Zane stood rigid before the panel of instructors, their cold eyes piercing through him like sharpened blades. The weight of their judgment pressed down harder than any physical force.
"Breaking a mana crystal is no trivial matter," Professor Elara's voice rang out, steady and unforgiving. "Do you understand the consequences of your actions?"
His throat tightened. "I... didn't mean to. I just—"
A flicker at the edge of his vision snapped his attention away.
Outside the towering window, the storm-dark sky roiled—but only Zane saw what emerged from the shadows.
A Phoenix, vast and menacing, formed from pure darkness. Its feathers absorbed all light, its wings stretching wide enough to blot out stars, casting a cold shadow only he could feel.
It hovered silently, an omen carved from the Void itself.
Zane's breath caught, his heartbeat pounding deafeningly in his ears.
Then, the voice of the System thundered inside his mind:
[ALERT: Unknown entity detected. Signature matches Voidborne class.]
[Side Quest Unlocked: Investigate the disturbance. Warning: Survival rate—14%.]
The world around him seemed to blur, the weight of what he alone could see crushing.
Professor Elara's voice cut sharply through his trance. "Zane! Are you with us?"
He blinked, forcing himself back. Eyes wide but steady, he nodded.
But inside, a storm was already rising—one that only he could face.