.
Obsidian Crest Tower – Training Chamber Delta
Sparks danced off Alaric's blade as he clashed against a training dummy reinforced with mana-threaded steel. The air hummed with suppressed force. He didn't need the session—his system-fed stats were already far above standard. But habits bred control.
> [Skill Synch Progress – 0.3% | Passive Resonance Stable]
Still, he trained. Not for strength, but for sharpness.
A message flickered in the corner of his vision.
> [New Trait Unlocked: Quiet Dominance – Your presence erodes doubt. +10% intimidation vs equal or lower-ranked individuals.]
He exhaled slowly.
> "Useful."
---
Academy Hall – Evening
Elric stood before the ranking board, surrounded by murmuring students. A recent update glowed.
> [Shadow Candidate – Alaric Veyne: Classification Pending]
Some scoffed. Others stared. Elric said nothing, but his hand clenched subtly.
"Why's he listed as a candidate without even dueling anyone publicly?"
"They say the ruins accepted him… like royalty."
"Or like bait," one whisperer muttered.
Lysandra appeared beside them like a wraith. "He doesn't care for titles."
The group fell silent. Her tone offered no room for debate.
---
Forest Perimeter – Midnight
Deep in the outer woodlands, three robed figures encircled a burning sigil.
"The Threadbearer has awakened," one rasped. "We offer him the Key."
They extended a carved stone tablet.
> It cracked.
Dark smoke billowed, forming eyes.
"He... rejected the Offering."
The flame sputtered. One cultist's heart stopped mid-beat. The other two didn't move.
> "He cannot be baited. We must draw him… through his binds."
They turned toward the academy. Toward Elric.
---
Academy – Council War Room
Dean Arven tapped a quill against his desk. "Unusual artifact behavior. Rejected all but one."
Councilwoman Treyn frowned. "You suspect foreign magic?"
"I suspect… divergence."
A projection of Alaric's combat report flickered.
> "Minimal movement. Maximum result."
Another projection played his recent ruin footage. Alaric sipped coffee while dispatching a monster.
> "Calm under pressure," one instructor praised.
> "Calculating," another corrected.
Arven simply said, "Watching."
---
Dorm Tower – Alaric's Room
The Binding System pulsed in his mind, softer than usual. Almost… thoughtful.
> [Trace Left Behind: Cultic Residue Detected] [Trackable Anchor Available – Location Hidden]
He tapped the air gently with two fingers.
> [New Mission Unlocked: Veiled Coil – Infiltrate or Eliminate Cult Tracer (Optional)]
He didn't react visibly, but the shadows behind him flickered unnaturally for a moment before returning to normal.
> "Optional, huh?" He set down his coffee. "Then let's be thorough."
---
Training Grounds – Noon
A duel broke out on the public sparring stage.
Garran vs. Koriel of House Halden.
Thunder clashed against bone-like crystal. Roars echoed as students watched from the sidelines.
Alaric arrived last, standing in the shadow of a coliseum pillar. He didn't announce himself, yet several eyes turned.
Even when silent, his presence lingered like pressure.
Elric approached him. "You didn't sign up."
"I wasn't invited."
"Neither was I," Elric smiled. "But people expected it."
Alaric met his gaze. "Then let them keep expecting."
It wasn't a challenge. But it wasn't submission either.
> [Power Sync – Elric: +2.2%]
Elric narrowed his eyes slightly. "You're hard to read, Thorne."
Alaric looked to the sky. "That's the idea."
---
Elsewhere – Cult's Hidden Site
The cult's flames began flickering in reverse. One by one, sigils blackened.
The emissary who met Alaric knelt.
"He marked us."
The high priest stirred. "Then… the myth breathes again."
Another asked, "Do we proceed?"
> "No. We adapt. Let the academy keep him caged. Until he asks for release."
---
Final Scene – Back at Obsidian Crest
That night, as the stars circled overhead, Lysandra stood outside Alaric's room. She didn't knock.
He opened the door anyway.
"You're too quiet," she said.
"I prefer silence."
"I don't."
They stood like that for a moment—two different kinds of cold.
Finally, she spoke again. "They're watching you. The council. The students. Even Elric."
"I know."
"And you're… not scared?"
Alaric sipped his coffee.
> "I'm the only one who knows which page we're on."
She blinked.
He gave her a calm look. "That was metaphorical."
Lysandra turned. "It better be."
---
End of Chapter 14