Roman's heart pounded like the heavy drum of fate as he was escorted through the cold, echoing hallways by the stern-faced guards. His mind was a tempest of swirling thoughts, each one a desperate search for a way out of the predicament that had ensnared him. He had been thrust into a corner by Mrs. Val's machinations—forced to attend a school that was a world away from anything he had known. Yet, as much as the thought of flight tempted him, it was a luxury he could not afford, not with the lives of Theo and his uncle hanging in the precarious balance.
The guard's shove was firm, snapping Roman out of his thoughts and sending him stumbling into the spartan room that would be his cell until his departure. The door slammed shut behind him, the click of the lock as final as a judge's gavel.
"You will not be permitted to leave unless Mrs. Val says otherwise," the guard declared, his eyes boring into Roman with a mix of contempt and thinly veiled envy before the door shut, leaving Roman in an oppressive silence.
He tested the door, unsurprisingly finding it immovable. His fists beat a fruitless rhythm against the solid wood. "What if I get hungry?! Or if I need to shower?" he called out, hoping his voice reached the guards on the other side.
"Be quiet!" came the muffled retort from the guard stationed outside. A sneer tinged his voice as he added, "You weren't worried about your hygiene when you first arrived. Do not test my patience again. There's a bathroom in the quarters. Though, insects like you should stay covered in dirt."
The words stung, the venom in them more potent than the guard's disdain. Roman's shoulders slumped as he retreated to the bed, the weight of his situation pressing down on him. His fingers wrapped around the artifact Mrs. Val had given him, the cool metal a stark contrast to his warm, clammy palm.
— — —
[Flashback to when Mrs. Val gave him the artifact]
The guards had taken Theo back to Mrs. Val's mansion, their presence a silent but constant threat. Mrs. Val's voice sliced through the tension, "This artifact, an 'Etheric Resonator', collects mana from all around—animate and inanimate. And mana," she paused, a wicked smile playing on her lips, "is everything. Without it, you're less than the dirt beneath our feet."
She chuckled, a sound that was as chilling as it was amused, while Roman regarded the device with a mix of wonder and trepidation. "Use it wisely at the academy. It has a cooldown period of 5 to 10 minutes. And since you are unacquainted with mana, well, let's hope the power doesn't corrupt your little norm head," she teased, her voice dripping with mockery.
With the Etheric Resonator and the water amulet in his possession, Roman felt the weight of the unknown pressing upon him.
"The gods have not chosen you, Roman. You will neither see your Power Level nor that of others. Your sole advantage is my recommendation, which spares you the entry exams. My name carries weight at Merlic Academy, and they will reel from the shock of me backing someone like you," she boasted, her pride as towering as her stature.
"Why do you want me at this academy?" Roman asked, the mixture of confidence and doubt in his voice betraying the chaos of his emotions. "I can't help but wonder why someone of your stature would go out of your way for a norm like me."
Mrs. Val's gaze fixed on him, her eyes like twin vortices threatening to draw him into their depths. "Your eyes, Roman," she began, a touch of genuine intrigue softening her usually imperious tone. "Even as you stand there, wary and defiant, they burn with a conviction, a strength that I have not seen in a while. When I first laid eyes on you, I felt it—an unsettling sensation, as if I were caught in the abyss of those eyes, unable to escape."
Roman was taken aback, his heart skipping a beat. The acknowledgment from someone as formidable as Mrs. Val stoked a fire within him, a flicker of pride that crept onto his face in a rare, unguarded smile. As he was escorted away to the guest room, Mrs. Val watched, her predatory gaze never wavering, her lips curling into a sinister grin filled with an insatiable hunger.
("Grow stronger, Roman. I will nurture you until the time is ripe, and then I will feast upon the chaos of your shattered world. You will dance to my tune," she thought, her malice bleeding into the very air around her, her butler shivering at the palpable killing intent.
— — —
Back in the present, Roman lay on the bed, the Etheric Resonator in one hand and the water amulet in the other. A pungent odor invaded his nostrils, snapping him out of his reverie. "Maybe I should bathe before I try anything reckless," he muttered, catching a glimpse of his ragged appearance in the mirror. "And change these clothes... they're filthy and full of holes," he sighed, conceding to the guard's earlier jab at his expense.
Striding into the bathroom, he discovered a note lying atop an elegant set of clothes that seemed to mock his current dishevelment. The handwriting was precise, every stroke deliberate.
"I took the liberty of finding clothing suitable for your frame," read the note. "You'll wear these to Merlic Academy tomorrow. I've informed your uncle and secured your belongings, which will be returned upon your departure. Enjoy the bath; it's been heated with rune magic. Sincerely, Mrs. Val."
The bath was a cloud of steam, the water an inviting canvas for his wearied body. Slipping into the hot embrace, Roman's muscles began to unwind, the heat seeping into his bones. As he lay there, his mind raced with thoughts of the future, of the academy, and the strange, alluring world of magic that was slowly ensnaring his curiosity.
He chuckled to himself, a rare moment of levity in the midst of his troubles. It was ironic, he thought, that even as he plotted against the woman who had ensnared him in this web of intrigue, he was enjoying the comforts she provided. The bath, the clothes, the promise of magic—all of it was a gilded cage, and yet he couldn't deny the pull of the power that lay within his grasp.
With a determined glint in his eye, Roman resolved to master the gifts he had been given—not for Mrs. Val, but for himself, for Theo, and for the safety of his uncle. It was a path fraught with danger, but Roman was no stranger to adversity. He would navigate this treacherous journey with the same resolve that had seen him through the darkest of times.
Roman emerged from the bath, his skin flushed from the heat, his spirit cleansed from the grime of his former life. He donned the clothing provided by Mrs. Val, the fabric soft against his refreshed skin, a stark reminder of the new world he was about to enter. There was a sense of transformation, a metamorphosis not just of appearance but of destiny.
As he stood before the mirror, Roman could hardly recognize the man staring back at him. Gone was the ragged vagrant who had stumbled into Mrs. Val's clutches; in his place stood a figure of potential, cloaked in the garb of a gentleman, yet with eyes that still burned with an unquenchable fire.
The Etheric Resonator and water amulet lay on the bed, their presence a constant call to the unknown. Roman picked them up, feeling their weight in his hands, the promise they held. He knew the road ahead would be fraught with trials, with eyes watching his every move, waiting for him to falter.
But Roman was not one to shy away from a challenge. With a deep breath, he steeled himself for the days ahead. Magic was a force he had never believed he could wield, a realm that had always been beyond his reach. The very thought sent a thrill down his spine, a mix of fear and exhilaration. He would learn, he would adapt, and he would use this power—not for the twisted games of Mrs. Val, but for his own ends.
The night crept on, and Roman lay awake, the Etheric Resonator by his side. He contemplated its use, the surge of mana it would bring. He could almost taste the power that lay dormant within him, waiting to be awakened. The next day would mark the beginning of his journey to the Merlic Academy, the start of a new chapter in his life.
He closed his eyes, his mind abuzz with possibilities. The last thought before sleep claimed him was of Theo and his uncle. He would not let them down. No matter what Mrs. Val had planned, no matter the web she had woven, Roman would fight. He would rise. And he would emerge from this crucible stronger than anyone, especially Mrs. Val, could ever have imagined.
As the moonlight waned and dawn approached, Roman's resolve hardened into an unbreakable will. He would face the academy, face magic, face destiny itself—and he would not be found wanting.
