Time at Beacon Academy passed faster than Kael expected. Each day, he immersed himself in the ancient books in the library, studying the Primordial Era and the profound principles of Primordial Energy. Headmaster Eldrin occasionally visited, conversing with him, sometimes assigning special combat exercises in Combat Room Number 7. Under Eldrin's guidance, Kael not only learned to control Primordial Energy but also discovered new abilities.
He learned to enhance his senses, making them so acute he could detect the slightest energy fluctuations in the air. He could control Primordial Energy to reinforce his body, making him faster and stronger than any warrior of comparable level. His shield creation and long-range attack skills also improved by leaps and bounds. Importantly, Eldrin's silver ring proved effective, completely masking the presence of Primordial Energy within Kael from curious eyes.
Lyra was Kael's only companion on this journey. She frequently visited him, reading books with him or simply listening to his thoughts about Primordial Energy. Lyra was a talented mage, but she never showed arrogance or doubt about Kael's power. Her trust and companionship were a tremendous source of motivation for him.
One evening, as Kael was engrossed in an ancient book about magical plagues of the Primordial Era, he suddenly felt an unusual sharp pain in his chest. It wasn't like the pain from being beaten, but a deep constriction from within, as if something was squeezing his heart.
He grimaced, clutching his chest. The pain quickly spread throughout his body, burning hot like fire, then chilling cold like ice. Kael found it hard to breathe, his pupils dilating.
The Primordial Energy within him became chaotic. The familiar powerful flow suddenly turned wild, crashing against his meridians, causing him excruciating agony. The ancient runes on the relic in his mind flickered continuously, but he couldn't decipher them.
"Cough... cough..." Kael coughed violently, tasting something metallic. He brought his hand to his mouth. Blood. Dark, thick blood.
The pain intensified with each passing moment, as if a thousand needles were piercing every muscle fiber, every tendon. Kael collapsed to the floor, his body convulsing. He tried to control the Primordial Energy, but it no longer obeyed him. It was betraying him.
In a moment where his consciousness was nearly gone, a sudden memory flashed. It was the image of the ancient relic. He recalled when it infused Primordial Energy into his body, along with a mysterious black energy, like a stain. At the time, he was too much in pain to notice.
"No... it can't be..." Kael gasped.
It wasn't an accident. Something had been sown into him along with the Primordial Energy. A curse.
Footsteps pounded outside. Lyra, who had just arrived at Kael's room to invite him for a walk, witnessed the horrific scene.
"Kael! What's wrong with you?!" Lyra cried, rushing to him, kneeling by his side. She saw the black blood, his face twisted in extreme pain. "Oh gods, blood... I'll call the Headmaster!"
Lyra started to turn and run, but Kael clutched her hand, though his was icy cold.
"No... no..." Kael struggled to speak, each word a battle against the pain. "Don't tell anyone... don't let anyone know..."
The pain reached its peak. Kael's vision blurred, a chilling cold slowly enveloped him, dragging him into a bottomless abyss. He had faced near-death many times, but this time, it was different. This time, he felt his life being drained from within.
"Kael! Wake up! Kael!" Lyra screamed, shaking him hard. She felt Kael's body temperature dropping rapidly.
Despite Kael's words, Lyra knew she couldn't let him die. Without hesitation, she used what little power she had as a Mana Mage to send a weak stream of healing energy into Kael's body.
Though faint, that energy was like a tiny spark in the dark night. It touched the chaotic Primordial Energy within Kael. For a brief moment, the Primordial Energy seemed to "recognize" the help, and a small part of it reacted. It didn't resist Lyra's energy, but even tried to "absorb" it, transforming it into a part of itself.
Kael's convulsions subsided slightly. His breathing was still shallow, but more regular. The Primordial Energy within him was still chaotic, but it no longer violently rebelled against his body. The black blood stopped flowing.
Lyra sighed in relief, but her face remained pale with fear. She knew this was no ordinary illness. This was something far more terrifying.
Kael lay there, exhausted and unconscious. The silver ring on his finger subtly flickered, as if it too was trying to conceal something even greater than the Primordial Energy. The ancient curse had awakened.
Lyra sat quietly beside Kael, holding his hand tightly. She knew she had promised to keep his secret, but this secret... it was too immense. Kael carried a deadly threat within him, and she, his only friend, was the only one who knew. The weight of the truth pressed heavily on her shoulders.