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Yegr, once a battle-hardened knight who helped end the reign of the warlord-sorcerer Jojk, awakens to find himself back in his sixteen-year-old body at the Royal Academy — years before the war began. The scent of parchment, the clatter of students, and the face of his old friend Darin (long dead in Yegr’s memories) confirm the impossible truth: he has been sent back in time.

Haunted by memories of battles and losses yet to come, Yegr resolves to change the future — if he can. His return to training immediately sets him apart, his combat skill far beyond his peers, but he keeps his true past hidden, confiding only partially in Darin.

While studying in the library, Yegr begins piecing together early signs of the Shadowed Path, the secretive cult that once awakened Jojk. He recognizes clues he had missed before, leading him to suspect the cult’s influence had begun infiltrating the Academy long before anyone realized.

During a nighttime search of the Academy’s east wing, Yegr and Darin discover a forbidden ritual in progress — the Binding of the First Key — performed by three cloaked figures. To Yegr’s shock, one of them is Elen, a future ally and hero in his memories.

Faced with the choice to act now or watch quietly to gather more names, Yegr chooses patience, knowing that striking too soon could scatter the cult into deeper hiding. But the black flame of the ritual burns brighter than he remembers — and the storm he thought he had years to prepare for may arrive far sooner.

___

If you find any mistake.Then let me know.

Yegr

The next morning, the courtyard was alive with the sound of steel.

Students paired off for sparring drills, laughter and grunts echoing under the high stone arches. Yegr stood at the edge, his gaze fixed not on his own partner, but on Elen across the yard.

She moved with precision — cautious, deliberate. To the others, she was simply a gifted student. To Yegr, she was a walking paradox. In one lifetime, she had been a loyal comrade who'd saved his life more than once. In this one, she was a cultist kneeling in candlelight.

Was she already lost? Or could she be turned back before her path darkened?

Rolen barked the order for rotation. Yegr stepped forward to meet his new opponent — Elen herself.

Their blades met with a crisp clang. She pushed forward, testing his guard.

"You fight differently," she said between strikes.

Yegr smiled faintly. "Maybe I finally started paying attention."

Her brow furrowed at his tone. She pressed harder, her movements clean but predictable — at least to someone who had fought beside her in real battle. Yegr deflected easily, controlling the pace without showing the full extent of his skill.

Then, in a calculated move, he shifted the match into the far corner of the yard, where the noise of other duels would mask their voices.

"I saw you last night," he said quietly, locking blades with her.

Elen's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"The east wing. Three people. A candle that burned black."

Her guard wavered — only for a heartbeat, but enough for Yegr to see fear flicker behind her composure.

"You should be careful where you walk at night," she said, tone sharper now. "Some halls aren't meant for students."

Yegr leaned in slightly, their blades still locked. "Some halls aren't meant for anyone."

A flash of irritation crossed her face. Then she pushed off hard, forcing distance between them.

The match ended with Rolen's shout. Elen gave a curt nod and walked away without another word.

That evening, Darin found Yegr in the dormitory, pacing.

"She knows you saw her," Darin said.

"I wanted her to know," Yegr replied. "If there's still a chance to pull her away from them, it starts with doubt. If she questions the cult early, she might not follow them all the way to the Binding's end."

Darin frowned. "Or she runs straight to them and tells them you're a threat."

The risk came sooner than expected.

Two days later, Yegr left the library just before midnight, carrying a stack of books on battle wards. The halls were empty — until a shadow moved ahead.

A cloaked figure stepped from an alcove, blocking his path.

"You ask too many questions," the figure said. The voice was male, low, and unfamiliar.

Yegr shifted his grip on the books, letting his right hand free. "And you speak too much for someone trying to stay hidden."

From beneath the cloak, steel flashed. The attacker lunged.

Yegr moved on instinct — the years of war rushing back into his limbs. The blade meant for his ribs clanged off the spines of the books as he pivoted, striking the attacker's wrist and sending the weapon clattering to the floor.

In one smooth motion, Yegr twisted the man's arm behind his back and shoved him against the wall.

No answer — just a guttural growl.

Yegr tightened the hold. "Was it Elen?"

That earned a laugh. "She's not yours to save."

Footsteps echoed from deeper in the hall. More cloaks emerging from the shadows.

Yegr released the man and backed toward the nearest stairwell, mind racing. Too many to fight without revealing exactly who — and what — he was.

As the cloaked figures advanced, Yegr met their leader's gaze.

"Tell the Shadowed Path this," he said, voice steady. "I've already seen how this ends. And I've come back to change it."

He slipped into the stairwell before they could close in.

The storm was no longer on the horizon. It was here — and it had seen his face.

The First Move