Blind Legacy of Time

The graduation trials arena echoed with cheers across the academy's stone courtyard. Arden sat among the spectators, scanning the crowd for Lyra. His mask adorned with blood-red streaks, a slit for his blind eye, and golden embroidery concealed his face, but his heart pounded with the hope of seeing Lyra after four years. Sira fidgeted beside him, her blue eyes shadowed with jealousy. "Are you thinking about Lyra that much, Arden?" she asked, her voice tinged with bitterness. Arden, eyes fixed on the crowd, murmured, "Seeing her… it could change everything," but his blind eye began to burn the intensity of his emotions merging with his curse.

In the middle of the trials, a student lost control of their magic and underwent a horrifying transformation dark energy enveloped their body, limbs elongated, claws sprouted, and their eyes glowed red as they turned into a savage shadow creature. The crowd scattered in panic, screaming, when Lyra leapt into the arena; her blood-red hair flowed in the wind, her golden eyes blazing with determination. She summoned her flames flames that released a sweet jasmine-cinnamon scent, calming the crowd and weakening the creature's energy. Arden froze behind his mask; Lyra's scent flooded his senses, reviving memories of their childhood days of laughter, learning to control his flames, those warm moments together. His heart raced, his excitement triggering his curse; he wanted to stop time, but his control gave way to rage.

Lyra brought the transformed student down with a final wave of flames the student staggered, but still posed a threat, its claws scraping the stone floor. Arden, seeing Lyra in danger, surged to his feet, his rage consuming him. He tore off his mask, revealing his long black hair, his blind eye glowing like a flame. He leapt into the arena, blood-red flames igniting in his hand as Lyra watched in shock. With a single, furious motion, he severed the creature's head blood and black smoke mingled in the air, the headless body collapsing to the ground. Lyra froze, recognizing the blood-red flames, her golden eyes filling with shock and recognition. "You… Arden?" she whispered.

Arden turned to Lyra with cold determination, "Finish your job properly," he said, his voice sharp and devoid of emotion. He then triggered his curse time stopped; the crowd, Lyra, everyone froze, sounds silenced. Arden put his mask back on, hiding his long black hair, and slipped into his seat. Time resumed a few seconds later. Lyra looked around, bewildered, unable to find the unmasked stranger her gaze landed on a masked figure (Arden) among the spectators, but despite the familiar flames, she couldn't connect it to the unmasked face. Sira trembled beside Arden, whispering, "Arden, you've gone mad!" her voice a mix of fear and jealousy.

As the crowd whispered in shock, Sira pulled Arden by the arm, "Lyra saw you, but she didn't recognize the mask… for now," she said, her voice laced with worry and anger. Arden murmured, "I had to protect her… don't dig too deep, Sira," his voice tinged with fear of his own darkness. He wrestled with the urge to follow Lyra, but resolved not to leave Sira behind. After a pause, he added with determination, "You've never been to the academy before, have you? If you want, I can show you around… I've put the mask back on, I'll talk to the headmaster he won't oppose me, I think." His blind eye still burned, Lyra's shocked gaze replaying in his mind.