Morning sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the Lunareth guest room as Shoko tied the sash of his cloak. His hands moved automatically, but his mind replayed the night before over and over. The transparent figure, the golden wings, the mask, the voice that echoed in his thoughts.
It felt unreal, yet every part of him knew it had been completely real.
He tightened his fist. The threads within him responded instantly, forming tiny silver strands that curled around his fingers. They used to come out sluggish or shaky. Now they obeyed instantly.
He whispered to himself, "I really am changing."
A soft knock came at the door.
"Shoko, are you awake?" Ariandel called gently.
He opened the door. Ariandel stood dressed in a long white and blue robe, her silver hair tied loosely behind her. Her eyes immediately sharpened as she studied him.
"You look different today," she said. "Calmer. Focused."
Shoko gave a small smile. "Just… thinking about things."
Ariandel stepped closer, placing her hand on his cheek for a moment. "You have grown so much. But there is something else. Something heavy in your eyes."
Shoko hesitated. She deserved the truth. She always deserved the truth.
But he also knew that the figure had said nothing about telling others. And something inside him whispered that this was something he needed to understand himself first, before he could share it.
"I'm alright," he said softly. "Just ready to train harder."
Ariandel studied him for a second more, then nodded slowly. "If that is what you choose, then I trust you."
He felt warmth in his chest. Her trust always strengthened him.
"Come," she said. "The elves have prepared a place for training. They are eager to see your string magic."
Shoko followed her down the bright hallways of the palace, each step grounding him again after the strange power of last night.
Yet he still felt it.
A faint tug in his mind, like the godlike figure was watching from somewhere far away.
They arrived at a large courtyard surrounded by marble pillars and flowing silver vines. A group of elven guards stood at the edge, whispering quietly as Shoko walked past. Their eyes followed him with interest.
Ariandel motioned him to stand in the center. "Focus your mind. Feel the threads inside you."
Shoko closed his eyes. The threads responded instantly, swirling out of his hands in long silver lines. He shaped them into spirals, shields, and cutting wires. The movements were smoother than ever before.
Ariandel's eyes widened a little. "Your control… increased overnight. This level of precision should have taken weeks."
Shoko stared at the threads, surprised at himself. They glowed faintly with a tint of gold he had never seen before.
He whispered, "This is from last night…"
Ariandel stepped closer. "Last night? Did something happen?"
Before he could respond, a cheerful voice called out.
"Impressive as always, Shoko."
They both turned. Princess Elyndra approached with her usual bright smile, her long silver hair shining in the light. Her green eyes held a familiarity that always made Shoko feel strangely nervous.
"Good morning, Princess," Shoko said, bowing respectfully.
"Please, call me Elyndra," she said. "We are friends now."
Ariandel chuckled. "She likes you, you know."
Shoko's face flushed slightly. Elyndra laughed softly behind her hand.
Elyndra's gaze then shifted to the threads floating around Shoko. Her smile faded into something thoughtful. Almost serious.
"They are different today," she said. "Brighter. Thinner, yet stronger."
Ariandel nodded. "Exactly what I thought."
Elyndra stepped closer, studying them up close. "It feels like fate is tightening around you."
Shoko blinked. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Elyndra hesitated. Her reincarnated knowledge flickered at the front of her mind. She remembered passages. Prophesies. Chapters. Moments yet to happen.
But she could not tell him the truth.
She had sworn she would never reveal the secret of her reincarnation or her knowledge of the future.
So she simply smiled again. "It means you are growing fast. And I think you are going to surprise everyone here."
Shoko nodded, deciding not to push further.
Ariandel clapped her hands. "Then let us continue. Shoko, today we will try forming a new structure. Something complex."
Shoko focused again. This time he tried shaping multiple threads at once. His hands moved instinctively, weaving lines across the air like a spider spinning a web.
Then something unexpected happened.
The threads began forming on their own. They followed an invisible pattern, almost like someone was guiding his hands. The same presence from last night.
Ariandel gasped. "Shoko, that form… that is advanced level weaving. I have not even taught you that yet."
Shoko felt a shock run through his body.
He hadn't realized it either.
"I… I don't know how I did that," he admitted.
Elyndra stepped back, eyes wide. "It is like you are remembering something."
A faint wind pushed through the courtyard.
Shoko felt something stir in his mind.
A whisper.
A voice.
"You are awakening."
The same voice from last night.
Only he could hear it.
His heart pounded.
Ariandel stepped toward him quickly. "Shoko, are you alright? You suddenly went pale."
He nodded, though he could feel the trembling in his hands. "I am fine. I just… felt something move inside me."
Ariandel's expression softened with worry. "You are pushing yourself too hard. We should rest."
"No," Shoko said. He lifted his chin, surprising even himself. "I want to continue. I need to understand this."
Ariandel blinked, taken aback by his sudden determination. A small smile appeared on her lips. "You have grown brave."
Elyndra clasped her hands behind her back, watching Shoko with admiration. "I knew he had it in him."
Shoko pushed forward, weaving again. The threads responded more fiercely than before. They swirled around him in circles, creating shapes, symbols, spinning patterns.
Ariandel slowly reached out and stopped his hand.
"That is enough for now. Your magic is changing too quickly. We need to be cautious."
Shoko nodded reluctantly. "Alright."
But deep inside, he agreed.
His magic was becoming something else.
And he didn't know if he could control it much longer.
Later that evening, Shoko sat alone on a balcony overlooking Lunareth, his thoughts tangled like the threads he manipulated. The moonlight shone through the trees, casting soft silver shadows across the city.
He rested his head in his hands. "What is happening to me…"
A faint warmth touched his shoulder.
He turned. Elyndra stood beside him, a gentle expression on her face.
"Are you scared?" she asked softly.
Shoko thought for a moment. "Not scared. Just… unsure. It feels like something inside me is waking up. Like a new part of me that I cannot see yet."
Elyndra leaned against the railing, her eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. "Becoming stronger is always frightening. Even for someone like me."
Shoko glanced at her. "Someone like you?"
Elyndra flushed slightly. "Just… someone with expectations placed on them."
Shoko offered a small smile. "I understand that."
They stood quietly for a moment. The night felt peaceful, but Shoko could sense something stirring deep within the threads of his magic.
Elyndra finally spoke again. "Shoko, whatever you become, I know it will be someone good. Someone strong."
Shoko felt warmth in his chest. "Thank you."
Elyndra looked away quickly, cheeks red. "No need to thank me. I just… believe in you."
Shoko returned his gaze to the moon. "I will get stronger. I have to. For Ariandel… for you… and for myself."
A faint pulse ran through his veins.
The godlike presence brushed against his thoughts once more.
A whisper echoed in his mind.
"Soon."
Shoko gripped the railing, steadying himself.
He would be brave.
He would be ready.
Because if the figure from last night was truly a reflection of his future…
Then his path was only just beginning.