The guards didn't speak again as they escorted Aresando and Jade through the winding upper halls of the Academy. The once warm flicker of runes on the walls now felt colder, more clinical. Magical barriers shimmered faintly over the windows—security wards clicking into place.
Aresando tried not to look nervous. He failed miserably.
"Still with me?" he whispered.
"Always," Jade said, walking close beside him, her ears perked and alert.
They reached a tall door of dark marble, veined with silver. No handle. Just an intricate rune circle in the center.
The older guard placed his palm against it. "By the seal of Solarnis, open."
The runes flared. The door dissolved like mist.
Inside was a vast circular chamber—half library, half command center. Floating tomes circled a central desk where Headmistress Vael stood, already waiting.
She didn't look surprised.
"Leave us," she said to the guards. Her voice was calm—but sharp enough to cut through steel.
The guards hesitated, then bowed and stepped back. The door sealed behind them.
Vael turned her pale, storm-grey eyes on Aresando and Jade. "Sit."
They sat.
Vael didn't speak immediately. She moved to a tall shelf, selected a crystal sphere, and placed it on the desk. With a flick of her fingers, the sphere projected a flickering image—footage of the ruined training hall, the drake, Aresando's explosion of power. All of it, recorded from the ceiling's security glyphs.
The Headmistress studied it in silence.
Then: "You shouldn't be capable of that."
Aresando raised a hand sheepishly. "Yeah, I'm starting to hear that a lot."
Vael's eyes narrowed. "You have no memory of magical instruction? No formal training?"
"Nope. Just vibes and... near-death panic."
Jade interjected quietly. "He was summoned. Not through a standard ritual. Something old. Possibly corrupted."
Vael's gaze slid to her. "Lupira."
Jade didn't flinch. "Yes."
"You've chosen him."
"I have."
Another long silence. Then Vael walked around the desk, robes trailing like shadows. She stopped directly in front of Aresando, eyes boring into his soul.
"That coin," she said, "is not simply magical. It's a relic. An anchor. And it's chosen you."
He blinked. "Wait, it chose me?"
Vael nodded. "It once belonged to a guardian of balance. A force that kept infernal and celestial powers in check during the last Sundering. We thought it lost."
Aresando slowly reached into his pocket and pulled the coin out. It pulsed in his hand, reacting to her presence—but gently.
"It's responding to you," Vael said softly. "But not out of fear. It knows you."
"I don't know me," Aresando muttered. "I was just some nobody before I landed face-first in a mana storm."
Vael's expression darkened. "Then we must find out who you truly are. Before others do."
A sudden knock at the sealed door interrupted them. Vael turned.
"Yes?"
A messenger peeked in, eyes wide. "Headmistress… another breach. This time in the East Tower. A different beast. And… the summoner left behind a mark."
Vael's face became unreadable. "What mark?"
The messenger swallowed. "A circle of flame. Horned. Crowned."
Jade gasped softly. "That's... demonic royal sigil. But not one of ours."
Vael turned back to Aresando, her voice low and urgent. "This isn't a coincidence. Someone knows you're here. And they're trying to awaken what's inside you—before you're ready."
Aresando clenched the coin tighter. "Well… guess I better get ready fast."
Vael studied him for another moment, then nodded.
"Training begins tomorrow. Special instruction. Just you and her," she said, nodding toward Jade. "No distractions. No delays. The game has started, Aresando."
He looked down at the coin. Then up at Jade.
"Let's play it well, then."
When they finally returned to their dorm, the once peaceful atmosphere of the room now felt oddly tense. The events of the day hung in the air like an unfinished spell—still crackling, still buzzing with unspoken weight. Aresando plopped onto the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair.
Jade lingered by the window, her golden eyes scanning the courtyard, lost in thought. The faint, flickering light of the academy's wards cast shadows across her face.
Aresando sighed. "Well, that was... a lot."
Jade didn't respond immediately. She was still processing the words Vael had spoken, the weight of the mark left by the demon. Everything had shifted in an instant, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it yet.
"I'm gonna hit the bathroom," Aresando muttered after a moment. "Need to wash off that explosion."
Jade nodded absently, still lost in her thoughts.
Aresando stood, tugging at the collar of his uniform. He glanced back toward Jade, but she didn't seem to notice. With a quiet sigh, he headed into the small bathroom attached to their dorm room, the door clicking shut behind him.
Inside, the small, mirror-framed space greeted him with its usual sterile coldness. The stone walls reflected back an unfamiliar version of himself—someone who had just demolished an infernal drake without breaking a sweat.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror. Okay. What the hell?
Aresando reached up, pulling his uniform shirt over his head. It was only when he did so that he noticed something strange: his body had changed. Muscles—well-defined, toned—where there hadn't been any before. His abs were clearly defined, and his arms had a certain sharpness to them, veins standing out with little effort.
When the hell did this happen?
He frowned, running his fingers over his stomach and then down his sides. His reflection seemed foreign—like someone had swapped out his old self for someone more... capable.
Before he could think too much on it, a sharp sound from the door startled him. Aresando, in a slight panic, tried to turn quickly to see what had caused the noise. In doing so, he lost his footing, his bare feet slipping on the cold stone floor.
"Ah, crap!" he yelped as his body flung backward, arms flailing in an attempt to regain balance. But it was too late. His back collided hard with the door, which swung open with a resounding bang. Aresando stumbled backward and landed flat on his back with an undignified thud.
From outside, Jade's voice rang out in surprise. "Aresando?!"
He groaned from the floor, wincing. "Not exactly the grand entrance I was hoping for."
Jade opened the door fully, eyes wide in shock as she caught sight of him lying on the ground in his unbuttoned pants, looking completely flustered.
"Oh my gods," she muttered, stepping into the bathroom. She quickly looked away, her face flushing. "I didn't—I wasn't expecting—!"
Aresando, still on the floor, managed a nervous laugh. "Yeah, well, I wasn't expecting to fall flat on my ass either."
She hesitated, then crouched down, holding out a hand to help him up. "Are you alright?"
Aresando took her hand and let her pull him to his feet, still a little wobbly. He avoided meeting her eyes, his cheeks burning. "I'm... fine. Just, uh... wasn't expecting the floor to be so... grabby."
Jade chuckled softly, though her gaze flickered over him for a moment before quickly darting away. "It's not the floor, Aresando. I think you're a little... different now."
"Yeah, tell me about it," he muttered, adjusting his pants and feeling an awkward heat rise to his face. "I've got abs now. Like, a lot of them. When did that happen?"
Jade blinked, clearly still trying to process the situation. "Maybe that coin... maybe it's more than just a magical anchor. It's probably enhancing your physical traits too."
"Yeah, enhancing seems like a word for it," Aresando grumbled, glancing back at the mirror with a little too much disbelief. "This is insane. It feels like I woke up in someone else's body."
Jade cleared her throat, clearly trying to regain her composure. "You should be more careful, Aresando. Not everyone gets a second chance with magic like that."
He finally met her eyes, a sheepish grin on his face. "I guess that's the least of my worries at this point. With a drake trying to destroy the school, and a weird coin in my pocket, who needs smooth moves?"
Jade smiled, but there was something more serious in her expression now. "Just... take care of yourself, alright? I'm not sure what's happening with you, but whatever it is... I'm in this with you."
Aresando's grin softened, and he gave her a nod. "Yeah. We're in this together, huh?"
She stepped back, giving him some space, though her gaze lingered. "I'll let you get back to... whatever it is you're doing."
"Right," he said, managing another laugh as he took a step toward the shower. "I'll try not to make any more entrances, I swear."
Jade's laughter filled the room for a moment, easing the tension that had settled there, before she left the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her.
Aresando stared at his reflection for a moment longer, still feeling disoriented by the change in his body. I don't know what I'm supposed to be right now... but I'm going to figure it out.
The world outside may have been chaotic, but at least—for now—he wasn't alone.
The next morning, Aresando awoke slowly, the sunlight filtering through the curtains of the dorm room. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, then turned his head. He froze when he saw Jade curled up beside him, her head resting against his chest, her tail wrapped snugly around his waist.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause.
Jade was completely still, her golden eyes shut, her body radiating a warmth that contrasted sharply with the coolness of the morning air. Her presence was so peaceful, yet there was an unmistakable tension in the air, an energy that Aresando couldn't quite place.
What the hell...? he thought, his heart starting to race a little.
As he shifted, Jade stirred, her ears flicking slightly before she opened her eyes. Her gaze softened when she met his, but it was clear that she wasn't fully awake. Her lips parted slightly, and she moved closer, her body pressing up against him with an almost instinctual pull.
"Jade...?" Aresando asked quietly, his voice still heavy with sleep.
She blinked, clearly groggy. Then her eyes widened slightly, as if a fog was lifting, and she suddenly seemed fully aware of the situation. Her cheeks flushed a deep red. "Aresando... I—I'm so sorry. I—"
Before she could finish, her eyes darted away in embarrassment, and her tail tucked itself around her waist as if trying to hide. Aresando, still not fully awake himself, felt an odd mixture of concern and confusion.
"Jade, what's going on? Why are you—"
She cut him off, her voice strained and quieter than usual. "I didn't mean to... it's just... It's my... day."
Aresando blinked in confusion. "Your day?"
Jade, her gaze still on the floor, nodded. "Once a month, we lupira... we go through a phase. It's... difficult to control sometimes. Our instincts are stronger, and we become more... attached to our chosen master." She hesitated before adding, "Like this."
Aresando, still processing what she was saying, took a deep breath. "Wait. So, you... need to be close to me? Like, you can't help it?"
Jade nodded again, the vulnerability in her eyes unmistakable. "I can't control it. It's a part of who we are. It's not... like you think. It's just... instinct."
Aresando shifted slightly, trying not to make her feel awkward, but his mind was racing. "I didn't realize... I mean, you've been acting so normal up until now."
"I don't want to make things weird," she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it's hard to fight it. I'm sorry."
He took another breath, trying to clear his mind. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I just didn't know."
For a moment, neither of them moved. Jade looked at him again, her expression softening, but there was a trace of embarrassment still lingering in her golden eyes. Aresando gave her a reassuring smile.
"I mean, I didn't exactly ask for a magical wolf girl who's bound to me, but..." he trailed off with a shrug, trying to lighten the mood.
Jade's lips curled up in a tiny, sheepish smile. "Thanks. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
Aresando shook his head. "It's fine, really. We just need to get used to this... dynamic." He hesitated. "Maybe after today, we can figure out how to make it... less awkward."
"Agreed," she said with a nod. "But we should get going. Classes start soon."
Aresando looked over at the clock on the wall, realizing the time had gotten away from them. "Yeah, we should. Alright. Let's try to make it through today."
The two of them got up and prepared for the day, though there was a noticeable tension in the air as they both adjusted to the new dynamic. Aresando made a mental note to figure out how to handle Jade's instincts, but for now, they had bigger things to focus on.
---
Later, they made their way to the academy's main hall for their first lessons. The sprawling campus was alive with students moving through corridors, their uniforms crisp and neat. Aresando adjusted his own attire—still not fully comfortable in it—and walked alongside Jade, trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy.
"So... what do we actually do in classes here?" Aresando asked, trying to sound casual.
Jade shot him a sideways glance. "Mostly theory to start with. History, magical systems, basic elemental studies. They'll test our knowledge before they let us loose on anything practical."
Aresando raised an eyebrow. "And I'm supposed to just sit through hours of magic talk?"
She smirked. "I think you'll be surprised how much you can learn. Besides, it's not like you have a choice."
He groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "Great. Lectures and no explosions. This is going to be so much fun."
---
The first lecture was in an enormous hall, filled with students from all years. Aresando sat near the back with Jade, feeling a strange sense of being out of place. He couldn't help but notice the way other students glanced at him and Jade, whispers spreading quickly through the room.
At the front, a stern-looking professor began his lecture on magical theory, talking about the fundamentals of mana, energy fields, and how to channel one's magic through the elements. Aresando tried to focus, but his mind kept drifting.
The lesson dragged on until the bell rang, signaling the end of the first lecture. Aresando stood, stretching.
"Okay," he said, turning to Jade. "Not terrible, but I'm going to need a nap after that."
Jade smiled. "First class isn't too bad. Now, let's see how you do in training. You might actually like that."
Aresando raised an eyebrow. "Training? You mean where I actually try to not blow everything up?"
"Exactly," she said, her golden eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. "This is where you get to see just how much you can really do."
---
The training area was located in a massive, open courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls covered in glowing runes. Aresando stepped into the center of the arena, the ground beneath him solid and unyielding. Other students were already there, forming groups, practicing various magical and physical maneuvers. Aresando felt a flicker of nervous energy in his chest.
Jade stood beside him, her posture relaxed but attentive. "The instructors here are tough. They'll push you to your limits."
A tall figure appeared at the front of the group—an older man with silver hair tied back in a tight ponytail. His eyes were sharp, and his presence commanded respect.
"Welcome to the first day of physical training," he said in a voice that brooked no argument. "Here, you will learn how to harness both your body and your magic. You are here to push your limits. You will sweat, you will strain, and you will struggle. But if you want to survive, you must break through."
Aresando looked at Jade. "Sounds like fun."
"I'm serious," she said, eyes glinting. "This is where you start seeing how strong you really are. If you're lucky, you won't break anything."
Aresando grinned. "No promises."
The instructor pointed to him. "You. Get into position."
Before he could even react, Aresando was thrust into a series of drills—practical tests that combined both physical agility and magical control. It was exhausting, and each movement felt like a challenge. The more he worked, the more he felt his body responding—stronger, faster, more in tune with the magic he'd suppressed until now.
He was still adjusting, but the power inside him felt different now—like it was awakening. And somehow, Aresando knew that this was just the beginning.