Night fell gently over the Astral Academy. The dormitories were still, the stars glowing faintly through the floating lanterns that orbited the spires. Anay lay on his bed, eyes closed, his breathing steady as sleep took him.
But what came next was not sleep.
He opened his eyes to find himself standing — not in his room — but on an endless plain of starlit glass. The sky above was a swirl of galaxies, and the air shimmered with colors that didn't exist in the waking world.
"Where… am I?" he whispered.
The space trembled gently, as if the world itself had heard him.
A deep, resonant voice answered from behind.
"You are home… within yourself."
Anay turned.
From the starlit mist emerged a massive black phoenix — shadows trailing from its wings like ink in water. Its eyes glowed with a pale violet flame, and every step it took sent ripples through the glass-like ground.
"Ervos…" Anay breathed.
The celestial shadow phoenix bowed its head slightly. "Master."
Anay shook his head. "I thought you were in the Beast Realm."
"I am. And I am not. This is not the physical world, nor the Beast Realm. This…" Ervos spread his vast wings, "is your subconscious. A world formed by the awakening of your complete Ashta Siddhi."
Anay's heart skipped. "My subconscious?"
"When the eight Siddhis harmonize within one soul, they do not only grant power… they reshape space within. A realm forged by your spirit — infinite, timeless, and unique to you."
Anay looked around again. Endless, silent, surreal. It didn't feel like a dream. It felt realer than reality.
"Time flows differently here," Ervos added. "One day outside is a full year within. This place can be used to train, reflect, or awaken deeper truths. But it comes with a price — it reflects your mind."
Anay felt his own breath. It was steady — calm, but curious.
"Why now?" he asked.
Ervos stepped closer, his shadow wings enclosing the sky above them. "Because you are ready. The academy will teach you many things. But in here…" He leaned close. "You will meet yourself