Morning at the academy carried a strange silence.
Not the peaceful kind—but the stillness before a storm.
Valerian stood at the Obsidian Gate, one of the oldest relics on campus. Its archway was inscribed with arcane glyphs that pulsed faintly whenever strong magic was near.
Today, they throbbed like a heartbeat.
"Strange," he murmured. "Something's brewing."
\[System Alert: Ambient Magic Fluctuation Detected – Source Unknown. Probability of Host-Centric Event: 71%]
Behind him, a familiar voice called out.
"Skipping class already, Valerian?"
He turned to see Kira Dawnblade approaching, arms crossed, hair tied into a high ponytail, sword slung lazily across her back.
"Not skipping," he said. "Observing."
Kira stopped beside him, eyeing the gate.
"You know this thing hasn't opened in over a hundred years, right?"
Valerian nodded. "Maybe it's waiting for the right kind of chaos."
She smirked. "Sounds like something you'd say."
---
Later, in the dueling hall, Instructor Margrave gathered the top-ranking students. The room buzzed with tension as magical barriers shimmered to life.
"This isn't a lesson," Margrave announced. "This is a test."
A wave of murmurs followed.
"Pairs will be assigned. Combat will be live. Power held back will be noted. Winners will be ranked. Losers..." he let the word hang, "...will be demoted."
Valerian's eyes sharpened.
\[System Update: Challenge Event – Ranked Ascension Trial. Bonus Rewards for Victory: 3x Skill Acquisition Rate + Artifact Selection.]
Caelum Emberlight stood near the back, glaring at Valerian with quiet rage. His robes were singed from their last encounter, but his pride remained unburned.
Margrave began calling names.
"Mila Tierwyn vs. Jace Thornveil."
"Lady Selene vs. Elara Dawnchant."
And then—
"Valerian Nightshade... vs. Seraphine Lysoria."
The hall stilled.
Seraphine stepped forward slowly.
Golden hair cascading like sunlight. Sapphire eyes sharp as steel. Daughter of one of the strongest noble houses.
She tilted her head. "You again."
Valerian gave a nod. "Fate must enjoy irony."
Her lips curved. "Or tragedy."
---
The arena transformed into a forested field, illusions conjuring wind, mist, and real terrain.
Valerian activated his internal HUD.
\[Opponent Class: Elemental Conduit – Specialization: Wind and Light. Status: Confident. Threat Level: Medium-High.]
She summoned twin chakrams, glowing with runes.
"I hope you're ready to bleed, Valerian," she whispered.
"Only if you're ready to lose."
---
She struck first—chakrams spinning with blinding speed.
Valerian dodged left, then blinked sideways, his dagger intercepting the first strike. The second scraped his shoulder.
She vanished.
Appeared above him, wind spiraling around her.
Valerian slammed his hand into the ground.
\[Spell Cast: Gravity Flux – Zone Compression x2]
She plummeted.
But flipped mid-air, landing gracefully.
"Well played," she said.
"Still standing," he replied.
The crowd watched in stunned silence. This wasn't just a fight—it was a dance of prodigies.
Seraphine launched a flashburst—light magic that disoriented most opponents.
But Valerian's eyes adapted instantly.
\[System Trait: Arcane Resilience – Visual Overload Resistance Enabled.]
He surged forward, drawing a line in the dirt with his dagger.
\[Trap Set: Echo Bind – Stuns target for 3 seconds if crossed.]
She leapt over it—
Only to land in his shadow.
\[Shadow Bind Activated. Opponent Movement Locked. Duration: 2 seconds.]
He charged, blade humming.
But Seraphine smiled.
"Too slow."
\[Counter Skill: Gale Reversal]
Wind exploded outward, knocking Valerian off balance.
He rolled, spat blood, and laughed.
"Now we're having fun."
He raised his palm.
\[Spell Cast: Nightflame Spiral – Unstable Variant]
Dark fire twisted with violet light, a forbidden mix of arcane and demonic energy.
Seraphine's eyes widened.
"You madman—!"
She erected a barrier of light—but the spell hit like a comet.
The explosion shook the arena.
Dust settled.
Valerian stood, scorched but grinning.
Seraphine knelt, barrier shattered.
She coughed. "You win."
---
The silence broke into chaos.
Instructors shouted.
Students cheered.
And the Obsidian Gate?
It pulsed again.
Harder.
---
After the match, Seraphine approached him near the training yard, a bandage on her arm.
"You hold back less than anyone I've ever fought."
"You're stronger than anyone I've faced."
She paused. "I should hate you."
"But you don't?"
"I'm undecided."
She walked away without another word.
\[Romance Flag – Seraphine Lysoria: Progressing. Affection Level: Intrigued.]
Valerian watched her go, a smirk on his lips.
Three powerful women. Three paths. And none without danger.
Behind him, the sky darkened slightly.
Thunder rumbled on a clear day.
\[System Alert: Obsidian Gate Awakening Progress – 33%. Time Remaining: Unknown. External Interference Detected. Source: Unknown Entity.]
And far below, in the dungeon chambers...
The shadow moved again.
This time, it whispered a name.
"Valerian... come and find me."
The sky above Arcanis Academy turned violet at dusk—a strange hue, like bruised magic stretched thin across the heavens. Most students noticed it, whispered about it, then hurried along.
But Valerian knew better.
He stood atop the West Tower, robes flapping in the wind, red eyes fixed on the horizon. The Obsidian Gate's pulses had grown stronger with every passing hour. Not even the professors could ignore it anymore.
\[System Alert: Dimensional Interference Stable. Hidden Realm Access Nearing Threshold – Estimated Time of Breach: 72 hours.]
"What's behind that gate?" he whispered.
\[System Response: Origin of Host's Magical Signature – Partial Memory Recovery Available Post Access. WARNING: Probability of Host Death—High.]
Valerian smiled faintly. "Of course it is."
Behind him, the heavy door creaked open.
"Still trying to look cool with the wind in your hair?"
Mila.
She stepped out, her boots clicking against the stone. She had traded her usual sharp wit for a rare seriousness.
"We need to talk."
He turned. "About the Gate?"
"About the council."
---
Inside a hidden alcove beneath the History Hall, Valerian listened as Mila outlined the politics.
"The heads of House Emberlight and House Lysoria want you expelled—maybe worse. Officially, they can't act unless you break academy law. Unofficially? They're recruiting assassins."
Valerian leaned back. "Bold."
"Stupid," Mila corrected. "You beat Caelum in front of half the school. You bested Seraphine and lived to brag. You're not just a student now—you're a threat to the hierarchy."
"And you're warning me?"
Mila's eyes softened for just a second. "Don't read into it."
Too late.
\[System Notice: Affection Adjustment – Mila Tierwyn: +4. Status: Loyal Ally / Romantic Contender. Emotional Denial: 67%.]
---
Later that night, Valerian returned to his quarters. He found a letter on his bed—sealed with black wax bearing no crest.
Inside: a single line of text.
**"Come to the Catacombs beneath the Diviner's Tower. Midnight. Come alone."**
\[System Alert: Unknown Magical Signature – Traced to Ancient Blood. Risk Level: Moderate-High.]
Valerian tossed the note into the fire. He didn't need a second invitation.
---
The Catacombs were off-limits to most students—lined with bone-laced walls, enchanted tombs, and the remnants of long-dead sages.
But Valerian walked through them like he belonged.
His footsteps echoed.
Then stopped.
Because something else moved.
A figure stood in the center of a rune circle, face hidden by a silver mask. Robes shimmered with celestial script.
"You're earlier than expected," the figure said.
"I like to be punctual to mysterious death threats," Valerian replied.
The figure chuckled. "Not death. Destiny."
They tossed something toward him.
Valerian caught it.
A medallion. Ebony. With the Obsidian Gate engraved upon it.
"What is this?"
"A key."
"To what?"
"To who you truly are."
The figure stepped forward, lowering the mask.
It wasn't a stranger.
It was Headmaster Aldric.
Valerian's eyes narrowed.
"You?"
"I've watched you since your arrival. You're not from this world, are you?"
\[System Alert: Identity Exposure Risk – 83%]
"I adapt well," Valerian said carefully.
"Too well. The spells you cast—half of them haven't been used since the War of Sundering. Your reflexes. Your affinity. You're not just powerful. You're ancient."
Valerian said nothing.
Aldric held up a vial of silver-blue liquid. "Drink this, and your memories will return. Who you were. What you lost. What lies beyond the Gate."
Valerian stared at it.
"What's the catch?"
"You may not like who you were."
He reached for the vial—
But stopped.
\[System Interruption: WARNING – Memory Injection May Trigger Host Collapse. Risk of Personality Fragmentation – High. Accept Anyway? Y/N]
Valerian lowered his hand.
"Not yet."
Aldric nodded. "Wise. You'll need your strength for what's coming."
"What *is* coming?"
Aldric turned, cloak sweeping behind him.
"The Gate opens in three days. And when it does, *they* will come through."
"Who?"
"The ones who made you."
---
Back in his room, Valerian sat in silence. His hands trembled slightly.
The medallion glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
He wasn't just reincarnated.
He was designed.
The question was: for what?