Fractured Paths

Kaito’s nights were no longer peaceful.
Every time he closed his eyes, fragments of the alternate world came flooding back: the fractured sky, the ruins, and shadowy figures moving at the edges of his vision. Worse still, Amara’s voice haunted him, her words echoing like a riddle he couldn’t solve.
“It’s not where, but when.”
He sat up in bed, the faint glow of dawn seeping through his window. Sleep had been impossible. The library encounter replayed in his mind like a broken record, especially the moment when the compass flared to life.
Why had it reacted to him? And why was Amara so determined to brush it off?
He rubbed his face and sighed. There was only one way to find answers—he’d have to confront her.

---
Astralis Academy Courtyard
Amara stood at the edge of the sparring grounds, her arms crossed as she observed the duels taking place. Sparks flew as spells collided midair, students shouting incantations and weaving complex sigils.
Despite the chaos around her, Amara’s presence was still and commanding. She seemed untouchable, her silver hair catching the sunlight like liquid starlight. Kaito hesitated, suddenly unsure of his plan.
But then she turned, her piercing gaze landing on him.
“What do you want?” she asked, her tone curt.
Kaito swallowed his nerves and stepped closer. “I need to talk to you. About what happened in the library.”
Her expression darkened. “I told you to forget it.”
“Well, I can’t!” he snapped, surprising even himself. “I saw… things. That place—it wasn’t normal. And neither are you.”
Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, he thought she might actually attack him. Instead, she stepped closer, her voice low. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Drop it, before you get yourself killed.”
“Then explain it to me,” Kaito insisted. “What was that place? Why did the compass react to me? I deserve to know.”
Amara’s jaw tightened. She glanced around, making sure no one was listening, then grabbed his wrist. “Fine. Follow me.”

---
The Hidden Tower
Amara led Kaito to a secluded tower on the far edge of campus, one that most students avoided. The air was heavy with magic, and the walls shimmered faintly as they climbed the spiral staircase.
When they reached the top, Amara closed the door behind them and turned to face him.
“Do you know what the Ethereal Compass is?” she asked.
Kaito shook his head.
“It’s an artifact,” she explained. “One that bridges realities. It can show glimpses of alternate worlds, timelines that no longer exist—or ones that might never come to pass.”
Kaito’s mind raced. “So that place we saw—”
“Was a dead reality,” Amara finished. “One that collapsed under its own weight. The compass shouldn’t have brought us there. It shouldn’t have reacted at all.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s supposed to be dormant,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “I’ve been keeping it that way for a reason.”
Kaito frowned. “Then why did it react to me?”
Amara hesitated, her gaze dropping to the compass around her neck. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But if it’s reacting to you, it means you’re connected to something dangerous—something bigger than either of us.”
Before Kaito could press further, the compass began to glow.
Amara cursed under her breath, clutching the pendant tightly. “Not again.”
The room dissolved into light, and Kaito felt the familiar pull of magic dragging him away.

---
A Second Glimpse
This time, the alternate world was clearer. The fractured sky stretched endlessly above them, and the ruins seemed more alive, as if waiting for something.
Kaito stood beside Amara, who looked visibly shaken.
“This isn’t random,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “The compass is trying to show us something.”
In the distance, shadowy figures emerged from the mist. Kaito squinted, his heart pounding as the shapes grew clearer. They weren’t just figures—they were people.
One of them looked exactly like Amara.
“What the…” Kaito breathed, staring at the alternate version of her.
The alternate Amara was dressed in dark robes, her face cold and unyielding. She stood at the center of the group, commanding their attention.
“That’s not me,” Amara said quickly, as if trying to convince herself. “It can’t be.”
Before Kaito could respond, the figures turned toward them. Their eyes glowed with an eerie light, and the air around them crackled with power.
“They can see us,” Amara realized, panic creeping into her voice. “We need to leave. Now.”
The compass flared again, pulling them back just as the figures began to advance.

---
Back at the Academy
Kaito and Amara stumbled back into the tower, gasping for breath.
“What the hell was that?” Kaito demanded.
Amara paced the room, her hands trembling as she clutched the compass. “This is worse than I thought,” she muttered. “If they saw us… it means the boundary between worlds is weakening.”
“What boundary?”
She stopped and turned to him, her expression grim. “The boundary that keeps their reality separate from ours. If it collapses, both worlds could be destroyed.”
Kaito felt a cold weight settle in his chest. “And you think I’m connected to this somehow?”
Amara nodded. “The compass reacted to you for a reason. I don’t know what that reason is yet, but we don’t have time to figure it out.”

---
The Duel
Word of their strange partnership quickly spread through the academy, sparking whispers and rumors. Kaito, once invisible, found himself the center of attention—and not in a good way.
It wasn’t long before he caught the ire of Lorian, one of the academy’s top duelists.
“So, the powerless wonder thinks he’s special now,” Lorian sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. “Teaming up with the ice queen, are we?”
Kaito clenched his fists but said nothing.
“Let’s see if you’re as impressive as the rumors say,” Lorian continued, drawing his wand. “I challenge you to a duel.”
Kaito froze. “What? No—I can’t—”
“You can, and you will,” Lorian said, grinning. “Unless you want everyone to know you’re just a fraud.”
Before Kaito could protest, Amara stepped forward, her expression icy. “He accepts.”
Kaito gaped at her. “What are you doing?”
“Trust me,” she said quietly.

---
The duel was held in the sparring grounds, with a crowd of students gathered to watch. Lorian smirked as he cast spell after spell, his attacks forcing Kaito to stumble and dodge.
Just as it seemed hopeless, Amara whispered something under her breath. Kaito felt a surge of energy course through him, his hands tingling with warmth.
“Focus,” she urged. “The magic is already inside you. Let it out.”
Kaito closed his eyes, blocking out the noise around him. He pictured the warmth in his hands, willing it to take shape.
When he opened his eyes, a shimmering shield of light surrounded him.
The crowd gasped, and Lorian’s smirk faltered.
For the first time in his life, Kaito had cast a spell.