Opening my eyes, I spent several seconds simply staring ahead, trying to understand where the dream ended and reality began.
The dean was still standing before me, watching me closely. There was something in his gaze beyond ordinary curiosity. Interest. Caution. And, it seemed, the faintest trace of satisfaction.
Ama`Lein slowly rose from his chair and stepped closer.
— As I understand it, you accepted her mark and became one of the Chosen, correct? — he asked, making no effort to hide his interest.
I slowly got to my feet, feeling a strange lightness throughout my entire body.
— You are correct, Ama`Lein. I have become the chosen of the goddess Hes. And she answered some of my questions regarding this world.
As soon as I said it, I involuntarily froze.
Something was wrong.
No… not wrong.
Everything was different.
I had grown taller.
The world around me seemed to have gained an extra layer of depth. The air no longer felt empty—thin streams of mana flowed through it, shimmering in nearly invisible lines. I saw them as naturally as I once saw sunlight.
My hearing had changed as well. Beyond the closed office door, I could distinguish footsteps in the corridor, the quiet creak of wood, and even muffled voices somewhere far away.
Even my own voice sounded different—deeper and steadier, carrying an unfamiliar firmness.
I lowered my gaze to my hands.
My skin had darkened.
Beneath it, thin scarlet lines flared from time to time, as though some other kind of energy was slowly circulating deep inside me.
After putting on my uniform, I turned to the dean.
— I do not know what is written in the books of the light elves regarding the War of the Five Races, but I can tell you what the goddess Hes told me.
The dean narrowed his eyes slightly.
— Our books describe only what I have already told you before. But I am interested in the goddess's own version. Perhaps it may help us understand how to return the lost magic to this world.
I nodded, recalling our conversation by the campfire.
— All races disappointed the gods. When they saw where this world was heading, they restricted access to magic and redirected it to another world. The races that vanished during the War of the Five Races were also relocated there.
At those words, the dean visibly tensed.
Irritation flashed in his eyes.
— Disappointed them? — he hissed through clenched teeth. — So that is how they justified it.
He took several steps across the room, clasping his hands behind his back.
— Too arrogant to allow the races to become less dependent on them, so they simply took away what rightfully belonged to us.
I remained silent.
There was no point arguing with him now.
He turned sharply toward me.
— You said the magic was redirected to another world. Did you meet the goddess there? What did that place look like? Did you notice any differences in the magic?
I fell into thought.
Could I answer that?
Before accepting the mark, I had not been able to see magic at all. There was nothing for me to compare.
I shook my head.
— I cannot say for certain. There was only night, a campfire, and the goddess herself. I only began seeing mana streams after accepting the mark.
The dean nodded thoughtfully.
— What else did she tell you? Are the gods planning to return? Will new Chosen appear?
— She only said that they are observing our world and its inhabitants. The goddess did not speak of their future plans. But I would not rule out the possibility that other races may also receive Chosen.
Ama`Lein fell silent for a long while.
I could see the new conclusions rapidly forming in his mind.
At last, he looked at me again.
— And you believe her words? Do you think we have a chance to restore the former magic?
I met his gaze evenly.
— Blind faith rarely leads to anything good. But ignoring the words of a goddess would be foolish. If such a chance exists, then it is worth searching for. Though how exactly, I do not know.
A faint smile appeared on the dean's lips.
— A reasonable answer.
He studied me once more, as though trying to assess the extent of the changes.
— If you learn anything new, you will inform me.
— Naturally.
I gave a slight bow, preparing to leave, but the dean's voice stopped me.
— Trey.
I turned around.
— Tell no one what happened tonight.
His tone became firmer.
— This morning, the class allocation will take place. After these changes, it is unlikely anyone will recognize you immediately, so try not to draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
I frowned.
— Didn't the talent assessment already determine my class?
The dean smirked, as though he had expected the question.
— I see not everything was explained to you. The talent assessment only determines your training direction. Actual assignment to a class happens only after the allocation.
He touched the ring on his finger, and the chair vanished.
Then, with a short spell, he cleared the floor of all traces of the ritual.
— There will be three stages. I cannot tell you more.
My irritation deepened.
I definitely disliked how much information they preferred to dispense here in carefully measured portions.
But from the look of it, the other newcomers were in the same situation.
That was mildly reassuring.
The dean approached the door.
— One final piece of advice: trust your instincts. After accepting the mark, you are capable of more than you currently realize.
With those words, he left, leaving me alone.
I exited the office several minutes later.
The academy corridors greeted me with silence.
On my way back to the dormitory, I kept replaying the dean's and the goddess's words in my mind.
"Trust your instincts."
Easy to say.
I did not even understand what I had become.
Stopping in an empty corridor, I closed my eyes and tried once more to look within myself.
Almost immediately, I found the familiar sphere of energy in my lower back.
It resembled a dense mass of chaos sealed inside my body.
Heavy.
Restless.
Constantly pulsing.
But the energy level remained the same.
I involuntarily exhaled in relief.
I had absolutely no desire to experience that pain again anytime soon.
Opening my eyes, I froze.
An unexpected thought entered my mind.
Was I even still human?
Hes had made it clear: a human body could not accept chaos energy without undergoing changes.
Then what was I becoming?
An elf?
No.
Too simple.
I recalled Ama`Lein's magic.
His energy felt entirely different—calm, smooth, and astonishingly orderly, like the slow current of a pure river.
The chaos inside me was its complete opposite.
Dense.
Unstable.
As though it could barely be contained within form.
By the time I reached the dormitory, I barely noticed the looks from others.
Too many thoughts.
Too few answers.
After climbing up to my room, I closed the door and headed for the bathroom.
There was a mirror hanging there.
Turning on the light, I lifted my gaze… and nearly recoiled.
A stranger stared back at me from the reflection.
Or almost a stranger.
My facial features had become finer.
Sharper.
My skin had darkened enough that I could now easily pass for a dark elf.
My eyes had turned completely black.
My golden hair had become white and grown to my shoulders.
Thin scarlet strands occasionally gleamed among it.
Removing the upper part of my uniform, I slowly turned my back to the mirror.
A small mark was clearly visible between my shoulder blades.
The symbol of Hes.
I touched my temple, feeling the approach of a headache.
Even my body felt different—lighter, more flexible, more refined, as though it were gradually shedding its human traits.
This was no longer the same Trey who had arrived at the academy that morning.
Switching off the light, I returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed.
Tomorrow promised to bring even more questions.