The Imperial Academy, with its grand walls and towering spires, was a place of both opportunity and scrutiny for the students it housed. But for the members of the royal family—those heirs still under the age of 18—the academy offered a privilege few knew about. In secret, hidden deep within the academy's sprawling campus, lay a private dormitory for the princes and princesses of Valaris. A guarded, lavish quarter that only they were allowed to inhabit, far removed from the common student population. To the outside world, Simone was just another scholarship student, his royal status a secret known only to a select few.
When Simone stepped into his room for the first time, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The grandiosity of it all seemed like a lifetime ago. His room was a lavish suite, adorned with silks and velvets in deep midnight blues and rich purples—colors that echoed the royalty he had chosen to abandon. The bed was large, framed in intricate woodwork with a canopy above, and thick, plush rugs covered the floors. The walls were lined with regal tapestries, and an ornate desk sat in the corner, a window beside it offering a sweeping view of the academy's expansive grounds. It was everything a royal heir could wish for.
Yet, the opulence of it didn't sway him.
He closed the door behind him, the soft click echoing in the quiet room. He could feel the weight of the privacy that surrounded him—the heavy curtains drawn shut, the guards standing vigilant outside, all of it part of his new life, one he had chosen to hide from. Despite the comfort of his surroundings, Simone still couldn't shake the feeling of being a prisoner to the world he had left behind.
Simone made no attempt to unpack his belongings. His eyes briefly flicked to the bed—no, he would not be sleeping tonight. Not yet.
He needed to train.
The Awakening had been a shock, but it was nothing compared to the power that now roiled inside him. Every time he closed his eyes, he felt the darkness stir within him, threatening to consume everything. The ability to absorb other powers—his power—was a double-edged sword, one that offered immense strength but also came with an unrelenting hunger. The darkness inside him was becoming harder to control, gnawing at his consciousness like a wild beast caged within his chest.
He couldn't afford to lose control. Not here. Not in the academy.
He walked over to the far corner of his room and pressed his hand against the wall. A hidden mechanism clicked, and a section of the wall slid open, revealing a narrow passageway behind it. This was his secret. A hidden corridor that led to the private training rooms reserved only for members of the royal family. No one else knew of it. Even the academy's staff and the guards outside his quarters were unaware of its existence.
Simone stepped into the passage, his footsteps echoing in the narrow stone hallway. The air was cool and heavy, and the faint smell of old stone and dust filled his nostrils. At the end of the passage, a set of heavy iron doors stood, embossed with the royal crest of Valaris. With a quiet push, they swung open to reveal the training room—a place that had been used by generations of princes and princesses to hone their abilities in secret.
Inside, the room was vast, its walls lined with enchanted mirrors that reflected not just one's physical form but also the energy within. There were training dummies set up around the room, weighted sandbags, and intricate runes carved into the floor to channel and amplify the powers of those who trained here. The very air seemed thick with the promise of power, humming with latent energy.
Simone stood at the center of the room, closing his eyes to center himself. The darkness inside him was like a storm, swirling and flickering at the edges of his mind. He took a deep breath, willing himself to focus.
Control.
His hands glowed faintly as shadows began to stretch from his fingertips, twisting and swirling in the air. He could feel them tugging at him, trying to consume him entirely. But Simone resisted. He focused on shaping them—directing them with his mind, not letting the hunger take control.
For hours, he worked. He summoned the shadows, shaping them into forms and controlling their movement. The darkness would try to slip through his fingers, as if rebelling against his will, but he forced it to bend. Each time, it fought harder. Each time, the power inside him grew more unruly.
Sweat trickled down his face, but Simone kept going, pushing himself harder, knowing that his control was slipping with every moment. He could feel the power surging within him, calling out to be released, but he refused to give in.
With a final burst of concentration, the shadows around him solidified into a twisting serpent of dark energy, circling around him like a vengeful beast. Simone's breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling as he held the creature in place, the darkness quivering in the air like a living thing.
But even as he held the power at bay, he could feel it growing stronger, more insistent.
You cannot keep me at bay forever, the power seemed to whisper in his mind, a low growl echoing within him.
Simone's hands clenched into fists, and with one final exertion of will, he forced the shadows back into his body. The serpent of darkness dissolved in an instant, and the room fell silent once more.
He exhaled, his body trembling with exhaustion. Sweat soaked his brow, and his legs were weak beneath him. He had done it. For now, at least. But the power was still there—waiting.
Simone sank to his knees on the cold stone floor, resting his head against the surface. He couldn't afford to slip again. He couldn't afford to let the darkness consume him. His family, his life, everything depended on it.
The prince pushed himself to his feet, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. He looked at the mirrors on the walls, the reflection of his eyes glowing a deep blood-red in the dim light. He saw nothing but the faintest hint of what could become of him if he failed to maintain control.
With one last glance at the training room, Simone turned and left. He needed rest—but there would be no peace for him tonight. Not until he was certain he could keep the beast within him locked away.