Chapter 2: Shadows in the Halls
The morning sun filtered weakly through the tall windows of the dormitory, casting pale light over Karen's cluttered room. The scythe—The Abyss—lay carefully beside her bed, its dark surface humming softly, almost breathing.
She'd tried to touch it again last night, but something held her back. Not fear. Something deeper. Respect, maybe. It wasn't just a tool. It was part of her now, and she wasn't sure what that meant.
Her roommates, Leslie and Marie, were already awake, their soft voices drifting through the thin walls.
"Karen! Breakfast is in fifteen," Leslie called cheerfully.
"Try not to scare anyone," Marie teased with a smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Karen dressed quickly, pulling on the black uniform coat. The silver emblem over her heart caught the light. She touched it briefly, reminding herself: first year. First Spirit Cycle. Beginner.
But the power in her veins whispered otherwise.
Downstairs, the dining hall was a cavernous space filled with hundreds of students. The air buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the occasional burst of energy—training exercises, power displays, subtle tests of control.
Karen kept her head low, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. She spotted Jim, sitting at a table surrounded by friends. Their eyes met briefly. He smiled again.
She hesitated, then moved toward him.
"Hey," he said when she reached the table. "Glad you made it to breakfast."
"Thanks," Karen replied, sliding into an empty seat.
They talked quietly about the Academy's routines, instructors, and the upcoming training sessions. Jim was a Third Spirit Cycle student with a reputation for quick thinking and a mischievous streak. He spoke of the Academy as both a sanctuary and a battlefield—a place where trust was rare and strength was everything.
After breakfast, their group was led to the Training Grounds—a vast arena surrounded by tall columns etched with glowing runes. Here, students practiced soul manipulation, combat techniques, and energy control.
Karen's first lesson was with Instructor Ikemba—Joshua himself. His eyes, calm and sharp, measured her every move.
"Control, Karen," he said, voice steady. "Soul energy is an extension of your spirit. It obeys your will, but only when your will is strong and pure."
She nodded, focusing on the darkness swirling at her fingertips.
"Let it flow through you. Don't fight it."
For hours, she trained. Forms, stances, energy flows. She was clumsy at first, but the darkness responded to her unlike anything she'd seen before. It bent and twisted, forming sharp tendrils and soft mists. Her control was raw, but promising.
Between sessions, Karen met others in her year—friends and rivals alike.
Leslie and Marie were her closest allies, twin sisters bound by more than just blood. They moved as one, their powers intertwined. They warned her about the shadows lurking within the Academy: The Veil, a secret faction obsessed with control and manipulation.
"There are things they don't want us to know," Leslie whispered once, eyes darting nervously. "They watch. They wait."
Karen clenched her fists. She didn't like secrets. Not anymore.
That evening, as the Academy's spires glowed beneath a rising moon, Karen stood alone on the rooftop garden. The city stretched out before her—Lafrosa, a jewel in a dark crown.
The wind whispered through the leaves. Her scythe hovered at her side, a silent companion.
She was far from home. Far from everything she knew.
But she wasn't alone.
And she was ready.
....