Felix is stuck in a never-ending cycle of job applications, rejection letters, and the crushing weight of existential dread. When a job offer magically appears in his inbox with a salary so ridiculously high it could pay off his student loans and bu...
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Felix's morning was off to a rough start, and not just because of the weird dreams that had plagued him all night. It was like his subconscious had decided to throw a party and invite every single one of his anxieties as guests. The worst one was when he dreamt up screeches that revolved around him, tendrils that clawed at his throat and suffocated him, the weight of something heavy and unrelenting in the insides of his throat. Then: light. A silver mist that enveloped himself, driving the impurities away. Peaceful waters that shimmered beneath a golden star, bursting the seas aflame. Waves bellowed out, drowning out screams, wishes, people. A voice, echoing in the bright, clear, "I am Nix."
The nothing before everything, the only truth.
Felix woke up, gracefully, falling over his bed. He disgruntledly look up at the peering eyes of his fox. "So, Nix, huh?"
And now, with the sun barely up, Felix found himself in one of the balconies in the Library. Mind utterly blank, even as he fed his animal partner fruit for breakfast. He stared at the crevices of the mountain down below, thinking somewhat intrusively of jumping and just getting this all over with.
Cain, as usual, was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "You look like you could use a coffee."
Felix shot him a look. "Coffee? More like a triple shot of something stronger. You know, something that could help me forget I'm about to get my ass kicked by you. Again."
Seriously, he doesn't even look that fit!
Cain smirked. "That's the spirit. But sorry, no alcohol on the premises. Wouldn't want you getting too relaxed. Might start seeing double."
Felix rolled his eyes. "As if this place isn't trippy enough sober."
Cain pushed off the wall and walked over to a nearby table where a set of thin, silver needles were laid out. "Today's lesson is all about focus. And no, we're not doing acupuncture. These needles are used to channel your energy into a specific point."
Felix eyed the needles warily. "You want me to stab myself with those?"
"Not quite," Cain said with a chuckle. "You're going to use your magic to move them. It's a basic exercise, but one that requires a lot of precision. Trust me, it's harder than it looks."
"Great. Because my day wouldn't be complete without some needlepoint magic," Felix muttered, stepping up to the table.
Cain gestured toward the needles. "The goal is to lift them into the air and keep them suspended for as long as possible. You need to control your energy flow—too much, and they'll shoot up like rockets; too little, and they won't budge. It's all about balance."
"Right, balance," Felix said, already feeling the pressure. He'd never been great with delicate tasks, and this sounded like it was right up there with defusing a bomb.
