The atmosphere around Eclipse Academy felt different after the trio's return. A subtle yet unmistakable tension hung in the air, as if the entire campus was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Nox could feel it more keenly than ever, the Veil's presence in everything around her.
She stood on the rooftop of one of the academy's old buildings, her eyes cast over the sprawling grounds. From this vantage point, the students below seemed distant, unaware of the forces circling them. The weight of her role as the Veilbearer pressed down on her shoulders, but it wasn't the kind of burden she could let go of easily. This responsibility was hers, and it was only becoming heavier with time.
Luna and Elena had taken the night to gather information, scouring the restricted sections of the academy's archives. Nox had felt restless while they were gone, her mind racing with thoughts of the growing dangers they faced. Now, with the early morning sun rising over the horizon, she awaited their return.
Her gold eyes narrowed as she spotted two familiar figures approaching from the distance—Luna's dark silhouette alongside Elena's graceful yet confident stride.
When they reached the rooftop, Luna held out a dusty, ancient-looking tome. "This is all we could find. It's old, and a lot of it has been redacted or lost to time, but there are some interesting mentions of the Veil and the academy's founding."
Nox took the tome and flipped through its brittle pages. The text was difficult to make out in some places, but there were passages that stood out, written in a language she recognised as part of the hidden world's script.
"Look here," Luna said, pointing to a section that had been carefully preserved. "This mentions a pact between the founders of the academy and an entity tied to the Veil. It doesn't say who or what the entity is, but it refers to something called 'The Keeper.'"
Nox's heart skipped a beat. "The Keeper... Could it be related to the Guardian we encountered in the Labyrinth?"
"Possibly," Elena chimed in, her brow furrowed. "But this doesn't give us much. Whoever this Keeper was, it seems they were involved in ensuring the stability of the Veil. And there's a warning here—something about a 'great imbalance' if the Veil is disturbed."
Nox closed the tome and exhaled slowly. "So, the academy isn't just a place of learning. It's tied to the Veil on a fundamental level."
Luna nodded. "Exactly. This whole place might be built around protecting the Veil—or controlling it. Either way, we're standing in the middle of something much bigger than we thought."
They descended from the rooftop, heading toward a hidden alcove in the academy's gardens. The secluded spot had become their unofficial meeting place, away from the prying eyes of both students and staff. Here, Nox, Luna, and Elena could speak freely without the fear of being overheard.
Nox laid the tome on a stone bench, her mind already racing with plans. "We need to find more about this Keeper. If the academy was founded to protect the Veil, then there might be records somewhere about how they did it. There has to be more."
Elena crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "We could try the old council chambers. They've been locked for years, but if anyone has access to deeper records, it would be the student council."
Luna's eyes brightened at the idea. "I can get us in. The council president has keys to those areas. It won't be easy, though—they're monitored."
Nox frowned. "We'll need to be careful. Whoever's behind the scenes at this academy won't appreciate us snooping around. But we don't have much of a choice. We need those answers."
The three of them exchanged a silent look, understanding that their next steps could put them in danger—but there was no turning back now.
Night had fallen again by the time they made their way to the council chambers, shrouded in darkness at the edge of the academy grounds. The building was old, its towering arches and stone walls speaking of a time long past. Nox had never been inside, but she could feel the weight of history pressing against her as they approached.
Luna unlocked the doors with a series of ancient-looking keys, the heavy wood groaning as it swung open. Inside, the air was cool and musty, the scent of forgotten books and papers lingering in the shadows. The moonlight filtered through narrow windows, casting long, eerie beams across the stone floor.
"We'll need to split up," Nox whispered. "The records we're looking for could be anywhere in here."
Luna handed Nox a small lantern, its warm glow cutting through the dimness. "I'll search the main archives. Elena, you take the council's old meeting rooms. Nox, check the private study chambers. If the Keeper had personal records, they might be hidden there."
Nox nodded, gripping the lantern as she made her way down a narrow corridor. The walls seemed to close in on her as she walked, the weight of the past pressing down from all sides. There was a sense of something watching—something ancient and alive within these walls.
The first study chamber she entered was small, lined with bookshelves that towered over her. She scanned the titles quickly, her fingers brushing over worn leather spines. Most of the books were about the academy's governance, student affairs, and mundane council business. But in the back, tucked away in a dusty corner, Nox found a small, unmarked journal.
She hesitated before opening it. The pages were yellowed with age, but the script inside was neat and precise, as if the writer had known that their words might one day be of great importance. As she read, Nox's eyes widened.
The journal spoke of the Veil, of the Keeper's duty to guard it, and of the academy's secret role in maintaining balance. But it also hinted at something darker—an ancient force, long thought to be sealed away, that could tear the Veil apart if it were ever released.
Nox's heart raced as she scanned the final entry. The writer had been afraid—terrified, even—of what might happen if the academy's guardians failed in their duty. There were mentions of a reckoning, of shadows that would rise from the depths if the Veil were ever breached.
She snapped the journal shut, her mind swirling with questions. Who wrote this? And why was it hidden away?
As she hurried back to the others, Nox couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something catastrophic. The Keeper's legacy was not just one of protection—it was also one of sacrifice. And if they weren't careful, they could be the ones to pay the price.