The rift closed with a final, ugly snap, like someone ripping a wound shut. Black smoke lingered in the courtyard, mixing with the scent of scorched stone and ozone. Miko's legs trembled beneath her, but she refused to sit. Not in front of him.
Kael Voss stood a few steps away, shadows still curling lazily around his fingers like dying embers. His uniform was barely rumpled. Meanwhile, Miko felt like she'd been dragged through a blender—sweat plastered her long black hair to her neck, her robe was torn at the sleeve, and the crimson seal on her collarbone throbbed in time with her heartbeat.
Around them, other students were already moving: some limping, some dragging unconscious classmates, a few staring openly at the two of them. Whispers spread faster than the smoke.
"She copied Voss's Echo. On her first day."
"Impossible. That's a triple-tier ability at best."
"Her seal… did you see it flare?"
Kael turned his violet gaze on her. No smirk this time—just cold assessment.
"You're bleeding," he said flatly.
Miko looked down. A shallow gash ran along her forearm where a rift beast's claw had grazed her. She hadn't even felt it during the fight. Now it stung.
"It's nothing," she muttered, pressing her sleeve against it.
Kael stepped closer without asking. Before she could protest, he caught her wrist—gentle but firm—and turned her arm. His fingers were cool against her skin.
"Don't move."
A thin ribbon of shadow peeled from his palm and wrapped around the wound like black silk. It tightened, then dissolved, leaving only smooth skin behind. No scar. No pain.
Miko yanked her arm back, cheeks heating again. "I said it's nothing."
"You're reckless," he replied, voice low enough that only she could hear. "That seal copied my Echo perfectly. You shouldn't have been able to do that without training. And you definitely shouldn't have survived using it."
She met his stare, refusing to flinch. "Maybe I'm just talented."
"Or maybe you're a walking disaster waiting to happen." His eyes flicked to the mark on her collarbone. "That thing is forbidden for a reason. Every time you use it, you lose a piece of yourself. You felt it, didn't you? The pull. The hunger."
Miko's stomach twisted. She had felt it—right after the shadows left her hands, a cold, empty ache had bloomed in her chest, like something vital had been scraped away.
She forced a grin. "You worried about me, top student?"
Kael's expression didn't change. "I'm worried about what happens when you lose control in the middle of the academy. People die that way."
Before she could retort, a sharp voice cut through the murmurs.
"Voss! Transfer! With me. Now."
A tall woman in a silver-trimmed instructor's coat strode toward them. Her hair was pulled into a severe bun, and her eyes glowed faintly gold—another Echo user, clearly high-ranked. Behind her walked two assistants carrying stretchers.
"Instructor Veyra," Kael said, dipping his head slightly.
The woman—Veyra—didn't return the gesture. Her gaze locked on Miko.
"You're the anomaly from the aptitude surge. Crimson Seal. Come with me. Both of you."
Miko exchanged a quick glance with Kael. He gave the tiniest nod: don't argue.
They followed Veyra through a side archway into the academy's inner halls. Crystal walls pulsed with soft light. Floating orbs trailed them like curious pets. The deeper they went, the quieter it became—until they reached a heavy double door carved with glowing runes.
Veyra pushed it open without breaking stride.
Inside was a circular chamber lined with tiered seats. A single raised platform stood in the center, surrounded by a faint barrier of shimmering air. On the far wall hung a massive obsidian mirror that reflected nothing.
"Sit," Veyra ordered.
Miko and Kael took seats on opposite sides of the room. Miko tried not to fidget. The seal was still warm, like a second heartbeat under her skin.
Veyra stood on the platform, arms crossed.
"Explain," she said. "And do not waste my time."
Kael spoke first, voice calm. "A rift opened in the central courtyard. Multiple breaches. We responded. The transfer activated an Echo—mine—without prior attunement."
Veyra's golden eyes shifted to Miko. "You copied his shadow weave. How?"
Miko swallowed. Telling the truth wasn't an option. Not yet.
"I… don't know. It just happened. I saw what he did, and my hands did the same."
Veyra studied her for a long moment. Then she lifted a hand. A thin golden thread extended from her fingertip and touched the crimson mark on Miko's collarbone.
Miko hissed as heat flared through her. The thread glowed brighter—then snapped back like it had been burned.
"Fascinating," Veyra murmured. "The seal is bonded to your soul. Not parasitic. Symbiotic. But unstable. It's feeding on your life force every time you draw from it."
Kael leaned forward slightly. "How long does she have?"
Veyra's expression darkened. "If she uses it sparingly? Months. Maybe a year. If she pushes it…" She looked at Miko. "Days. Maybe less."
Miko's blood ran cold. She kept her face blank, but inside her mind was racing. She'd died once already. She wasn't eager to do it again so soon.
Veyra continued. "You will be placed under observation. Mandatory classes. Weekly evaluations. And you—" she pointed at Kael, "—will be her temporary sponsor."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "I'm not a babysitter."
"You're the only one whose Echo she's successfully copied without exploding. You're responsible for her training until we determine whether she's an asset… or a liability."
Miko opened her mouth to protest, but Veyra raised a hand.
"One more thing. The rift today wasn't random. Someone—or something—targeted the academy. And the surge that brought you here, transfer, was no accident either."
She turned toward the obsidian mirror. It rippled like water.
"You start tomorrow. Basic attunement class. 0700 sharp. Do not be late."
The mirror darkened. Veyra walked out without another word.
Silence stretched between Miko and Kael.
Finally, he spoke.
"You're going to get yourself killed."
Miko glared at him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
He stood, shadows trailing behind him like a cloak. "I'm not voting. I'm stating fact. That seal is a curse dressed up as a gift. And you're too stubborn to treat it like one."
He paused at the door.
"But if you're going to die anyway… at least try not to take anyone else with you."
Miko clenched her fists. "I didn't ask for this."
"None of us did." His voice softened—just a fraction. "Get some rest. Tomorrow they'll test how deep that curse really runs."
The door closed behind him.
Miko sat alone in the chamber, staring at her reflection in the now-dark mirror.
The girl looking back had crimson eyes and a mark that glowed faintly in the dim light.
She touched it.
A whisper brushed her mind—not words, just a feeling.
More.
Take more.
Become more.
She yanked her hand away, heart pounding.
Whatever this seal really was… it was awake.
And it was hungry.
To be continued…