⚔️ Chapter 51
The Sinjai Academy grounds were flooded with energy. All around the campus, students were sharpening weapons, casting spells, running simulations, or meditating to amplify their bloodline gifts. This wasn't just another competition—it was a battlefield disguised as a test.
For Aeren… it felt like the calm before a storm he couldn't see, but could feel deep in his bones.
🧭 Announcement of the Trial
Vice Principal Thorne, a stoic Iron-level Seeker with a jagged scar running from his left ear to collarbone, stood atop the central platform with a hologram behind him.
"You all know what's at stake. The Trial of Ash and Echoes is not simply a test. It's a proving ground. One where legends are born, and the weak are left behind."
The crowd quieted.
"The top 10 teams—based on this next competition round—will be permitted to enter the Fragment of Ash, a sealed dungeon that hasn't been touched for over 100 years. The rewards are unknown. So are the dangers."
A hush fell over the entire campus. Even Anshi's breath caught in her throat.
"And one more thing…" Thorne paused. "We've detected unusual energy spikes within the dungeon. Something is waking up."
A cold wind blew across the ground.
🧠 Aeren's Awakening
While others were training physically, Aeren trained differently.
He sat cross-legged in the center of the dorm courtyard, eyes closed, surrounded by whispers of reality. With each breath, he tapped into fragments of his hidden powers:
Mind reading: he could now intercept fleeting thoughts if someone was emotionally unstable.
Time glimpses: small pulses of future possibilities flitted through his dreams.
Spatial sense: he instinctively knew where danger was, even before it happened.
Anshi noticed. She didn't say it out loud—but she saw the way Aeren dodged attacks before they even came. The way he answered questions people hadn't finished asking. The way he looked through people, not at them.
And yet… he still smiled gently. Still helped a young Wood-level student pick up his training sword. Still acted like the weakest one of all.
He's changing, she thought. But he's still Aeren.
🕳️ Deep Within the Dungeon
Far below the crust of the sealed Fragment of Ash, something blinked awake.
A chained eye.
Floating in darkness, restrained by cursed relics and bound by runes from the ancient age.
"Another one… with the Echo of Time…"
The voice was like molten whispers through bone. A flicker of light emerged before the eye—a vision of Aeren.
"We remember you."
And then, in the deep nothing, a thousand red eyes opened… and turned toward the surface.
🧪 Teams Assembled
The ranking matches were done.
Top 10 teams confirmed.
Aeren and Anshi were in Team 9. Not because of overwhelming victories—but because of consistency. Strategy. Cleverness. Aeren never lost once, even if his fights looked close.
They were paired with two others:
Lynx Haver – A Silver-tier dual-dagger Seeker, known for speed.
Drekal Noor – A silent Iron-tier shield-user with the strength of three grown men.
The next day, they'd descend into the Fragment of Ash.
But as night fell… Aeren dreamt again.
🌑 The Dream of Fire and Shadow
He stood once more atop a cliff. All monsters kneeled before him—again. And the sky was torn by a black sun.
A voice echoed:
"The Chains are weakening. Your blood remembers, even if you do not. You were the Herald of Collapse once. You will be again."
He turned toward the cloaked figure behind him.
"Who… am I really?" Aeren whispered.
But the only reply was a ticking sound. Loud. Unending.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
📜 End of Chapter 51