Vessel of Shadows

"Daron, don't sleep!" Anne whispered, poking him sharply with her elbow.

Daron growled. He had imagined the Magic Instruction Course to be his gateway into a world of magic and wonder.

Instead, he found himself sitting in what resembled a drab office meeting room.

The walls were bare, painted in a dull shade of beige. A large clock hung above the instructor's head, ticking away the seconds in a slow relentless rhythm. Rows of identical chairs lined the room, all facing front. He listened as the instructor went on and on about The Descent—the day nine gods descended upon Earth as humanity faced extinction due to war. The story recounted how the evil God of Chaos sought to annihilate humanity but was ultimately defeated by the other gods with the aid of humans and, of course, mana. Daron couldn't help but feel bored. He had heard this tale countless times from his parents, and it was losing its appeal.

While not everyone had the privilege of having parents with magical abilities, Daron found it disappointing that this course offered little new insight into the world beyond old myths and historical anecdotes. After all, magical studies were not taught in school, as the majority of society preferred to ignore the existence of magic.

Daron had hoped that he would learn something new and exciting, experiencing the sense of wonder he had felt when he first heard these stories… at the age of nine.

He turned his head to Anne, whose eyes were sparkling full of interest. She scribbled furiously in her notebook, capturing every word of the story with precision and dedication. Daron shook his head.

Well, it wasn't Anne's fault. While magicians with Plainborn parents still made up the majority of the mage population, her individual chances of being born with a Nexus had been slim. Yet here she was, sitting beside him. Daron felt grateful to have his childhood companion with him.

Noticing his gaze, Anne furrowed her brow. "Aren't you going to write this down?"

"Nah, I've got it memorized," he replied while tapping his temple with his finger.

"Of course you have," Anne chuckled.

***

The soft rustling of paper filled the room as Anne flipped through her notebook, her pen scratching against the paper in a steady rhythm.

As the instructor finished the lecture, he declared: "This concludes the Magic Instruction Course. I hope you now comprehend the immense responsibility that comes with wielding magic and why it must be treated with caution. Before we end, I have one last question to ask: Has any of you young students experienced your Nexus blooming yet?"

The teenagers in the room turned their heads, exchanging looks to see if anyone had already gone through what they were about to experience at some point in the next few weeks.

A blonde girl in the back row hesitantly raised her hand. "Uhm... My Nexus bloomed two weeks ago."

The room buzzed with murmurs as the instructor continued speaking. "Ah, very interesting, young lady. Would you mind sharing your experience with your classmates?"

All eyes were fixed on the thin girl, causing her face to turn red with embarrassment. Even Daron turned around in anticipation; finally, something of interest was being said.

"Well," the girl stood up, flustered by all the attention, "I could only describe it as... warm. It was like a wave of sunlight flowing through my body. It was such an amazing feeling. At first, I was scared because my chest felt tight for a few seconds, but then it felt like I could breathe freely for the first time in my life!"

After finishing, she sat back down, her face slowly returning to its natural color.

The instructor nodded, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Thank you for sharing your experience. It's quite common to feel a sense of warmth and freedom when your Nexus first blooms. It's a truly transformative moment." He turned to address the entire class once more.

"I hope I've shown you the history of magic and taken a bit of the nervousness away. This marks the end of the course. I wish you well on your journey, and I hope we will meet again one day, maybe at the Academy."

As the students gathered their things and filed out of the office-like building, the instructor's final words lingered in the air. 

***

Daron and Anne stepped out onto the sidewalk and paused.

"That was... something," Daron remarked. "Although I would have called it the 'Magic History Course' instead."

Anne chuckled, "I have to admit, even I thought it was pretty dry; although I did find it rather interesting."

As Daron looked around, he noticed the blonde girl from before exiting the building, her face now free of the dark red hue. He wondered how he would feel once his Nexus was ready.

"Anyway, I have to go home now. My parents are worried enough because of all the magic stuff… I shouldn't let them wait," Anne said.

"I'll walk you home, then," he offered. "We wouldn't want any bad guys trying to kidnap our future magician over here."

As they began their journey home, Daron took a moment to glance at his phone. He had turned it off during the course and was curious if there were any new messages. Among a few "Happy Birthday" wishes, he noticed several missed calls from his father. He attempted to call back, but his dad didn't answer. Daron shrugged it off, knowing it wasn't uncommon for his father to ignore calls. It was odd though, to have received so many missed calls from him.

Anne leaned in closer, peering over Daron's shoulder: "Is everything okay?"

Daron slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Yeah, it's just my dad. You know how he never answers phone calls."

Just then, Anne remembered something, and her face lit up with excitement. "Oh, I almost forgot! I was so excited about the instruction course. Happy Birthday, Daron!" she exclaimed.

Fumbling through her bag, she searched for something before her expression turned to disappointment. "Oh no, I can't believe I forgot to pack your present!" She pouted.

Daron chuckled and reassured her: "It's okay, don't worry about it. I know how important this day was for you. Just give it to me the next time we see each other."

They continued chatting as they walked through the Science District, the vibrant energy of the city and its inhabitants gradually fading into the serene atmosphere of the adjacent district.

The modern, bustling architecture full of glass and steel gave way to more traditional and natural buildings made of bricks and wood. Bright lights and electronic screens with advertisements were replaced by softer, warm lamplights. The sun began to set.

As they walked, Daron couldn't help but notice how striking Anne looked in the soft evening light. Her long hair, a rich shade of copper, cascaded down her back in loose waves. The gentle breeze lifted strands of hair and carried them across her face, lending a certain glow to her features. Tiny freckles dotted her skin, enhancing her natural beauty.

Wait, what? Her beauty?

Daron was taken aback by his own thoughts.

He had known Anne since they were children. How could he suddenly see her in a different light? It dawned on him that she had grown into quite a stunning woman over the past few years, without him even realizing.

Anne noticed the confused look on his face. "What's wrong, Daron?"

"W-What? Oh, I was just lost in my own thoughts," he stammered, nervously running a hand through his hair as he avoided making eye contact.

"You and your thoughts. Must be pretty busy in that cute head of yours."

As soon as the words left her lips, she felt a wave of heat rush to her cheeks, and instinctively covered her mouth with her hand. Her face turned a deep shade of red. She quickly took a step back, trying to regain her composure and hide her embarrassment.

"I-I meant in that big head of yours!" Anne tried to correct herself.

An uncomfortable tension lingered in the air as they walked on in silence. Daron couldn't shake off the strange feeling that had taken hold of him.

He wasn't used to feeling flustered and tongue-tied around Anne. She had always been his best friend, someone he could confide in and feel completely comfortable with.

But now, every time she looked at him or spoke to him, he felt an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest. It was almost like a fluttering sensation—one that he couldn't quite place.

After a while they reached the entrance to Anne's family home and stopped.

Daron turned to her with a smile. "Well, here we are."

Anne nodded, her gaze drifting toward her house for a moment before returning to Daron.

"Thanks for walking me home," she said softly.

"Anytime."

"Do you want your gift now? You can come in for a quick moment so I can give it to you," her voice a mix of anticipation and invitation.

"Thank you, but I should probably be heading home. My parents are most likely waiting for me," he replied with a shy smile.

"Oh, okay. Next time, I promise I won't forget to give it to you!"

"Haha, alright. I'm looking forward to it," he laughed.

There was a brief pause, a moment of silence, followed by both of them shifting awkwardly on their feet.

"Well, I should probably go in," Anne said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, we don't want your parents worrying even more. Tell them I said hi."

They said their goodbyes and parted ways.

Daron made his way toward his house, replaying their conversation in his head. Was it only him who noticed a change in their dynamic?

He shrugged it off and continued on his way.