The storm arrived by midnight.
Thunder cracked the skies above Dawnspire Academy, and rain poured relentlessly, hammering against the tiled rooftops and stone walkways. Most students remained tucked in their dormitories, murmuring complaints about the weather or finding solace in sleep.
But not Asari.
He stood under a small pavilion near the edge of the academy grounds, drenched from the waist down. The rain didn't bother him—it was familiar, comforting even.
In the jungle, storms were worse. Wilder. Louder.
Here, it felt... tame.
He closed his eyes and let the wind brush past his cheeks, water trickling down his neck. Each drop reminded him he was alive. That he'd made it this far.
But survival wasn't enough anymore.
There were things he still didn't understand. Strength—true strength—was more than instinct and training. It was control. Precision. Purpose.
And now that others were watching, he knew he had to be more careful.
Behind him, a soft rustle broke the rhythm of the rain.
Asari didn't turn.
"You walk too loud," he said.
A figure paused in the rain. Rian, one of the students from his drill group, scratched his head sheepishly.
"How the hell did you know it was me?"
Asari opened his eyes, but still didn't turn. "You breathe like you're carrying a rock on your back."
"I'm not even mad. That's impressive."
Silence settled between them, broken only by the rain tapping the stone.
"I was gonna go back inside," Rian continued. "But something's been bugging me."
Asari finally turned. "What?"
Rian stepped closer, eyes serious. "That move you did on Instructor Hwan. It wasn't just fast—it was calculated. Like you knew his rhythm before he even started."
"I just watched," Asari replied simply.
"No. You read him. That's different."
Asari didn't answer.
Rian hesitated, then lowered his voice. "Look… I don't care where you came from. I don't care if you're some secret heir of a martial family or a hermit from the mountains. But there's talk going around."
"What kind of talk?"
"Some senior students don't like how fast you're rising. They're saying you disrespected Coren, made Instructor Hwan look weak. That you're 'dangerous.'"
Asari frowned slightly. "Because I fought well?"
"Because you're not trying to stand out—but you're doing it anyway."
Asari looked back at the rain. "Let them talk."
Rian sighed. "I'm just saying, be careful. Some people here… they don't challenge you directly. They dig holes behind your back."
That part, Asari already understood.
Back in the jungle, threats were clear. You saw the beast. Heard its breath. Felt its killing intent.
But here?
It came with a smile.
Two days passed.
And just like Rian warned, the whispers grew.
"He's not enrolled under any known lineage."
"No one saw him during the entrance evaluations. Did he cheat his way in?"
"I heard he bribed his way through."
"Maybe he's a spy. Or worse, an experiment."
Asari ignored them. But some instructors began to take notice.
One evening, Instructor Vael approached him as he finished his strength drills by the west yard.
"Walk with me," she said curtly.
Asari obeyed.
They walked under a canopy of dusk-lit trees, away from the chatter of students.
"You're attracting attention," she began.
"I didn't ask for it."
"I know. But you have it."
She paused, then glanced at him sideways. "Have you considered... suppressing your skill during practice?"
Asari stopped walking.
"You want me to hide?"
"Not forever. Just enough to avoid provoking those with fragile egos."
He looked away, jaw clenched. "That sounds weak."
Vael's eyes narrowed. "It's called strategy. You're not in a jungle anymore. Here, the strongest don't always win. The smartest do."
He didn't respond.
"Listen," she continued. "I don't know where you trained. I don't know what you're running from. But you're here now. And if you want to survive in this world, you need more than skill. You need to play the game."
Asari met her gaze, his voice quiet but firm. ""I didn't come here to play games. I came to become someone that no one can touch. Not with words. Not with swords. Not even with whispers."
Vael studied him for a long moment, then gave a slow nod. "Then be ready. Because someone will test you. And they won't care about the rules."
She turned and walked off.
Asari stayed there, letting her words sink in.
That night, Asari found something strange under his door.
A note. No name. No seal.
Just a message, written in a smooth, elegant script:
> "You're interesting. Let's see how long you can last before you break. – S."
He read it twice, then folded it neatly and placed it in his pocket.
Whoever "S" was, they had made a mistake.
They thought he was someone who could break.
But Asari had already broken once—long ago, in a place darker than any storm.
What came after wasn't fear.
It was resolve.
And soon, Dawnspire Academy would learn—
This jungle boy had teeth.