Emily sat in front of the mirror in the master bedroom, Thalia standing behind her, knotting her tie. Emily examined herself in the mirror, her fingers playing with a simple necklace that she then clasped around her neck. Standing up, she walked over to the bed, arranging it carefully before straightening the pillows.Thalia finally finished knotting the tie, a triumphant sigh escaping her lips. "I'm getting good at this," she declared, placing her hands on her hips in a gesture of victory."You're a natural," Emily praised, smiling at Thalia's accomplishment. "Looks great."Thalia beamed at the compliment, adjusting the tie slightly. "Thanks. It's all practice," she joked."Ready to go?" Emily asked, opening the door and gesturing for Thalia to lead the way. Thalia walked out, and Emily followed, shutting the door behind her."You seem to be getting the hang of this school thing," Emily remarked as they walked towards the stairs.Thalia chuckled nervously. "It's been an adjustment."As they descended the stairs, they found Eric and Lucas waiting for them at the bottom."Finally," Eric muttered impatiently."Let's wait until Thalia is picked up for school before we head out," Lucas suggested, redirecting their focus."Why can't Thalia teach us? She knows how to use her powers," Emily proposed, looking to Thalia for support."Thalia's powers are from the west. The way they tap into their powers is different from the east, north, and even south," Lucas explained calmly." And I don't even fully understand my powers yet... But they offer lessons for it in school," Thalia added."So, Thalia's problem is solved. It's just us three," Emily concluded, nodding in understanding."Exactly," Lucas confirmed, agreeing with Emily's assessment.A knock at the door interrupted their discussion. Thalia walked over and opened it, revealing a lady with a wagon waiting by the street."See you later," Thalia waved, leaving abruptly to catch her ride to school."We should start heading out then," Lucas suggested, turning to Emily and Eric.✨🌙✨There stood Lucas, Emily, and Eric in the middle of a bustling market square. Individuals moved from one store or stall to another, carrying baskets of goods."Let's get this over with," Eric said, his brows furrowing in annoyance at the crowded market."Let's head to that store there," Emily suggested, already skipping towards it without waiting for a response from the others.Lucas and Eric quickly followed her as she entered the store, not wanting to lose sight of her in the bustling crowd."Emily, don't run off," Eric warned as he entered the store immediately after her, keeping a close eye on her.Lucas entered soon after, his gaze shifting between Emily, who looked around the store with wonder and excitement, and Eric, who seemed irritated by the situation."Oh," Lucas muttered, connecting the pieces as he noticed the store's contents. "Of course, you came here because it's a baking store," he realized, looking at Emily with a smile."Everyone like my pastries though," Emily shrugged, trying to lighten the mood."Concentrate, We're on a..." Eric was interrupted by Lucas, who shushed him loudly, noticing a young man by the reception table."Good day, how may I help you?" The young man asked politely, smiling at the group."Good day to you," Emily greeted him cheerfully. "We're new to the island and we were hoping to find someone who can train us with our powers."The young man smiled warmly at Emily and the boys. "Of course, I have a map that will direct you to one of them," he said, heading towards the back door to retrieve the map."See, I entered this store for a reason," Emily said, looking at her nails with a grin. Eric rolled his eyes, and Lucas smiled at her comment, appreciating her quick thinking."We can still get some ingredients if you want to," Lucas suggested, trying to diffuse the tension between Eric and Emily."YES...I mean, thanks," Emily exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.Eric stared at Lucas, his eyes narrowing as he scoffed loudly. "You're not one to devolve from a task. I wonder what's changed," Eric commented sarcastically, causing Lucas to frown and look out of the window, his hands folded in anger.Emily wanted to add something, but she was cut off by the man returning with the map."Here you go," the man handed it to Emily. "Oh, and it's great to see a Northerner around here," he added, already sensing her aura.Emily gave him a soft smile. "We'll be back for your goods," she said politely, before heading out of the store with the boys trailing behind her.Emily opened the map, revealing every part of the islands."This will be useful," Eric said, his eyes scanning the map for information."There's a studio nearby that has a master we need," Lucas pointed out, studying the paper intently."We should start heading there," Lucas suggested, taking the lead as they left the market square, following the map's directions to their next destination.✨🌙✨"I can't believe we need money," Eric said, sitting abruptly on one of the chairs in the cottage."I should have probably seen that coming," Lucas remarked, his back resting against the wall as he joined Eric in the seating area."Well, you know how to use your powers, Lucas. Just train Eric," Emily suggested, trying to find a solution.Lucas flinched at her suggestion, clearing his throat anxiously. "I'm not good with my powers... My fingers show that," he admitted, holding up his hands.Emily furrowed her brows at his hesitation, her gaze moving to his darkened fingers. "I wouldn't want you to do something you're uncomfortable with. But you could at least teach Eric the basics until we can afford proper lessons," she said softly and calmly, trying to reassure him."It's your choice, Lucas," Emily assured him with a gentle smile."I can try... But I've had no one in my life to teach me my powers well, only one... But it doesn't count," Lucas said, his weariness showing in his smile as he looked at Emily."There's a library close by. Maybe we can find something to help with your fingers, and I should also get a book for my powers too," Emily suggested, trying to offer a solution."You don't know what caused that?" Eric asked blankly, pointing to Lucas's hands."I... I do, but I'm not sure... I don't know," Lucas muttered, his voice cracking, his gaze fixed on the floor.Emily walked over to Lucas, gently holding his hands to get his attention. "It's okay if you don't know. We can figure it out together," she reassured him softly.Lucas smiled warmly at her. "Okay, we have a plan then," he said, feeling a bit more hopeful.Emily removed her hand from Lucas's. "I should probably head to the library," she said, thinking of their next steps."Alone?" Eric asked, standing up quickly, concerned for her safety."Yes," Emily replied confidently. "The Island is safe. Let me grab the books we'll need, and you can let Lucas train you in the meantime."Emily opened the door leaving without waiting for a response✨🌙✨As I stepped into the library, I was instantly struck by the vast space. Towering shelves lined the walls, filled with countless ancient books and scrolls. The air was thick with the musty scent of aged paper and parchment.Beams of sunlight filtered in through the tall, arched windows, casting a warm glow across the polished wooden floors.My gaze was drawn to the centre of the library, where a massive oak table stood, its surface covered in a sprawling array of papers, open books, quills, and inkwells. The sheer volume of information laid out before me was immediately overwhelming, and I couldn't help but let out a soft sigh."This isn't going to be easy," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly would disturb the reverent stillness of the space.Seated at the oak table, I sighed in exhaustion, feeling the weight of the books in front of me. As I tried to focus on the text, movement caught my peripheral vision, and I looked up, startled.There stood an elderly lady, her presence soothing yet surprising. She smiled sweetly, her eyes twinkling with kindness. "Sorry for the fright," she said gently. "My name is Luna. I'm the owner of this library, and I couldn't help but notice your frustration."Relief flooded through me at her warm demeanour. "Oh, my name is Emily," I replied, returning her smile. "I was searching for books on Northerner powers. Do you have any recommendations?"I noticed the elderly lady's smile falter before she composed herself once more. "You're from the north?" she asked gently."Yes," I answered."I haven't seen a northerner since I've lived on these islands. They are rare here from what I know," she informed me."Oh," I said slowly, anticipating her next words."There are no books in the Islands about the North or their powers. King Ronan said we don't need such...so all the books are in the castle," she said with a sad smile.I sighed in frustration. "And no one is allowed in the castle, right?"She simply nodded in confirmation."I'm confused," I said with a small frown. "I thought this island was built for us to learn about our heritage and history... Why would he hide those books away from us?"She smiled sadly at me. "The king does what is best for everyone."'But why the North only,' I wonder."There isn't any master of north powers on the island that can teach me, right?" I asked eagerly."No, there isn't," she replied, offering a warm smile.I sighed, mustering a smile in return. "Thanks, I was still able to find the other books I need," I said, grateful for her help."Do you know what caused darkness to cling to someone... like, literally?" I inquired, trying to sound casual despite the urgency in my voice.Her expression shifted to one of concern. "Oh my, do you have someone experiencing that issue?""Yes, my... my husband," I corrected quickly. "He has a darkened finger," I explained, hoping my improvised explanation would suffice."Usually, these issues arise from self-inflicted actions," she explained. "It could be that he's been suppressing his powers, which can cause the darkness to spread, or he's been ignoring his shadows."I leaned forward, my brow furrowed, eager to understand."He should find a way to resolve it before it spreads further," she continued, her tone grave. "If he doesn't, he might lose himself to the shadows."I stood up abruptly, a wave of fear crashing over me at the thought of losing Lucas. "Lose himself? What do you mean by that?" I asked, my voice trembling."I'm not entirely sure," she admitted. "I've only read about it; I've never witnessed or heard of it happening."Feeling overwhelmed, I sank back into my chair, my hand covering my face as I tried to process this new information."Try not to worry, dear. Your husband will be fine. You just need to find a master to help him prevent it. Such things have not happened or been seen. It's only the ancient scrolls of Hecate that mention the implications of suppressing one's shadows," she assured me, her hand on my shoulder."So there's a chance it won't happen since there isn't any known case of it," I muttered to myself, feeling a bit of relief."I would like to take these books with me," I informed her.✨🌙✨Eric and Lucas stood behind the cottage, the backyard laid out before them with its neatly trimmed grass, trees, flowers, and benches, the kitchen's back door opened into the house. Eric, his arms folded, wore a blank expression as he stared intently at Lucas."The sun is going to set soon... so it's good," Lucas said, his gaze briefly shifting to the setting sun before returning to Eric.Lucas closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again, revealing their pure black colour. Eric flinched at the sight, inhaling sharply, his feet shifting uneasily as he avoided meeting Lucas's eyes.Noticing Eric's discomfort, Lucas's brows furrowed slightly. "Is something wrong?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice."No," Eric replied, still avoiding eye contact. He dropped to the grass, his fingers fidgeting in his lap, a sign of his unease."Okay," Lucas began, his voice gentle. "Well, firstly, shadow manipulation powers only work in a dark and unlit environment.""What a revelation," Eric replied sarcastically, his hand brushing the grass underneath him lightly.Lucas hummed silently, then lifted his hand toward the shadow of a nearby tree, drawing the shadows to surround his arm gently. Eric watched in silence, his lips tight and eyes wide."I can control the shadows around me," Lucas began, his voice steady as he focused on his arms, observing the ring of shadows encircling them. "But, not everyone possesses the same abilities. Some can manipulate shadows using it to mold shapes and objects," he explained, his tone thoughtful."Others have the gift of travelling through the shadows, using them as pathways to move," Lucas continued, his eyes glinting with knowledge. "And then there are those who possess the rare ability to conceal themselves within the darkness itself, becoming virtually invisible to the naked eye."As Lucas spoke, he gestured with his hands, sending the strings of shadow into the air. With a swift motion, they coalesced into a black, shadowy sword midair before he caught it."You were worried about a weapon to defend yourself, so maybe these could be useful to you," Lucas said, his smile awkward and shy as he handed the sword to Eric.Eric tilted his head back slightly, avoiding the sword's tips, his eyes wide and uncomfortable. "No," he said abruptly.Lucas chuckled nervously and waved his hand, causing the swords to disperse. "The types of shadow manipulation powers depend on your capacity to... not to get lost in it," Lucas explained."Lost in what ways?" Eric asked, his brows furrowed."Well, i-is uh shadows...I don't know," Lucas sighed. "I know nothing about my powers... I'm lost and confused."Lucas dropped to the ground, his hands on his head, deep in thought. "We need a master," Lucas said quietly to himself.Eric furrowed his brows in concern as he watched Lucas. "So you really don't know why that is on your finger?" Eric asked, his eyes narrowing. Lucas nodded slowly."These powers are not pure, then! We don't need to waste our time learning this abomination," Eric hollered as he stood up, his eyes widening in anger."It's not an abomination," Lucas said calmly, his hands dropping from his face as he stared at Eric intently."Oh really..." Eric's voice was sharp, "Your fucking fingers said otherwise.""It's not the magic's fault," Lucas replied, standing up to meet Eric's gaze, his face a mask of anger and irritation."Then whose fault is it, huh?" Eric's voice rose. "You know it's considered an abomination. That's why you were hiding your powers, pretending to be normal in Tauris!"Eric strode up to Lucas, his eyes ablaze with fury. "How can I trust you? For all I know, you've been a spy for the organization all along, and I won't let Emily fall into your trap."Lucas's jaw clenched, his gaze meeting Eric's with equal intensity. "You've lost your trust in me," he said, his voice low and filled with hurt before he turned away, unable to hold Eric's accusing stare."And what about you, Eric?" Lucas's voice rose, laced with bitterness. "You wield this magic too. If it's an abomination, then so are you." With that, he stormed towards the back door, slamming it shut behind him with a resounding bang.Eric stood there, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed in anger as he stared at the shut door. He took a deep breath, raising his head, he gazed up at the dark sky, the moon casting a silver glow over the landscape."Am I an abomination?... I don't want this," Eric whispered his eyes closed, his voice barely audible. Taking a shaky breath, Eric opened his eyes, the shimmering tears reflecting the moon's light.His gaze shifted, watching the shadows of the objects around him dance in the moonlight. Eric turned his back on the moonlight as he walked towards the door.