Novels by IMA

Ravien stood before the full-length mirror in his dorm, tugging at the stiff, high collar of the charcoal-grey formal tunic. The fabric was too fine, too smooth; it felt like a second skin that didn't belong to him. He looked like a nobleman, a transformation that felt more like a disguise than an upgrade.A sharp knock at the door made him jump, his mana flickering involuntarily in his fingertips."Relax, Davenant. It’s just me," Liyana said, leaning against the doorframe as she pushed it open. She was wearing a structured gown of deep sea-blue, her hair pinned up in a way that made her look older, sharper. "You look like you’re preparing for an execution, not a gala.""Feels like the same thing," Ravien muttered, still struggling with a silver cufflink. "Why do we have to do this? We’re supposed to be students, not ornaments for the Board of Governors."Liyana walked over, her fingers moving with practiced ease to fix his sleeve. "Because the school needs to show off its 'investment

Ravien’s boots felt like lead weights as he stepped off the obsidian platform. The metallic tang of ozone still clung to the back of his throat, and his vision swam with fading spots of gold and purple. He could feel the eyes of the crowd—hot, judgmental, and increasingly terrified—burning into his back."Mr. Davenant, wait! Your vitals are spiking!" a medical initiate called out, rushing toward him with a glowing diagnostic wand.Ravien didn't stop. He didn't even look back. "I’m fine. Give the mana-restoratives to Aldridge. He’s the one who’s going to have a bruise on his ego for the next month.""But the internal hemorrhaging risk—""I said I’m fine," Ravien snapped, his voice rasping.He ducked into the shadows of the western corridor, hoping to reach the dorms before his legs gave out. The darkness of the hallway was a relief until a slender figure stepped out from behind a suit of ceremonial armor, blocking his path."That was quite the performance, Ravien. Very 'man of the peop

The sterile, antiseptic scent of the infirmary still clung to Ravien’s coat as he emerged into the cool, pressurized air of the main corridor. Every muscle in his body felt coiled, a living wire vibrating with the unnatural, suppressed energy Mareza had helped him bury just beneath his skin. He didn’t look back. He couldn't.As he turned the corner toward the practice arenas, the low murmurs of the student body grew into a sharp, focused hum. A crowd had already gathered near the circular obsidian platform of Arena Four. Standing dead center, bathed in the harsh, focused beams of the stadium lights, was Tavren Aldridge. He was flanked by his usual gaggle of sycophants, his posture radiating that effortless, born-into-wealth arrogance."There he is," Tavren called out, his voice amplified by a localized wind-cantrip. "The gutter-rat finally decides to grace us with his presence. I was beginning to think you’d run back to the maintenance tunnels to cry."Ravien slowed his pace, his eyes

The shifting walls of the dungeon groaned, a low, tectonic rumble that vibrated through the soles of Ravien’s boots. He clutched his arm, the black veins beneath his skin throbbing with a sickening, rhythmic pulse. The air in the corridor felt too thin, stolen by the cold."We have to move," Liyana whispered, her voice tight. She kept her eyes on his arm, her expression a fragile mask of composure. "The infirmary is in the south wing. If we go through the service maintenance shafts, we can bypass the main sensors. Nobody will see the marks."Ravien nodded, his teeth gritted against the surge of heat rolling up his shoulder. "Lead the way. Just keep me moving."They navigated the labyrinthine back-hallways of the academy, a network of damp stone and humming copper conduits. Every step felt like a gamble. When they finally reached the heavy, reinforced doors of the infirmary, Liyana pressed a hand to the panel. It hissed open, revealing a sterile, dimly lit sanctuary of polished glass a

The emergency sirens pulsed with a rhythmic, grating cadence that echoed against the obsidian walls of the academy’s central spire. Ravien skidded around the corner of the Grand Atrium, his boots sliding on the polished floor, his breath hitching in his chest. The assembly hall was already filling with students—a sea of tailored tunics and haughty, composed faces."Davenant!"Ravien slowed, catching his breath as a girl stepped from the shadows of a marble pillar. It was Liyana Huxford. She was from his intake, a quiet girl with sharp, observant eyes and a mana signature that felt like cold spring water—steady, clear, and utterly unlike the volatile storm brewing in Ravien’s marrow."Liyana? You’re heading to the assembly, right?" Ravien asked, straightening his coat."Obviously. Don't tell me you were lost," she retorted, her tone clipped. She looked him up and down, her brow furrowing. "You look like you’ve been through a meat grinder. Did you fall down the stairs, or is that just y

The air in the hallway felt heavy, charged with the lingering static of Ravien’s outburst. Kaleya didn't wait for his permission; she turned on her heel, her silk skirts whispering against the stone floor. She walked with a feline grace, leaving Ravien standing in the wake of her scent."Are you coming, or do you intend to stand there and contemplate the architecture all night?" Kaleya asked, not bothering to look back.Ravien hesitated. Every instinct he’d honed in the slums told him to run. Don't follow the predator, his mind warned. But curiosity, that wretched, persistent itch, pulled at him. He took a jagged breath and followed."Where are we going?" he asked, his voice sounding thin in the vaulted corridor."To my study. The common areas are for children," she replied.They reached a secluded wing of the academy where the lighting dimmed into a soft, ambient violet. Kaleya stopped before a door of dark mahogany, pressing her palm against a recessed sensor. The wood sighed open,