Chapter 71: He Has Forgotten

The first thing Kael noticed was the sunlight.

It slipped through the curtains, spreading across the wooden floor and illuminating the familiar furniture in his room.

The second thing he noticed was the silence.

No collapsing worlds.

No mysterious voices.

No silver chains stretching across an endless darkness.

Just the gentle rustling of leaves outside his window and the distant sounds of students beginning their day.

Kael slowly opened his eyes.

For several seconds, he remained still, staring at the ceiling.

"..."

He blinked.

Then he turned his head towards the window.

Morning?

He sat up, rubbing his eyes before glancing at the clock beside his bed.

7:15 AM.

"Wonderful."

His voice was rough with sleep.

"I’ve somehow managed to wake up early. The world must be ending."

He stretched his arms and pushed the blanket aside.

Everything looked familiar.

His desk stood beside the window. Several books were stacked neatly on top of it, while his academy uniform hung from the wardrobe. His sword rested against the wall, exactly where he usually kept it.

Nothing seemed out of place.

Yet something felt strange.

Kael glanced towards his right hand.

There was a faint silver mark beneath his palm, resembling a quill crossed with a broken chain, surrounded by an unfinished circle.

He stared at it.

"Huh?"

He rubbed his thumb across the mark.

It didn’t disappear.

"Since when did I have this?"

He examined it for another moment before shrugging.

Perhaps it was something he had acquired during training.

He couldn’t remember.

A small movement came from beneath his blanket.

Kael looked down.

Two tiny horns appeared, followed by a pair of mismatched eyes.

"Pi?"

The little creature climbed onto his lap.

Kael stared at it.

"...Where did you come from?"

Pi tilted its head.

"Pi!"

"That’s not an answer."

The creature crawled towards his chest and settled comfortably against him.

Kael sighed.

"Whatever. At least someone around here knows how to enjoy a peaceful morning."

He reached for the little creature and gently scratched its head.

Pi closed its golden eye.

For some reason, the sight made Kael feel strangely relieved.

He couldn’t explain why.

Aetheris Academy was already bustling with activity when Kael left his room.

Students hurried through the corridors, discussing assignments, training schedules, and the upcoming practical examinations.

Some greeted him as he passed.

Others deliberately avoided making eye contact.

Kael paid little attention.

His reputation hadn’t exactly been built on being approachable.

"Kael!"

A familiar voice called from behind.

He turned.

Leon Ardent approached with his usual bright expression, his golden hair slightly dishevelled.

"You’re late."

Kael glanced at the clock hanging above the corridor.

"Classes start in fifteen minutes."

"Exactly. That’s practically late."

"Your understanding of time is concerning."

Leon laughed.

Then his gaze shifted towards Pi.

"Still carrying that little creature around?"

"He’s practically my roommate."

Pi raised its head.

"Pi!"

Leon chuckled.

"At least it seems happy."

"Unlike some people, it understands the importance of personal space."

"Are you referring to me?"

"Who else?"

Leon placed a hand against his chest, pretending to be wounded.

"That’s cruel."

Kael continued walking.

"Try surviving it."

The two headed towards the eastern lecture hall.

Their conversation drifted towards the upcoming practical examination, which Leon seemed unusually enthusiastic about.

Apparently, the academy had arranged a series of team-based exercises.

Kael wasn’t particularly interested.

Team exercises meant cooperation.

Cooperation meant depending on other people.

And depending on other people usually meant someone would eventually do something stupid.

He glanced at Leon.

"You’re planning something, aren’t you?"

Leon smiled.

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you’re smiling."

"That’s a terrible reason."

"It’s usually accurate."

Before Leon could respond, another voice interrupted them.

"You’re both making too much noise."

Elena stood near the entrance to the lecture hall.

Her long silver hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her violet eyes rested on Kael.

She wore her usual black academy uniform beneath a white cloak.

"You two are blocking the entrance."

Leon stepped aside.

"Good morning to you too, Elena."

"Good morning."

Her attention returned to Kael.

"You’re late."

Kael looked at Leon.

Then back at her.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Perhaps because you’re consistently late."

"I’m fifteen minutes early."

"Then you’re fifteen minutes early for being late."

Kael stared at her.

"...That doesn’t even make sense."

Elena walked past him.

"Neither do your excuses."

Leon burst into laughter.

Kael watched her disappear into the classroom.

"She’s becoming increasingly unreasonable."

"She’s always been like that."

"Good. At least I’m not imagining things."

They followed her inside.

The lecture proceeded normally.

Professor Lucien Graves stood at the front of the classroom, adjusting his spectacles while several diagrams appeared across the blackboard.

Today’s subject was the relationship between mana circulation and magical interference.

Kael leaned back in his chair.

He had attended enough lectures to understand the basics, although he still found some of the more theoretical subjects unnecessarily complicated.

"Mana doesn’t simply disappear when a spell collapses," Graves explained. "Depending on the structure of the spell, the remaining energy may return to its original environment, disperse, or become temporarily trapped."

He tapped the blackboard.

"Understanding these distinctions is particularly important when studying unstable magical formations."

Kael glanced towards the diagram.

Something about it caught his attention.

A circular formation.

Seven intersecting lines.

A small opening at the centre.

For an instant, the classroom disappeared.

He saw a white corridor.

Seven doors.

A masked figure standing before him.

And a voice.

"WELCOME BACK, CARRIER."

Kael abruptly straightened.

His chair scraped against the floor.

Several students turned towards him.

Professor Graves paused.

"Mr Veyron?"

Kael blinked.

The classroom returned.

"...Yes?"

"Would you care to explain what you found so interesting about the diagram?"

Kael looked towards the blackboard.

The seven intersecting lines were still there.

He swallowed.

"Nothing in particular, Professor."

Graves studied him briefly.

Then he adjusted his spectacles.

"Then perhaps you could tell us what happens when a magical formation loses one of its stabilising connections."

Kael stared at the diagram.

His mind felt strangely empty.

"...It becomes unstable?"

A few students laughed.

Graves nodded.

"A rather basic answer, but correct."

Kael slowly leaned back.

He wasn’t sure why.

But the diagram had made him uncomfortable.

During the break, Mira found them near the courtyard.

Her dark-blue hair moved gently in the breeze as she approached, carrying several books beneath one arm.

"Leon, Kael."

Leon raised his hand.

"Good morning!"

Mira offered a small smile.

"Have either of you seen the announcement about the practical examination?"

Kael shook his head.

"Should I be concerned?"

"Probably."

"Wonderful."

Mira opened one of her books.

"The academy has arranged a special exercise in the northern training grounds. Apparently, the instructors want to test how students respond to unfamiliar magical environments."

Leon immediately became interested.

"That sounds exciting."

"It sounds troublesome," Kael corrected.

Mira ignored him.

"The teams will be announced tomorrow."

Kael glanced towards the notice board.

"Do we get to choose our teammates?"

"No."

"Then I’m already disappointed."

Mira laughed quietly.

"You haven’t even seen the assignment."

"I prefer to lower my expectations before disappointment becomes unavoidable."

Elena joined them a moment later.

"I heard we’re being assigned teams."

Leon nodded.

"Yes. Mira was just telling us."

Elena looked towards Kael.

"Try not to cause trouble."

Kael placed a hand over his chest.

"Your confidence in me is touching."

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

Pi suddenly climbed onto Kael’s shoulder.

Its golden eye remained fixed on Elena.

The girl paused.

"What is it?"

"Pi?"

Elena extended one finger.

The creature sniffed it before gently pressing its head against her hand.

Her expression softened.

"At least someone here behaves properly."

Kael looked at Pi.

Then at Elena.

"Traitor."

Pi made a cheerful sound.

Leon laughed.

For a little while, everything felt ordinary.

And perhaps that was why Kael failed to notice the strange expression that briefly crossed Mira’s face.

She had been staring at Pi.

Not with curiosity.

With recognition.

As though she had almost remembered something important.

Later that afternoon, Kael found himself alone in the library.

He had originally intended to borrow a book about magical formations, but somehow ended up wandering towards the older section.

The shelves here were considerably taller, and the atmosphere was quieter.

He moved between them, scanning the titles.

Then he stopped.

A black book rested on a small wooden table.

It didn’t have a title.

Its cover was worn, and a thin silver line ran across its surface.

Kael stared at it.

For some reason, his chest tightened.

He approached cautiously.

"Have I seen this before?"

He reached out.

The moment his fingers touched the cover, a faint vibration travelled through the table.

A page turned by itself.

Kael withdrew his hand.

"...What?"

He looked around.

Nobody was nearby.

The open page contained a single sentence.

THE CARRIER HAS FORGOTTEN.

Kael’s expression became serious.

He leaned closer.

Another sentence appeared beneath it.

THE WITNESS REMAINS.

Pi suddenly climbed onto the table.

Its golden eye widened.

"Pi..."

Kael looked at the creature.

"What is it?"

Pi placed one tiny claw against the page.

The words began fading.

A third sentence slowly appeared.

DO NOT WAKE THE SEVENTH.

Kael stared.

"What does that mean?"

The page turned.

It was blank.

He waited.

Nothing happened.

After several seconds, he carefully closed the book.

"That’s enough mysterious nonsense for today."

He looked towards Pi.

"Come on. We’re leaving."

But the creature didn’t move.

Instead, it stared at the closed book.

Its small body trembled.

"Pi..."

Kael picked it up.

"Hey. What’s wrong?"

Pi buried its face against his shoulder.

For a moment, Kael considered returning the book to the librarian.

Then he decided against it.

He had no desire to explain why a strange book was writing messages by itself.

Night settled over Aetheris Academy.

Kael returned to his room, changed into comfortable clothes, and placed Pi on his desk.

The little creature immediately curled up beside a stack of books.

Kael sat on his bed.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The strange diagram.

The black book.

The words written on its pages.

And that unfamiliar mark on his palm.

He examined it again.

"Seriously, what are you?"

The silver lines remained motionless.

Kael sighed and lay down.

Perhaps he was simply tired.

Tomorrow would bring another lecture, another training session, and another opportunity for Leon to embarrass himself.

A perfectly ordinary day.

He closed his eyes.

---

Somewhere beyond Aetheris Academy.

A white room stood beneath an endless sky.

Seven chairs surrounded a circular table.

Six were empty.

The seventh was occupied by a small creature with black scales, two horns, and mismatched eyes.

Pi.

Its body remained completely still.

Across the room, a masked figure stood before a black door.

A silver circle rested on its palm.

The figure slowly raised its hand.

"How peaceful."

A faint voice answered from somewhere beyond the door.

"He has forgotten."

"Yes."

"And the others?"

"They have forgotten as well."

The masked figure looked towards the seventh chair.

"But the Witness remains."

The little creature lifted its head.

For a brief moment, its golden eye shone.

Then a tiny voice escaped its mouth.

"Kael..."

The masked figure lowered its hand.

"Not yet."

The black door began closing.

"Let him live this beginning."

A final silver line appeared across the door.

"When the memories return, the promise will be waiting."

---

Aetheris Academy — Kael’s Room

Kael shifted beneath his blanket.

A faint voice entered his dream.

It sounded distant.

Almost familiar.

You promised.

He turned over.

"...Five more minutes."

Beside his pillow, Pi opened one golden eye.

Then it looked towards Kael’s sleeping face.

"Not... forget."

Its tiny voice disappeared into the darkness.

And somewhere beneath the academy, a bell rang.

Once.

No student heard it.

No professor noticed.

But in the sealed depths beneath Aetheris, something that had remained asleep for a very long time slowly opened its eyes.