After a couple months since the second part of the book revealed itself I learned a lot about the empire, my training, but even deeper is I learned a lot about myself.

  The booklet taught me how to meditate. I do it every so often at night when I can’t sleep.

  When I do it as the book instructed I can feel the floor beneath my feet but every bump or curve. No matter how big or small, or even if it’s not directly in contact with my body.

  Almost as if the mana in the atmosphere was stretched overtop the physical object.

  The more I meditated, the more I noticed shadows moving where nothing should move.

  The training at the academy hadn’t changed much. I still was seen as a weirdo. I mean to be fair even Jerek and Mariel had made more friends at the academy, it seemed all I could do was annoy people.

  Sometimes professors used me to help with lessons and that was fun at first but then I realized no one wants their underclassmen to teach them how to do the basics. It’s belittling.

  It feels like even more eyes are on me, not just Veran — although his staring is now the usual, it feels like there’s more eyes on me than ever before.

  I knew I still had my boyish charm the way Mariel laughed at my jokes, and I knew I was still standing strong the way Jerek would joke with me.

  Deep down I was becoming depressed. The people of my neighborhood were for the most part fine but everyday I walked to school I saw the worse parts of the empire.

  When I’d go to the guild, the market, library, anywhere. I’d see people begging for help, then someone steal from that person right after. I couldn't intervene, soldiers were watching.

  If I helped at all they’d punish me too. I wanted nothing more than to help. And to see this stuff every day, multiple times a day — and being helpless. I resented everything.

  But I had to keep my head held high. If I wavered my stride, It’d delay me from reaching my destination. I was going to reform the empire.

  Sometimes I didn’t even look at the atrocities and the soldiers still would give me dirty looks.

  At school it felt like silence would follow me through the halls. Not emptiness, more like the embodiment of biding time.

  I’d even watch students train sometimes just to analyze what the student knows, what the professor is trying to teach, and how the professor will tie both together.

  “Kid.”

  I looked to where the voice called. It was a professor.

  “Can you quit staring at people like that? It’s unsettling.”

  It’s annoying? I'm utterly quiet, writing some notes down and doodling.

  I closed my notebook and stood up. “Sure thing.”

  I began walking to the library when I noticed a handful of other students also writing in their notebook and watching.

  It looked like they hated me, but not by choice. Almost like they knew this was unfair but were too afraid to speak up.

  It makes sense, I didn’t even speak up for myself. So why would they?

  As I left, I felt eyes on my back. When I turned, no one was looking.

  I entered the library and noticed students holding to themselves, not wanting me to sit near them.

  An isolated desk near a window looked cozy. I sat down to continue my notes.

  I felt a thud from outside and looked outside, nothing was there.

  No one else seemed to care or even notice it.

  When I went outside to a different courtyard I saw that girl again, she was a few years older than me. The reddish-brown wavy hair was evident that it was her. The thud was her magic falling to the ground.

  I could get a closer look this time.

  The professor teaching her looked completely disinterested. As if he had far better things to do rather than his actual job.

  I didn’t want to step in, I just observed.

  “No, don’t let it hit the ground so hard. Are you even trying?”

  Really? That’s how you teach?

  Before she could even say anything he continued. “Alright. I’m gonna go take a leak, you don’t burn the academy down and we’ll call that progress.”

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  I couldn’t see her face but I knew she was pissed. I mean I was and I wasn’t even the one who he was being a dick to.

  He walked away and she just collapsed to the ground. I walked over.

  The whole courtyard had their eyes on us. Essentially two misfits.

  When I walked around to the front of her I could see she was crying.

  I knelt down before her. “Hey, is everything alright?”

  She looked up at me with a brow raised. “Do I look alright?”

  Then punched me in the face. And even had her mana wrapped around her fist. My face was literally on fire.

  I see why there’s extra tutoring

  Mariel had caught wind of this and ran towards us.

  “Cade!”

  She called to me. Without looking I stuck my hand up to her. I needed to do this alone.

  “Thank you for worrying about me Mariel. I’ve got this.”

  Without speaking an incantation I dissolved the fire and healed myself.

  The crowd was completely stunned.

  “HOW CAN YOU DO THAT, AND I CAN’T USE MAGIC WITH THE INCANTATION?”

  She went to punch me again. This time I channeled my mana into my hand and caught the punch.

  “You’re not wrong—this world is unfair. But you’re not saying anything wrong at all.”

  Even professors watched. They probably could’ve gotten involved but we were technically on training grounds so they just assumed this was training.

  She untensed her fist. So I relaxed my hand too.

  “Tell me your name, miss.”

  She stood up and wiped off dirt from her uniform. “Rona. My name is Rona Helgar.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, my name is–”

  “Cade.”

  I guess I'm popular.

  I nodded.

  “Miss Helg–”

  She interrupted me again.

  “Call me Rona, I’m not royalty or at all important.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Rona. The problem lies with how you channel your mana. Do me a favor and chant the spell for both fire and stone intertwined. Then channel both fire and stone magic at the same time. Then dispel your stone magic.”

  She closed her eyes and chanted. Then I swear I could feel her mana channeling through her body. The fire and stone mixing. Then suddenly the spell took shape.

  It was magma.

  Tears strolled down her face. She had been trying to cast magic since an early age and couldn't because she had a magma trait.

  She then dispelled the stone within to form a fireball in her hand.

  Everyone held their breath.

  “You couldn’t form a fireball because you had a magma trait. You didn’t know you manifested a magma trait because you didn’t know traits don’t form from your own free will. They manifest on their own account of your will.”

  She was speechless.

  Then I got closer and whispered to her. “Did you not get the medical exam for your trait due to poverty? I’m not asking to be rude. I want to help.”

  She was trying to hold back her tears but couldn’t

  She dispelled the fire as well and hugged me.

  “Thank you so much Mr. Grimmholt. This means so much to me.”

  I just accepted it and gave a soft hug back.

  “Teach me more Cade please.”

  I nodded and walked towards the building when Veran rushed out.

  He arrived panting.

  Dude I know you’re past your prime but what is this?

  Between breaths of air he finally grasped an actual sentence.

  “Cade Grimmholt. What do you think you’re doing?”

  I smirked. “Well, a fellow student needed help so I assisted her.”

  Veran found his posture. “Look miscreant. You’d be wise to not intervene again with anyone here.”

  He got closer to me. “You should probably stay closer to Mariel and Jerek. You don’t want to attract more attention from these other students.”

  I had no idea what he was talking about.

  A voice drifted in from my left. “That’s enough Aldric.”

  I turned and saw Torian Gale. With the full Iron Legion at his side.

  The air got even tighter.

  “Cade, isn’t it?”

  I nodded.

  He approached me in his mythic-looking garb.

  He got right in front of me and knelt down. “I apologize for stealing this spot from your adoptive parents.”

  Oh right, I forgot my parents actually adopted me.

  “I think they’re both wonderful candidates. However, I was selected for the very reason I'm here with you today. The Iron Legion and myself have taken a personal interest in you. The fact you’re so young and able to teach is an incredible feat. I admire you.”

  A Grand Marshal took interest in me?

  I smiled softly. “Really?”

  He nodded and I turned my gaze to the Legion. They all nodded as well.

  Veran shifted his staring to Torian.

  Torian didn’t even shift focus, he answered while still examining me. “I know you’re staring at me, Aldric. Why?”

  Veran balled his fist.

  Oh shit.

  Torian stood up and met Veran’s gaze.

  The rivaling aura off these two powerhouses was almost intoxicating.

  “You interrupted my lectures–”

  Torian nodded and interrupted. “Yes I did. I wasn’t going to, we were just passing by. But you insulted someone who I care about. So I intervened.”

  Somehow Veran’s expression showed even more hatred.

  The relic that was a mace known as Thunderheart was on Torian’s back.

  I heard glass shatter as Veran was summoning his own relic.

  When the sword reached Veran’s hand Torian drew his mace.

  They were going to strike at each other when in the blink of an eye a black portal opened right between them and the person who shot out of it blocked both attacks simultaneously with two rapiers.

  What is happening?

  The person who appeared from the portal parried both attacks at the same time and they both stumbled backwards.

  The person removed her hood and mask to reveal it was another Grand Marshal.

  Void Grand Marshal Cecilia Thorne. Harbinger of the forbidden, third of the Dominion’s hand.

  Cecilia’s relic was called Nullflower, it was actually a dual sided sword, but she could remove both halves to create two rapiers.

  She spoke soft but firm. “You morons would’ve killed a kid or two.”

  Veran held his anger, but Torian nodded. “My apologies Ms. Thorne, you’re absolutely right.”

  She nodded and connected the two rapiers together and it looked like it dissolved into the void.

  She began walking towards me as she put her mask and hood back on. But walked right past me. She hesitated as she walked past.

  “Kid.” Cecelia called for me.

  I turned to meet her gaze.

  “I like the book you’ve been reading, I can’t seem to understand it though. Wanna teach it to me sometime?”

  I became completely flushed.

  A bell rang in the distance and immediately Cecilia vaulted over the academy walls and vanished.

  The bell meant there was trouble and it was to alert a high ranking member of the military to dispute the problem.

  I couldn’t answer, but how did she know about the booklet?

  Torian slung his mace over his back and rejoined the Legion. Before he left, he glanced over his shoulder. “See ya ‘round, kid.”

  Then he and his Legion took off.

  Every student watched that all play out. And everyone was frozen with shock.

  What just happened?

  Something ancient brushed against the edges of my senses, and the world changed.

  I didn’t have to look at the crowd of people, I knew I still was a freak in their eyes. Three Grand Marshal’s just fought in front of us all over me.

  If the other two were nearby, they probably would’ve shown up too.

  But beneath all that fear and confusion, one truth settled like a stone in my stomach: I mattered to them. And that terrified me more than being invisible ever did.