Max barely slept after Victoria left. When morning finally dragged him out of bed, he felt like every muscle in his body was screaming for rest still. Alex mumbled something half-coherent about breakfast and staggered out the door, leaving Max alone.
He reached for the weapon leaning against the wall.
The moment his fingers brushed the hilt, a shiver rolled through the metal.
Max flinched.
The weapon had never reacted like that before.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Max Dazeyrd," came a calm voice. "A word."
Max opened the door to find Headmaster Zephyr waiting in the hall, robes trailing like wisps of mist. His eyes flicked to the weapon in Max's hand.
"You felt it, didn't you?"
Max swallowed. "Felt what?"
Zephyr stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Don't insult both of us. That weapon is no ordinary artifact it's a sealed entity. Bound power. Caged will. When it stirs, something beyond this academy stirs with it."
Max tightened his grip. "What does that mean?"
Zephyr's gaze hardened. "It means danger is coming."
Max's stomach dropped. "What kind of danger?"
"The kind that arrives when ancient things wake too early." Zephyr paused, lowering his voice. "The wards beneath the school—those protecting the lower portal—have fluctuated twice this morning. And both times, your weapon reacted."
Max felt the blood drain from his face.
"You think the portal is connected to… to this?" He tapped the blade.
Zephyr nodded. "I know it is."
Max forced himself to breathe. "What do you want me to do?"
"For now?" Zephyr sighed. "Attend your classes. Keep quiet. And if anything unusual happens…" His eyes sharpened. "Tell me before "it" tells anyone else."
Before Max could respond, Zephyr slipped out the door, robes whispering down the hall.
Max stared at the closed door.
"…Great," he muttered. "No pressure."
Max blew out a breath and reached for his boots, trying to pretend his hands weren't shaking.
He made it halfway to the door before a magical bulletin flared into existence above the hallway—gold script rippling across the air for the entire dorm to see.
ACADEMY NOTICE:
By order of the Head Council, a Tournament of Ascension will begin in three days.
Participants will compete for special privileges, advanced training clearance, and access to restricted sections of the archives. Attendance is mandatory.
Alex's distant voice drifted from down the hall:
"Of course they're doing a tournament. This school can't just… do normal weeks."
Max stared.
The weapon at his side hummed again low, hungry almost like it was pleased.
Max muttered under his breath
"Perfect. Exactly what I needed. Doesn't this weapon know I can't just run around murdering people.