Chapter 20

  Ren sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the note once again.

  Obsidian Hall wants you.

  He remembered now. Back during academy selection day, the name had come up. Obsidian Hall had sent him an invitation—one of only three academies to do so. He hadn’t thought much of it back then, assuming it was some sort of automated selection or mistake.

  Obsidian Hall was one of the most prestigious magic academies in the empire. It was known for producing powerful sorcerers, brilliant researchers, and… secretive graduates who often ended up in positions of quiet influence.

  They were supposed to be one of the oldest and most selective magic academies in the empire. An academy that didn’t participate in public tournaments or grand ceremonies, unlike the more celebrated imperial academies. Instead, they focused on “pure study” and “advancement of knowledge” — at least, that was the official line.

  But this? A note slipped into his pocket in the dead of night… from a man actively going against the empire?

  It was supposed to be legitimate.

  But after tonight, after overhearing that conversation, after feeling that chill in the air and seeing the fear Bernard hadn’t quite been able to hide…

  He wasn’t so sure anymore.

  He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly. He didn’t have time to chase mysteries right now. The written exams were tomorrow morning, and he still had entire sections of theory to brush up on.

  Pushing aside the strange encounter for the moment, he turned back to his desk. Notes on mana structures, runic layering principles, and magic tier classifications were spread out before him. He picked up his quill, dipping it in ink, and forced himself to focus.

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  Hours passed as he worked through complex problem sets and mental exercises, occasionally pausing to recall entire pages of their textbooks from memory. His photographic memory was a gift, but understanding application and nuance still required effort.

  The clock in the common room struck midnight. He rubbed his eyes, the exhaustion weighing heavier now. Just one more section.

  He reached for a reference text on advanced sigil geometry — but his hand brushed against something else. A slim, faded leather-bound book tucked between two larger tomes. He didn’t remember placing it there.

  Curious, he pulled it free. The cover was blank except for a faintly embossed symbol: a black circle surrounded by three interlocking lines.

  He opened the book.

  “Of the Three Shadows: The Quiet Orders of the Empire.”

  His breath caught.

  The introduction was short and chilling:

  "Three orders, unknown to the common man, guide the empire’s fate from behind closed doors. Their purpose is neither conquest nor governance, but the quiet maintenance of balance and secrecy."

  "Of these, Obsidian Hall stands apart. Publicly, it is an academy dedicated to advanced magical study. In truth, it recruits those with exceptional talent for observation, secrecy, and manipulation of knowledge. Recruits are chosen young, trained in both magic and subtlety, and bound by oaths not to king or council — but to the balance of power itself."

  Ren sat frozen.

  So it wasn’t just an academy. It was something far more dangerous.

  He glanced again at the note in his hand.

  Obsidian Hall wants you.

  His heart pounded. Why him? Why now?

  A sudden knock at the door startled him.

  “Ren?”

  Leo’s voice.

  Ren scrambled, sliding the book beneath a stack of notes just as Leo peeked in.

  “You’re still up? The exam’s tomorrow, you lunatic.”

  Ren forced a smile. “Last-minute revisions.”

  Leo chuckled. “We’ve got this. Just don’t fry your brain.”

  The door closed with a soft click.

  Ren sat there for a long time, staring at his notes, his mind elsewhere.

  Tomorrow was the exam. But after that...

  He wasn’t sure what waited for him anymore.