way. Jace slapped his shoulder as he caught up.
"You understood half of that fire-speech?"
"Enough to not blow myself up," Alexander replied dryly.
Milo joined them, adjusting his glasses. "Instructor Kalen wasn't just talking about elements. He was warning us. Something's wrong with the portals. The stabilization readings are off."
"You think a breach is coming?" Alexander asked.
Milo nodded grimly. "And soon."
They made their way to the next class—Rift Ecology. A sprawling lecture hall with holographic recreations of beasts, crystals, and dimensional landscapes. The teacher, Professor Nirelle, a graceful woman with silver streaks in her hair, didn't bother with small talk.
"What makes a beast crystal valuable?" she asked, stepping to the center of the room.
"Purity and resonance levels," a girl in the front row answered quickly.
"Wrong," Nirelle said. "That's what traders will tell you. But true value lies in potential. Crystals are the heart of evolution—for weapons, constructs, and even people. Don't forget that."
As the class went on, Alexander felt his mind sharpen. Details began to make sense. Portals, rift beasts, energy channels—his system seemed to be absorbing the knowledge alongside him, silently parsing facts and context.
> [System Notification: Knowledge threshold reached. Passive analysis expanding... Upgrading internal framework.]
A pulse of clarity moved through his mind—not intrusive, not overwhelming. His system's voice—low, steady, familiar—echoed gently.
"Knowledge retention improved. Cross-referencing Rift Ecology, Elemental Theory, and weapon synthesis models. I will now aid in identifying false data and structuring advanced comprehension pathways."
Alexander blinked, slightly startled. "You're evolving," he murmured.
"Affirmative. I now possess adaptive learning modules. You read. I refine. Together, we accelerate."
He didn't respond. Just… nodded.
That evening, while walking back toward the dorms, he heard footsteps behind him. Quiet, hesitant. He didn't turn around.
"Alex," a voice called.
He stopped.
Crystal.
She approached slowly, her perfect smile dimmed, uncertain. "Can we talk?"
He didn't answer.
"Back then… I didn't know you were going through so much. I just thought—"
"You thought I wanted to ask you out," he said flatly, turning to face her. "But I didn't. I just wanted a friend."
Her eyes widened. "I was trying to protect my name, I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did. You tore off the mask in front of everyone. Laughed with them. Because the truth wasn't convenient."
Crystal flinched. She looked away.
"I'm sorry."
Alexander didn't reply. He walked past her. She didn't follow.
He didn't return to his base that night. Not because he was afraid, but because something told him she might. Instead, he stayed on campus, finding a quiet place near the training grounds. That instinct—that whisper of paranoia—had saved him before.
Back in the dorms, Jace was sharpening his spear. Milo was poring over a bestiary. Their third roommate, Riven, was still out, likely practicing in the sparring yards.
Jace looked up. "You okay, man?"
"Yeah. Just tired."
"You sure? You looked like you were ready to torch someone."
Alexander smirked faintly. "Still deciding."
The boys chuckled. It was quiet after that, but not uncomfortable. For a moment, it felt almost normal.
Tomorrow, he'd go back to class. Study elemental weapon integration. Practice beast crystal binding. Blend into the noise.
Slowly. Strategically. Under the radar.
Because in Elaris Academy, power drew eyes—and he wasn't ready to be seen yet.
But when the moment came, when the world forced him into the light…
They wouldn't be ready for Alexander Grey.