CHAPTER 26A — DAWN BEFORE THE TRIALS
Aiden didn't sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the Hollow collapsing—
stone teeth falling
fog like serrated blades
the monster's impossible jaws
lightning burning through every inch of him
the pup screaming lightning into the dark.
Even in the safety of the temporary student dormitory, the memories lingered like bruises on his mind.
By the time the green-glass lanterns outside burned low and the other caravanners-turned-first-years had drifted to sleep, Aiden sat upright on his cot, back against the cold wall, breath slow but unsteady.
The storm inside him had stopped thrashing…
…but it hadn't left.
It lay behind his ribs like a sleeping predator, pacing the edges of his heartbeat.
A soft whisper broke the dark.
"…Aiden?"
Nellie peeked over the edge of her cot. Her curls were flattened on one side, her eyes swollen from hours of crying and adrenaline wearing off.
"You're awake," he said quietly.
"You're… sitting up," she replied, hugging her blanket. "And staring at the wall like you're waiting for it to attack. It's creepy. Don't do that."
He blinked. "Sorry."
She hesitated, twisting her blanket between her fingers, then whispered:
"Can I… um… sleep over there?"
He softened. "Nightmare?"
She nodded instantly.
Myra groaned from the cot near the window. "Why are you two whispering like traumatized squirrels? If you're having a meeting, include me."
Aiden shifted aside. Nellie practically launched herself across the small gap, blanket wrapped around her like a cape. She burrowed into his side, trembling.
Myra dragged her own blanket across the floor, muttering dramatically, "If one of you cries, we all cry," and flopped onto his other side.
The pup lifted its head from where it slept on Aiden's boots. Its ears twitched. Sparks flickered along its back.
Then, with a tired little fizz-pop, it scurried onto his lap, curled into a ball, and pressed its cheek against his stomach.
Myra smirked. "Fearsome lightning beast, huh? Look at that—total baby."
The pup made a tiny offended spark sound and buried its head deeper into Aiden's shirt.
Nellie giggled, the sound fragile but real.
The room felt warmer.
Safer.
Aiden let his eyes close halfway, letting their closeness seep into him. The storm inside eased, soothed by the familiar weight of them leaning against him.
Myra murmured sleepily, "You saved people today. Don't pretend you didn't."
"That was the lightning," he whispered.
"No," she corrected. "That was you."
Nellie fiddled with her blanket. "You're not gonna… turn into a monster, right?"
Aiden stiffened.
The pup jolted and looked up sharply, ears pricked.
Myra elbowed Nellie. "Nellie!"
"I didn't mean it like that!" she squeaked. "It's just—some stories say people who get power too fast go bad. And I don't want him to go bad. I like him. As he is."
Aiden gently placed his hand on her head. "I won't."
"You promise?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Because I'd be so mad."
Eventually, their breathing steadied.
Nellie fell asleep first, curled against his arm.
Myra followed, head slipping onto his shoulder.
The pup twitched once, then melted into sleep, tiny sparks dimming to soft blue embers.
Aiden stayed awake a while longer.
Not because he couldn't sleep.
Because he didn't want anything to disturb them.
After nearly losing them…
he wanted a moment where they were all safe.
---
Dawn
A slow bell tolled across the Academy grounds.
Aiden rose carefully, lowering the pup onto Myra's blanket so she wouldn't wake from the warmth leaving her. Nellie curled deeper into her pile of blankets. Myra mumbled something unflattering about mornings.
Outside, early mist clung to the forested campus like drifting silk. Floating lanterns glowed soft green, moving lazily along rune-carved paths between ancient trees.
Dozens of students were already out—stretching, gossiping, checking their weapons or spellbooks. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement and nerves.
But Aiden didn't get far before he heard it:
"That's him."
"The marsh survivor."
"The one with the lightning pup."
"Is he cursed?"
"Look at his eyes—are they glowing?"
"Don't stare. Storm beasts don't like that."
Aiden kept walking, jaw tight.
A tall boy stepped in front of him, emerald robes immaculate, expression smug.
"You're the caravanner brat, right?" the boy said. "Heard you got lucky in the Hollow. Don't get in my way during the trials."
Aiden stepped around him without a word.
The boy sputtered. "Hey—!"
He didn't look back.
Not today.
---
Enter Runa Ironjaw
A shadow detached from the stone archway ahead.
A dwarf girl—broad-shouldered, thick-braided hair, heavy hammer resting across her back like it weighed nothing. She looked like someone carved from mountain rock and given an attitude.
Runa Ironjaw.
She eyed the retreating boy with a snort. "Humans. Always squeaking before they can swing."
Aiden blinked. "…hi?"
"You're the storm brat," she said flatly.
"…storm what?"
"You smell like lightning and trouble."
He had no idea whether to be offended or impressed.
Before he could respond, she walked past him—
then paused, turning slightly.
"Your gnome friend," she said, voice gruff. "She's tiny."
Aiden blinked. "Nellie?"
"Mmh." Runa nodded. "Tiny. Soft. People like that get crushed in places like this."
She lifted her hammer and smirked.
"So I'll crush whoever tries."
Then she walked off like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Aiden stood frozen for a full ten seconds.
Nellie had just gained a terrifyingly loyal secret dwarf guardian.
---
The Headmistress Appears
The bell tolled again—
and the mist shifted.
Aiden felt the sensation before he heard the voice.
"Mr. Raikos."
The sound was soft.
But carried heavy, like velvet over steel.
He turned.
A tall woman approached, robed in deep forest green layers embroidered with subtle gold runes. Her hair was silver, pinned in a simple twist. Her eyes were pale gold and unreadable—like a beast watching from the trees.
Headmistress Elowen Thorne.
The most powerful figure in the Academy.
"Walk with me," she said. "We must speak before orientation."
Students froze.
Even upper-years.
Whispers shot through the air like arrows:
"She never summons first-years—"
"Is he in trouble?"
"What did he do?"
"Look at her face—oh gods—"
Aiden swallowed and followed her along the stone path, the mist whispering shut behind them.
Elowen walked with silent grace, each step barely disturbing the dew on the grass. Aiden struggled to keep up—partly because she walked faster than she looked, partly because her presence pressed against his senses.
"You were in the Hollow collapse," she said without turning.
"Yes, Headmistress."
"You exhibited… unusual resonance."
Her voice was calm. Too calm.
"You understand why that concerns me."
Aiden hesitated. "I didn't mean—"
"No one means for resonance to happen," she replied. "And certainly not on the scale you produced."
He swallowed.
"It was the Aberration," he finally said. "And the fog-figure. They—there was something between them. Something that pulled at me."
"And the beast cub?"
He felt her attention sharpen like a blade.
"It chose me," he said quietly.
Elowen slowed.
Mist curled around her feet.
The floating lantern above them dimmed as if obeying her breath.
"Storm beasts do not choose lightly," she murmured. "Nor do they choose those with quiet destinies."
His pulse quickened. "What does that mean?"
She turned her pale-gold eyes on him—
eyes that seemed to see the storm inside him.
"It means," she said softly,
"that whatever sleeps in your bones, Aiden Raikos… has begun to wake."
The lantern above them flickered—green flame bending toward him, like drawn by static.
He felt the faint, familiar hiss of lightning in his veins.
Then Elowen straightened, expression smoothing back into unreadable calm.
"You will attend orientation with the others," she said. "Do not draw attention. Do not provoke resonance. Do not, under any circumstances, let the beast wander."
She began walking again.
"Your trials begin at midday. Rest until then."
Aiden remained still for a heartbeat, pulse hammering.
Something in his bones stirred—
like lightning stretching after a long sleep.
He exhaled shakily.
The Academy wasn't just a new chapter.
It was a storm waiting to break.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Alright, real talk for a second.
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