"ARGH!"

Michael sat up with a scream escaping his lips, sweat pouring down his face. His breaths came out in ragged gasps, his eyes wide with fear—the crushing sensation still lingering in his body.

"W-what's wrong!?" a voice cried out, filled with concern.

Rudy shot out of bed, instantly alert. He swiftly appeared next to Michael, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Michael, what is it?"

Confusion crept onto Michael's face, his mind disoriented. The room was dark, but he could see Rudy's face looking at him with a mix of shock and concern.

The familiar face was comforting—but then it changed. Curved horns grew out of his head, sprouting like trees from the earth, painting a horrifying sight.

His face turned pitch black, blood-red eyes glowing malevolently beneath his brow.

Michael stifled a scream, rearing back from the sight as terror overtook him. All thoughts of resistance left him—replaced with the primal urge to flee in the face of a predator.

His back hit the wall at the head of his bed, stopping him in place. Michael's chest heaved. There was no escape.

He closed his eyes tightly, curling into a ball, praying that it wasn't real.

"Dude, it's me… Calm down." Rudy's voice called out, deep and soothing. It washed over him, piercing through his rattled mind—shining a light on his darkness.

Michael flinched, not wanting to open his eyes. The voice had sounded real, but the sight of the grotesque demon was burned into his mind, the crushing feeling still aching in his body.

"It's okay…" the calm voice continued, "it was just a nightmare. You're here at the academy, in the violet dorms—its safe."

Each word that Rudy spoke brought Michael closer to the surface. It was like he was a drowning man, being pulled from beneath the rough seas towards salvation.

Finally, Michael worked up the courage to lift his head and open his eyes. What greeted him was Rudy's worried expression—not the demon's visage who had appeared earlier.

The first rays of light filtered in from the window, casting a warm glow on the teen's face. He knew now, this was indeed his friend, and he was safe inside the castle.

Relief flooded him, replacing the fear and helplessness he'd felt before.

"S-sorry…" Michael muttered, his tight muscles finally uncoiling after such a long time. With it, the crushing sensation that lingered slowly disappeared, as if it were never there in the first place.

The vestiges of the nightmare he'd experienced began to fade, bringing him back to the present.

Rudy approached slowly and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close in a brotherly embrace. He pat his back gently, comforting him. "Don't worry man, everything is going to be alright."

Michael flinched, but he relaxed shortly after. The guy didn't ask for an explanation, he just comforted him without expectation.

Only after a few minutes was he calmed down enough to pull back from the embrace.

"Thank you," Michael said sincerely.

"Any time man." Rudy replied, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, "If you want to talk about it, I'm all ears."

Michael thought for a few moments, not knowing what to do. He didn't want to relive the nightmare, but he had just been admonishing himself the night before for keeping so many secrets from his friends.

The burden he carried because of it was becoming a little too difficult for him. He wanted to wait for the right time to tell his friends—but when would be a good time?

Would there ever be a good time?

After some thought, Michael nodded. "Wait here, I'll go get Melody…" he said resolutely.

Rudy raised his eyebrow with surprise, but he didn't stop him.

Some time later, Michael returned to the room with the blue-haired girl. Unlike her usually immaculate hair and serene features, she appeared to be half-asleep—her hair tied into a messy bun behind her head.

"This better be good," she grumbled taking a seat on Michael's bed, crossing her arms in front of her chest in a huff. Though even in her tired state, she seemed to understand by the atmosphere that this was important.

Michael stood in the middle of the room, feeling a little vulnerable. He had already resolved to reveal his secrets, but now that his friend's were present—he had trouble deciding where to start.

"I have a confession to make…" he began nervously, his fingers brushing over the storage ring on his finger. Doing this had become somewhat of a habit when he was anxious, to the point where even his friends had noticed.

"My real name is Michael Aurelius, son of the Lord of Velmara city…"

His words rang out inside the room, receiving silence as a response. Both Melody and Rudy stared at him, each wearing differing expressions.

"So you're actually a noble?" Rudy asked, seeming a little interested.

Melody on the other hand was gawking at him in disbelief. She shook her head, as if to shake the tiredness from her mind—but her expression returned a moment later.

"That's impossible…" she muttered, almost to herself.

"Impossible? Why do you say that?" Rudy asked with interest.

Michael saw her face and instantly knew that she had heard of him. Judging by her reaction, it was clear what was on her mind.

"The son of Lord Aurelius was said to only possess a single white ring…" she stated, her eyes moving toward Michael's left wrist where a red ring was glowing faintly.

Michael nodded, "I was indeed a weakling with only a single white ring," he said—lacking the bitterness that he used to feel back then. "But I awakened something after my mother was killed…"

Both Rudy and Melody silently listened as Michael began his tale from over three years ago. He mentioned everything—every detail. The assassination of his mother, the trip to the mana-scarred lands, even the absorption of the chaotic mana and the dead violet mage.

As he told his story, Michael felt that he was reading directly from a fantasy book. He saw the expressions of his friends morph as they listened with bated breath—not interrupting at all.

But he could feel it. The concern, the care behind their eyes.

It made him feel warm inside.

He wasn't alone anymore.

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