In a well lit luxurious room.

The atmosphere inside the room was serene and calm. The only sound was that of the wind blowing against the curtains.

AAARGH! GASP! PANT!

The tranquility inside the room was abruptly broken when Fionn, who was lying on the bed inside, opened his eyes and began screaming in agony as well as gasping for air due to excruciating pain all over his body.

" Calm down. Your major injuries are almost completely healed; the pain is primarily from some hidden injuries; it will subside soon "From beside his bed, he heard a familiar voice.

In pain, Fionn clenched his teeth and turned his head to see Floyd lighting incense on a table beside his bed.

"What is this? Are you planning my funeral?" Fionn said, talking nonsense to divert his attention away from the pain.

"It's a healing incense. It is made from a combination of magical herbs and woods, and inhaling its aroma can help relieve pain "Floyd replied with a chuckle.

Soon after he finished speaking, an entrancing aroma began to fill the room as smoke from the incense began to fill it.

Taking a deep breath, Fionn felt the pain all over his body subside significantly; the incense had a subtle herbal scent to it that did not make one feel allergic to it.

Fionn's breathing became more stable as the pain in his body subsided. He inquired, feeling much better now "How did this happen to me? I recall being in the midst of a fight during the exam...." Mid-sentence, he abruptly paused and added while rubbing his temples, feeling a pang of headache "Ah, Damn it ! Why is my memory so jumbled?"

"Don't stress, it'll make the pain worse," Floyd said as he drew a chair from the side and sat next to Fionn's bed. He then took a deep breath and added "During the fight, Titus casted a spell that targets a person's soul on you, rendering you unconscious. Your soul has been injured, which is why your memory is foggy."

"Who is Titus?" Fionn inquired upon hearing the unfamiliar name.

"During the exam, he was your opponent" Floyd responded.

"How long have I been unconscious?" nodding in response, Fionn asked again, taking deep breaths and inhaling the aroma of incense to relieve his throbbing headache.

"Not long just a couple of days. Your recovery rate is quite remarkable; even people with a bloodline do not recover as quickly as you do. I expected you to be out cold for at least a couple of weeks, but you recovered before the exam even ended "Floyd responded, displaying his admiration.

Fionn blandly smiled hearing his praise, and asked" I don't understand. Why is my body in such bad shape? If my soul was injured and I went unconscious, the match should have ended immediately. I don't recall receiving such serious injuries during my fight."

Floyd stiffened when he heard Fionn's question and didn't know what to say. After a while, he smiled wistfully and said, "Wait until you recover completely, and all your questions will be answered by the academy's director himself."

Fionn became suspicious after hearing that response, and a feeling of unease crept up in his heart. Taking deep breaths to calm his churning anxiety, he inquired, "I have a relative here in Legacy, can I meet him?"

"Sure! Just tell me his name and year, and I'll summon him for you " Floyd said, delighted that the subject had been changed.

"His name is..." Fionn paused mid-sentence, as if recalling something, then added in a tired tone "Forget about it. I don't think I'm in a good enough state to meet anyone right now. I believe I need to rest for the time being; I'm not feeling well. Could you please leave me alone?"

"Not a problem. Take a good rest; my assistant is in the room next door; ring this bell if you need anything, and he'll come right away "Floyd stated calmly, pointing to a bell on the table.

Floyd exited the room, closing the door behind him. Fionn sighed aloud after Floyd left, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, his thoughts a jumble, his emotions in turmoil. After a while, he struggled out of bed, removed his clothes, leaving only his briefs, and walked up to a mirror, looking at his projection. What he saw horrified him; in the projection scars ran through his entire body from his face down to his legs, and his once healthy muscular body had thinned out significantly, resembling his previous self.

"What the hell happened to me? How did I sustain such injuries during a bloody exam? Wasn't the exam conducted under the supervision of professors and the director?" Fionn murmured, shocked at the state of his body.