Zane sat beside Sera under the old tree behind the academy, the one where students rarely ventured. The sky above was painted orange with the setting sun, but the weight in his chest made the world feel much darker.
"I need to tell you something," he said, his voice quieter than usual.
Sera tilted her head, curious. "You're being weirdly serious today."
He took a breath. "The Phoenix... what happened that day, and the power I used—it wasn't just luck or instinct." He looked at her directly. "There's something different about me. Something that doesn't belong in this world. I didn't just awaken powers—I am something else."
Sera's smile faded slowly. "You mean... like Professor Kaela?"
He nodded. "She told me there are others like us. People the world wasn't meant to have. She calls us 'anomalies.' She says there's a group hunting our kind, trying to force us to join them. If we refuse... we die."
Sera was quiet. Her eyes searched his face like she was trying to read past the words.
Zane stood and dusted off his cloak. "She asked me to come alone for training, but I couldn't leave you in the dark anymore. You're my best friend, Sera. You deserved to know."
Sera stood beside him, eyes firm. "Then I'm coming with you."
Later, in Kaela's Hidden Chamber...
Kaela stared at the two of them in silence. Then, with a sigh, she shut the chamber door behind them and raised her hand.
A burst of crimson light spread from her fingers, coating the walls in protective enchantments. The air turned still—dense with Void magic.
"I told you to come alone," Kaela said coolly.
Zane crossed his arms. "She needed to know. She's not just a friend—she's like family to me."
Kaela looked at Sera with a long, thoughtful gaze. "Hmm... come here, girl."
Sera hesitated but stepped forward.
Kaela brought out a small black crystal, its surface etched with chaotic silver lines. "Touch it."
"What is that?" Zane asked.
"A crystal of resonance. It reveals what hides within the soul."
Sera glanced at Zane, then reached out and touched it.
Immediately, the crystal began glitching, its surface flashing between white and black, light and shadow. Then it cracked—not shattered, but phased, as if the world itself couldn't decide what it was reading.
Kaela's eyes widened. "No..."
Zane stepped forward. "What's happening?"
Kaela stared at Sera, shocked. "She's... one of us. An anomaly."
Sera's eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"
Zane blinked. "No way. I thought I was the only one."
From Zane's shoulder, Nyx emerged as a misty shape, perching like a shadow cat. Her soft voice echoed into his mind.
> "I didn't sense it before... but now I do. She's not like you, but... she's definitely not normal either."
Kaela smirked faintly. "The thing on your shoulder is kind of beautiful," she murmured. "But this... this girl—this changes everything."
Zane looked at Sera, who looked dazed and overwhelmed.
He smiled softly and said, "Well... you still owe me a rematch in flying.