Eiden sat alone in the ruins. The air was cold and full of dust. Old stones, cracked and glowing faintly, surrounded him. A soft hum filled the space, almost like a whisper in the wind.
He took a deep breath. His hands were trembling slightly. Not from fear—but excitement.
"I remember this pattern," he whispered, tracing a faint symbol on the stone floor. It looked like a star broken in half. "This is mine. I made this... in the past."
The rune responded. It glowed a little brighter when his finger touched it. The mana inside the symbol was still alive, waiting. Eiden placed his palm on it.
Suddenly—
FLASH!
A rush of memories. A tower of magic. Flames twisting with swordlight. Screams of war. A figure in black robes holding a book with his name—Arkanos—written in blood.
Eiden gasped and pulled back.
His head hurt. But his heart beat faster.
"I am not crazy. I really was him… Arkanos."
He stood up slowly. The rune beneath his feet had fully awakened. Blue light spun into the air, forming a circle of glowing letters above him. These letters didn't belong to the modern world. They were from the Forgotten Age.
And he could read them.
> "To bind blade and soul, the seal must break. One step, one slash. Walk the edge between light and silence."
Eiden smiled. It was a part of his old training code. A style he never finished creating—Sword Magic Fusion.
He took out his practice sword. Simple steel, no enchantments. But now, he could change that.
He whispered the first rune he remembered: Luxil — the light edge.
The sword glowed softly. Not hot. Not bright. Just a calm, quiet shimmer.
Eiden slashed. A gust of warm air followed. The stone wall had a tiny cut on it. Clean. Precise. The light had sharpened the blade.
He slashed again. And again. Each time, the magic felt more natural. His body was learning. Or maybe... remembering.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the ruins.
"Elara," Eiden said before even turning. "You followed me again."
She stepped out of the shadows, arms crossed.
"You really are hiding something," she said, eyes sharp. "That magic… it doesn't belong in this era."
Eiden stayed quiet.
Elara looked at the glowing rune behind him. "I saw those symbols in a forbidden book. They're from the Lost Era."
"And?"
"And if the school finds out you're using them, you'll be expelled. Or worse."
Eiden smiled, just a little. "You should report me, then."
She didn't move. "No. Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because I don't think you're a danger. Not yet." She stepped closer. "But if you ever hurt anyone—anyone I care about—I won't hesitate."
Their eyes met. No words. Just the quiet hum of the glowing rune between them.
Eiden turned away. "Suit yourself. But don't follow me again. Next time, I might not stop the spell."
She didn't answer. Just walked away.
After she left, Eiden knelt before the rune again. He placed his hand on it.
"I'm coming back," he whispered. "One piece at a time."
Far above the ruins, a dark figure stood on the tower rooftop.
Zarek.
He watched the glowing light below, eyes wide. "So it begins… The Mad Archmage walks again."