In The Eyes of The Beholder(chap26) Shadows in the rankings

Silas strode happily down the hallway, the smell of food drifting through the air like a gentle guide. For the other sleepers, it acted as a beacon, signalling the cafeteria's proximity, but for Silas, it felt as though the fragrance itself was carrying his steps.

He was still emanating the zeal and feelings from his interactions from his testing with [Guiding Tapestry] the sinister wide grin on his face implanted in his expressions, causing the timid sleepers to keep their space. 

Eventually the wide space of the cafeteria revealed itself, it contained my tables designed for the fellow sleepers to converse as they ate away, there was already the vast majorities of the students in their secluded little groups, already seeming to have branched further from the assembly.

So, Silas too quick hurried step into the que and received his food, it was a bowl of salmon covered with rich sauces, all of which Silas had no idea what any of them were called of course, it was one of the few times he was actually able to proper food, not just synthpaste or some mix-bowl of cheap ingredients thrown together. 

He sat at one of the empty tables and gorged into the fish, the food was incredibly rich for his tastes, although still simple and cheap to manufacture, it required no farming of limited plant-based options, although the meat he really couldn't tell if it came from the actual fish or was just replicated so. 

It still felted juicy, sweet and savoury to his taste buds, it was glorious, it compared to the synthpaste that the government loved to shove down their throats, instead of having to force it down, the salmon simply melted in his mouth. all the other sleepers seemed indifferent to what Silas considered incredibly tasty, leaving their food on the wayside while they talk 

All the sounds of the conversations seemed to drown out as he ate, all of his focus remaining solely on the meal in front of him. 

He continued his tirade and assault into the plate before its surface was a wasteland, empty of its contents, the only memory of the food's existence being the extravagant sauces blood staining the massacre. 

Silas sighed, dropping the fork he'd been using to shovel the salmon into his mouth. Now that the food was gone, the silence around him felt heavier, almost oppressive. Unlike his peers, who chatted in their groups, Silas had no one to talk to—just the food. And now that it was gone, so was his reason for staying.

In timely fashion his communicator buzzed as it alerted him of a notification, he glanced at the screen to read the message that interrupted his silence. 

'Looks like it's time for my interview. Wonder what they'll try to squeeze out of me,' Silas huffed to himself. His secrets were his own, and he wasn't about to share anything unless it gave him an edge. This so-called interview was just an excuse to pry into his mind, to assess his worth for their records

Silas had always hated being evaluated. His greatness, his power—they were for him alone to know. He relished the thought of thriving in their midst, the outskirts rat proving them all wrong. But at the same time, a part of him longed to shout his true name, to bask in the attention of the very people who ignored or avoided him. To let them know the strength he held, strength they could never hope to achieve.

As he was following the directions to the interview, he let himself think further on his approach

He wanted them to see him for who he truly was, the power they couldn't even comprehend. Yet with the interrogation looming, he came to a conclusion. 

He could not flaunt his aspect and true name, while it would feel great in the moment, it will directly harm his goal of eliminating the legacies, after all if they knew of his powers, they would be wary of him, on guard and keen on his alliances, they would be desperate to haul and take control of him. 

Along with the many sets of eyes that would be placed on him by shining his own light. 

So, he would have to hold back on telling these things and give an image of himself that would help his advance. 

'I need them to underestimate me, yet I need them to value me enough to not attempt to dispose or keep me away, to be not viewed as a peasant to them, but a valuable solider they think has their loyalty.'

If they knew what he was capable of, the legacies would become wary, watchful. They would tighten their grip, desperate to control or neutralize me or subjugate me. 

The devilish smirk revealed itself on Silas expression as he continued down the elaborate halls. 

Instead of confronting them directly. 

He would make them turn their backs.

So, he could take their heads. 

It was the plan he would stick to, one of his own reasoning, or perhaps he liked playing the underdog a little too much. 

His conniving continued as he reached the destination for the interview, opening the door handle with a *click* he entered the enclosed office. 

The interviewer had invited him to his seat.

Without hesitation, she began with the standard set of scripted questions

She spoke with un-offensive language like, "are you willing to share?" or "would you like to tell me" Silas answered the simple questions with stale responses, it seemed the environment had been conjured by the academy to make the interviewee as comfortable as possible to share their information. 

He took a quick glance to the corner ceiling of the room, it held some surveillance cameras, recorders, and other technology he could not figure. 

'Ah I heard that they had technology that could discern lies... is that what some of those are, did they really put that those at the academy?' He scoffed at the belligerence, the interviewer watching with slight confusion before speaking her next question.

One that finally sparked some interest within Silas. 

"Would you mind telling me about your aspect ability you received, as in combat, sorcery, utility?"

Silas leaned forward and tried to speak with as much convincing clarity as possible. 

"My aspect ability lets me see a few seconds into the future"

With that statement the interviewer's attention peaked as she followed up.

"Oh my, that is certainly an aspect! So can you see what's happening around you while you're looking into the future, or is your vision split?"

Silas tried to seem awkward as he scratched his neck.

"Well, it's like I see things that indicate what's going to happen with what I'm already seeing, although it's a bit hard to decern at times." 

The interview continued on as Silas answered, he had kept [Guiding Tapestry] his actual aspect ability a secret, along with not elaborating on any of his attributes. The concept of [Beholders Eye] that he did share lacked the intricates of detail in the aspect, along while not disclosing the limits and ways he could use it to his advantage. 

He hoped he would be valued as having a unique aspect that could put him higher in the ranks, yet behind the combat aspects viewed as powerful ability's. 

As he made his way back to his room Silas couldn't help but feel smug. His time in the outskirts had honed his acting skills well, and now it had paid off—the interviewer hadn't suspected of a moment that he was downplaying his abilities.

Once he reached his soft bed he collapsed on the mattress, the excitement of joy of the day being compressed as the bed held his weight, tucked under the heavy blankets he felt sleep take him into solace. 

With no anxiety about having a cow bite his head off while he was snoozing, he slept quietly, like a baby.

When Silas woke, the morning light filtered through the window, and for once, there were no man-eating cows waiting to devour him.

He thought he had gotten over it, yet the memory of the horrific maw opening before him seemed to stick. he shook off the idea and went to wash himself, after being finished he quickly rushed to the cafeteria to receive the delicious food once more. 

Although his great mood seemed to dampen as the entire cafeteria was utterly packed, he grumbled at the bustling crowd of sleepers, receiving the appetizing extremity that was his breakfast, he looked for a quiet place he could sit and enjoy it.

To his dismay, there was not a single table empty, they were all full, except for one that contained two people.

One being the black-haired boy with the mellow shadowed core, the other being a timid blond girl struggling with her fork, missing her plate entirely and nearly knocking over her glass. She never once looked at the food, her eyes drifting aimlessly.

This will give readers a clue about her condition even before it's explicitly mentioned.

He sighed, as his mood tumbled, the only thing that seemed to fight back against it was the subtle curiosity regarding the boy, his mysterious core and strong-willed eyes was unique, a chance to interact might be intriguing. 

Sitting down at the table he began his assault on the food, ignoring the two people residing beside him, although he had his curiosity's, it would be hard to talk while stuffing food into his mouth, so he would converse later. 

The blond girl flinched when he sat down, while the black-haired boy simply stared at him with subtle annoyance at his style of dining, and continued quietly enjoying his food

he got halfway through the delicious breakfast a sudden commotion broke out, the sounds of shock and awe grew louder and louder until Silas simply could not take it anymore. 

'For the love of... You have mouths to eat, not yap endlessly! Just let me enjoy my breakfast in peace.' Silas grumbled as his focus on the meal was broken, finally looking over to see what they won't shut up about. 

He caught attention of a screen that displayed a variety of names listed down, it seemed the academy had released rankings on how they would view the student to be successful in the dream realm, strongest to weakest. 

He looked for his name and found it above the average but bellow the masses of legacy's that swarmed the very top of the rankings, though something caught his eye. 

The names of the legacies had included there clans along with it for some reason, yet at the very top of the list, the clan mention was absent. 

In first place, it showed. 

Name: Nephis

And to Silas's disbelief it showed more. 

True name: Changing Star

He gulped down the food in his mouth and stared with open eyes at the text. 

'huh, guess I'm not the only one.'