Ethan's eyes darted between Elara and Victor, his heart racing with fear. He knew he had to get out of there, but his legs seemed rooted to the spot.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ethan," Elara said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You're not going anywhere. You're exactly where you're meant to be."
Victor chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes, Ethan. You're just beginning to uncover the secrets of the ancient language. And once you've mastered it, you'll be unstoppable."
Ethan's mind reeled as he tried to process what was happening. He couldn't believe that he was being manipulated by these two people, and he knew he had to get away from them as fast as he could.
With a surge of adrenaline, Ethan turned and ran, sprinting back through the woods towards Ravenwood Academy. He could hear Elara and Victor shouting behind him, but he didn't look back.
When he finally reached the safety of the academy's courtyard, Ethan collapsed against a stone wall, gasping for breath. He knew he had to get away from Elara and Victor, but he also knew he couldn't do it alone.
He made his way to Anna Maria's dormitory, bursting into her room without knocking. "Anna Maria!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking with fear. "We have to get out of here! Elara and Victor are trying to manipulate me!"
Anna Maria's eyes widened in alarm as she sprang to her feet. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.
Ethan took a deep breath and explained everything that had happened at the old oak tree. Anna Maria listened intently, her face growing more and more concerned.
When Ethan finished speaking, Anna Maria nodded grimly. "We need to tell Professor Orion," she said. "He's the only one who can help us."
But as they turned to leave, they heard a strange noise coming from outside the dormitory window. It sounded like someone was trying to break in.
Ethan and Anna Maria exchanged a nervous glance. They knew they had to investigate the noise, but they also knew they had to be careful. They crept out of the dormitory and made their way to the window, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening outside.
As they peered out into the night, they saw a figure attempting to break into the academy's storage room. The figure was tall and imposing, with a black hoodie pulled up over their head.
Ethan's heart racing, he grabbed Anna Maria's arm and pulled her back from the window. "We have to tell Professor Orion," he whispered urgently.
Anna Maria nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Together, they crept out of the dormitory and made their way to Professor Orion's office.
The professor was working late, surrounded by piles of books and papers. He looked up as Ethan and Anna Maria burst into his office, his eyes narrowing in concern.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
Ethan took a deep breath and explained what they had seen. Professor Orion listened intently, his expression growing more and more serious.
"I think it's Elara and Victor," he said grimly. "They're trying to steal something from the academy. We need to get to the storage room right away."
With Professor Orion leading the way, they rushed to the storage room, but when they arrived, they found that the door was wide open and the room was in disarray.
"Looks like they got in," Professor Orion muttered. "We need to search for whatever it is they're looking for."
As they began to search the room, Ethan noticed something strange. The shelves were all empty, except for one shelf in the corner. And on that shelf, there was a small, leather-bound book.
Ethan's curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to open the book. As soon as he touched the cover, he felt a strange sensation, like a jolt of electricity ran through his fingers. The pages rustled as he opened it, revealing ancient script that seemed to dance across the page.
Anna Maria gasped in shock. "Professor Orion, what is this?"
The professor's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the book. "It's an ancient tome," he said. "One that's been hidden away for centuries. I've never seen anything like it."
Ethan's eyes scanned the pages, mesmerized by the strange symbols and illustrations. He felt like he was being drawn into a world beyond his own.
As he turned the pages, he noticed that the script was changing. The symbols were shifting, rearranging themselves into a new pattern.
"Guys, look at this," Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Anna Maria and Professor Orion gathered around him, peering at the book. The symbols were forming a message, one that seemed to be addressed to Ethan.
"It's a prophecy," Professor Orion breathed. "An ancient prophecy, one that foretells the return of an ancient power."
Ethan's heart raced as he read the words. It was a message from an ancient civilization, one that spoke of a great imbalance in the world and a chosen one who would restore balance.
"This is crazy," Anna Maria said, her voice full of awe. "We have to tell Elara and Victor about this."
But Ethan hesitated. He had a feeling that they wouldn't believe him. And besides, there was something about this prophecy that felt... personal.