Dawn Academy, was made for the sole reason of nurturing talents that are scattered all around the continent. They would be provided with all of the necessary things needed for their growth, so most of humanity's fund was poured into its development. The academy itself is a breathtaking spectacle. Ornate gardens can be seen everywhere. Buildings with very unique geometric shapes are placed strategically to show their remarkable features. Pathways are shimmering by magical energies and devices. Towers in the academy are soaring, especially the floating tower where the Grand Magus, Marlenos Garabous, is residing. It could even be said that it is so high it could even reach the clouds in the sky.
Phyxius is now going to that very same place with Odessa. His presence was requested directly by Marlenos himself. "So, how's the old man doing?" Phyxius trying to break the silence between them. "He is still doing fine, but his illness is getting worse every day." Odessa is staring at Phyxius the whole time when they start walking to the tower. "You know, I am not oblivious to the fact that I'm a handsome-looking man, but I don't believe it would be enough to make the beauty of Frost, who declined all of her rich and handsome suitors, suddenly fall for me." Odessa blushed a little after hearing those words from him. Then she whispers. 'You're the reason why I refused them, dummy'. Phyxius, who is now showing a confused look on his face, asked. "What's that? I couldn't hear you." She walks past him, her face redder than before. "You've changed Phyxius. Usually, you would smile and laugh every time you make a corny joke. You would always be so caring and polite. The atmosphere that would surround you was always warm and bright, but now you seem so arrogant, gloomy, careless, and sad. What happened to you in a week from our graduation?"
Phyxius stayed silent for a while. "It's none of your business, so keep walking. We're almost at the tower now." Tears fall from Odessa's eyes. Her back was facing Phyxius, so he did not see it. She wipes the tears in her eyes in a way that Phyxius wouldn't notice. "You're right! It's really not my business. You know what? It's also not my business to guide you to the tower. So, why don't you go there by yourself!" She walks past him again, this time in the opposite direction, and then starts running. "What the hell happened?" He looked at her for a moment while she was dashing through the pathway. "I just couldn't understand her sometimes. We used to be a team before, and our teamwork was impeccable, but now, I'm really having a hard time understanding her."
After some time, he arrives at the tower when suddenly he hears a voice speaking in his head. "Well, if it isn't the infamous freshman who beats his senior without even breaking a sweat or should I say a graduate student who beats his junior without mercy. Which is which?" Phyxius didn't even bother to answer the question. "Just teleport me already, and I'll let you in for some cardinal information, gramps." He was able to pick his interest. "Hhmmm, you've changed a lot from the time we met, which was only a week ago. Something might have happened to you then. Well, alright, just like before, touch the crystal in front of you and pour some mana into it." Phyxius placed his hands on the crystal, and in an instant, a wave of magical energy enveloped his body, and the next thing he was looking at was a table with a pile of papers scattered everywhere and an old man sitting on a chair behind the desk.
"Hello kid, how are you? By the way, how did your family outing go?" Phyxius became silent and showed a bit of killing intent toward the grand Magus. "They're all dead!. Butchered by those damnable beasts, those f@xking demons." Shocked by what he heard, Marlenos was trying to find the words to comfort him. "I'm really sorry to hear that, kid; tell me what happened without leaving any details behind." Before explaining, Phyxius had to ask him something first. "Grand Magus, Marlenos Garabous, are you affiliated with Count Darius Etherious?" After asking that to Marlenos, the room became cold, then the air became heavier and Phyxius was having a hard time breathing. Marlenos Aura has just been released. Phyxius felt the uniqueness of his aura and was trying his best to compose himself so as not to show any weakness to the Grand Magus. Then he activated his own aura which made the air around him become hotter and lighter. "Oh, isn't that aura? Imagine a sixteen-year-old kid learning aura and even holding it up against mine, who is called one of the ten Pillars of Light, which is humanity's strongest force against the invading demons. This is really unprecedented!" His satisfied expression is written all over his face. "No, Phyxius, I'm not affiliated with that God-forsaken noble. In fact, I'm just biding my time, waiting for the opportunity to cast my highest destruction spell on him and erase him completely from this world." Marlenos has now deactivated his aura and Phyxius also followed suit.
The surrounding atmosphere of the room has gone back to normal. "I understand; I will tell you now all the things that have happened to me and my family, what my plans are in the future, and why I asked if you're affiliated with Count Etherious." Phyxius explained everything to Marlenos and gave him the badge that he found from one of the demons that attacked him and his family. Marlenos was in disbelief when he heard that the demons had infiltrated the continent of Philippus. What's worse is that, it's not even that far from Liones. Then his heart was dreadful when he heard how Phyxius's family perished, especially the part where his sister was liquefied.
"The demons could have performed the ritual for transforming a human to a higher class of demon or some type of undead. Like a vampire, lich, or maybe some type of a werebeast. It failed horribly. That is why your little sister's body got into that state." Phyxius nods in agreement. "I had my own suspicion for that, I just couldn't guess what type of incantations they did to my little sister. It was why, I wasn't able to reverse her back to normal." Marlenos quickly took a piece of paper from one of the drawers on his desk. He then agilely wrote something on it, folded it three times, and then sealed it with his signature. "Here, hand this letter to Siyara, the head instructor of the Shadowy Arts class and she'll know what to do with it. Regarding that guard, Garick Oswald right? I'll send someone to make him shut his mouth about your aura. You might want to hurry, the preliminary entrance exam will start within an hour. Siyara Ousahernas is very strict when it comes to functionality. Oh! Before you go, are you not gonna hide your identity? You're still a former graduate of the academy, and although most of your batch mates have gone on their separate ways to qualify and enter as a Radiant adventurer. Some of them are here, temporarily teaching the students as an assistant instructor." Phyxius stands up and takes the letter from Marlenos. "There is no reason for me to keep hiding my abilities from them anymore. I don't give a damn about what they would think about me." Phyxius exits the tower the same way as entering it, which is to touch the crystal on the tower's door and pour mana into it. "Phyxius has certainly changed a lot; you can't blame the kid, though, after all the things that he had been through. It's even a wonder to me why he did not just bombard Count Etherious's manor. With his abilities, I'm sure he could have killed the Count by himself. I guess that's a testament to how intelligent that kid is. He should have just chosen to enroll in the Arcane and Mystic Arts. I would have made him my apprentice and shown him the power of becoming a Grand Magus." Marlenos speaks to himself while daydreaming of Phyxius becoming his apprentice.
Phyxius arrive at the registration office for the Shadowy Arts classes. He saw a beautiful woman with short dark hair and killer-slanted eyes. She was wearing light but sturdy clothes which complemented her great figure. The clothes that she wore were black in color. She was sitting on a chair crossing her arms. "How can I help you?" Said the beautiful girl. "I'm looking for head instructor, Siyara Ousahernas. I got a letter for her coming from Grand Magus, Marlenos." The woman takes a look at the letter from Phyxius's hand and then shows her ID card. "I am Siyara Ousahernas. May I ask who you are?" Phyxius shows his ID card. "My name is Phyxius Ezriel and I want to enroll as a Shadowy Arts student." Phyxius hands over the letter to Siyara. "I see; come with me then; the entrance exam will start any moment now. So hurry up or you'll be late for the exam. Just so you know, I really abhor latecomers."