Shadow Slave: Flaw of Gods.

Veil opened his eyes, hearing the quiet hum of the engine. He still couldn't get used to the fact that Aroon, his mentor, had a car. Unlike most of the residents in their district, who traveled on old, soon-to-break buses or on foot, Aroon drove his own black LTS—a massive, armored transport vehicle that looked more like a tank than a car.

"Thought cars were a luxury?" Aroon smirked, catching Veil's surprised glance.

"I just... didn't expect it," Veil admitted.

"Get used to it. The Awakened have access to many things."

Veil nodded and closed his eyes again. His body ached from the exhaustion of all the Nightmare trials, and now, with everything finally calm, he felt utterly drained. To the steady noise of the engine, sleep overtook him once more.

Veil opened his eyes, but something was wrong. He saw himself sleeping in the seat of Aroon's LTS. Panic overtook him for a moment, but then he began to realize: he was not in his own body. The sensation was strange but incredibly clear and realistic. He looked at his hands—they were translucent and emitted a soft silver glow.

"What is this place? What happened to me?"

He felt weightless, as if his body no longer obeyed gravity. With just a thought of movement, he rose into the air above the vehicle. Everything felt surprisingly natural—he tried moving forward, backward, sideways, and every motion was smooth, as if he were part of the flow of air.

"So this is my Aspect. My soul left my body..."

Is this all I'm capable of? He didn't know yet. The vehicle, carrying his body, continued on, and Veil decided to test his limits. He darted forward and was astonished to find that he could move far faster than the car. This feeling of freedom overwhelmed him.

Soon, he reached the massive gates of the Academy of the Awakened. His attention was drawn to two figures: a tall man and a woman in a sharp black suit, radiating icy confidence. Veil paused, catching a fragment of their conversation.

— "Since we're both from the outskirts, I'll give you three pieces of advice. Whether you listen to me or not is your choice," said the woman.

Veil tensed. The information could be useful. He flew closer, trying to stay in the shadows. But the woman suddenly turned her head toward him. Her gaze stopped, as if she sensed something. Veil froze.

— "Master Jet?" asked the man.

— "Hmm, nothing. Let's continue," she replied coldly.

— "First: Once you register at the Academy, they'll offer you a psychological consultation. There will be a reward for telling them about your Nightmare and Assessment. You might even get a Soul Shard, maybe even more."

The man frowned.

— "Are you trying to convince me to see a psychiatrist again?"

Jet shook her head.

— "No. I'm telling you to refuse."

— "Why?"

— "You're too inexperienced to understand, but in the Dream Kingdom, Nightmarish Beasts are not the only danger. The strong Awakened are a threat too. The less they know about your Aspect, the better. The simplest way to defeat a strong opponent is to use their Weakness. Remember that."

Veil listened more intently.

— "Second: You'll have a lot of courses to choose from—combat training, magic, artifact studies, and so on."

The man sighed.

— "Forget all of that. The only thing you'll have time for is survival in the wilderness."

— "What?"

— "City kids have mentors and training. We don't. Can you start a fire? Get food? Find shelter? Fighting is important, but it's pointless if you starve or freeze to death. Remember that."

Veil began to pull back. He had heard enough, and his body was already nearing the Academy. However, he caught Jet's gaze again, and for a moment, their eyes met. She seemed to sense him, but couldn't quite figure out who he was. Veil made a quick move and disappeared into the night.

Veil exhaled. He had learned a lot from their conversation, and while his Aspect's ability was strange, it was no less useful for that.

And then there was that Ascended one... The situation felt tense; maybe she had really sensed him for that brief moment. Did all Ascended ones have such a skill, or was she just that special?

When the vehicle stopped, Veil forced his eyes open.

"Academy of the Awakened. From this point on, you're on your own," Aroon said dryly. "Can you handle it?"

"I can handle it," Veil replied shortly.

He opened the door and stepped outside. Before him stood the massive red gates of the Academy of the Awakened. The bridge had already been lowered, and beyond it, he could see the main building with its high windows and monumental walls.

He noticed Jet. She seemed to feel his gaze. For a moment, their eyes met, and there was a flicker of suspicion in her expression. But then she turned away and walked toward Aroon.

Jet initiated the conversation.

— "Hello, Master Aroon."

— "Hello, Master Jet."

With interest, Jet asked.

— "Is he already asleep?"

Aroon nodded grimly.

— "I see."

Satisfied, she went to her car and drove off.

Veil watched her retreating vehicle for a long time, finally relaxing with a sigh.

He turned around and saw that he was truly standing before the massive, seemingly indestructible red gates of the Academy of the Awakened. The Academy was, in essence, a city within a city. It was built like a fortress, with high walls made of solid alloy, a deep moat, and numerous large-caliber turrets positioned in strategic places to create a deadly aerial suppression dome.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, into the future that awaited him.