I slowly opened my eyes as dawn's first light filtered through the crystalline windows of my quarters, memories and questions from the intense vision quest under Elder Rohini's guidance still swimming through my groggy thoughts. The revelations about existence's underlying unity beyond mundane appearance proved...unsettling honestly.
Like gazing upon some cyclopean perpetual motion machine driving all creation's aspects. Rohini's teachings spoke of those fully awakening to the integral lacework as "Viewers of Eternity" - the secretive cabal somehow cloaked in rumors across the academy halls.
To so casually restructure causal environments or manifest quakes in reality's root waveform...no wonder ingress to such staggeringly elevated vistas was restricted only to psychic explorers boasting utmost discipline. The temptations to reign as living gods over fleshy multitudes unable to perceive deeper truths would prove overwhelming! Yet that was the exactly the sour reaction Rohini had warned against succumbing towards no matter how great the ignorance faced in society. Each soul walked their own journey at their own pace. External force or intimidation towards 'enlightenment' represented the same polarizing toxicity that suppressed alternate perspectives.
With these paradoxical debates raging inside my head, part of me almost wished to return towards the blissful innocence of simply brandishing extremely lethal powers for glory's sake. Back when eclipsing loudmouth varsity rivals was the greatest cosmic disturbance one wrestled against...
Speaking of ill-tempered prodigies...today marked the highly anticipated duel between my nemesis Zeref Dragov and some esoteric incarnation mage named Rizel Vail apparently obsessed with forcibly possessing the strongest talent on campus to perfect amalgamating all reality manipulation affinities...or something weird like that. Not even Rohini with all his empathetic wisdom had patience for that lunatic's tiresome philosophical rants. But Vail's mastery over interactive soul links was undeniable. Whomever emerged victorious from this clash of anti-divas would see their celebrity boosted like none other before.
Sufficiently distracted from my identity dilemmas by prospect of imminent unearthly spectacle I quickly finished off steaming lunar manta egg omelets from the dining alcoves before hastening towards Ascendant Arena #1 swirling with visible gravitic shear waves of hype for the imminent throwdown. Impatient torrents of Initiates from all years and perhaps other stranger visitors not typically spotted on campus added to the electric atmosphere. Where one walked normally only empty air now warped with odd refractive cues towards some imminent membrane breach...I idly wondered how many conceptual realms were drifting into sympathetic alignment amplifying today's duel across parallel realities?
Arriving at my customary front row seat just as the crystalline dome's solar-initialization routines completed washing Arena #1 in brilliant coruscating rainbow patterns. Perfect theater lighting aimed towards the first armored combatants marching from opposing tunnel gates - Rizel Vail cut an elegant intimidating silhouette with flowing platinum robes marked by lambent violet glyphs not found in any archives I had accessed so far. Likely self-developed soul symbols granted by the entity he supposedly defeated then consumed during summer break...Vail exuded an aura like crystallized Will made manifest and entire blade-topped staffs floated within his telekinetic orbit.
By contrast my longtime tormentor glided forth draped in Zeref's customary midnight outlining strange fractal geometries. Multiple tiny shadowy serpentine shapes sinuously coiled around his shoulders and arms - likely extraplanar parasites feeding on ambient shedded soul stuff or other esoteric emissions. Even without sound I could imagine his arrogant mocking voice verbally reducing Vail's principles to pitiful delusions. Part of me prayed they might grievously eliminate each other from ongoing interference despite Elderr Rohini's passive teachings. Was that awful? The contest hadn't even started yet...
No more time left wondering - as soon as both combatants stepped into Arena #1's projection circle an overwhelming pressure wave blasted outward pausing all other motion! I gaped stunned along with everyone else present feeling our collective lease on material existence suddenly rendered insignificant next to the welling forces roiling across from each other. Up in the faculty towers alarms of all spectra wailed unheeded. How could any simple exhibition match contain such mutually ruinous potency?!
My guts knotted thinking of the catastrophic potential should even one misfired salvo breach containment. And Vail had not even fully manifested his vaunted Overselves into our plane yet...then Zeref uncharacteristically broke the building tension with a wild burst of laughter. All eyes turned towards this rare outpouring of emotion from the normally frigid prodigal demon. With visible effort he restrained further chortling long enough to jeeringly salute Vail.
"Well now, beloved scholar! What fortune you've prepared such lavish welcoming gifts for my wayward aspect." Zeref exclaimed loudly with theatrical grandeur, visibly baffling everyone else present save his sneering opponent. With another mocking half bow Zeref proceeded gliding backwards several paces while drawing a fiendishly glowing rune with one fingertip. The completed glowing crimson symbol caused Arena #1's solid stone foundation to temporarily vaporize! In its place swirling abyssal vortex torn straight from primal Chaos' maw, no reality existing beyond the gap save strange gibbering shapes and ululating screams. From that fathomless Well Zeref produced a single floating crystal filled with ominous violet light - seemingly physically heavy from the effort. Yet his smile only widened further feeling unhallowed new vigor coursing through his veins.
"Ahh YES! Once more all trivial creation trembles helpless before the Dragov Scion!" Zeref proclaimed loudly before casually closing the unnatural portal with a whistle. He turned slow pirouette taking in hundreds of speechless witnesses with clear sadistic delight.
"Now then! Who dies first while I test augmented capacities?" He purred with silken menace. Rohini had warned against perceived polarization but Zeref's flamboyant flaunting of unrestricted dimensional affinities offensive on every conceivable level! Vain shows of power conducted without care invited warranted comeuppance...
Almost unconsciously I realized my seething fists now overflowed with barely constrained annhiliatrix plasma seeking immediate release towards Zeref's smirking face. Never before had I desired visiting such absolute obliteration on another soul. Something in Zeref's carefully orchestrated displays here moved me towards homicidal ultimatum space beyond detached analysis of growing threats posed towards fragileTerra Firma. Raw injustice kindled my blood.
Beside me Rohini watched impassively while initiates shuffled away from my contorted expression. No empathy or restraint showed in his judging scarlet gaze towards Zeref dancing upon unlimited vaults of possibility like sadistic cage fighter. My tormentor clearly attempted poison Reality's taproot simply through selfish whim without forethought.
"Have care for own intensity, young friend." Rohini stated neutrally. "All reactions now shape destiny's weave..."
I could barely register the advice through crimson fog drowning conscious. Zeref and I stood upon tipping points too extreme for ambivalence. Did I possess necessary courage alone to stop him from gaining Viewer station?