The morning sun seemed different to Roland as he sat for breakfast at the cafeteria, pushing food around his plate without eating. Every beam of light, every shadow cast by the academy's massive windows, caught his attention in ways they never had before. The vision from the Grimoire had changed everything – not just his understanding of his family's history, but his very perception of the world around him.
Cole and Ian exchanged glances across the table. They knew Roland enough to recognize when something is troubling him, but this felt different. Their usually confident friend seemed lost in thought, his eyes occasionally tracking movements that neither of them could see.
"Alright," Cole finally said, putting down his fork with a decisive clank. "What's going on? You've barely said two words since we woke up, and you keep staring at shadows like they're about to jump off the walls."
Roland looked up, meeting his friends' concerned faces. The weight of his secret pressed against his chest, demanding to be shared. But the vision had also shown him the danger of truth – how fear had turned humanity against Morgan Kuiper, how even those he had saved had ultimately sought his destruction.
"I..." Roland began, then paused, carefully choosing his words. "The Grimoire showed me something last night. About my family. About who I really am."
Ian leaned forward, lowering his voice. "What do you mean? What did it show you?"
Roland glanced around the dining hall, noting the other students chatting and eating nearby. "Not here," he said quietly. "Let's find somewhere private."
They found an empty classroom, sunlight streaming through its high windows. Roland closed the door behind them, then turned to face his friends. The shadows in the room seemed to deepen slightly, responding to his agitation, 'when did I become like this? So trusting, so eager to have someone share my troubles with. Is this what having friends is like?' He thought.
"There was a man," Roland began, "during the worst days after Monstrosity's Dawn. Someone with incredible powers – control over light and darkness. He saved countless lives, gave humanity time to develop weapons and technology to fight back." He took a deep breath. "His name was Morgan Kuiper."
Cole's eyes widened. "Kuiper? Like you?"
"He was my ancestor," Roland confirmed. "The vision showed me everything. How he fought alone against the monsters, how he protected humanity while the Chronol family and others developed their technologies." He hesitated, deciding to keep the darker parts of the story to himself for now. "The Grimoire showed me this truth, then... disappeared. Like it had completed its purpose."
"That's incredible!" Cole exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. "No wonder you can do things with shadows that no one else can. It's in your blood!"
But Ian's expression was more guarded. "If this man was so powerful, why haven't we ever heard of him? Why isn't he in our history books?"
Before Roland could answer, a voice spoke from the doorway. "Because some truths are too dangerous to be widely known."
They spun around to find Eva Frost standing there, her white hair catching the morning light. Roland tensed, wondering how much she had heard, but something in her expression made him pause.
"The Frost family has its own hidden histories," Eva said, stepping into the room and closing the door. "Including records of alliances with the Kuiper family, before..." She trailed off, meeting Roland's eyes meaningfully.
"Before what?" Cole asked.
But Roland understood. The Frosts had been allies with Morgan Kuiper before the betrayal, before the TerraUnity had erased him from history. "You knew?" he asked Eva.
She shook her head. "Not about you, not until now. But I grew up hearing whispered stories about a great hero who was feared for his power. The Frost family kept records, protected them from those who would destroy them."
Roland felt a connection with Eva he'd never experienced before – both of them carrying the weight of hidden histories, of truths too dangerous to be spoken openly.
"We should be careful," Ian warned, always the pragmatic one. "If this information was deliberately hidden, there must be people who want it to stay that way," he said flustered and timidly since this was his first time speaking to anyone here other than Roland and Cole.
As if to emphasize his point, shadows suddenly rippled across the floor. Roland realized with a start that he was doing it unconsciously, his emotions affecting the darkness around him in new ways. He took a deep breath, and the shadows stilled.
"I need to understand these powers better," Roland said, more to himself than the others. "If they're my heritage, I need to learn to control them properly."
Over the next few days, Roland threw himself into training with renewed purpose. Every free moment was spent practicing, pushing the boundaries of his abilities. The shadows responded more readily now, as if the knowledge of his legacy had awakened something deeper within him. And sometimes, when he concentrated particularly hard, he thought he could feel something else – a hint of the light manipulation that had made Morgan Kuiper so formidable.
But his increased activities didn't go unnoticed. James Well, in particular, seemed to watch him with growing intensity during training sessions. One afternoon, Well held him back after class.
"I can tell You're improving rapidly," Well said, his voice carefully neutral. "More rapidly than I would have expected."
Roland met his instructor's gaze steadily. "Is that a problem?"
"That depends," Well replied, stepping closer. "On whether you understand the responsibility that comes with power. And whether you understand that some powers attract... unwanted attention."
The warning was clear, and Roland felt a chill run down his spine. "Do you know something about my family, Instructor Well?"
Well's expression remained unreadable. "I know that history has a way of repeating itself, unless we learn from its mistakes. Be careful, Roland. Not everyone celebrates the rise of unexpected powers. I won't lie to you at first I saw a useless empty in you, someone not worth the attention but you've proven me wrong, you turned out to be much more."
"So he still hasn't changed. He still sees empties as useless people," Roland though. "Well at least he doesn't discriminate."
The encounter left Roland shaken, but also more determined. The Frost twins, especially Eva, provided quiet support and occasionally shared fragments of historical knowledge that helped him better understand his heritage, tips for practicing and sometimes a sparring partner.
But others grew distant or hostile. Roland caught whispers in corridors, saw the way certain students watched him with suspicion, some wondering why a useless empty, someone with no ability was training so much. In their eyes he was useless, destined to be nothing. The divide reminded him uncomfortably of how fear had turned humanity against Morgan Kuiper.
One evening, standing at his window and looking out over the academy grounds, Roland made a silent vow. The shadows gathered around him, responding to his resolve, as he promised himself that he would uncover the full truth of what had happened to Morgan Kuiper. The TerraUnity's betrayal wouldn't remain hidden forever.
Eva found him there, still staring out into the darkness. "You're not alone in this," she said quietly, joining him at the window. "The Frost family remembers its old allegiances."
Surprised to see her Roland asked, "How did you get in?"
"I have my ways." She responded.
Roland nodded, slight concerned about her response and grateful for her support but aware of the danger it might bring her. "The truth about Morgan Kuiper's death needs to come out," he said. "But not yet. First, I need to become stronger. Strong enough to protect those who stand with me."
"And we'll help you," she replied. "Whatever comes next."
The shadows swirled gently around them both, no longer just a manifestation of power but a reminder of the legacy Roland had inherited. Somewhere in the academy's archives, in hidden records and buried histories, lay the full story of Morgan Kuiper's betrayal and death. Roland would find it, no matter how long it took.
But as he stood there, watching night fall over the academy, Roland understood that uncovering the truth was only the beginning. The real question was what he would do with it once he found it. Would he seek justice? Revenge? Or would he find a different path, one that might finally bridge the gap between power and fear that had led to his ancestor's downfall?
The legacy of Morgan Kuiper weight heavily on his shoulders, but as the shadows danced at his command and the first stars appeared in the darkening sky, Roland felt ready to bear it. Whatever came next, he would face it with the strength of his heritage and the support of those who stood beside him.
The truth, like the powers flowing through his veins, could not remain hidden forever. And when it finally came to light, Roland would be ready.
[You have unlocked hidden mission]
[Mission: Avenge Morgan Kuiper]
[Reward: Unknown]
[You have unlocked special mission]
[Mission: Master Morgan's Ability, Luxumbra]
[Reward: Unknown]