Austin left Yanika and her friends behind, making his way toward the towering structure of the Mystican Tower.
The sun had climbed high, signaling that noon was approaching.
He quickened his pace, weaving through the near-empty corridors of the academy.
Most students had gathered in the cafeteria for lunch, making the path eerily quiet.
As he stepped into the grand hall of the Mystican Tower, the silence deepened.
The vast chamber stretched high, the ceiling seemingly lost in the shadows above.
Austin exhaled sharply, glancing around.
Nothing happened.
He crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. "Well? Any grand reveal?"
Still nothing.
Austin sighed and leaned against the cold stone wall.
He had been informed about this—the tower only responded at a precise time, and until then, he had no choice but to wait.
He checked the large clock embedded in the far wall, watching the minute hand crawl toward the noon mark.
Seconds stretched into minutes.
The stillness of the chamber made every small sound—his breath, the rustling of his clothes, even the faint creak of the walls—feel exaggerated.
Austin fought the urge to fidget.
Just how long was this going to take?
Then, as the final second clicked into place and the sun reached its zenith, a deep hum resonated through the air.
Austin straightened, watching in anticipation as the enormous doors began to glow.
Wisps of golden light traced the runes, each one igniting like a flickering candle.
Then, a series of words appeared across the wooden surface, inscribed in shimmering, luminous script.
A poem.
Austin narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to read:
"The moon that shone hides the sun beneath its gown. The hidden answer in the wits behind
In a world of doubts, the answer spins around. A puzzle where time and worlds intertwine.
Infinity may never touch floor-zero, Yet Zero holds mysteries ever-flow.
True power always lies behind your brave feats, While true knowledge lies beyond your high pursuits.
If harnessing power strikes foolishness, Then seeking knowledge exposes weakness.
The monsters to strength, the books to insight, Only one you must step into with might."
A riddle.
Austin groaned. He wasn't bad at riddles, but this one was… frustratingly vague. He read it again, trying to piece together the meaning, but the more he analyzed it, the more his head ached.
"Alright, fine," he muttered. "Akasha, a little help here?"
Silence.
Austin blinked. Normally, Akasha would've jumped at the chance to explain, but there was nothing. No response, no voice in his head.
"Akasha?" he tried again.
Still nothing.
Austin frowned. Then realization struck.
"...Wait. Are you still mad?"
Silence.
"Come one, that was weeks ago when I told you to shut up," Austin undermined it.
Silence.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. "Seriously? You're still sulking because I told you to shut up weeks ago?"
More silence.
Austin rolled his eyes. "Alright, look. I didn't mean it. It was a heat-of-the-moment thing. You know I hate loud things," he explained, "And apparently, I was anxious about the whole dormitory thing."
Another silence.
"You talk a lot, and I needed to focus, so I—ugh, fine, I'll apologize. Akasha, I'm sorry, okay?"
Nothing.
Austin's patience wore thin. "Oh, come on. What do you want? A written apology? A song? Should I grovel on the floor?"
No response.
He clenched his fists. "Fine. Be that way. I'll just solve this stupid riddle myself."
He turned back to the poem, reading it over again. "...Something about the moon and the sun. Something about zero and infinity…" He groaned. "I swear, if this is some overly philosophical nonsense, I'm going to punch a wall."
Silence.
Austin smirked suddenly. "You know, Akasha… since you're not talking to me, I guess that means you can't stop me from doing something reckless, huh?"
Still nothing.
His grin widened. "I've always wondered what it feels like in a near-death experience."
[YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT—]
"—Ah, there you are." Austin smirked in triumph. He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, Akasha, just remember the poem for me."
A brief pause. Then, Akasha's voice echoed in his mind, laced with clear amusement.
[Oh? You only ask me to remember things when they interest you or answer hard questions for you. How convenient.]
Austin smirked. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
[When will you stop idling around and finally do what you're meant to do? Open the quest information.]
Akasha's voice took on a sharper edge, laced with something Austin couldn't quite place.
He waved a dismissive hand as he stepped away from the glowing door. "Not interested."
A long silence followed. Akasha, for once, seemed at a loss for words.
Austin took advantage of the moment. "Just do what I asked, yeah?"
Akasha let out something between a sigh and a grumble.
[There's a reason why you have me, Austin. And the only way for you to remember what that reason was is to level up. I saw the essence of your soul, and within it, I discovered that—]
"—Blah, blah, blah." Austin cut in, dragging out the syllables in the most uninterested tone he could manage. "I hate assignments."
[...]
Akasha was silent for an unnervingly long time. Then, in an almost curious tone, it asked...
[Is this… anger I'm feeling?]
Austin gave no response.
He simply pushed open the doors of the tower and stepped out into the bright afternoon, leaving Akasha to its own musings.
The halls of the academy bustled with students, many of them moving between classes, chatting in groups, or lost in their own thoughts.
Austin barely paid them any mind as he made his way toward his next lesson.
That was when he noticed her.
Ava.
She stood in the hallway, arms crossed, her gaze locked onto him as if she had been waiting.
The usual sharpness in her expression remained, but there was something else—something unreadable in her eyes.
Austin stopped, meeting her stare.
She didn't move.
Neither did he.
A beat of silence passed between them.
Then, Ava finally spoke.
"You and I need to talk."