Soren did not wake up peacefully.
He woke up because the symbol on his chest pulsed so hard it YEETED him out of bed.
He hit the floor with a thud.
Kael sat up instantly. "Soren?"
Soren groaned. "I hate this place."
Lira peeked over her blanket, hair messy, eyes wide. "Is it happening again?"
Aldric rolled over. "If he explodes, I'm going back to sleep."
Soren threw a pillow at him. "STOP SAYING THAT."
The fox hopped onto Soren's chest, chirping anxiously.
The symbol pulsed again.
Harder.
Brighter.
Soren screamed. "NO. NO PULSING. PULSING IS BAD. PULSING MEANS SOMETHING IS HAPPENING."
Kael grabbed his arm. "We need to get you to the Hall of Resonance."
"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE HALL OF RESONANCE."
"You have to."
"I WON'T."
"You will."
"I WON'T."
"You will."
Aldric muttered, "Both of you stop."
Lira was already pulling on her boots. "Come on. Before it gets worse."
Soren screamed. "IT CAN GET WORSE?!"
The symbol pulsed again.
It got worse.
The Walk of Panic (Again)
They rushed across the academy grounds.
Soren clutched the fox like a life jacket. "I hate this place. I hate this place. I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
Students stared.
Whispered.
Pointed.
One first‑year gasped. "He's glowing more today."
Another whispered, "Is he dying?"
Soren shouted, "I'M NOT DYING. I'M JUST CURSED."
Kael sighed. "Ignore them."
"I CAN'T. THEY'RE STARING AT MY CHEST LIKE I'M A MAGICAL TRAFFIC LIGHT."
Aldric snorted. "You are."
Soren threw a pebble at him. "SHUT UP."
Lira placed a calming hand on his back. "Just breathe."
"I CAN'T."
The fox nuzzled him.
Soren inhaled.
Exhaled.
Panicked anyway.
Arrival at the Hall of Resonance
The doors opened before they even reached them.
Not magically.
Not dramatically.
But because Instructor Seraphine was standing there with the expression of someone who had been awake since dawn and was already tired of Soren's existence.
"Vale," she said. "Inside. Now."
Soren whimpered. "I hate this place."
Veylan stood behind her, arms crossed, nightmare‑wolf at his side. "Move."
Soren squeaked. "Yes sir."
Arcturus was already inside, standing beside the diagnostic platform like a judge waiting to deliver a sentence.
Soren whispered, "I'm going to die."
Kael nudged him. "You're not going to die."
"I MIGHT."
Aldric shrugged. "Possibly."
Soren threw another pebble at him. "STOP TALKING."
The Scan Begins
Soren stepped onto the platform.
The crystals lit up.
The runes activated.
The air hummed.
The symbol on his chest pulsed in response.
Seraphine frowned. "It's stronger today."
Soren screamed. "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN."
Veylan answered, "It's growing."
Soren screamed louder. "GROWING?! WHY IS IT GROWING. I DON'T WANT IT TO GROW. I WANT IT TO SHRINK. I WANT IT TO LEAVE. I WANT IT TO UN‑EXIST."
Arcturus stepped forward. "Vale. Focus."
"I CAN'T FOCUS. I'M HAVING A MAGICAL HEART ATTACK."
The fox chirped, pressing its head to Soren's cheek.
The symbol pulsed again.
The crystals reacted.
A projection formed above Soren — swirling red and white energy, larger than yesterday.
Kael's eyes widened. "It expanded."
Lira gasped. "Overnight?"
Aldric muttered, "Impressive."
Soren screamed. "STOP CALLING MY CURSE IMPRESSIVE."
The Revelation
Seraphine adjusted the projection. "The core's energy is stabilising."
Soren blinked. "Stabilising? That sounds good."
Veylan shook his head. "It's stabilising inside you."
Soren screamed. "THAT SOUNDS BAD."
Arcturus nodded. "It is."
Soren collapsed. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
Seraphine continued, "The core is synchronising with your spiritual matrix."
Soren blinked. "My WHAT."
Kael answered, "Your soul."
Soren screamed again. "WHY DOES EVERYTHING WANT MY SOUL."
Lira placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay."
"NO IT'S NOT."
Aldric shrugged. "Could be worse."
"HOW."
"You could be dead."
Soren threw a crystal at him. "STOP TALKING."
The Core Speaks (Again)
The symbol pulsed.
Hard.
The projection flickered.
The crystals dimmed.
The air thickened.
Soren froze. "No. No no no. Not again. I don't want visions. I don't want whispers. I don't want anything."
The fox tensed.
Kael stepped closer. "Soren?"
Soren clutched his chest. "It's talking."
Lira gasped. "Now?"
Aldric groaned. "Of course."
Arcturus's eyes sharpened. "What is it saying."
Soren swallowed.
Then whispered:
"He said… 'You're waking up.'"
Silence.
Heavy.
Cold.
Terrifying.
Kael whispered, "Who's waking up."
Soren shook his head violently. "NOT ME. I REFUSE. I'M NOT WAKING UP ANYTHING."
Lira whispered, "The core?"
Aldric muttered, "Or the thing connected to it."
Soren screamed. "I HATE THIS PLACE."
The fox chirped louder.
The symbol pulsed again.
And the projection above Soren shifted — revealing a new shape forming inside the swirling energy.
A shape that looked disturbingly like an eye.
Watching him.