In thick darkness, Sylvina was running without a clear goal. The air around her was cold, still, as if the world was holding its breath. Her feet sank into damp ground, resembling cold ash. Bare trees surrounded her, their branches twisted like frozen hands, recoiling whenever she approached. A harsh coldness devoured her skin, and her fingers trembled. She felt a presence behind her, but fear prevented her from turning around.

  She stopped suddenly. In front of her appeared a cracked mirror, its shards scattered on the black ground. Her reflection looked strange: her eyes sunk in blackness, and her face pale like a lifeless corpse. She extended her hand to touch the glass, which was cold as ice. In the next moment, darkness seeped from her reflection like thick smoke, swallowing everything around her. She felt dark roots growing rapidly, wrapping around her feet and binding her to the ground, preventing any movement. Everything around her began to collapse, the ground beneath her cracked and swallowed her into an endless abyss.

  ---

  Sylvina opened her eyes suddenly, her breaths ragged as if she had just escaped from the depths of a dark sea. She was breathing rapidly, the sound of her heartbeat filling her ears. She sat up in bed, clutching the blanket with trembling fingers.

  The darkness of the room was less harsh than the darkness of her dream, but she couldn't calm the fear gripping her. Cold sweat drops fell from her forehead, stinging her skin as the cold night air touched it.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath, trying to soothe the terror that had overwhelmed her. She began to control her breaths slowly, inhaling and exhaling, until her body calmed a little.

  When she had calmed somewhat, she looked at her left hand. The golden bracelet glimmered with a faint shine under the moonlight sneaking through the window. She ran her fingers over it, feeling its metallic coldness.

  She whispered in a barely audible voice: "Father…"

  She lay back on the pillow, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Despite the darkness, the bracelet continued its faint glow, like a beacon resisting the gloom. She took another deep breath, then closed her eyes without sleeping, feeling the bracelet, as if she feared losing this faint light if she dozed off again.

  **Very Early in the Morning**

  Sylvina left her room, walking outside immersed in her thoughts and anxiety.

  She sat on a bench in the academy's garden, watching the golden bracelet on her wrist with a worried look. She whispered to herself sadly: "I really hope it helps me…"

  At that moment, she heard a voice calling her: "Sylvina-san, good morning."

  She turned quickly, her heart trembling, to see Darius standing in front of her, signs of fatigue evident on him and sweat drops pouring from his forehead.

  He smiled apologetically: "I didn't mean to scare you. What are you doing here at this early hour?"

  Sylvina stood up slowly and said hesitantly: "I came out to get some fresh air. And you?"

  Darius replied, his voice carrying enthusiasm: "I was training in the arena. I finally mastered the spell, but it drained about two-thirds of my energy, so it's hard to repeat it now." Then he added excitedly: "I'll show it to you tomorrow morning."

  Sylvina nodded and smiled faintly: "Okay… tomorrow morning…"

  Darius looked at her questioningly: "Do you have any plans for today? I'm completely free, and nothing attracts me to the celebration. Would you like to accompany me?"

  Sylvina felt a heaviness in her chest, shook her head no, and said in a worried tone: "I have some things I need to do…"

  Darius noticed her hesitation, but what caught his attention most was the golden bracelet wrapping around her wrist. As soon as she realized his gaze, she quickly pulled her hand back, covering the bracelet with her sleeve, and said: "Sorry… I have to go now… See you later."

  She turned and walked away with hurried steps, her head bowed, as if she feared turning and finding his eyes following her. He shouldn't know… No one should know, she thought, suppressing her tense breaths.

  Darius stood in place for a moment, his eyes fixed on the spot where Sylvina had disappeared. The bracelet's gleam remained stuck in his mind, raising questions he couldn't explain. Why is she so tense? he wondered, and a feeling of anxiety began to creep into him. He hesitated as if thinking of following her, but he shook his head and headed with heavy steps to his room, curiosity churning in his chest.

  Sylvina hurried through the corridors, her breaths ragged, her hand feeling the bracelet as if confirming its presence. She stopped in front of Director Malforos's office, waiting, her eyes wandering the empty hallway.

  Will Malforos know what's happening? she thought, trying to suppress the panic threatening to swallow her.

  After a few minutes, Malforos arrived, saw her standing with clear anxiety, Sylvina approached him and said in a disturbed tone: "Malforos-sama, I need to talk to you."

  They entered the office and closed the door. He sat in his chair, while she stood for a while before saying: "Malforos-sama… Throughout the past week, I haven't had any rest. Nightmares haunt me constantly, and I fear losing control at any moment."

  Malforos replied in a reassuring tone: "Don't be afraid. Even if you lose control, the bracelet will intervene immediately. Trust that."

  Then he added smiling: "Today is the annual celebration day, enjoy it and don't worry about anything."

  Despite the reassuring tone in his voice, Sylvina couldn't shake her feeling of anxiety. She left the office with her thoughts clashing relentlessly in her head. Malforos's words lingered in her mind, without erasing the fears inside her.

  A few minutes after her departure, a man entered Malforos's office. The director raised his eyes to him and asked: "Will he attend or not?"

  The man replied: "Yes, Mr. Director. King Neutras will come, but he might be a little late due to some circumstances. He will likely arrive in the middle of the tournament."

  Malforos said as he straightened in his seat: "That's fine, all preparations are ready. We can manage, even if he arrives late."

  The man nodded and left the office.

  **During the Day**

  The academy's doors opened, and people from the city began entering.

  The academy's gardens were pulsing with life. Wooden stalls decorated with vibrant colors lined the paths on both sides, each displaying something different; cold drinks with rising vapors, colorful candies glistening under the sunlight, and small magical tools dancing inside glass jars.

  Students wandered between the stalls, some tasting the candies, others trying the light spells offered by the vendors. Laughter mingled with the musical tunes played by a group of wandering musicians.

  On the green grass, some students sat in small groups, exchanging conversations and eating food. Others were showcasing their magical skills to their friends, balls of light flying in the air and small shapes moving by magic.

  The atmosphere was filled with joy, but behind this celebratory mood, there was a mysterious anticipation brewing.

  And at this exact time, Darius was walking quickly through the stone paths, his steps hurried and his eyes searching among the faces. He stopped suddenly when he spotted a tall young man standing by the marble fountain. He was wearing a dark cloak and a leather belt holding some magical tools. Darius approached excitedly.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "Lars!" Darius called with a wide smile as he neared him.

  Lars turned to him, a warm smile forming on his face. "Darius, I didn't expect to see you this quickly."

  "Why are you here?" Darius asked directly.

  Lars replied, gesturing with his head toward the corridors decorated with flags: "I was invited as a guest of honor."

  Darius wondered: "What about Mirai? Did she come?"

  Lars's expression changed and he became a bit flustered, smiled quickly and said: "Oh, I remembered something, I heard that Nanaki was caught cheating in the exams. And you too, you were submitting blank papers without any answers. Did you find something more important than the academy?"

  Darius's eyes sparkled as he said: "Listen, today, I completed one of the absolute spells. Something like that should basically make me graduate today."

  Lars laughed lightly and patted Darius on the head: "Your mother would be relieved if she saw you graduate without problems."

  Then he started walking, saying: "Come with me, let's take a walk before the fighting tournament starts."

  The brothers began walking together through the crowds, with Lars's gazes passing over the academy's details as if recalling old memories.

  While walking, Lars turned to Darius and asked: "By the way, are you participating in the fighting tournament?"

  Darius shook his head saying: "No. I have better things to do. I can win while asleep, my level surpasses any student."

  Lars poked Darius on the forehead saying: "Don't be so arrogant. You're not immortal. You can be defeated in many ways."

  Darius put his hand on his forehead saying: "Don't be harsh."

  After that, they continued their conversation while wandering the academy.

  **In Another Place, Away from the Celebration's Noise**

  Sylvina sat on a stone bench under an ancient tree, its green leaves swaying gently with the light breezes. Her eyes were distant, watching the horizon with a gaze sunk in thought. Despite the joy filling the atmosphere and the smiles adorning everyone's faces, Sylvina seemed as if she were in another world, far from everything around her.

  She sighed and stood up, beginning to walk back to her room.

  While Sylvina was immersed in her thoughts, a young man with short black hair and shining eyes approached her. He stopped in front of her with a warm smile, carrying a mix of friendliness and curiosity.

  "Hello! You're Sylvina-san, right?" the young man asked in a bright voice.

  Sylvina raised her head slowly, her eyes still sunk in distraction. "Yes... who are you?"

  The young man sat beside her and said with a smile: "My name is Nanaki. I'm Darius's older brother. I've seen you with him a lot, and I thought to myself, why not introduce myself?"

  Sylvina was surprised and said confusedly: "Hello... I didn't know Prince Darius has a brother here."

  Nanaki smiled saying: "My brother always cares about magical spells more than anything else." He added in a joking tone: "I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot I'm his brother in the first place."

  Sylvina smiled a light smile without saying anything.

  "Would you like to walk around with me?" Nanaki suggested in a light tone, as if it were just a passing idea.

  Sylvina hesitated, moved her lips to say something, but before she could speak, she felt Nanaki's hand gently holding hers.

  "Come on, don't worry. Just a small tour between the stalls, maybe that will refresh your mood."

  Sylvina didn't have a chance to refuse. She found herself being pulled by her hand, her feet moving unconsciously. Nanaki was leading her lightly, as if he knew exactly the path he wanted to take, while his calm smile didn't leave his face.

  Amid the celebration's crowd, Nanaki was walking beside Sylvina, stopping every now and then to check one of the stalls or taste some candy. The atmosphere was lively, with students and visitors moving in every direction, but despite that, Nanaki's attention wasn't fully on the festival.

  He was watching Sylvina cautiously, reading her facial expressions and reactions.

  "Have you tried this candy before?" Nanaki asked, pointing to a stall displaying blue pieces glowing faintly.

  Sylvina looked at the candy, then shook her head: "No, I've never seen anything like this before."

  Nanaki smiled as he took one and put it in his mouth. "Strange. This candy is famous throughout the kingdom, it's rare for someone not to have tried it before."

  Sylvina didn't comment, just took a small piece and tasted it in silence.

  They continued walking between the stalls, with Nanaki talking spontaneously about the festival and some past events, but his mind was occupied with something else. After a few moments, he decided to start his questioning indirectly.

  "By the way, Sylvina, which city are you from?" he asked in a naturally curious tone.

  Sylvina raised her gaze to him for a moment, then said reservedly: "From a small village in the north."

  Nanaki asked her: "Oh? Which village? I've traveled a lot, I might have visited it before."

  Sylvina paused a little before answering: "It's not famous. Just a small village, I don't think you've heard of it."

  Nanaki smiled calmly and decided to push the conversation another step forward, but kept his tone light and non-serious: "So, what were you doing before joining the academy?"

  Sylvina looked ahead as she walked, then said: "There wasn't much to do. I helped with some work, and learned a little magic."

  "A little magic?" Nanaki repeated, then glanced quickly at Sylvina before saying in a joking tone, but with a hidden observant note: "All your magical abilities are at level 1, and yet, you joined the academy?"

  Sylvina stopped walking for a moment, but resumed quickly without looking at him. "I was… lucky."

  Nanaki laughed lightly, but he felt that Sylvina was starting to get a little tense. "Lucky, huh? That's interesting."

  Sylvina didn't say anything this time, which made Nanaki watch her in silence for a few moments. It was clear that the girl was hiding something, but what exactly?

  Nanaki didn't want to press too much at this stage, but he also didn't allow his curiosity to retreat completely. So, he decided to change the direction of the conversation a bit, hoping to make her open up more.

  "So, are you enjoying the festival so far?" Nanaki asked as he took another piece of candy, trying to make the conversation lighter.

  Sylvina looked at him for a moment, then shook her head slightly. "I think so…"

  But even with Nanaki's attempts to keep the atmosphere pleasant, he couldn't ignore that Sylvina seemed more tense as time passed. Her gazes became more distant, and her steps started to become slower, as if she was trying not to attract attention.

  Suddenly, a strange cold breeze passed through the place, despite the weather not being cold at all. No one noticed it, but Nanaki felt it, just as he felt a slight change in the atmosphere around him. He looked at Sylvina cautiously, watching her features closely, and then he saw something unexpected.

  For in that moment, Sylvina began to feel severe pain inside her, as if something was breaking within her. She fell to the ground, her eyes wide open, unable to comprehend what was happening. Her heartbeat began to slow, as if she was losing part of her soul.

  The world around her was changing. She felt a deep darkness seeping into her soul, something that had been waiting for this moment to appear.

  Nanaki rushed toward her to help, and noticed her heartbeat slowing gradually, as if it was about to stop. And in that moment, a dark black aura began to appear around Sylvina, and her eyes turned to a pitch black color.

  **Amid the Festival's Atmosphere**

  Darius and Lars were walking through the crowds, exchanging conversation while following the events. Lars was observing the academy with scrutinizing looks, while Darius was still immersed in his excitement about his new spell.

  But amid that, Lars felt something strange. The air was different.

  The air became heavier in an invisible way, and a cold breeze passed through the crowds, making some students shiver. He felt something strange deep in his soul, an uncomfortable sensation seeping into his depths.

  Lars stopped walking, then looked at the sky, as if something had caught his attention. "Do you feel that?" he asked in a low voice.

  Darius furrowed his brows. "Yes… but I can't identify the reason."

  Suddenly, a violent and resounding explosion shook the entire academy.

  The two turned quickly toward the source of the sound, to witness a massive pillar of black flame erupting in the middle of the main square, where most of the students and visitors were gathered. Screams and panic began to rise from there.

  Lars said quickly, moving a few steps forward: "What's happening there?!"

  Darius and Lars hurried toward the source of the chaos. The closer they got, the worse it became. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and black smoke rose, obscuring the view. Suddenly, a student ran away in terror in front of them, screaming in panic: "Monster! There's a monster in the square!"

  The brothers exchanged a quick glance then dashed faster, avoiding the students running in the opposite direction. Finally, they stopped near one of the demolished pillars to see a scene they hadn't anticipated.

  A dark creature, massive in body, covered in black flames rising densely from it, destroying everything around it randomly. The teachers in the place tried to use spells to restrain or repel it, but without any result, as they were completely helpless against its immense power.

  The monster let out a terrifying roar, the sound so powerful that the ground shook beneath it, then it began attacking randomly, smashing the stalls, crushing the statues, and causing chaos everywhere.

  Lars stood contemplating the monster, his sharp eyes reading the situation quickly, then turned to Darius and said in a calm voice but charged with tension: "This isn't an ordinary monster… There's something strange about it."

  But he noticed that Darius wasn't hearing his words, he was intensely focused on the monster. Lars approached Darius and placed his hand on his shoulder saying: "Darius, focus. We need to eliminate the monster quickly."

  "No!" Darius said emotionally, and added: "We need to stop it without killing it!"

  Lars was surprised by Darius's outburst, but he didn't argue. There was something different in his eyes, a determination he hadn't seen before.

  Before he could say anything, Darius raised his hand, and in a flash, his original sword appeared extending from his arm. He gripped it firmly, then looked at Lars saying resolutely: "I'll handle the monster. Focus on protecting the students."

  He didn't wait for a response, but charged directly toward the monster, leaving Lars to watch him for a moment before moving himself to carry out his task.

  ***

  There was nothing. Thick darkness, an endless void, deep coldness coursing through her being. She felt like she was falling, but there was no ground, just a continuous sensation of descending into a bottomless abyss. Sylvina tried to move, but her body didn't respond. There was no weight, no direction, not even the sound of her breaths.

  Then the whispers began. Mysterious voices overlapping in incomprehensible noise, neither close nor far, as if emerging from inside her head. The noise rose gradually until it turned into a deafening clamor. The pressure in her chest increased, a strange feeling of tearing from within, as if something unknown was trying to control her. She wanted to scream, but there was no sound, there wasn't even a mouth to scream with.

  The pain escalated, then suddenly, she felt a force pulling her downward. It wasn't a hand, but a cold energy wrapping around her, dragging her to an unknown bottom. The voices increased, some laughing, some screaming, and some not human at all. The darkness around her wasn't just a void, but something alive, watching her, waiting for her.

  Then came the light. A sudden white flash pierced the darkness, like a stab that split the void. Heat surged powerfully, sweeping everything, burning the clamor, and pushing her away from the fall. For a moment, everything disappeared. No sound, no coldness, no sensation.

  Then... silence.

  (To be continued)