Echoes of a Broken Order

Chapter 3: Beneath the Surface

The next few days at the Academy of Mystical Disciplines were a blur for Elias. The classes were intense, and the atmosphere among the students even more so. Each lecture and seminar revealed more about the divide between commoners and nobles, both in knowledge and treatment. The curriculum was steeped in the belief that magical power was an inherent gift passed down through noble bloodlines—a narrative Elias knew was designed to keep people like him in their place.

But Elias had other things on his mind. Liora Vael's intervention in the courtyard had left him with more questions than answers. Her words had been cryptic, and her motivations unclear. And yet, there was something about her that made him curious, a quality he couldn't quite place. Why would someone like her—a student who wasn't quite noble but didn't seem to belong with the commoners either—choose to side with him?

As he made his way to his next class, *Advanced Theoretical Magic*, Elias spotted Liora across the courtyard, speaking with a group of students. She was poised and composed, blending effortlessly with both the nobles and the few commoners brave enough to sit with her. It was clear she navigated the social hierarchy with ease, but why had she taken an interest in him?

"Draven!"

Elias's thoughts were interrupted by Jax, who jogged up to him, his face flushed with excitement. "You're heading to *Advanced Theoretical Magic*, right? Mind if I tag along?"

Elias nodded, and the two walked together, Jax's energy a sharp contrast to the brooding silence Elias had grown accustomed to.

"So," Jax said, adjusting his satchel filled with gadgets and tools. "You still haven't figured out what this place is really about, have you?"

Elias frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jax grinned, his eyes lighting up with the thrill of a secret. "This academy isn't just about learning magic or proving who's better based on bloodlines. There's something much deeper going on. Something hidden."

Elias glanced sideways at him. "Hidden?"

"Yeah," Jax said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The academy keeps secrets—big ones. I've been poking around since I got here, and I've found things that don't add up. Old records, mentions of experiments that don't make sense, strange disappearances of students. They say it's just the magic here being unstable, but I'm not buying it."

Elias's curiosity was piqued. He had always felt that there was something off about the academy. It wasn't just the way the nobles treated commoners—it was the atmosphere, the tension that seemed to simmer beneath the surface.

"What are you saying?" Elias asked. "That there's more to this place than just a school for the elite?"

Jax nodded, his expression serious now. "Exactly. And I think whatever it is, it has to do with why people like us are really here. The scholarship students, I mean. We're not just here for 'diversity' or because we show 'potential.' They're watching us, testing us."

Elias's mind raced. Could Jax be right? Was there a deeper reason the academy had chosen to admit him—a commoner with no noble lineage? And if so, what were they expecting from him?

Before Elias could ask more, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. As they entered the classroom, Professor Ardin, a tall, gaunt man with deep-set eyes, was already writing complex magical symbols on the blackboard. Elias took his usual seat at the back, with Jax sitting beside him.

"Today," Professor Ardin began, "we will be discussing the nature of magical resonance and how it interacts with the physical and metaphysical realms. Pay close attention—this will be crucial for your practical application exams."

Elias tried to focus on the lesson, but his mind kept drifting back to Jax's words. Secrets. Hidden experiments. And the feeling that he was being watched, observed for something beyond his magical potential.

Halfway through the class, a sudden flash of light caught Elias's attention. He looked down and realized his hands were glowing faintly—a sign that his Dimensional Echoes were trying to activate. He quickly clenched his fists, forcing the magic back inside before anyone noticed.

But someone had noticed.

Across the room, Liora was watching him intently, her expression unreadable. She made no move to draw attention to him, but Elias could feel the weight of her gaze. He quickly lowered his hands, his pulse quickening.

After class, as the students began to file out, Liora approached Elias. She didn't say anything at first, just stood there, her blue eyes searching his face as if trying to read his thoughts.

"You're different," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elias tensed. "What do you mean?"

"Your magic," she continued, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It's not like the others. I've seen you suppress it before it manifests. You're hiding something."

Elias's heart pounded in his chest. He didn't know how much Liora had figured out, but he wasn't ready to trust her—not yet. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Liora raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "I'm not here to expose you, Elias. But if you don't start figuring out what's happening to you, someone else will. And trust me, you don't want the wrong people to take an interest."

Elias felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because," Liora said, her expression softening just a fraction, "I think we might have more in common than you realize."

Before Elias could respond, Liora turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone in the now-empty classroom. Her words lingered in the air, filling Elias with a sense of unease. He had spent so long hiding who he was—what he was—that the idea of someone else knowing, or at least suspecting, was terrifying.

But Liora's warning was clear: the academy was watching him, and whatever secrets he was hiding, they wouldn't stay hidden for long.