Revelations

The grand gate of the Esoteric Academy rose before Indra as he descended the stone steps. The bell marking the end of classes echoed through the towers and corridors, reverberating like the chant of an ancient cathedral. The sky, black as the densest ink, was torn only by the solitary presence of the moon — that same pale blue moon, cold as ice, casting its spectral light over the streets and buildings of the Esoteric Society.

Indra took a deep breath. The night air of the Other Side carried a subtle metallic scent, as if a storm was always looming nearby. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the cool night, before making his way toward the main exit. That's when he saw the familiar silhouette of Sophie standing near one of the gate's columns. Her long, ink-black hair fell like a silky curtain over her shoulders, glistening faintly under the moonlight. And her eyes… one a stormy blue-gray, the other a vivid emerald green, like a living gem. Together, the two colors made her gaze even more hypnotic.

"You're late, Indra." she said with a faint smile that only highlighted the striking difference between her eyes. "How were your classes?"

"Better than I expected." he replied, walking up to her. "Carl is… strict, but I feel he truly wants to help me."

Sophie nodded, beginning to walk beside him through streets lit only by the cold moonlight. The purple sky of the Other Side, usually split by lightning, was strange that night: no storm, just a solid, heavy darkness and the colossal presence of the bluish moon with the shadow slumbering inside it.

As they walked, Indra noticed something on the horizon he had never seen before, partly hidden behind the lower buildings of the Society: a tall white tower, rising higher than the eye could follow. It looked sculpted from pure marble, glowing with a milky sheen under the moon. Intricate carvings covered its surface, depicting epic battles, arcane symbols, and scenes as ancient as the Other Side itself.

"Sophie… what is that tower?" he asked, pointing discreetly.

Sophie followed his gaze and smiled faintly, the reflections in her heterochromatic eyes sparkling as if they held two different worlds. "That's the Tower of Heroes. A sacred monument for us. It's where the greatest Paranormals in the history of the Esoteric Society are immortalized. Their achievements are engraved on its walls, so our people remember those who paved the way."

As Sophie spoke, something stirred within the moon — the colossal shadow seemed to twist for a moment, like a dormant fetus reacting to the mention of the Tower of Heroes. A shiver ran down Indra's spine, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the tower.

"Why build something like that?" he asked, fascinated. "Was it the idea of the Nine Pillars?"

"In part." Sophie said, her voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "It was inspired by the Ivory Tower, a legendary place in the Realm of Phenomena. Centuries ago, some humans of the Esoteric Society broke away to live in the Realm of Phenomena. They became what we call the People of the Other Side."

Indra furrowed his brow, absorbing every word.

"There are many regions where the People of the Other Side have settled," Sophie continued. "But none is as famous or feared as the Ivory Tower. It's said the souls of the most powerful Paranormals gather there to guard the secret at the top of the tower. No one has ever reached its peak. Legend says whoever discovers that secret could shape the reality of the Other Side at will."

She paused, and her blue-gray and emerald eyes shone in the cold moonlight, almost reflecting the night sky itself.

"Centuries ago, the Nine Pillars decided to raise our own Ivory Tower, to prove the Society also had extraordinary warriors. And so the Tower of Heroes was born," she concluded, a hint of pride in her voice.

As she finished, the shadow within the moon stirred again, almost imperceptibly, as if the night itself was listening to the tale.

Indra couldn't take his eyes off the horizon, his heart pounding faster. That revelation put everything he'd learned into a new perspective. The idea of Paranormals who chose to live beyond the Veil, of guardian souls protecting secrets that could reshape the Other Side… it all felt so vast, so dangerous, and yet so fascinating.

They kept walking, and soon they passed through a wide plaza lit by ethereal lanterns floating like little blue suns. Stalls lined up in neat rows displayed all kinds of goods: arcane books, rune-etched weapons shimmering faintly, potion vials bubbling with impossible colors, armor forged from unknown materials, and even luminous fruits of unearthly hues.

The open-air market buzzed with vendors, buyers, and Paranormals of all shapes and appearances, each more exotic than the last. The air carried a mix of spices, oils, and sweet, smoky scents.

Indra paused, captivated. His eyes drank in every detail of the stalls, absorbing the colors, sounds, and aromas. He turned to Sophie, who was smiling at his fascination, her ink-black hair swaying gently in the cool night breeze, her heterochromatic eyes reflecting the market lights like mirrors of distant worlds.

"Shall we go in?" she asked, as if she already knew the answer.

Indra nodded, his heart beating fast — not just because of the Tower or the market, but because he finally felt like he was diving headfirst into the world that had always existed beyond the Veil — and was now his.

Above them, the shadow inside the moon seemed to writhe once more, as if it watched their every step.

---

The cold breeze swept through the streets of the Esoteric Society as Sophie led Indra along the corridors lit by the bluish lanterns of the night market. The air pulsed with whispers, murmurs, and the clinking of arcane coins changing hands. Ethereal lights made the air shimmer, casting dancing shadows like specters along the stalls.

"This is the Night Market." Sophie said softly, though her voice carried weight. Her heterochromatic eyes — deep stormy blue-gray and vibrant emerald — reflected the market's ghostly glow. "It's not illegal… but it only exists under the veil of night. Here you find what no one dares to sell in daylight. Rare, dangerous, or… questionable things."

Indra walked beside her, eyes wide. His heart beat faster as they moved through the corridors of stalls, where eccentric-looking vendors shouted offers in strange, often inhuman tongues. Spicy, sweet, and metallic scents — reminiscent of fresh blood — mixed in the air.

"And what exactly do they sell here?" Indra asked, eyeing a stall where vials filled with purple and emerald liquids bubbled by themselves.

Sophie smiled as she slowly guided him past the offerings:

"Cursed items…" she said, pointing to a stand where black swords emitted a dark smoke that seemed to whisper. "Living specimens of imps and other lesser creatures from the Realm of Phenomena…" she indicated a cage where small, gray-skinned beings with crimson eyes and twisted horns writhed silently, as if their sounds were sucked out of the air itself.

Indra swallowed hard, equal parts awed and unsettled.

"Over there," Sophie continued, nodding discreetly, "they sell Energy Boost Pills. They can help a Paranormal recover strength quickly… but the side effects are severe if overused."

As they walked, Indra spotted stands displaying leather armor stitched with silver threads, daggers that seemed to drink the light, and books bound in the hides of creatures he'd rather not identify. At times, they passed stalls where shady vendors made hushed deals, glancing around like wary rats. Some displays held amulets that pulsed like beating hearts, emitting a constant, eerie lament.

Indra's fascination only deepened, even as a constant chill crawled up his spine. The Night Market was a spectacle of wonders and horrors, a place that made it clear how thin the line between the extraordinary and the grotesque truly was.

Then Sophie stopped abruptly at a particular stall. The vendor looked like a hulking demon with porcine features: thick pinkish skin, tusks jutting from his mouth, and small yellow eyes gleaming with malice. He leaned over the dark wooden counter, flashing a yellow-toothed grin that felt more like a warning.

"A Soul Nourishment Pill, please." Sophie requested in a calm, low voice.

The demonic vendor snorted like a boar, rummaging through a velvet-lined box until he produced a small, translucent pill that glowed softly with a milky-white light, almost like a living flame.

Indra, increasingly curious, couldn't hold back his question when Sophie carefully stored the pill in a small metal case. "What exactly is that?"

Sophie shot him a sideways glance, her eyes glinting under the blue lanterns. "I'll explain when we get home. Now isn't the time…" she said, her tone firm yet gentle enough not to sound like a reprimand. "It's best we head back. We've seen more than enough for tonight."

Indra hesitated. His eyes swept across the Night Market, hungry to explore every corner and uncover more of what the Other Side had to offer. But something in Sophie's expression — a mix of seriousness and concern — convinced him to obey. He nodded, though reluctantly.

As they walked away, the Night Market seemed even more alive than before: voices echoed, dark laughter rippled through the air, and shadows danced on the stall walls as if they had wills of their own. The pale blue moon hovered coldly overhead, its inner shadow writhing violently now, as if it was reacting to what they had just witnessed.

A shiver ran down Indra's spine. There was something in the night — something in the moon, the distant tower, the market stalls — that whispered dark promises and unseen dangers. Yet despite it all, a flame of excitement burned in his chest: the sense that his destiny was only just beginning to unfold.

---

When Indra and Sophie arrived home, the cold moon still cast its pale light through the windows, painting the floor with bluish reflections. The night air felt fresh, but there was a comforting warmth in the darkness of their home. Sophie dropped the keys on the entry table and turned to Indra, her heterochromatic gaze — one stormy blue-gray, the other vivid emerald — flickering under the dim light.

"I'll take a shower first," she said calmly. "Then I'll come down to explain the Soul Nourishment Pill… and other things I forgot."

She climbed the stairs, the sound of her footsteps soft but clear. Meanwhile, Indra headed to the kitchen. He looked around, rummaging through cabinets and the pantry. Remembering that classes ran from 1 to 7 p.m. — and considering how long they'd spent at the Night Market — he guessed Sophie hadn't eaten dinner. He decided to make something for both of them.

He set a pan on the stove, combining rice, chopped vegetables, strips of seasoned meat, and a touch of spices he found in mysterious jars that smelled delicious. Stirring carefully, he let the aroma fill the house. When finished, he tasted a spoonful: surprisingly, it was rich, balanced, and comforting.

As the food rested, kept warm, Indra set the table and waited for Sophie. It wasn't long before he heard her descending the stairs. Her ink-black hair was still damp, and she wore the same black robe as the night before — but this time it was loosely tied, revealing a hint of her collarbone and a glimpse of skin below, whether on purpose or by accident. She also wore a sleek device on her wrist, like a smartwatch, and a bright metal ring on her other hand.

When she reached the kitchen, Sophie paused for a moment, inhaling deeply the aroma of the meal Indra had prepared. A spontaneous, almost childlike smile lit up her face.

"This smells… wonderful," she praised, stepping closer to see the steaming food. "You really do surprise me, Indra."

They sat facing each other, and the atmosphere that settled over dinner was comfortable and intimate. With each bite, Sophie offered sincere compliments, saying she hadn't eaten something so good in ages. Indra felt his chest warm with every smile she gave, and for a moment, he forgot the shadows writhing in the moon outside.

When they finished, Sophie stood, carefully placing the smartwatch and ring on the table. She looked at Indra with a serious but excited light in her heterochromatic eyes.

"Let's begin," she said, picking up the smartwatch. "This is just like the one I wore at the hospital. It's standard issue for anyone starting out in the Esoteric Society. From now on, it'll be your inseparable companion."

She handed it to Indra, who fastened it to his left wrist, adjusting it above his black cloth bracer and stylish metal band. The smartwatch activated, projecting a rectangular hologram above his wrist, the size of a tablet, glowing softly blue and illuminating their faces.

"It has three main functions," Sophie explained, pointing at the hologram. "First, the Esoteric Grimoire. Think of it as the Other Side's internet. It's an enormous database where you can research all kinds of information: techniques, items, creatures, Zone maps, theories… You can also buy or commission practically anything, from pills and weapons to grimoires and contracts with other Paranormals."

Indra's fingers glided across the hologram, fascinated as menus unfolded into seemingly endless subcategories.

"The second function is the Esoteric Network," Sophie continued, tapping another icon. "It's like a massive integrated social network. There are sections for long and short videos, photos, public and private messages. You can share your daily life, promote your services, or just keep up with other Paranormals." She grabbed her own smartwatch and, with a few quick taps, sent her contact to Indra. "There — now we're friends on the Esoteric Network."

Indra smiled as a subtle notification confirmed their connection on his holographic display.

"And lastly," Sophie said, switching to another icon, "the Esoteric Gazette. It's the main news portal of the Esoteric Society. Anything important is reported there, in video or text. It's the most reliable way to stay updated."

Then Sophie picked up the metal ring she'd set aside, showing it to Indra. Though simple, it glinted with subtle mystical reflections.

"This is a Dimensional Ring, an interspatial storage item," she explained. "Inside it is a pocket dimension — a personal vault. You can store or retrieve items almost instantly, using your Energy. The more refined your Energy control, the faster and more efficient the ring becomes."

Indra took the ring, turning it over in his hand. His heart raced as he imagined all he could keep inside — weapons, grimoires, healing items, or even personal keepsakes.

Sophie smiled softly, resting her elbow on the table, her heterochromatic eyes locked on his. "With these tools, you're one step closer to surviving what's ahead, Indra."

And so, with the cold moon still shining outside — and the shadow within it twisting as if it responded to the night's revelations — Indra felt, for the first time, that he was truly beginning to walk the path that could make him a true Paranormal.