Villain With A Side Quest

## Author's note ["Hello everyone, I'm so sorry for the delay in updates. Thank you for hanging in there and being patient. I'm working hard to get back on track. If you're enjoying the ride, I'd be forever grateful if you could show your support with some power stones. Your gifts keeps me going"]

The setting sun cast long shadows through the Academy's windows. Kieran stood in the empty combat arena long after the other students had departed, his victory over Alexander Vale still fresh in his mind. The polished wooden floors bore marks from their intense battle, testimonies to the techniques that had led to Alexander's defeat.

"You revealed more than you intended," the entity murmured in his thoughts, its voice carrying a mixture of amusement and concern. "Though perhaps less than they think."

Kieran traced the scuff marks with his boot, remembering the moment Alexander's perfectly executed light enhancement had shattered against his street-fighting counter. The noble's face had shown more than surprise—there had been recognition there, a sudden understanding that he'd been played for a fool.

"They would have discovered it eventually," Kieran responded silently to the entity. "Better to control how much they see than to have them dig too deeply."

The entity's presence shifted, like dark water rippling in his mind. "And what of the others watching? Master Chen's expression was particularly interesting. He sees more than he shows."

Before Kieran could respond, the sound of footsteps echoing through the empty arena caught his attention. He turned to find Kael emerging from the shadows, his usual mysterious demeanor somehow more pronounced in the dying light.

"Impressive performance," Kael said, his voice carrying its characteristic quiet intensity. "Though I wonder if Alexander realizes just how much you were still holding back."

Kieran studied Kael carefully, noting the way his fellow student moved with that same liquid grace that had marked his own mysterious fighting style during the qualification matches. "You see quite a lot for someone who prefers to remain in the background."

"As do you," Kael replied, stopping at the edge of the combat circle. "Though I suspect we see different things. For instance, I see someone who's playing a very dangerous game with multiple powers within these walls."

The entity stirred restlessly in Kieran's mind. "He knows something. Or thinks he does."

"We're all playing games here," Kieran said carefully, maintaining his position in the center of the arena. "Some are just better at hiding their moves than others."

A faint smile crossed Kael's face. "Like certain groups who think they can change the system from within? They believe their secrets are well-kept, but in the Academy, walls have ears."

The mention of group sent a ripple of tension through Kieran's shoulders thinking if he was talking about Ronan's group. He'd been careful to maintain his distance while appearing interested in their cause, but Kael's words suggested he knew more than he should about their activities.

"You seem well-informed for someone who keeps to himself," Kieran observed, carefully gauging Kael's reactions.

"Information is survival," Kael responded simply. "Something I suspect you understand better than most."

The silver coin Ronan had given him felt suddenly heavy in Kieran's pocket. The entity's presence sharpened in his mind, alert to the delicate balance of the moment. Here was another player in the Academy's complex web of power and secrets, one whose motives remained unclear.

From the arena's upper gallery, a shadow moved—Victoria Drake, watching silently. Her presence confirmed what Kieran had suspected: his match with Alexander had drawn too much attention. The carefully maintained facade of a struggling dark magic user had begun to crack.

The entity's whisper came with an edge of dark humor. "It seems our little performance has attracted quite an audience. The question is, what will they do with what they think they know?"

Kieran felt the weight of multiple gazes on him—Kael's measured assessment, Victoria's hidden observation, and somewhere in the Academy, Ronan's group planning their next move. The game was becoming more complex, the players more numerous, and the stakes ever higher.

"We all have our secrets," Kieran said finally, meeting Kael's steady gaze. "The wise ones know when to keep them."

As he turned to leave the arena, the entity's presence coiled thoughtfully in his mind. "The board is set," it mused. "Now we wait to see who makes the first true move."****

Back in his room, Kieran sat cross-legged on the floor, the Tier 3 grimoire open before him. The candle flames cast dancing shadows on the walls as he studied the complex diagrams for shadow stepping. His fingers traced the intricate patterns while the entity watched with keen interest.

"You're thinking about it too mechanically," the entity said, its voice carrying a hint of impatience. "Shadow stepping isn't about memorizing movements. It's about becoming one with the darkness itself."

Kieran wiped sweat from his forehead, frustrated after another failed attempt. The past three hours had yielded nothing but exhaustion and a growing headache. 'Maybe I'm not ready for Tier 3 spells,' he thought, then immediately pushed the doubt aside.

"Show me again," he muttered, standing up despite his trembling legs. The candlelight flickered as he gathered his magic, trying to wrap the shadows around himself like a cloak.

The entity sighed. "Watch closely. Feel how the shadows move naturally." It sent images through their connection - darkness flowing like water, bending around corners, seeping through cracks. "They don't fight against their nature. Neither should you."

Kieran closed his eyes, letting the sensations wash over him. The shadows in the room responded to his magic, curling around his ankles like curious cats. He could feel them, almost taste them - bitter and cold and somehow alive.

"Now," the entity instructed, "pick your destination. Not too far for the first try. That corner will do."

Kieran focused on the darkest corner of his room, where the candlelight couldn't reach. 'Just five steps away,' he thought. 'Simple enough.' He gathered his power, letting it build until his skin tingled with contained energy.

The first part went smoothly - the shadows eagerly wrapped around him, responding to his call. But as he tried to merge with them, to become one with the darkness as the grimoire described, something went wrong. The shadows suddenly felt thick and hostile, resisting his attempts to control them.

"You're forcing it again," the entity chided. "The shadows aren't tools to be commanded. They're partners in this dance."

Kieran gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his concentration. The magic pulsed erratically, making the candle flames sputter. 'Come on,' he urged silently. 'Work with me.'

For a brief moment, he felt it - the perfect harmony between his magic and the natural darkness. His body began to dissolve, becoming one with the shadows. But then panic flared in his chest, an instinctive fear of losing himself to the void. His concentration shattered.

The shadows snapped back like rubber bands, sending him stumbling backward. He barely caught himself against the wall, gasping for breath as the room spun around him.

"Well," the entity mused, "that was almost interesting. At least you didn't end up halfway through the floor this time."

Kieran slid down the wall, his legs giving out. "Very funny," he muttered, waiting for his vision to clear. His magical core ached from the strain, and he could feel a fresh trickle of blood from his nose. "What am I doing wrong?"

The entity's presence shifted thoughtfully. "You're fighting your instincts. Part of you still sees the shadows as something alien, something to be conquered. Until you accept them as an extension of yourself, the spell will never work properly."

"Easy for you to say," Kieran wiped the blood away with his sleeve. "You're literally made of darkness."

"And you've been touched by it ever since our contract," the entity reminded him. "The white streak in your hair isn't just for show, young one. The darkness is part of you now, whether you embrace it or not."

Kieran glanced at his reflection in the small mirror on his desk. The white streak seemed to glow in the candlelight, a permanent reminder of the bargain he'd made. 'How much of myself am I willing to give up to master this power?' he wondered.

"Your doubt is what holds you back," the entity said, responding to his unspoken question. "You want the power of the shadows without fully accepting what that means. It doesn't work that way."

Kieran pushed himself back to his feet, ignoring the trembling in his muscles. The grimoire still lay open on the floor, its pages seeming to mock him with their secrets. He'd managed to decipher the basic theory, but putting it into practice was proving far more challenging than he'd anticipated.

"Again," he said, setting his jaw. The entity's presence rippled with something that might have been approval.

"If you insist," it said. "But remember - the shadows aren't your enemies. They're not your servants either. Think of them as... old friends you haven't met yet."

Kieran raised an eyebrow at the unusual metaphor. "Old friends who might accidentally scatter my atoms across the room if I mess up?"

"Now you're getting it," the entity chuckled darkly. "Ready?"

For the next hour, Kieran continued practicing, each attempt bringing him slightly closer to success but never quite achieving it. The shadows responded more readily now, but merging with them remained frustratingly out of reach. His magical core burned with exhaustion, and his clothes were soaked with sweat.

Finally, after another failed attempt left him sprawled on the floor, the entity intervened. "Enough. You're pushing too hard. Even your enhanced core has limits."

"I can keep going," Kieran insisted, though his vision was starting to blur at the edges.

"You can," the entity agreed, "but you won't. Being stubborn has its place, but so does knowing when to rest. Besides, you have Spell Casting Class tomorrow. Do you really want to practice magic with a depleted core?"

The mention of Spell made Kieran pause. After his revealing match with Alexander Vale, he couldn't afford to show any weakness he was in need of basic enhancements spell . "Fine," he conceded reluctantly. "But we're trying again tomorrow night."

"Of course we are," the entity's voice held a mix of amusement and satisfaction. "You're nothing if not persistent. Though perhaps next time we should start with something simpler, like shadow walking. It's less likely to tear you apart if you make a mistake."

Kieran dragged himself to his feet and began collecting the scattered papers from his failed attempts. The grimoire's pages seemed to whisper as he closed it, promising power just beyond his reach. He tucked it carefully into its hiding place beneath a loose floorboard, making sure the protection wards were still active.

'One way or another,' he thought as he collapsed onto his narrow bed, 'I will master this. I have to.'

The entity's presence settled into its usual watchful state, like a dark current running through his mind. "Sleep," it suggested. "Tomorrow brings new challenges, and you'll need your strength for what's coming."

As Kieran drifted off, the shadows in his room continued their dance, moving just a little more naturally than they had before. Perhaps he hadn't mastered shadow stepping tonight, but he'd taken the first steps on a path that would change everything - if it didn't destroy him first.*****