Secrets in the Shadows.

You might be wondering—why is it so important for Riven to hide the fact that he has more than one gift? Well, the answer is because in this world—where everyone seemed to have one clear, obvious gift or the ability to use one—having more than one was dangerous. It would mark him as different, a threat or possibly a target.

Having multiple gifts does not only marks you as different but a freak of nature—maybe even a threat. And in this world, being different isn't just frowned upon; it can get you killed.

The delinquent Riven with a rough past, had his own gifts too. His gifts? Oh, there were so special to him. Back on his Earth, Riven was a chaotic mess—an unpredictable combination of street fighting skills, quick reflexes, and a sharp-tongued wit that could slice through tension like a knife. But here? In this strange new fragile body, his gifts were more refined, more dangerous.

His first gift here? He possessed superhuman strength. Think about it like this—he can lift cars, shatter walls, crush obstacles with just a flick of his wrist. Yeah, he's that strong. But that's not the secret he keeps hidden deep inside.

That secret would be his second gift. A subtle, almost whisper-like ability to influence minds—thoughts and emotions. He can sow confusion, calm a raging storm within someone's mind, even sway their feelings without them realizing it. It's a power he guards fiercely because, in this world, revealing it would make him a marked man—he'd be declared a threat to everyone around him.

And so, he keeps it hidden. Because if anyone finds out he has more than one gift, well—he'd be hunted, tested, maybe even imprisoned. Or worse—used as a weapon.

Riven's mind raced because of Vaelorian's unexpected help earlier. Is Vaelorian just a helpful ally, or does he suspect something's off with him? The questions swirl like a storm, and with the real Riven gone—this Riven knows one thing for sure: uncovering the truth isn't going to be easy. This world is full of secrets, and he's only just beginning to scratch the surface.

Riven looked out the large window, watching the city flicker like a heartbeat—glowing and alive. Somewhere out there, his true purpose awaits. He needs to impress a secret crush, and also carry out the mission of making the Duke proud of him. He hopes that by doing these things, he could perhaps gain the freedom to live his own life here.

There was much to do and no clear starting point, yet he knew he had to survive this camp and keep his gifts hidden at all costs. In a world where gifts were a game of power, even a whisper about his second gift could lead to his undoing.

But even in what feels like total hopelessness, Riven clings to one certainty: he's not going to play by anyone's rules—not even in someone else's body. No matter how fragile or strange this new life is.

Meanwhile, Vaelorian had left earlier, saying he'd give Riven space to settle in. But truthfully? He was the one who needed it. Walking down the corridor, Vaelorian pulled his long blonde hair behind his ears, wishing he'd braided it before coming here—if only he hadn't left in such a hurry. Could you blame him though? After all, he'd been dying to see him again, after all those years.

"Ah, Vaelorian! Just the person I was hoping to see!" The Commander's voice echoed in the hallway.

Vaelorian looked up, surprised. "Hello, commander! What can I do for you?"

The commander, a kindly face with a warm smile, guided Vaelorian into his office.

"Please, call me Jacob. It doesn't feel right when you call me commander, and I don't want to seem formal when we're alone. As for what you can do—well, you're already helping a lot. I just wanted to thank you again for coming on such short notice."

"Oh, I'm just doing my part to help the empire grow," Vaelorian replied modestly.

Commander Jacob nodded, eyes gleaming with gratitude.

"That's right. And we really appreciate your support. Also, I wanted to discuss accommodations." Jacob continued, his tone shifting slightly. "I understand we had some concerns regarding accommodations due to the high number of kids this year. But we've made adjustments. With your support, of course. You don't need to share a room with anyone, especially with Lord Riven. He's umm...a bit socially awkward, fragile, and doesn't know how to use his gift."

Vaelorian raised an eyebrow. Riven might look physically delicate, maybe even fragile, but "socially awkward"? That didn't quite fit the Riven he'd just spoken with. The Riven he spoke with sounded tough, sassy, and confident—far from fragile.

Jacob continued, "He's been homeschooled all his life. It's best if he's not overwhelmed early on."

Vaelorian shook his head. "No problem. I don't mind sharing a room."

"Alright, as long as you don't mind. So, I trust you'll help him out?" Commander Jacob asked.

"Of course! I'll help him with his gift however I can."

"Good. You're a generous young man. We're lucky to have you," Commander Jacob said with a smile.

"If there's nothing else, may I?" Vaelorian asked, glancing at the door.

"Of course! Go ahead. Feel free to ask if you need anything to make your stay more comfortable," Commander Jacob replied warmly.

With a polite nod, Vaelorian left the office. As he walked back down the corridor, he couldn't help but think about Riven—this wasn't at all what he pictured his meeting with him again to be like.

Back in their room, Riven was already waiting. As soon as Vaelorian entered, the first thing he blurted out was,

"You're back! Dude, I'm so sorry if I offended you earlier."

Vaelorian paused, eyeing him carefully. Was that an apology or another ploy to mess with him again? Before he could respond, Riven added...

"Hold on, did I really offend you earlier?"

"You didn't offend me." Vaelorian replied with a sigh.

"Whoa! What are you doing?"

Riven's hands shot up to his face, eyes wide with panic as Vaelorian pulled his shirt over his head.

"What does it look like? I'm getting undressed—I need a shower. It's been a long day," Vaelorian said casually as he continued to peel off his clothes.

"Yeah, but why are you doing it here?" Riven protested, his cheeks heating up.

"Where else am I supposed to do it?" Vaelorian shrugged.

"Uh… in the bathroom? Like a normal person?"

"There's nothing wrong with getting undressed right here! And honestly, I don't think it's bothering you at all—otherwise, you wouldn't be peeping through your fingers." Vaelorian shot back with a teasing smirk.

And just like that, he disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Riven blushing furiously—his face turning a shade of pink that matched a ripe peach. He'd been caught peeping at Vaelorian's body. And what a body it was—muscular, confident, and utterly sexy. Riven's mind drifted—he wasn't as big as Vaelorian, but he definitely had muscles in all the right places, tattoos and piercings adding to his look. Girls always wanted a taste of him back in his past life, and he'd been a very generous lover.

But that body—probably dead along with the owner of this body—was a stark reminder of how much he'd lost. His new body was pale, fragile-looking, almost girly. The long jet black hair that's almost at his waist length, the slender frame, the pouty lips—anyone could mistake him for a girl. Suddenly, an idea formed in his head, maybe he should get a haircut, but before he could even finish the thought, an excruciating pain shot through his chest, doubling him over.

"Are you alright there?" Vaelorian's voice echoed through the room and Riven whipped his head up immediately, it's a miracle he didn't get whiplash.

"Yeah, Sure! I was just thinking about getting a haircut... ugh!" the excruciating pain shot through his chest again before he could even finish his sentence and Vaelorian was in front of him in a blink of an eye.

"Are you okay? You don't look okay! " Vaelorian rushed out, he sounded almost, panicked?

"Yeah, I'm fine, dude!" Riven managed to reply, trying to hide the pain. "Just… ugh, I don't think my dinner agrees with me."

He hurried into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Standing before the mirror, he took a deep breath, bracing for what might happen next if his suspension was correct. He closed his eyes, thought carefully about his words, and whispered,

"I'm going to get a haircut."

No sooner had he said it than the pain struck again—this time even worse. He dropped to his knees, sweat pouring down his face, heart pounding.

Was he right?

Maybe, it's just a coincidence. Or maybe he should try it again. That's right, he needs to try it again.

Was he really going to do this? His mind screamed yes—then no. But he had to try it just to be sure.

"I'm going to cut my hair" he whispered and the pain in his chest intensified, so he started yelling inwardly, "I'm not going to cut my hair!" repeatedly and pain vanished as suddenly as it had come, leaving him breathless. He punched the wall in frustration.

"What the actual hell?" he screamed as his fist went right through the drywall, shocking him.

The bathroom door burst open. "Are you okay? What happened?" Vaelorian's voice was frantic.

Riven looked at his hand—bleeding, the wall shattered. How did Vaelorian enter the bathroom? He was certain he'd locked that door behind him earlier and why was Vaelorian looking at him like that?

"Here, sit down. Let me look at your hand," Vaelorian said gently, guiding him to sit on the bed—his fucking bed!

With practice ease, Vaelorian cleaned and bandaged Riven's hand, concern etched into his face.

"You'll need to rest it for a few days," he said softly.

"Thanks," Riven whispered, feeling overwhelmed. "And I'm sorry. I don't know how that shit happened."

Instead of scolding Riven, Vaelorian turned off the light and climbed into Riven's bed. "Go to sleep. We have an early morning tomorrow."

Riven curled up, too exhausted to continue this fight. After all, he'd died and been reborn today—he's literally in a new body, he'd discovered a new world, and lost his old life. Now, all he could do was let sleep take him, trusting that tomorrow might bring answers—or more questions. But one thing was certain: he wasn't going down without a fight. Not in this world, not even in this fragile body.