The awakening wasn't blissful. It was cold.
He tried to stand.
"Aureate, sit down," a healer said calmly, placing a hand on his arm.
He winced, looking over at the other healers, trying to decipher what they were saying. It was mostly incoherent to him, yet he was able to pick up a brief snippet.
"We stopped it from killing him," one said.
"We didn't remove it," said another.
From these brief sentences, and the 'dream' he had, he finally understood what had happened. The umbral essence had binded to him. He is now a walking hazard. A living bomb.
THUD!
That was the sound of Riven clattering into a nearby wall, the Elder Stonebeast had sent her barrelling like a spacecraft with a faulty guidance system with just a single shrug.
"Gk-hhk—!" She coughed out.
She then convulsed, hacking until thick, foaming blood burst from her mouth and splattered the floor. The gasps came in waves. The spectators thought she was dead.
Meanwhile, Blaze sensed something terribly wrong. A pressure. A pull. Like a hook sinking into him and dragging his body forward.
The thought wasn't conscious in his mind. It just existed.
He arose, like he was possessed by a ghoul.
"You'll reawaken the corruption," a healer shouted. "It's not safe!"
"You're in no condition to leave," another voice snapped. "You'll—"
"I know," Blaze whispered.
Before any of them could respond, Blaze was already stumbling into the corridor.
Three steps. Stumble. He caught himself against the wall.
Keep going.
His senses were slowly coming back, which meant the pain was slowly coming back too. Every movement began to send fire throughout his veins, his memory was slowly returning, a name—but not his own, it rung through his head like a chorus of ghostly whispers; Riven… Riven… Riven!
Blaze dragged himself down the corridors like a body that hadn't realised it wasn't supposed to be moving. It stretched endlessly, each step growing more agonising, each step making him more aware of the condescending gazes from passersby.
He didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
Voices echoed ahead.
Shouts. Impact. A scream. Outrage.
His heart lurched out of his chest, and he broke into a sprint, one that looked more akin to a stagger.
By the time he reached the entrance, he was shaking. Blood had soaked back through his bandages. His breath came in ragged gasps.
Guards turned. "Infirmary patients aren't cleared—"
Blaze didn't stop. He passed them, slamming straight through the doorway like a freight train.
The arena roared around him with gasps from the surrounding students. There was smoke. Dust. And at the center, Riven lay in a pool of her own blood, barely alive.
The forgotten Soulflare soared into his grip, before he knew it was there.
The Elder Stonebeast towered over her, plates grinding, ancient eyes burning like dying stars. It raised its limb. The stands went silent. Riven squeezed her eyes shut.
"Riven!" His voice cracked.
She looked up. A storm of shock crossed her face. "Blaze?! You're—"
The limb came down.
Blaze exploded with burst of power he had no right in moving with, lifting the blade into a brazen overhead arc there was no thought, no plan, no hesitation. Just instinct. Light surged through him at, tearing the shadow from his own soul in a violent rush. The sword screamed violently as he swung.
The impact cut through stone like butter. The Elder reeled in agony. Riven collapsed backward, gasping.
Alive. Barely.
Blaze dropped to one knee, his vision swimming. Dark veins pulsed violently beneath his skin now, spreading, retreating, spreading again. He forced himself upright
.
"I've… got it," he lied.
The beast didn't fall. It adjusted, stone plates grinding, ancient muscles tightening. It raised its other limb. Twice as high. Twice as fast.
The stands erupted.
"Blaze, move!" Kai shouted.
He couldn't. His legs refused. The Umbral essence flared, burning like ice in his blood.
The limb began to fall.
The air froze. A pressure slammed down on the arena, not physical, but authoritative. Reality itself seemed to bow.
Five figures stepped onto the field.
Instructors. Runes ignited beneath the beast. Chains erupted from the stone, wrapping around the Elder's body, piercing armor, sinking into ancient flesh.
The beast howled, not in pain, but in fury. It struggled. It failed. A massive seal burned into existence, layers of glyphs folding over each other like closing jaws. With a final, thunderous crack, the creature was forced back into its gate.
Silence fell. Smoke drifted. Debris settled. No cheers followed.
One instructor turned toward Blaze, his gaze flat. "You were ordered to remain in the infirmary."
Blaze tried to answer. Blood spilled from his mouth instead.
"I—she was going to—"
"Rules exist for a reason," the instructor interrupted.
Two guards appeared beside him. Hands clamped onto his arms. Rough. Uncaring.
Riven struggled to her feet. "He saved me!"
No one looked at her.
"He interfered with an active trial," the instructor replied. "Endangering protocol."
Protocol. Not her life. Not his. Protocol.
"Take him," the instructor said.
Blaze's sword slipped from his fingers. As he was dragged away, his vision blurred. The last thing he saw was Riven staring after him, and the sealed gate still smoking.
The trial continued.
The second awakening was gentle.
"His Vis is stabilising." Whispered a healer.
"It shouldn't naturally be this active." Said another.
Blaze blinked, looking up at them, "What shouldn't be this active?" He inquired, voice hazy but curious.
The Healers didn't flinch, but they didn't respond to his question either, one of them turned and picked something up, it was a spare uniform. The Healer turned back, he leaned forward, then gently placed the neatly folded pile of clothes beside Blaze.
"Change. The head instructor is waiting for you in the adjudictation chamber." He said, before gesturing to the other healer, signaling that it was time for them to leave.
Blaze slipped the uniform on, it was better fitted than his first
Blaze stood in the adjudication chamber alone. No windows. No banners. Just stone and three instructors seated behind a curved desk.
He felt small.
One of them spoke. "Blaze Aureate." Not his name. His file.
"You interfered with an active trial."
Blaze clenched his fists. "She was going to die."
"That is not your decision."
Another instructor tapped a crystal. An image appeared. Him. Running. Striking. Breaking formation.
"Your actions disrupted protocol," she said. "Risked structural collapse. Invalidated data."
"Data?" Blaze whispered.
"You are not here to be a hero," the first instructor replied. "You are here to be measured."
Before Blaze could respond, another instructor spoke up. "We are assigning you to Hazard Training for the foreseeable future."
Blaze didn't know what that meant. He had heard the name, but nothing of what it entailed.
"This will not only act as punishment, but shall give you real experience," the instructor stated calmly. "The details should be sent to you via mail by tomorrow morning."
They all then said in unison.
"Dismissed."