Grand Arcanum Academy –
Alistair sat across from Professor Selvaris, the only instructor in the academy who specialized in Abyssal Arts. The dimly lit room, lined with forbidden tomes and relics pulsing with shadow-infused mana, gave the air a thick, oppressive weight. The flickering purple-blue torches cast long, distorted shadows across the walls, making it feel like the very space around them was bending.
Selvaris leaned back in his chair, his golden abyss-touched eyes studying Alistair with quiet intensity. Unlike Ignatius Pyros, who radiated raw, overwhelming presence, Selvaris' aura was subtle—like a void constantly pulling in everything around it.
After a long moment of silence, the professor finally spoke.
"Ones again. Why are you here, Alistair Vaelthorne?"
His voice was smooth but carried an eerie weight, as if the very air trembled slightly with each word.
Alistair met his gaze without hesitation. "I want to master Bloodshadow Manifestation."
" And instructor Ignatius Pyros told me to ask you for guidance."
Selvaris didn't react immediately. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, a small, unreadable smile forming at the edges of his lips.
"Master it?" he mused. " I bet your struggling to perform even first form."Alistair didn't flinch. "Yes."
The professor let out a soft chuckle. "At least you're honest."
He tapped a slender finger against the wooden desk before gesturing toward the center of the room.
"Stand. Show me what you can do."
Without hesitation, Alistair rose from his seat and stepped forward into the open space between them. He extended his right hand, allowing a shallow cut to form along his palm, drawing out a few drops of blood.
With a deep breath, he focused—his mana weaving through his bloodstream, intertwining with the darkness in the room.
The Crimson Phantasm technique required perfect synchronization between blood magic and shadow manipulation—a balance that had eluded him in training.
He extended his mana outward, shaping the seeping blood into a humanoid figure, then binding it with his shadow to give it form.
For a moment, it worked.
A crude, semi-humanoid construct emerged, a dark silhouette with pulsing veins of crimson. It shifted, its limbs moving slightly—
And then, just as before—
It collapsed.
The structure disintegrated, melting into a pool of blood and fading shadows at his feet.
Selvaris watched, his expression unreadable.
Silence stretched for a moment before he finally spoke.
"Tell me, Alistair," the professor said, tapping his fingers against the desk. "Did you gain your Abyssal Affinity, during your second awakening?"
Alistair's black eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained neutral. "Yes."
Selvaris sighed.
Not in disappointment—but in understanding.
He stood from his seat, his long, rune-etched robes billowing slightly as he walked toward Alistair. He stopped just in front of him, peering into his eyes as if looking past the surface.
Then, he spoke in a tone that was both calm and absolute.
"Then your mastery over the Abyssal Elements is weak."
Alistair narrowed his eyes slightly, but Selvaris continued before he could respond.
"Your foundation is nonexistent. You have no formal training in Blood Magic, no structured understanding of Shadow Manipulation, and barely any control over Abyssal Energy itself. And yet, you seek to wield an art that requires all three?"
He let out a quiet chuckle. "Foolish."
Alistair clenched his jaw. He wasn't wrong.
Blood Magic, Shadow Manipulation, and Abyssal Affinity were three entirely separate disciplines—each requiring years of study. Yet, Bloodshadow Manifestation demanded complete mastery over all three.
Alistair had none.
He had talent. He had raw power.
But talent was useless without control.
Selvaris stepped past him, moving toward a large bookshelf filled with ancient tomes. He ran a hand along the spines before selecting a single book bound in dark leather.
Turning back to Alistair, he tossed it toward him.
Alistair caught it easily.
The title, written in flowing abyssal script, read:
"The Fundamentals of Abyssal Control."
Selvaris folded his arms. "Before you can manifest a Bloodshadow Construct, you need to understand what you're working with. Right now, you're grasping at a power you don't fully comprehend."
He gestured toward the book.
"That text covers the basics of abyssal energy flow—how it interacts with mana, how it reacts to blood, and how shadows serve as its binding agent. Until you master this, every attempt at Bloodshadow Manifestation will fail."
Alistair flipped through the pages. The text wasn't dense, but it was written in a style far different from normal magic tomes. Unlike structured spells and incantations, Abyssal Magic functioned more like a living entity—something that required will, rather than formula.
Selvaris watched him for a moment before continuing.
"Your problem is simple, Alistair. You think of this as a technique."
He tapped a finger against the book.
"Abyssal Arts are not techniques. They are an extension of the abyss itself. If you do not understand them, they will reject you."
Alistair absorbed the words in silence.
Selvaris took a step back, his golden eyes gleaming faintly in the dim torchlight.
"So, let me make this clear—if you truly want to master Bloodshadow Manifestation, you will have to learn all three disciplines from the ground up."
His voice grew softer, yet heavier.
"Blood Magic. Shadow Manipulation. Abyssal Energy."
He spread his arms slightly.
"Without mastering these, your Bloodshadow Manifestation will remain a crude, collapsing puppet—nothing more."
Alistair exhaled slowly.
He had expected difficulty.
But this…
This was going to take far more time than he thought.
Yet—he didn't hesitate.
He closed the book, tucked it under his arm, and met Selvaris' gaze head-on.
"Then I'll start from the beginning."
Selvaris smirked. "Good answer."
He turned back toward his desk. "Come back in three days. I expect you to have read and practiced the first three chapters by then."
Alistair nodded. "Understood."
Without another word, he turned and left the Abyssal Wing.
As he walked through the quiet halls, the weight of the challenge ahead settled over him.
Mastering one element was already difficult.
Mastering three?
Even for him, this would be difficult.
But he had no choice.
(To Be Continued…)