The news of Edge's victory spread through the Academy like wildfire, transforming his status overnight. Where he had once been "the commoner initiate," he was now "the manifester who defeated Caius Vellaren." Students who had previously ignored him now nodded respectfully in hallways. Instructors who had treated him with professional detachment now watched him with keen interest.
Caius himself maintained conspicuous distance in the days following the tournament. The noble had responded to his public defeat with formal dignity, but the coldness in his eyes whenever they happened to cross paths suggested the matter was far from settled.
Edge's first specialized training session was scheduled for the fourth day after the tournament. A sealed note arrived at breakfast, delivered by one of Archmage Vex's assistants: a severe-looking woman whose robes bore the subtle insignia of ARCA rather than standard Academy markings.
"The Silver Chamber," Edge read aloud to his friends as they huddled around the breakfast table. "Seventh hour. Come alone."
"Friendly," Jace commented around a mouthful of bread.
Min snatched the note, studying it with narrowed eyes. "The Silver Chamber isn't on any student maps of the Academy," she said. "It must be part of the restricted sections."
"Central dome, northern quadrant," Talon supplied. All three turned to him in surprise. He shrugged. "The gardeners speak freely around me. They maintain decorative plants throughout the Academy, including restricted areas."
Edge tucked the note into his tunic. "I'm more concerned about what happens inside this chamber than where it's located."
"Specialized training facilities often incorporate resonant materials," Min said. "For manifestation work, silver's properties would amplify certain frequencies while damping others."
Jace leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I heard something else. Adran mentioned it during lightning practice yesterday. Apparently, Imperial officials have been arriving daily since the tournament. Not just the Archmage who attended, but specialists from various divisions."
"ARCA representatives," Edge guessed.
"And others. Some wearing insignia I didn't recognize." Jace fidgeted with his cup. "The Academy hasn't hosted this many Imperial officials since the Centennial Review five years ago."
The information heightened Edge's unease. His situation had drawn attention far beyond what he'd anticipated, creating ripples that extended to the highest levels of Imperial authority.
"Be careful today," Talon said quietly. "Observe everything, commit to nothing."
The morning passed with excruciating slowness. Edge attended his regular classes—Mana Theory with Magister Veren, Combat Fundamentals with Magister Thorne—but found himself unable to focus. His instructors seemed to understand his distraction, offering uncharacteristic leniency when his performance faltered.
As the seventh hour approached, Edge made his way toward the central dome. This architectural marvel served as the Academy's heart. A massive structure that housed the Archmage's offices, the Council chambers, and apparently, specialized training facilities unknown to most students.
The dome's main entrance was an imposing archway guarded by senior mages whose formal robes concealed formidable combat capabilities. Edge presented his note to the nearest guard, who examined it briefly before nodding.
"Northern quadrant," the guard said. "Follow the silver inlay in the floor."
Inside, the dome's interior soared hundreds of feet upward, its ceiling enchanted to display a magnified view of the sky above, currently afternoon clouds drifting lazily across an azure expanse. The space felt larger than should be physically possible, another example of the Academy's reality-bending architecture.
Edge spotted the silver inlay immediately, a thin metallic line embedded in the marble floor, winding its way through the circular chamber. He followed it past various official-looking doors and smaller archways, noting how the character of his surroundings gradually shifted. The public areas gave way to more austere corridors, the ornate decorations replaced by functional elegance that spoke of serious purpose rather than ceremonial display.
The silver line terminated at a circular door made entirely of polished silver metal. No handle or knocker adorned its smooth surface, just a small depression at center height. Edge studied it for a moment before placing his palm against the depression.
The metal felt cool initially, then warm, then almost vibrated beneath his touch. Recognition patterns, he realized—the door was scanning his mana signature. After several seconds, the silver surface rippled like liquid and parted down the middle, revealing a chamber beyond.
"Right on time, Initiate Regius."
Archmage Vex stood at the center of a perfectly round room approximately forty feet in diameter. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all crafted from the same seamless silver metal as the door, which sealed itself behind Edge with a soft hiss. No windows interrupted the metallic expanse, yet the chamber was brightly illuminated by no visible source.
"The Silver Chamber," Vex said, noting Edge's curious examination. "Created three centuries ago to contain and study unusual magical phenomena. Its composition dampens external interference while amplifying and focusing internal energies."
Edge stepped further into the room, feeling an immediate difference in his mana perception. The ambient energy here seemed clearer somehow, more defined, like sounds in a room with perfect acoustics.
"Remove your dampening pendant," Vex instructed. "You won't need it here. The chamber itself will help regulate your output."
Edge complied, slipping the crystal pendant over his head. Unlike previous instances when he'd removed it, there was no immediate surge of uncontrolled energy. Instead, his mana seemed to distribute evenly throughout his body, ready but not overflowing.
"Interesting," Vex murmured, observing him critically. "The chamber typically produces a brief adjustment period, even in experienced mages. Your adaptation is remarkably swift."
She gestured, and a portion of the floor rose smoothly to form a simple seating area—two chairs and a small table, all from the same silver material.
"Before we begin practical exercises, we should establish parameters," Vex said, taking one of the chairs. "Your specialized training will focus on three areas: manifestation refinement, spatial manipulation, and resonance attunement. Today we'll assess your baseline capabilities in each."
Edge took the other chair, noting how it adjusted slightly to accommodate his form. "You mentioned the Interstitial Plane during our previous conversation," he said. "Is that related to the spatial manipulation aspect?"
Vex raised an eyebrow, perhaps surprised by his directness. "Yes. The technique you employed against Caius Vellaren—redirecting his attack through a momentary fold in space—utilized the Interstitial Plane as a transfer medium. It's a buffer zone between our reality and the deeper Void beyond."
"And the Astral Blades connect to this plane?"
"They were forged from material that naturally exists there," Vex confirmed. "Astral metal—sometimes called star metal in older texts—that fell to our world during a meteor shower over a thousand years ago."
This aligned with fragments Edge had pieced together from Librarian Moira's scroll and Talon's cultural knowledge, but hearing it confirmed by the Academy Archmage lent it new significance.
"How many of the blades has the Empire recovered?" he asked, pushing his advantage while Vex seemed willing to share information.
Her expression cooled slightly. "That's classified beyond your current clearance. What matters for your training is understanding how your natural resonance with their frequency can be developed into controlled abilities."
She stood, effectively ending that line of questioning. "Let's begin with basic manifestation. Create your energy sword—the form you're most comfortable with."
Edge rose and centered himself, focusing on the familiar visualization. The blade formed with surprising ease, coalescing almost instantly into a perfectly defined sword of silver-white energy. The stability and clarity surpassed anything he'd achieved in regular practice.
"The chamber enhances precision," Vex explained, circling him with analytical eyes. "Now, maintain the sword but create a second construct simultaneously. Something simple—a shield, perhaps."
Edge had practiced this with Adran, though never with such clean results. He visualized a round shield forming on his left arm, and the energy responded immediately, creating a stable disc of the same silver-white light as his sword.
"Good. Now dismiss both and create something you've never manifested before. Something complex."
Edge allowed the sword and shield to dissolve. For his new manifestation, he drew inspiration from the chamber itself, visualizing a perfect sphere with intricate internal structures—a miniature model of the Academy's central dome with its various chambers and corridors. The construct formed above his palm, approximately the size of a melon, every detail rendered in glowing energy.
Vex's expression registered genuine surprise. "Remarkable detail for an improvised creation." She extended her hand toward the model, not touching it but sensing its structure with her mana perception. "You've included sections of the Academy you haven't personally visited."
Edge examined his own creation with sudden concern. She was right—the model included corridors and chambers he had never seen, yet had rendered with perfect confidence. "I don't understand. How could I manifest what I don't know?"
"That," Vex said, "is precisely what makes your case so interesting." She gestured for him to dissolve the manifestation. "Your abilities aren't merely learned techniques but something more fundamental—a resonance with patterns that exist independent of your conscious knowledge."
She returned to her chair, motioning for Edge to do the same. "The Astral Blades aren't just weapons. They're keys to perception. Their wielders could see beyond normal limitations—across distances, through barriers, even between realities. Your natural frequency matches theirs closely enough that you occasionally access similar perceptions, especially when focusing your mana into manifestations."
Edge thought of his dreams—the visions of other places, other possibilities. "Is that why I see the Void in my dreams? This resonance letting me perceive beyond normal boundaries?"
"Partly," Vex acknowledged. "Though there's likely another factor at work. The Void has been pressing more insistently against our reality in recent years. Those with certain sensitivities can perceive this pressure even without special training."
The casual revelation sent a chill through Edge. "Pressing more insistently? You mean the boundary is weakening?"
Vex studied him for a long moment, seeming to weigh how much to reveal. "There are cycles to such things," she finally said. "Periods when the barriers between worlds thin naturally, followed by strengthening. We're currently approaching what scholars call a Convergence Point—a time when multiple realities align more closely than usual."
"How close are we to this Convergence Point?"
"The most accurate calculations suggest approximately three years." She leaned forward slightly. "Which is why your development has attracted such significant attention. The timing of your emergence, combined with your natural resonance with the Astral frequency, aligns too precisely with historical patterns to be coincidence."
Edge absorbed this information with growing unease. His unusual abilities weren't just rare; they were emerging at a specific moment of cosmic vulnerability. The implications felt overwhelming.
"Let's continue with practical assessment," Vex said, apparently deciding enough theory had been covered. "Spatial manipulation requires different visualization techniques than standard manifestation."
For the remainder of the session, she guided Edge through increasingly complex exercises. He learned to create small spatial folds similar to what he'd unconsciously done during the duel—temporary distortions that could redirect energy or matter through the Interstitial Plane. Each successful attempt brought fleeting glimpses of that silvery realm between worlds, a space that felt simultaneously alien and familiar.
By the session's end, Edge was mentally exhausted but buzzing with new awareness of his capabilities. The Silver Chamber had indeed amplified his natural talents, allowing him to achieve precision and complexity far beyond his previous limits.
"You've made excellent progress for an initial assessment," Vex said as the door reformed, preparing to open. "We'll continue in two days. Between sessions, practice visualization only—no active manifestation without supervision. Your abilities are developing rapidly, and safety precautions are essential."
Edge nodded, too drained for further questions. As he turned to leave, Vex added, "Another thing, Initiate Regius. These sessions fall under Imperial security protocols. The specifics of what you learn and practice here are classified. Discussing them with unauthorized individuals constitutes treason."
The warning was delivered in the same clinical tone she'd used throughout their training, but its implications were unmistakable. Edge was being formally brought into Imperial confidence, with all the restrictions and responsibilities that entailed.
"I understand, Archmage," he replied, keeping his expression neutral despite the conflict roiling within. The information he'd gained today felt too important to withhold from his friends, yet sharing it would now constitute a serious offense.
The silver door parted, revealing the corridor beyond. As Edge stepped through, Vex's final words followed him: "Remember—what makes you valuable to the Empire makes you dangerous to others. There are factions that would eliminate such danger rather than attempt to control it."
The door sealed behind him, leaving Edge alone in the corridor, the silver line in the floor now seeming less like a guide and more like a chain leading him toward an uncertain future.