So Many Questions

Later that night, Jace lay sprawled across his bed, his entire body aching from head to toe. He had gone into practice feeling a mix of frustration and motivation, so, of course, he had pushed himself harder than he probably should have. Again.

"I keep making this mistake, promising myself I won't overdo it next time… and then I just do it again," he wheezed.

His legs had barely carried him back to his dorm, shaking with every step. By the time he finally made it inside, he had all but collapsed, dragging himself across the floor until he could heave himself onto his bed.

He groaned, staring at the ceiling. "I should really take a shower," he mumbled, "but I don't think I can move any further."

So instead, he just lay there, his muscles throbbing with exhaustion. And yet, despite his fatigue, sleep refused to come. His mind was still racing.

The ranking board.

The official duel list.

The fact that they had thought they lost until they saw the adjusted results.

And, more than anything, his curiosity about the two new challenges.

What exactly were the expectations for Tag and the Target Challenge?

He could make some assumptions. Tag was probably a pure test of speed, a head to head contest of movement and evasion. The Target Challenge could go either way, either precision based, with difficult to hit targets, or a sheer volume test, hitting as many as possible.

But he couldn't be completely sure..

The thoughts kept looping in his mind, but eventually, exhaustion won out. His muscles relaxed. His breathing slowed. Sleep finally claimed him.

And then.

The darkness shifted again, the cold pressed against his skin once again. The distant hum a little louder than before, the feeling of wood flooring against his feet again.

The walls stretched up into the darkness again, but this time…

They felt more there.

The twisting and shifting dance was still present, yet somehow… subtler.

It was as if the room itself had grown more solid, more real than before.

The whirlpool of colors had already begun its endless motion, but even that was different. The shifting hues moved slower, smoother, more controlled.

"It seems I have found myself a recognizable face."

The familiar voice echoed through the space, sounding more grounded this time.

"It has been less than a week, and not only have you called me back again, but I can feel that your mana has already grown."

Was it… impressed?

"Congratulations, child. You bear the markings of a notable dreamer. Allow me to grant you another gift."

The swirling colors flared, pulsing with a brief flash of light. A freezing chill surged through his body.

"Good luck, young one. Your journey will be treacherous… if you have the strength to travel it."

And then.

Jace bolted upright in bed, breathing hard.

Sunlight filtered through the window, birds chirping in the distance.

Morning.

Just like last time, he had slept through the night.

And just like last time…

Despite how much he had pushed himself the night before, despite the ache he should have felt. He felt great.

Jace ran a hand through his hair. "I have so many questions," he muttered, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

What were these dreams?

What was that creature?

What did it mean to be a dreamer?

So many questions, with no answers.

But there was no point in dwelling on things he couldn't control. If the answers wouldn't come, there was no use chasing them.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he got up and started his morning routine.

By the time he left his dorm to grab something to eat, the academy grounds were already stirring with life. The day after a contest always had a strange energy, familiar faces now wearing different-colored uniforms, rankings shifting like pieces on a board.

It was always interesting to see who had climbed and who had fallen.

Grabbing a quick bite, he ate as he walked, already thinking ahead.

His morning run felt incredible.

Better than it had in weeks.

So good, in fact, that he almost kept going, just because he didn't want to stop.

But he managed to pull himself away, heading back inside to change into his uniform.

Technically, he could have just worn it while working out, but it felt more intentional to start in proper training gear.

Now dressed, he made his way toward class. Their group always met early, it gave them time to discuss things before lessons started.

But when he arrived, he was met with an unfamiliar sight.

Lord Severian was already there.

Seated in a throne of his own creation, he casually noted something down as Jace entered.

Severian gave him a slight nod before returning to his paper.

Jace made his way to his usual spot, dropping into the seat next to Aurora. She was always the first one there, so he wasn't surprised to see her already settled.

"Why do you think Lord Severian's here so early?" Jace asked as he sat.

Aurora glanced up from her notebook. "I'm not sure. He was already here when I arrived. He wrote something down when I walked in, just like he did for you."

"Hmm." Jace followed her gaze toward the teacher. "Feels like something's up."

"I agree." Aurora returned her attention to her notes.

Jace pulled out his own notebook, jotting down thoughts about the upcoming contest. There wasn't much point in discussing it yet, anything they said would just have to be repeated when the others arrived.

It didn't take long.

A few other students trickled in before the rest of their team showed up, filling the usual seats. They were in the middle of light conversation when the classroom door opened again.

And then they froze.

Felix entered.

His head was down, his posture tense.

But that wasn't what made them go silent.

It was his uniform.

The unbroken black he had worn, the same uniform as theirs, was gone.

Instead, he now wore deep purple with black accents.

Rank 3.

Felix had been demoted.