The lecture ended. Notebooks closed, bodies stirred, and the corridor filled with murmurs and hurried footsteps.
Ryan and Edan left the hall together. The air in the corridor was still warm from the heat of bodies, and the dim light of the oil lamps cast long shadows on the stone walls.
Edan asked.
"Will you come to the restaurant?"
"No. I'm going back to my room."
"To rest?"
Ryan did not answer. He did not say he was going to train. He just nodded.
Edan looked at him for a moment. His eyes tried to read something, but they found the usual wall.
"Alright. Until tomorrow."
"Until tomorrow."
They parted. Edan walked toward the restaurant and Ryan walked toward the dormitory.
***********
The corridor was nearly empty. The sound of his footsteps echoed on the cold stone floor. The torches on the walls flickered, casting long, dancing shadows like quiet ghosts.
He reached his room. He opened the door, entered, and closed it behind him.
The room was small. The iron bed in the corner, the wooden desk by the window, the narrow wardrobe in the opposite wall. Everything in its place. Everything quiet.
But he was not here to rest.
He sat on the floor, his back against the bedframe. He removed his sword from his belt and placed it beside him. He needed to focus. He needed to face the thing he kept running from.
He raised his right hand. He looked at it. It trembled slightly — not from fear, but from anticipation of pain.
He closed his eyes. He did not try to remember the Memories. He did not need to. The pain was already part of him, sitting in his chest next to his spark.
He opened his eyes.
The flame appeared. Red. Dim. It rose from his palm as if growing from beneath his skin. It flickered like a torn flag in the wind. Not large, but real.
Then the scars began.
Every scar on his body — on his chest, on his arms, on his back, even the small marks on his neck — began to burn with sharp pain, as if red-hot needles were piercing his flesh.
"One..."
His voice was low, steady. The fire still burned. His hands trembled, but he did not extinguish it.
"Two..."
The pain spread to his shoulder. To his neck. To his lower back.
"Three..."
He breathed with difficulty. He felt nauseous. But he did not stop.
"Four..."
He gritted his teeth. His jaw ached from clenching.
"Five..."
His hands trembled. The flame trembled with them. Its shadow danced on the wall like a mocking ghost.
"Six..."
"Seven..."
He clenched his fist. The flame grew. Its heat intensified. The pain intensified.
But he endured.
"Eight..."
His heart pounded fast. His body wanted to surrender. But he refused.
"Nine..."
Now the struggle was entirely internal.
"Ten..."
"Eleven..."
"Twelve..."
Sweat poured from his forehead. His hands shook violently. But he continued.
"Thirteen..."
"Fourteen..."
"Fifteen."
He extinguished the fire.
His hand fell to the floor. He gasped like a man who had run for miles. His body was drenched in sweat, his face pale.
He looked at his hand. It was not burned. It was unharmed. But the scars still throbbed with pain, reminding him of what he had done.
he whispered.
"Fifteen seconds,Better."
He lay down on the bed. He did not close his eyes. He stared at the wooden ceiling. The pain was still there. But it had become familiar.
He heard a knock at the door.
A light knock, hesitant, unsure of itself.
Ryan did not move. He hoped whoever was behind the door would think the room was empty.
But the knock came again. A little stronger this time.
Then he heard a voice.
"Ryan? Are you there?"
He recognized the voice. He turned slowly toward the door.
"Ari?"
He opened the door. His little sister stood before him. She wore the dark blue robe, her long silver hair braided in two simple plaits. Her big blue eyes glistened in the dim lamplight.
She was alone.
he asked, his voice still tired from training.
"How did you get into the boys' dormitory?"
she said, as if explaining something obvious.
"Academy rules allow blood relatives to visit.Brothers and sisters can visit each other in their dormitories, as long as the visit does not exceed one hour."
Ryan looked at her. He did not know this rule.
"And how did you find my room?"
She smiled a small smile.
"Of course I asked the person in charge of the dormitory."
Ryan scratched the back of his head.
'Is there anyone like this?'
Ryan paused for a moment. Then he stepped back, leaving the door open.
"Come in."