Ethan jolted awake as if rising from the dead. His eyes snapped open, heart thumping in his chest, sending echoes up to his skull, causing him a massive headache. His lungs burned, his breath cut short, desperately seeking air.

  Then, as if the floodgates opened, air finally funnelled down his windpipe, expanding his lungs. His chest heaved up and down for a few moments before calm finally returned. Despite it all, his mind swam as if within a hazy sea, seeking harbour from the storm. Eyes darted all around, yet his mind couldn't recognize his surroundings—not until clarity finally hit him.

  He remained within the black book, quietly nestled between many more of its kinds, forgotten to the world within the Empire's repository of all things magical, the Endless Library. The small room remained the same, except the circle he had carved onto the floor was now wholly inert. The peculiar energy once infused within was gone, expunged from it. Even the runes he had dutifully carved were now smeared, their meaning erased.

  How long was I out of it?

  Ethan rose to his feet with a slight panic in his eyes before rushing out of the open door. He found himself surrounded by dusty old tomes back in the library. He didn't even pause, letting his feet carry him forward swiftly through the maze of books, only to end up in a large open area.

  In the middle stood two large doors, yet no walls were to serve as foundation. The doors remained upright, perpendicular to the marble floor, as if waiting for someone to push them open.

  Facing them was but a single desk where a young woman stood, eyes pointed downward onto large stacks of documents. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, sporting a slightly altered version of the uniform Ethan witnessed outside the library some time ago.

  It consisted of a white shirt, with a black blazer covering it, and a black skirt that ended mid-thigh. Her long legs were wrapped in black stockings, ending with shoes with a slightly elevated heel. Covering it all was a large black overcoat lined with gold, which almost draped down to the floor.

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  When she heard Ethan's steps thumping as he rushed toward the desk, she turned around only to strike him with an exasperated look. She crossed her arms, looking down at him as Ethan stopped just a few steps away, eyes lowered yet desperately trying to catch his breath.

  “Have you anything to say for yourself?” she added, her gaze filled with a slight disgust.

  Even as Ethan’s breath returned to a stable rhythm, his head remained lowered, unwilling to meet her gaze. He remained silent, not even offering a single word of explanation.

  "Unbelievable!" she spat, her tone harsh. Her gaze became sharp as if seeking to cut through his chest and extract his heart. Somehow, Ethan felt a deep shiver in his spine, yet she wasn't done, "Do you think yourself untouchable now that the Head Librarian has become your brother-in-law? I told them hiring a sundered one wasn't a good idea. How could one who has never known mana possibly work for the most prestigious magic academy on the continent? Just because your father is a Magister doesn't give you the right to throw away your obligations! Think of the ones that need to pick after you!"

  Ethan's jaw was clenched tight, as were his fists hidden in his sleeves. His gaze was riveted onto the stone floor as if trying to bore a hole through it. Just the mere mention of his father made his blood boil. He needed every hint of his self-control not to lash out in anger and strangle the woman before him with his bare hands.

  It was then that he felt a slight movement near his heart. At first, he didn't pay much attention, but as time went on, the feeling became much more pronounced, constantly gnawing at him as if from the recesses of his mind. That was until he felt the pain assault him as if whatever entity it was burrowed straight into his heart.

  Although the pain seemed endless, it existed but for a single moment, crashing onto him as if a tsunami, all at once. He almost felt himself lose consciousness, yet surprisingly, he remained standing in the same position. All his muscles tensed simultaneously, fixing him in place as the change happened.

  He felt his field of view widen, not so much in area but in depth. Things once hidden from him were now revealed as if a new world had opened. He saw microscopic multicoloured flashing lights dance in the air, akin to constant fireworks lighting the sky—except they moved in an unpredictable manner.

  Some crashed against each other only to be added to the sum, becoming slightly brighter. Other particles were extinguished upon colliding as if they had negated each other, but some also merely bounced off of each other, travelling in countless different directions.

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  These particle interactions were endless. This was a brand new sight he had no knowledge of. This was the first time in his entire life that he bore witness to such a fantastical sight. There were almost glitters in his eyes.

  Is this... Mana. Am I finally able to see it?

  As he realized this, tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He felt his anger slowly subside, as it couldn't compare to what was now in front of his eyes. For the first time in a long while, Ethan basked in the joy rising in his heart; the culmination of all his efforts had finally borne fruit.

  “Are you even listening to me?!”

  The female voice filled with disdain was like a cold shower, a rain on his parade. He felt the joy of this discovery slowly fade away from him, out of his reach. Although this was a momentous juncture for him, the world remained marginally the same, just as hostile. The only difference would be that he now had the means to overturn his fate.

  He clenched his fist tight, resolve swelling in his heart. He would use this newfound opportunity to regain all he had lost and prove to the world that he wasn't sundered from the well of power known as mana anymore. He would finally take his rightful place in the world and seek to get even with those who once slighted him for his deficiency.

  His lowered head slowly rose, staring calmly at the woman before him. Although gorgeous would be one way to describe her, Ethan felt no awe as he gazed upon her, just a deep-seated aversion. However, this thought was but a reflection of what he had been shown day after day, for months, slowly twisting his impressions of her until they became ugly and distorted.

  "Don't you dare look at me with those eyes? Someone like you isn't worthy!"

  Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard, grating on what remained of his self-control. He felt anger rise again, bubbling below the surface like the impending eruption of a once-dormant volcano. His eyes slightly narrowed, disdain hidden deep within.

  No wonder she remains single at her age... No matter how beautiful, how could anyone ever tolerate this bitch...

  This thought merely lingered for a moment as he gazed upon something odd. The earring dangling from her left ear was a deep green, reminiscent of a verdant forest, as was her long hair sprouting from her scalp. However, this was the first time he had seen it be this colour. He had seen her every day for almost a year, and every time, her hair was a deep auburn, the same colours as her eyes. This dichotomy of pigment couldn't help but give him pause.

  That was when it struck him. The earring glowed with the exact same hue. Looking closer, he could see countless small pink flowers entangled within her green hair, flowing slightly as if a light breeze blew within. However, there was no such breeze within the Endless Library.

  As if in response to his gaze, the pink flowers all turned toward him in unison, opening their petals as if to cast their gaze upon him. He felt a chill run down his back but also wonder rise in his heart. This was the first time he had borne witness to a spirit—the first time he was truly exposed to the mysteries of magic.

  Ethan stopped in his tracks, his anger fading as he was too absorbed in observing this elusive species for the first time. From the countless books he had read, he knew that most spirits were materializations of the aspects of nature, whether destructive forces like fire and lightning or more constructive ones like light or even plants.

  Ethan didn't even need to judge which type it was, as he had heard this woman, time and again, brag about how beautiful her spirit was. Most of the time, Ethan had only scoffed, thinking she was merely exaggerating in an effort to make herself look better, yet he stood corrected. Although begrudgingly, he had to admit it was indeed beautiful.

  “Aster! What's wrong?" the woman asked, a slight panic in her tone. Yet Ethan remained oblivious, too absorbed in observing this creature.

  Her green hair was like roots attaching it to the woman's head. Although only slightly, he could see them move as if a heartbeat within. The pink flowers jiggled as her hair flowed back and forth, radiating a sweet scent that made Ethan slightly light-headed. But most surprisingly, he could see the minute flashing lights—which he believed to be mana—slowly drawn to the flowers' core, almost as if they were breathing the world itself.

  It was a magical sight, especially for the first time. It was as if he had been blind all his life, and now he could finally see the world for what it truly was. For the first time, Ethan felt truly alive.

  It was then that he reacted to the change. Before he even saw the pink flowers turn a deep red—the colour of blood—Ethan had already struck the ground, propelling himself to the side, avoiding the flurry of bloodstained petals that rushed his prior location, ripping through the air like a sharp wind.

  He felt cold sweat stain the clothes on his back and moisten his forehead. Beads of sweat condensed on his skin before dripping to the ground, shattering the heavy silence. Yet Ethan heard none of it. All his senses were heightened to their limits, his eyes wide open as he gazed in shock at the woman before him and at the bloodstained flowers aimed in his direction.

  “Aster! Stop it! What do you think you are doing?”

  Her voice didn't even register in Ethan's mind, still shaken from his near-death experience. Had he been but a moment slower, these sharpened petals would have run right through him, leaving their bloody imprint in his flesh.

  Did she... Did she just try to kill me? What for... Although she’s a bitch, she’s not homicidal.

  Ethan's mind spun at lightning speed, hoping to find a logical reason for all this, only for his gaze to land on the once-green earring. It now contained a small amount of deep red hidden deep within, as if a vortex of blood. Searching his memories for such a phenomenon, something similar arose in his mind.

  Did Aster just act on its own? But... that's impossible. The contract doesn't allow for independent actions. A spirit cannot disregard its contractors' will... Unless... Unless it's in a state of heightened emotions—unless it fears for its life. However, what about me could possibly threaten it?

  Still, Ethan had no time to think further. He saw countless other blood-red petals emerge from the woman's green mane, readying themselves for another strike. Ethan slowly hid his right hand behind his back, seeking something until he found a small dagger sewn within a hidden compartment in his overcoat. He tightly grasped the wooden handle, readying himself to strike back.