Chapter 64: Shadows and Betrayal
The Survival Island Trial had already tested the limits of every student. Beasts roamed the dense jungle, the scent of blood and mana thick in the air. Some students had banded together, others hunted alone.
But Damien Nocturne wasn't here to fight mana beasts.
He was here to erase Mira Valcroft.
And he wasn't going to fail this time.
Mira vs. Damien – The Trap Springs
Mira's breathing was steady as she crept through the undergrowth. Her sword was drawn, her grip firm despite the ache in her muscles. She had taken down three Lesser Mana Beasts already, and though exhaustion tugged at her, she refused to slow down.
Then—the shadows shifted.
A sharp coldness settled over her skin, the air thickening unnaturally.
Veilcraft.
Mira barely had time to react before the world shifted around her.
The jungle blurred, twisting into something unfamiliar.
The ground beneath her became black mist, swallowing her feet. The sky vanished, replaced by an endless, suffocating darkness.
And then—the voices began.
"You don't belong here."
"You're just a lowborn insect."
"A mistake pretending to be something more."
Mira's pulse pounded as the whispers dug into her skull, pressing against her mind like icy claws.
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move.
She knew this was Damien's illusion magic.
She had fought it before.
And she had won before.
But this time… it was different.
Damien's Revenge
A slow, cruel laugh echoed through the void.
Damien stepped forward, his violet uniform pristine, untouched by battle. He hadn't fought any beasts. He hadn't needed to.
He had been waiting.
Waiting for this moment.
"Still acting tough, Valcroft?" he sneered, his dark eyes gleaming with malice. "It's pathetic."
Mira didn't answer. She focused. She needed to find the weak point in his illusion.
"You keep climbing, keep pretending like you deserve to stand among us." Damien stepped closer, his voice soft, poisonous. "But what's the truth?"
The shadows around Mira thickened, twisting into figures—ghosts of the past.
Noble students sneering at her.
Professors overlooking her.
Her childhood memories—being nothing, being no one.
"No matter what you do," Damien whispered, "you will always be lesser. Always beneath us."
Mira's breath hitched.
For the first time—she hesitated.
"Just admit it." Damien smirked. "You're not strong. You never were."
He stepped forward, eyes gleaming as he saw the crack in her resolve.
Then, he whispered the words that broke her.
"You're just pretending to be something Kael and Lucian already are."
Mira's vision blurred.
She had fought tooth and nail for her place.
Had scraped and clawed her way into the top ranks.
But had she truly ever been stronger than them?
The moment of doubt cost her.
Damien moved.
His hand shot forward, gripping Mira's wrist in an iron grip.
S̵H̵A̵T̵T̵E̵R̵.
Pain exploded in her mind.
The illusion collapsed, but the damage was done.
Mira staggered, her vision swimming.
And Damien struck.
A ruthless kick to her stomach sent her crashing into the dirt.
Her sword flew from her grasp, landing far beyond her reach.
"Pathetic." Damien sneered, stepping over her, his boot pressing into her back. "And this is the girl who ranked third?"
Mira tried to push up, but he only pressed down harder.
"Stay down, commoner."
She clenched her fists, fury burning through her veins—but her body refused to move.
She had fought so hard.
Had beaten nobles. Had humiliated Damien over and over.
But now?
Now she was face down in the dirt.
And the worst part?
Maybe he was right.
Maybe she really wasn't strong enough.
A Memory – Cassian's Words
Somewhere, in the haze of her mind, a voice echoed.
Not Kael's.
Not Lucian's.
Cassian's.
"Why do you want to be strong?"
Mira had scoffed at the question then, barely glancing up from her training sword. "Isn't it obvious? So people like you nobles will stop looking down on me."
Cassian had given her that damn smirk. "That's not enough, Valcroft."
She had frowned. "What do you mean?"
He had twirled his rapier lazily, silver eyes gleaming. "If all you're doing is trying to prove nobles wrong, then what happens when you do?"
Mira had paused.
Cassian had taken a step closer, his smirk fading. "You can't just fight to make others acknowledge you. That kind of strength is weak.
You have to want power for yourself."
Mira's breath caught.
For herself.
Not for nobles. Not for revenge.
For her.
The weight of Damien's foot pressed harder.
Mira's fingers curled into the dirt.
And she moved.
Breaking Free
Damien barely had time to react.
Mira twisted, grabbing his ankle and yanking it forward.
He staggered—just enough.
Mira rolled, grabbing the dagger strapped to her boot—
And slashed upward.
Blood sprayed.
Damien howled, stumbling back as a deep cut bloomed across his cheek.
His hand flew to his face, rage and humiliation twisting his features.
"You little—!"
But Mira was already moving.
Her sword—still on the ground—vanished in a blur.
Cassian's rapier was at Damien's throat.
Cassian's Arrival – A Warning
Damien froze.
Cassian stood there, his silver eyes unreadable.
His usual smirk was gone.
He tilted his head slightly. "I was going to let you finish your little tantrum, but you took too long."
Damien's hand trembled.
Cassian leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you know what happens to nobles who break the academy's rules?"
Damien said nothing.
Cassian's blade pressed harder against his throat. "Expulsion. Disgrace. Your family name dragged through the mud."
Mira, still catching her breath, watched Cassian carefully.
He wasn't just threatening Damien.
He was warning him.
Drop this. Or I will end you.
Damien's jaw clenched. He knew he had lost.
With a low snarl, he stepped back, lowering his hand.
Cassian didn't move his blade. "Say it."
Damien's fingers twitched. "This isn't over."
Cassian finally lowered his rapier."Yeah, yeah. Take your bruised ego and go."
Damien's glare burned into Mira one last time—
Then he vanished into the shadows.
The jungle fell silent.
Mira slowly stood, wiping blood from her lip.
Cassian turned to her, rapier resting on his shoulder. "Took you long enough to snap out of it."
Mira exhaled. "Yeah. Guess I was just… remembering something."
Cassian smirked. "Hope it was something good."
Mira looked at him.
And for the first time, she smiled.
To Be Continued…
Damien Nocturne had tried to break her.
But Mira was still standing.
And now—
She was stronger than ever.