The Nightmare Wizard

The tea was warm. William held it in his hands, not so much for the taste, but for the comfort of its heat. Across from him, Aurus watched him intently, as if measuring every blink. Then, William decided to speak.

"During the trance... I didn't see any colors or light, not even shadows. Everything was a thick fog that wrapped around me completely. There was no up or down, just that dense shroud, hiding everything. I thought I was blind, until slowly, part of the fog started to lift. And then... it appeared."

Aurus raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"A mask. Smooth, featureless, without cracks. White—pale like a corpse. Just two hollow sockets." William closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the scene. "Even without eyes, it looked at me—or at least, that's how it felt. And then... it turned."

"Turned?"

"Yes. The mask spun on itself, and a mouth appeared. Massive. Full of jagged teeth. It opened... and let out a sound that pierced my soul. I couldn't describe it, but it was something truly sinister. It felt like a real nightmare."

Aurus stayed silent, staring into his cup. His expression had changed; the casual calm he usually wore had vanished, replaced by a quiet tension.

"The fog usually appears in trances when the subject has an affinity with illusion magic... but that mask..." He shook his head. "I've never heard of such a thing. Perhaps it's just a manifestation of your subconscious. Nothing to worry about. This test was only meant to detect affinities, it won't leave any aftereffects."

William nodded, though he could tell Aurus didn't quite believe his own words.

After some light conversation, William remembered his outfit.

"Professor... do you know where my previous clothes ended up? I'd rather not ruin this borrowed set during training."