The Glitched Mage-Chapter 32: A Difference in Power

"Riven…" A soft, anxious voice drifted through the haze of exhaustion clouding his mind. "Hey, wake up - this isn't exactly a great place to take a nap."

"I shall fetch my liege the finest bed at once!" A male voice, full of frantic devotion, declared.

Smack.

"Shut up, you idiot!" The woman's voice snapped, followed by a pained grunt.

Riven's eyes fluttered open, the dim glow of sconces lining the walls slowly coming into focus. Nyx and another shadowed figure loomed over him, their expressions etched with concern.

He sat up immediately.

Careless.

He knew the mana exchange with the dragon egg would drain him, but leaving himself vulnerable like this? Unacceptable. At least he had the system to alert him if real danger approached.

"Shit," Riven muttered, running a hand through his hair as the heavy ache of mana depletion settled deep in his bones.

"What the hell happened?" Nyx asked, offering him a hand as he pulled himself upright.

With a weary sigh, Riven quickly recounted his fight with Cole and the second-years, then the mana exchange with the dragon egg.

"I leave you alone for one day, and this is what happens?" Nyx groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then, suddenly, she dropped to her knees, bowing so deeply her forehead nearly touched the stone floor. "Forgive me, my king. I was careless. I left my post and allowed you to be placed in danger."

The male shadow beside her flinched at her movement, then, as if realizing his mistake, scrambled to follow suit. With dramatic flair, he slammed his forehead to the ground so hard Riven swore he heard an echo.

"To abandon my king in his time of need! I am unworthy of forgiveness!"

Riven blinked at the sheer display of dramatics. "Uh… it's fine. I was victorious, so it's not like it mattered."

"But to miss such a glorious display of my liege's strength-!" The male shadow's voice trembled with grief. "I shall never forgive myself!"

Riven raised an eyebrow. "…Who are you again?"

"My liege!" The shadow man wailed, shuffling forward on his knees before grabbing Riven's hand with his own ethereal one. "I am Krux! One of the Five Generals of Velmorian's army - his most devoted, his strongest, his-"

"Strongest?" Nyx interjected, her voice deceptively sweet, her eyebrow twitching dangerously. "Shall we put that claim to the test, Krux?"

Riven cocked his head at Krux, recognition dawning. "Wait… is this the sobbing shadow from last night?"

"Yes," Nyx deadpanned. "He's that simpering idiot."

"My liege!" Krux gasped, looking thoroughly wounded.

"But," Nyx begrudgingly admitted, "he is strong. One of the fiercest generals. A war-obsessed lunatic, which is why he was drawn to our training last night."

Riven looked down at Krux again, skepticism clear in his expression. This guy? A 'fierce general'?

Krux, as if sensing the doubt, straightened. "My devotion is absolute! I shall prove myself to you, my king!"

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"Right." Riven sighed, rubbing his temple. "Well, if you want to be useful, you both need human forms. I can't have walking shadows following me around if we're trying to keep a low profile."

"Understood, my king." Nyx stood and grabbed Krux by the ear, dragging him away.

"Just you wait!" Krux declared, planting himself in a meditative position. "Give me a few days, and you'll see my brilliance!"

Riven chuckled under his breath, watching as both Nyx and Krux began to absorb mana.

With a sigh, he sat cross-legged, deciding to join them. Even if he could restore just a fraction of what he'd lost, it would help shake off this exhaustion.

He closed his eyes.

The Mausoleum was quiet once more.

—x—

Riven arrived at the training field just as the first light of dawn painted the sky in soft hues of gold and blue. The usual morning chatter quieted the moment his classmates caught sight of him.

Their gazes lingered - on the bruises, the cuts, and especially the deep black eye darkening the skin around his right eye.

But, surprisingly, no one spoke.

Valis, usually the first to throw out a taunt, seemed oddly subdued. If anything, he almost looked… nervous. Jerrik, on the other hand, observed him with something that resembled approval, while Lucenya shifted awkwardly, stealing uncertain glances in his direction.

Elder Thorne strode forward, arms crossed over his chest, his golden gaze sweeping over the assembled students. "Good, you're all here." His lips quirked slightly. "We're focusing on combat training today because tomorrow, I've secured access to one of the Mana Beast Islands."

Valis stiffened. "Mana Beast Islands?" His surprise was evident. "Are we… ready for that?"

Elder Thorne's eyes gleamed with quiet amusement. "Well, you won't know until you step foot on it, will you?"

The class shifted uneasily.

Riven, however, barely reacted.

Elder Thorne turned to him. "Riven, focus on mana absorption today. Give your body a chance to recover."

Riven gave a curt nod. He had no interest in wasting his time on combat drills against first-years when he had already beaten four second-years the night before.

Without another word, he moved to sit away from the others, retrieving a small health potion from his inventory - the one he had forgotten to take yesterday.

Tilting his head back, he downed it in a single gulp.

[[ Small Health Potion Ingested ]]

The moment the potion settled in his stomach, a cool wave of relief spread through Riven's body. The lingering aches dulled slightly, though the exhaustion from his mana depletion remained a stubborn weight pressing down on him.

He exhaled, closing his eyes briefly.

A Mana Beast Island, huh?

That was unexpected. He had read about them - floating islands brimming with mana-infused creatures, each one evolving into formidable beings by absorbing the ambient energy of their surroundings. The academy utilized these islands not only for combat training but also as a source of rare ingredients for potions and alchemy.

He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip.

As he sat in quiet meditation, absorbing what little mana he could, the rest of the class began their combat drills under Elder Thorne's watchful eye. Grunts and sharp breaths filled the training grounds as pairs of students sparred, their magic clashing in bursts of elemental force.

Riven only half-listened - until Valis let out a frustrated snarl.

"That's the third time, Lucenya!" Valis snapped, rubbing his shoulder where he had been knocked back. "Stop holding back!"

Lucenya sighed, rolling her shoulders. "I'm not holding back, you're just predictable."

A flicker of amusement crossed Riven's face.

Valis scowled, glancing toward him briefly before turning away. Riven could tell the other boy wanted to say something - to throw out some snide remark - but was too shaken to do so.

Interesting.

It seemed his little performance last night had left an impression - rumours spread fast in this place.

Elder Thorne clapped his hands together. "That's enough. Pair up and rotate partners - I want you adapting to different fighting styles."

As the class shifted, Lucenya hesitated before making her way toward Riven.

He raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want to spar with someone recovering?"

Lucenya crossed her arms. "You don't actually look like you need to recover."

Riven chuckled. "I take it that means you want to fight me?"

She shrugged, but there was an unmistakable gleam of curiosity in her violet eyes. "I saw what you did to Cole and the others. I just… I want to see for myself."

Riven tapped his fingers against his knee thoughtfully before rising to his feet. His body still felt heavy from the mana drain, but that didn't mean he was weak.

"Fine," he said, rolling his shoulders. "But don't cry if I embarrass you in front of everyone."

Lucenya smirked. "I should be saying that to you."

They stepped onto one of the sparring platforms, the others pausing their own fights to watch.

Elder Thorne's gaze lingered on them before nodding. "Begin."

Lucenya moved first.

She was fast - not as fast as Kai had been, but her movements were sharp, controlled. A flick of her wrist conjured razor-sharp shards of ice, each one glinting dangerously in the morning light as they shot toward him in rapid succession.

Riven's body reacted instinctively.

He pivoted on his heel, shifting his weight just enough to slip between the projectiles. His footwork carried him smoothly across the platform, each movement precise, measured - dodging, not by speed alone, but by sheer efficiency.

Lucenya's eyes narrowed slightly.

Then, without hesitation, she pressed forward.

She slammed a palm against the floor, and a wave of frost erupted outward, spiraling across the platform in a jagged, unpredictable pattern.

Riven exhaled. Smart.

She wasn't trying to trap him outright - she was forcing him to react.

Instead of retreating, he lifted his hand.

A fireball flickered to life, crackling with searing heat as it hovered just above his palm. Then - with a sharp flick of his fingers - it shot forward, not in a straight line, but curving unpredictably, tracking Lucenya's every move.

Her eyes widened.

She leapt back, twisting her body to avoid the incoming projectile, but the fireball adjusted, veering toward her like a predator locking onto its prey.

Lucenya gritted her teeth, thrusting her arm forward. A wall of ice erupted between her and the fireball, thick and reinforced.

The fireball didn't crash into it.

Instead, it curved around the barrier.

It followed her.

Lucenya barely had time to react before it closed in.

At the last second, she threw herself to the ground, rolling just as the fireball whizzed past her head, skimming close enough to singe the tips of her hair before slamming harmlessly into the training field's barrier.

She pushed herself up, panting. "What the hell was that?!"

"A fireball with tracking abilities," Riven said lazily, summoning another one to hover above his fingertips. "I don't really like wasting magic on fights like these, but you seemed confident in dodging."

Lucenya let out a slow breath, glaring at him, but there was a flicker of admiration in her frustration.

Riven smirked.

Then, before she could react, he moved.

He closed the distance in an instant, cutting through the frost-covered ground like a blade. No shadows. No tricks. Just speed and precision.

Lucenya tried to shift her stance, but it was too late.

Riven swept her legs out from under her in one clean motion, sending her crashing onto her back.

Then, as she blinked up at him in shock, he lifted his hand again.

A small, flickering fireball hovered just inches from her face.

"Dead," he murmured.

Silence.

The class watched with wide eyes - even Elder Thorne looked… intrigued.

Lucenya lay there for a moment before groaning. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring at him. "…You're ridiculous."

Riven smirked. "I've been called worse."

She exhaled, shaking her head as she stood. "You didn't even attack properly."

"I didn't need to."

Lucenya scowled but didn't argue.

Elder Thorne clapped his hands. "That's enough. I think we've all learned something here." His sharp gaze flickered toward Riven. "You'll be joining the practical portion tomorrow, after all."

Riven raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you tell me to sit out today?"

"I did." Elder Thorne's lips twitched in amusement. "But clearly, you don't need the rest."

Riven chuckled. Fair enough.

"Switch partners again!" Elder Thorne commanded, his voice carrying across the field. "Observe your opponent's movements - analyze their reactions! Learn from each other!"

As the training session continued, Riven found himself observing more than participating. His fight with Lucenya had been instructive - not just for her, but for himself. He had learned how much he could push his body even in a depleted state, how much mana he could afford to use, and, more importantly, where his limits currently stood.

Lucenya, despite her irritation at losing, had taken the defeat with grace. Valis, on the other hand, had been unusually quiet, stealing occasional glances in Riven's direction but saying nothing. Jerrik, always a man of few words, simply nodded in approval.

Elder Thorne rotated the sparring partners once more, but Riven remained still. He had nothing to gain from fighting Valis or Jerrik. If anything, he wanted a true test.

A real challenge.

His gaze shifted to Elder Thorne.

The man stood at the center of the training field, his golden eyes sweeping over them with quiet authority. His presence alone commanded attention. Unlike the other instructors at the academy, Thorne never spoke more than necessary - he let his lessons speak for themselves.

Riven stepped forward.

"Elder Thorne," he called out.

The instructor turned to him, expression unreadable. "Yes?"

"I'd like to spar with you."

The words were met with immediate silence.

Lucenya, who had barely caught her breath, nearly choked. Valis froze mid-motion and Jerrik raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Elder Thorne arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Riven nodded, keeping his tone even. "I want to test myself against someone at your level."

There was no arrogance in his voice, no false bravado - just a simple statement of intent.

Elder Thorne regarded him for a long moment before exhaling softly. "You're still recovering from last night, and you want to fight me?"

Riven met his gaze steadily. "Yes."

The instructor chuckled, though there was no real humor in it. "You're ambitious. I'll give you that." His gaze flickered briefly over Riven's stance before he nodded. "Very well."

He stepped forward, the air around him shifting slightly.

"Begin."

Riven moved first, not because he thought he could overwhelm Elder Thorne, but because he knew waiting would only put him at a disadvantage.

A fireball flickered to life in his palm, twisting unnaturally as it arced through the air, curving toward Elder Thorne like a homing missile.

Elder Thorne vanished.

Riven barely had time to react before he felt a presence behind him. He turned sharply, bringing up his arm just in time to block a strike aimed at his side.

But the moment he made contact-

Elder Thorne was gone again.

Teleportation.

Riven's body tensed as he scanned the field, stretching his senses. He didn't rely on sight alone. He listened, he felt. The shift in air, the faintest flicker of mana-

There.

He twisted his body just as Elder Thorne reappeared, dodging the incoming blow by the smallest margin. A sharp gust of wind brushed past his cheek as he barely avoided what would have been a devastating strike.

Elder Thorne's golden eyes gleamed with approval. "Good."

Riven didn't respond. He was already moving.

Another fireball ignited, this one smaller but faster, darting toward Elder Thorne the moment he flickered into view.

Again, he vanished before it could reach him.

Riven clenched his fists. He needed a different approach.

Speed wasn't the issue. Reflexes weren't the issue.

The issue was that Elder Thorne was dictating the flow of the fight.

And Riven needed to change that.

He took a slow breath, adjusting his stance.

Instead of attacking, he waited.

Elder Thorne's teleportation was flawless, but even flawless techniques had patterns.

He closed his eyes briefly, focusing. He let himself feel the space around him, the way mana shifted every time Thorne disappeared and reappeared.

Then-

There.

The moment Riven sensed the flicker of mana behind him, he moved.

He spun, his fist already flying toward the spot where Elder Thorne would appear-

But his fist met nothing but air.

Elder Thorne was a step ahead.

Riven barely had time to register his mistake before a sharp impact slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding across the training field.

He hit the ground hard but rolled back to his feet almost instantly.

His breathing was steady, but his body ached from the force of the strike.

Elder Thorne studied him with quiet amusement. "Not bad," he mused. "You almost had me."

Almost.

Riven exhaled slowly.

This was the true gap between them. A difference not just in experience, but in sheer power.

'System, can you analyze Elder Thorne's mana level?' Riven asked internally.

[[ Scanning… ]]

[[ Mana detected: Just past the boundary of the Fifth Circle ]]

Riven's eyebrow twitched slightly, though he forced his expression to remain neutral.

Fifth Circle.

Riven had barely passed the First.

The gap between them was staggering. The sheer scale of power that separated them was beyond anything he had faced before. If Elder Thorne wanted to end this fight now, he could do it effortlessly.

And yet, Riven wasn't backing down.

Riven steadied his breathing, shaking off the lingering ache from Elder Thorne's strike. The difference in their strength was undeniable, but he hadn't expected to win - only to learn. And he was learning.

Elder Thorne wasn't just faster - he was reading Riven's movements before they happened, predicting his attacks and reacting with sharp precision. That kind of mastery wasn't something Riven could close the gap on in a single fight.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

God he wished he was able to use his shadows - how he wished he could unleash everything on this man in front of him and see how he reacted.

"You're still standing," Elder Thorne noted, tilting his head slightly. "That's good."

Riven exhaled, repositioning his stance. "I'd rather not be on the ground."

The instructor chuckled. "A solid mindset. But tell me, what do you think you're missing right now?"

Riven's mind raced through the brief exchange. His speed wasn't enough. His tracking fireballs weren't fast enough. And even when he tried predicting Elder Thorne's movement, he'd still been a step behind.

Control.

Elder Thorne had complete control over the fight. The pace, the positioning, the openings - he dictated all of it. Riven was reacting, but he wasn't taking initiative in a way that mattered.

"I don't have control," Riven admitted.

Elder Thorne nodded approvingly. "Good. You understand the problem. Now, what are you going to do about it?"

Riven didn't respond. Instead, he adjusted his breathing and shifted his weight slightly, centering himself.

Don't just react. Make him react.

A flicker of fire bloomed in his palm, but this time, he didn't throw it immediately. He let it hover, the heat warping the air around it. The flames flickered unpredictably, pulsing in uneven rhythms.

Elder Thorne's golden eyes narrowed slightly.

Then Riven moved.

Not toward Elder Thorne directly, but diagonally, closing the distance without making himself an obvious target. At the same time, he launched his fireball - not at Thorne, but at an angle slightly off-center.

As expected, the instructor teleported.

Riven didn't wait to see where he appeared.

The moment he felt the subtle shift in mana, he twisted sharply, already firing a second fireball toward the space Elder Thorne was reappearing in.

For the first time, Elder Thorne was forced to teleport twice in succession.

Riven didn't stop there.

He kept moving, adjusting his position with each step, his fireballs curving unpredictably through the air, forcing Elder Thorne to react instead of dictate.

The others watched in stunned silence.

Jerrik crossed his arms, watching the rapid exchange intently. Valis looked irritated, as if he couldn't decide whether to be impressed or resentful. Lucenya had her lips parted slightly, caught between awe and disbelief.

Elder Thorne's expression remained unreadable.

He moved through the attacks fluidly, dodging each one with minimal effort, but his teleportations had become more frequent.

That meant something.

Riven felt the shift before he saw it.

Elder Thorne's mana signature flared - just slightly - but enough for Riven to recognize the opening.

He pivoted, hand snapping up as another fireball ignited, its trajectory shifting midair to cut off Elder Thorne's next escape.

For a fraction of a second, the instructor was boxed in.

It was the smallest hesitation.

But Elder Thorne was still a Fifth Circle mage.

And that meant Riven was still too slow.

Riven barely had time to react before a force slammed into his chest - a strike so fast he hadn't even seen it coming.

The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back, staring up at the sky.

Pain radiated through his ribs, his lungs struggling to suck in air.

Elder Thorne stood over him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Riven groaned. "That… was worse than last time."

Elder Thorne exhaled, shaking his head with mild amusement. "You improved," he admitted. "You adjusted, learned, adapted."

Riven coughed, pushing himself onto his elbows. "And still lost."

"That's expected." The instructor extended a hand. "But now you understand something you didn't before."

Riven took his hand, letting Elder Thorne pull him to his feet. His entire body ached, but there was a strange satisfaction in it.

He had forced Elder Thorne to move.

Even if only for a moment.

"That's enough for today," Elder Thorne announced, turning to the rest of the class. "Take what you've seen and learned, and apply it tomorrow. The Mana Beast Island won't be as forgiving."

Jerrik gave Riven a small nod of approval.

Lucenya smirked. "Not bad."

Valis said nothing, but Riven caught the slight tension in his jaw.

Riven was grateful for the fight - not just for what he had learned, but for the reminder of how much further he still had to go. His victory against the second-years had been a step forward, but today had made one thing clear - he was still far from where he needed to be. There was so much more power to gain, and he couldn't afford to forget that, even for a moment.

For a brief moment, Riven's mask slipped, a malicious smirk curving his lips. One day, even Elder Thorne would fall before him - just as the second-years had the night before. It was only a matter of time.