Ring Ring Ring
Slam!
"Arguh."
From the bed, a teenager no older than 15 was seen waking up.
Alex dragged himself out of bed, his skinny frame shivering in the morning air. In the bathroom mirror, a mess of dirty blonde hair fell over his blue eyes. He ran his fingers through it half-heartedly—'good enough for school, at least.'
Walking down the stairs, he then spots his mother making breakfast.
"Morning, Mom."
"Morning, sweetie. Breakfast will be ready in a couple of minutes."
"Thanks, Mom."
Sitting down at the table, Alex looks at the TV, which has the local news on.
"Breaking news: Another body discovered in Benton Harbor this morning marks the fifth victim in two months. Despite police assurances, residents question their safety as the killer remains—"
Click
The TV then suddenly turns off.
'Another one? Really. I swear Mom said this town was safe.' Alex thinks while turning to his mom.
"No need to watch news like that this morning. Here, enjoy. I made eggs and ham just as you like." Alex's mother hands over the plate.
"Thank you."
Nodding, Alex's mom eats her own breakfast.
"Any plans after school?" His mom asked, sliding a plate of eggs in front of him. Alex perked up. "Yeah, heading to Randy's. He finally got that PS5 he's been bragging about."
"Well, tell Randy I said hi, and do be a good sport and come back around 6:30. Your father should be home by then."
"Okay, I will."
Finishing his plate, Alex puts it into the sink and then heads off to the door, grabbing his school bag.
"Bye, Mom." Alex tries to leave quickly, however.
"Wait! Give me a hug first."
"Mom!"
"Oh, don't be shy."
Taking Alex into a big hug, Alex's mother smothers him in her love.
"Okay, I'm happy now. You go ahead and have a good day. Love you, sweetie."
"Love you too, Mom."
Walking along the sidewalk to school, Alex reaches the city park. Standing just outside the gate, two boys can be seen.
"There you are. We've been waiting ages for you." A fellow teenager wearing glasses and having rather long hair for a boy teases.
"Oh yeah? Cause you really want to make it to Small's class, huh?"
"Now, now. I didn't say anything about that, did I?" Randy defends himself, smiling.
"I, for one, like Small's class. Her work is the easiest." The other teenager, who was rather tall for a 15-year-old, commented.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his phone.
"Besides, Randy's right. You're 5 minutes late today."
"Tch. That's just because you're here so early."
"Not my fault my dad thinks when he has to go to work, I have to go to school too." Max scoffs.
Randy, having enough, interrupts. "Shut it, both of you. If we don't get going, we're going to be late."
"Fine, fine. Lead the way."
Walking down to school, the three boys argue and banter with one another, just like any other day.
However, today is not like any other day. No, today was the day of the Autumnal Equinox, a day to begin the reign of fall.
Not much is celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, but hey, it's a day that you should know about, especially since from now on, the whole world will learn to fear the fateful day.
As the teenagers were walking to school, all was swell and great, except unknown to them, the world they knew was slowly changing.
The trees shed their leaves like they were racing winter, shadows stretching where sunshine should have been. A cold fog crept along the ground, curling around their ankles. Alex shivered, goosebumps rising on his arms. 'Should've grabbed a jacket,' he thought, but something told him this wasn't normal autumn chill.
"Yo guys, isn't it kind of dark all of a sudden?" Randy, looking around, acknowledges.
"Yeah, now that you mention it, it does," Max tells.
"Kind of freaky, no?" Randy jokes lightly.
'Kind of? No, it's really strange and makes no sense.'
Alex, not sure of what is going on, ponders. "Is there a solar eclipse happening today or something?"
"No, nothing that I know of," Randy tells.
"Well, it has to be something, right?" Max, whose hair on his arms is standing up as if his body was telling him something is wrong.
Slowly walking deeper onto the path that they take to school, the boys, on high alert, take note of the surroundings.
The trees, once full of life, are now hollow and lack the warmth they once gave. Now they are nothing more than husks of their former selves.
The light that radiated the air was now dark, with all that was left being the light from the streetlights.
The sounds of the once bustling city were no longer around; all that was left was the echoes of the night.
As they continue walking down the sidewalk, the sense that something wasn't right keeps growing in the back of their minds.
RUN
The hairs of everyone standing up high and alert. The strength in their legs vanishing like thin air, a knot growing large in the pit of their stomachs.
'Why can't I move?' Looking down, Alex sees his legs shaking in fright.
RUN
Rolling down the back of their heads, a cold sweat hits the spines, sending signals along their nervous systems.
'Move, damn it!'
RUN
A scraping sound echoed from the alley—like nails on concrete. Alex's breath caught in his throat as something emerged. At first, it looked almost human-shaped, if humans had arms that hung past their knees and stood twice as tall as streetlights. The thing unfolded itself, vertebrae crackling as it straightened, and Alex's mind screamed that this wasn't possible, couldn't be real.
'RUN! YOU NEED TO RUN, ALEX, RUN!'
RUN
Turning out the corner, the demon looks at the boys. Its face, one that looks humanoid, has a tear from where the mouth should be. The tear leading down to the chest of the demon.
RUN
The bone-chilling feeling permeating into the atmosphere like a hand wrapping along your neck. Breathing no longer a choice but a privilege taken by the demon.
RUN
Slowly, the mouth of the demon opens, showing a wide range of teeth, each sharper than the rest. As if smiling, the demon crooks its head to the side, glaring.
RUN
The creature's jaw unhinged, splitting its face in a way no mouth should move. The roar that followed wasn't just sound—it was pure wrongness given voice, rattling Alex's bones and shocking his frozen muscles into action. "RUN!" The word tore from his throat before his brain could catch up. His feet were already moving, sneakers pounding against pavement as survival instinct took over.
As they bolted down the street, their feet pounding the pavement, the demon's roar echoes behind them like a beaten drum.
Following the path they originally took, the trees once still and hollow seem to grow in the darkness, reaching out, trying to grab them.
Randy, not expecting the tree to reach out, almost clothes-lines himself.
"What is happening!" In a panic, Randy, trying to understand what is happening, yells in fright.
"I don't know! Just run!" Max yells back.
Thump
Thump
Thump
Alex's heart thunders under his rib cage as if it itself was trying to escape the demon. His breath becomes short and ragged gasps, as the cold air burns his lungs.
'Where, where do we go.' Alex, trying to come up with an idea to survive, questions where to go. 'Police station? No, too far. The Fire Station? Yes, that's close!'
"Guys, run to the fire station!" Alex yells.
"Got it!" Max, who is leading them, turns down the street towards the station.
Except, instead of the station being in view, laying in the middle of the street is a large corpse that makes the demon following them look small.
Through the chaos, Alex spotted something impossible—a woman perched on what looked like a throne of shadows, one leg crossed elegantly over the other as if she were at a café rather than sitting atop a monster's corpse. She rose with liquid grace, her movement too smooth to be natural. The throne dissolved at her gesture, darkness flowing back to her hand like it was being poured in reverse.
Her dark purple hair cascades just past her shoulders, crowned by a small witch hat with no brim. She is wearing a short cloak that accentuates her frame. Her red eyes beam across the street, staring daggers at the boys.
Reaching to the side of her waist, she pulls out a silver short sword that gleams in the dark. Its silver valor shines as the lady takes her steps down from the corpse.
Touching the emblem placed upon her modest chest, it glows a light blue softly. Jumping from the corpse, the lady floats in the air like an angel coming down from heaven.
Her hair fluttering in the wind and cloak flapping makes her look like a vixen of the night. A charming allure radiates from the lady like one beckoning for attention.
'So pretty...' Lost in the charm of the lady, the boys, like moths to the flame, are helpless in watching as the vixen floats down.
So lost that the boys even forget about the demon riding on their tail. However, unlike them, the demon seems to be able to resist the tempting offer of the vixen.
Roaring in pain, the demon lunges at the vixen in desperation. Its claws swipe through the air with great speed.
CLANK
Smashing into the silvery sword, the demon's claws seemingly stop before any real damage could occur. Its once vibrant and horror-filled eyes now hollow, as if it was a statue.
"Shh, go to sleep, child." From the mouth of the vixen, a soft voice like one from a pampered mother telling you it's time to sleep.
The eyes of the demon fall, and its mouth closes. With a flick of the wrist, the silver sword flashes through the air, cleanly lopping off the head of the demon.
THUD
The head falls to the ground, leaving a trail of dark blood flowing like honey. Sheathing the sword, the Vixen turns to the boys, smiling sensually.
Stepping towards the boys, each step leaking charm, her aura encapsulating them. Standing within arm's reach, the vixen walks around the boys, her natural aura arousing their nostrils.
"It seems to me you aren't slaves of the Behemoth but aren't students of the academy either, hmm." Taking out an orb from a bag, the vixen touches it to the forehead of Max.
The orb pulsed against Max's forehead, its soft blue light stuttering before dulling to an ashen grey. The change was subtle, but the woman's reaction wasn't—her seductive smile vanished, replaced by something sharp and serious that made Alex's stomach drop. Whatever that color meant, it wasn't good.
Double-tapping the emblem on her chest, it lights up white.
"Captain Graves, I need your assistance. I have a possible code day on my hands here." Vespera, the Vixen whose voice lost all charm, turned serious.
Coming over the emblem radio, a rough voice with subtle static echoes. "Location?"
"Sector 7, Court Street."
"On my way." With a soft hum, the emblem stops glowing.
Taking the orb off Max's forehead, she then places it on top of Alex and Randy's foreheads, only to see it change to the color grey like it did with Max.
The aura that Vespera once let out that enthralled the boys into place was now gone. Only a stifling one that seemed to make them hold their breath and let the cold sweat once again to run down their spine was left.
With her arms crossed over her chest, the vixen Vespera can be seen looking out to the sky as if waiting for something to come.
Before the boys could process the strange woman's sudden shift in demeanor, a low, distant whoosh broke through the eerie silence. It grew louder with each passing second, a rush of wind that sent fallen leaves scattering across the desolate street. Alex's eyes darted skyward, searching the thick fog for the source.
'What is that?' Alex wonders.
The woman---Vespera, as she called herself---remained still, her crimson eyes locked onto the sky. Her hand brushed over the glowing emblem on her chest, its soft hum barely audibles over the growing roar.
The sky split open. That's what it looked like to Alex—reality itself tearing apart as something massive punched through the clouds. The figure rode darkness like a missile, black coat whipping like storm clouds given form. A broomstick screamed through the air beneath him, trailing sparks that burned holes in Alex's vision.
As the figure neared, the broom twisted violently, spiraling downward before slamming into the pavement with an earth-shaking crash. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the ground, cracks spider-webbing out beneath his boots. Dust and debris exploded outward, forcing the boys to shield their faces.
When the dust settled, the figure stood tall, towering over seven feet, his broad frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the light. His coat settled around him like a storm at rest, revealing a muscular build that seemed carved from stone. In one hand, he gripped the twisted broom, now more akin to a warhammer than a tool of flight, its gnarled wood pulsing faintly with otherworldly energy.
Captain Graves' piercing eyes, glowing faintly, swept over the boys. His face was rugged, with sharp features that spoke of countless battles. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a deep rumble that seemed to resonate in their bones.
"So," he said, his tone heavy with authority, "these are the Daywalkers?"
'Daywalkers? Why would we be Daywalkers? It almost sounds like something from a book.' Alex can't help but think, even when the weight of the man pressures him. Even with his knees buckling under the pressure, Alex still, in fight or flight, tries to figure out what's going on.
Alex felt his knees buckle under the weight of Graves' presence, his heart pounding like a war drum. Max and Randy stood frozen, their breaths shallow, as if the air itself had grown too thick to inhale.
"Report."
Vespera stepped forward, her earlier charm replaced by a steely resolve. "Captain Graves," she greeted with a slight nod. "They were chased by a Brood Brute. I dispatched it, but..." She held up the orb, its grey hue catching the dim light. "They're unregistered."
Graves frowned and, with a flick of his wrist, the oppressive aura Vespera had cast over the boys dissipated, leaving them gasping for breath.
"No use keeping them subdued," Graves said, his voice like the growl of a distant storm. "They haven't even awakened yet."
He leaned down, bringing his face level with Alex's. Seeing the scars that run along his face, Alex can't help but wonder what kind of beast had to injure this monster that can fly through the sky.
"Tell me everything," Graves commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. "What happened before the Brute found you?"
'Scary.' Alex gulps, knowing that whatever aura that held them was easily swatted by this man. Not knowing what these two want with them, Alex can't help but be defensive.
Even with understanding that these two have the power to kill whatever those demons or Brutes, as they called them, are. Alex can't help but notice that they put importance into the fact they are supposed Daywalkers.
Meaning that they need them for something, which means he can use that to their advantage.
"And what's in it for us?" Alex, whose voice cracks, tries to put up a front to deter the man from taking advantage of them.
"Hoho, tough guy, huh? Well, you ask what's in it for you." Grabbing Alex by the shoulders and lifting him off the ground, Graves then steps on the broomstick that launches them into the air.
Soaring high above the building tops, a view one that you could only see through a plane was laid bare in front of Alex.
The cold air piercing his skin and wind gashing against his ear like a thunder dome.
His resolve can't help but lose its valor upon seeing the sight in front of him.
The sun that he was so accustomed to seeing was no longer there. The only thing that remained was a tiny speck like a star in the night sky, shining down its last warmth on a rock far away.
One spot in the deep of the sky, a large moon can be barely seen with minimal lighting cascading off it like the reflection of a mirror.
To the city that laid before his feet, the once bustling city now was quiet. Alex saw a quiet hum of lights bringing in the only light for miles. The rest being a wasteland of darkness, only ever changing from the rolling hills.
Alex was forcefully turned as a large castle took up his view. Its maroon edging highlighting its grey walls with its peaks reaching even higher than him.
Along its tops, broken pieces of the roof can be seen, and even the grand walls were marred by gaping holes, large enough to swallow a house.
However, once his eyes land on a dark figure on the side of the walls, Alex couldn't help but shudder.
A hulking beast loomed in the shadow of the castle, its size reaching the raptures of the walls. From its hole, blood leaked like a waterfall.
"W-what is that thing?" Alex, in fear, asks.
Smiling, Graves points his hand at the monster. "That thing is a Sovereign level Behemoth, one that rules all of the Darkwood Seaside. That city that lays below you is the once home of Humans 2 centuries ago, left to being a courtyard for the Behemoth."
"But how does that relate to me?" Alex asks, as he just wanted to know why he should answer Graves' questions.
"You ask what's in it for you, right? Well, the answer is quite simple: everything. Your life, your friends, your family, everything. So let me ask you one more time: what happened before the Brute showed up."
'It seems trying to act tough isn't going to work. Just go along until you can find a way back home.' Alex, coming up with a game plan, then speaks.
"Fine, I'll tell you. We were walking to school when all of a sudden it got darker and colder, and before we knew it, that demon came out and attacked us. We ran towards the fire station hoping to get help from them. However, we ran into that lady. That's about it."
Alex, having shared everything, looks Graves in the eyes. Eyes that stare right back at him as if searching him for something.
"When it turned darker, did the leaves wither away?" Graves asks.
"Yeah, they did. What about it?"
"It's what I fear." Graves, sighing, sets Alex upon his broomstick, still holding his shoulder so that he doesn't fall.
"The answer is simple yet the worst, for I know how you ended up here. See, that Sovereign was an underling of the Primordial Erebuzal, one that for the last 2,000 years has been trying to take over Earth."
Alex, not sure of what that really means, was rather confused. "So, like a super demon is trying to take over earth?"
"Ehn, well, you know what? I'll just let Vespera tell you. I ain't good at this stuff."
Quickly, they land back down on the ground where Max and Randy can't help but be amazed at the fact Alex got to fly.
Alex stumbled slightly as they landed, his legs still shaky from the flight. Max and Randy rushed over, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and lingering fear.
"Dude, you actually flew!" Randy whispered, but fell silent as Graves turned to Vespera, his expression grim.
"Take them to the Academy," he ordered, his voice carrying the weight of command. "Merlin needs to see this immediately." His eyes narrowed at the darkening horizon. "Erebuzal wouldn't waste power on a single ritual. This is just the beginning."
Vespera nodded, her earlier playfulness replaced by sharp focus. "The Ten Families will need to be informed. If more rituals are happening..."
"Exactly." Graves mounted his broom, the wood crackling with barely contained energy. He paused, throwing a look over his shoulder that made Alex's stomach twist. "Oh, and Vespera? You get to explain everything to them." His lips curved in what might have been a smile.
Before any of them could protest, Graves shot into the sky like a dark comet, leaving them with more questions than answers. The silence that followed felt heavy with unspoken dangers.
As Graves vanished into the dark sky, the rigid set of Vespera's shoulders softened. Her serious expression melted into something warmer, more approachable.
"Don't mind him," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "He gets like that whenever something important happens. Besides," she pressed a hand to her chest and gave a small theatrical bow, "I believe we got off on the wrong foot. Name's Vespera Starlight, Vice Captain of the Wraithblood and heir to the Starlight Crown."
Alex opened his mouth to introduce himself, but Max—in typical Max fashion—beat him to it.
"Max Greyson," he announced with an exaggerated bow and flourish of his hand, "heir to the Greyson family house and," he threw what he clearly thought was a charming wink at Vespera, "a young bachelor, I might add."
SMACK!
Randy's hand connected with the back of Max's head.
"Dumbass! This isn't the time to be flirting!" He glared at his friend in disbelief. "For all we know, she could be a demon in disguise!"
"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Max rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Randy.
"What do you mean 'what for'? You just tried hitting on the lady that killed that freakish demon! Are you actually brain-damaged?"
Max's confident expression faltered. "Oh yeah... she did kill that demon, didn't she..." The memory of Vespera's deadly grace seemed to finally pierce through his hormone-addled brain.
Alex could only facepalm. Sometimes he wondered how he'd ended up with these idiots as friends.
"I am so sorry about this," Randy said quickly, suddenly very aware that they were bantering in front of someone who could probably end them with a flick of her wrist. "My friend here tends to speak before he thinks, please don't mind him." He grabbed Max by the collar, forcing him into an apologetic bow.
A sound like silver bells filled the air as Vespera giggled. "It's quite alright," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "My natural aroma tends to have that effect on Initiates. I'm actually impressed that you two," she pointed at Alex and Randy, "are keeping your heads clearer than your friend."
"What aroma?" Alex seeing his chance to understand what had frozen them earlier couldn't help but ask.
"You're telling me you don't feel anything near me?" Vespera's voice took on a musical quality as she approached Alex. Her movements were liquid grace, hips swaying with an almost hypnotic rhythm. The air around them seemed to thicken, carrying a scent like midnight flowers and something darker, more intoxicating.
Alex's heartbeat quickened as she reached for him, her fingers trailing along his chest with deliberate slowness. The touch left trails of warmth even through his shirt.
She circled behind him, her presence overwhelming every sense. When she rested her head on his shoulder, her breath ghosting against his ear, Alex felt his mind going fuzzy around the edges.
'Is this what Max felt? I can see why he lost it, —right now all I want to do is...' Alex gulped, trying to hold onto his thoughts as they slipped like water through his fingers. Something deep inside him stirred, fighting against the supernatural charm even as it pulled at him.
"My, my," she purred, her words like honey laced with poison. "To stand so calm while I'm this close..." Her fingers traced up to his shoulder, each touch sending sparks through his nervous system.
"Most men would be on their knees by now, begging for my attention."
She pulled back suddenly, leaving Alex swaying slightly, his mind struggling to clear. "Well, it seems you're right. Even Fledglings can't handle this without using their own power to negate the effect."
Her smile held a mix of approval and intrigue. "How fascinating."
Randy and Max stared, jaws dropped – though whether from the display of supernatural charm or from watching their friend stay standing through it, Alex couldn't tell.
"Enough messing around I need to take you to Merlin and there we will be able to answer all your questions so hold onto them for now."
Drawing her sword, Vespera carved a sigil into the ground large enough for four people. The blade left traces of light in its wake, like silver threads being woven into reality itself. Sheathing her sword, she looked at the boys with a smile.
"Come stand over the sigil with me—it won't work if you don't stand on it." Seeing their caution, Vespera's smile widened. "Don't worry, I won't bite." Her eyes flickered with mischief. "Unless you ask nicely."
Not willing to give the vixen any more opportunities for teasing, the boys quickly moved to stand beside her on the glowing sigil, its light pulsing like a heartbeat beneath their feet.
Vespera raised her arms skyward, her cloak billowing without wind. When she spoke, her voice carried an otherworldly resonance that made Alex's hair stand on end:
"Stella lucis, viam monstra Astrum Viae Portalis Per sidera ambulamus Spatium transit, tempus fluit Portam stellarum aperio!"
The foreign words seemed to ripple through the air like stones dropped in still water. Alex felt a strange energy course through his body, making his skin tingle as his feet slowly left the ground.
Each syllable of the incantation seemed to pull them further from reality. Randy let out a startled yelp, while Max's usual bravado dissolved into wide-eyed silence.
The world around them began to blur and stretch, reality peeling away like layers of an onion until they were surrounded by streaking lights.
It reminded Alex of those sci-fi movies where ships jumped to lightspeed, except this was terrifyingly real. Randy and Max fell to one knee, their bodies struggling against what felt like an ocean of pressure bearing down on them.
The cosmic energy pulsed through them in waves, each one hitting like a tsunami trying to drag them under.
But Alex... Alex felt different. Where his friends struggled, he felt a strange sense of belonging. Each wave of energy made him feel simultaneously more weightless and more solid than he'd ever been, like he'd finally found his natural element.
'It's a little like a bubble bath,' he thought, reaching out to touch the edge of the light surrounding them. 'Where the bubbles are light and float but the water is heavy and drags you.'
The comparison felt childish given their situation, but something about the familiar thought helped anchor him in this sea of strangeness.
The light vanished without warning, reality snapping back into focus. Alex's feet finding solid ground again as gravity took ahold.
Turning, he saw Max and Randy doubled over, their faces a matching shade of green.
"Oh god," Randy groaned, his glasses knocked askew. "I think I left my stomach somewhere between here and..." Before he could udder his words, he lurches up his breakfast.
Joining him Max too lurches.
Vespera's silvery laugh echoed through the chamber. "Don't worry, it only gets better the more you do it—unless you're like wonder boy over here." She gestured toward Alex, her red eyes gleaming. "First my aroma doesn't affect you, and now teleporting? You just keep getting more interesting." Her tongue traced her lower lip as she studied him like a particularly fascinating specimen.
'Great, now I'm some kind of lab rat,' Alex thought, suppressing a shudder at her predatory gaze. He focused instead on helping his friends to their feet, trying to ignore the way Vespera's eyes followed his every movement.
"Thanks," Max and Randy mumbled in unison, still looking slightly green.
"No problem."
With his friends finally vertical, Alex took his first real look at their surroundings.
'This is place is huge, bigger than even the gym back at school. Makes me feel small.' Alex thinks as he takes in the room.
Six pedestals formed a perfect circle around them, each crowned with a bowl emanating a different colored light. Beyond these, massive pillars stretched upward until they vanished into the shadows of the ceiling.
Ornate lamps protruded from the pillars at regular intervals, their flames casting dancing shadows across the marble floor. At the far end of the chamber stood a door the size of a drawbridge.
Two armored guards flanked it, each as tall as a car and eerily motionless. Their dark armor seemed to absorb the room's light, marked only by silver emblems on their chests—identical to the one Vespera wore.
Before Alex could study the guards anymore Vespera walks in front of them waving them over to follow her.
Walking behind Vespera like ducklings following their mother Alex and his friends make to the guards.
Saluting Vespera the guards speak. "Vice-Captain!"
"At ease. Monty, Atlas, these three are the Daywalkers that Captain Graves reported, we are to speak with Merlin at once, so do let him know were here." Vespera tells.
"Right away Vice-Captain." Both Monty and Atlas turned black like shadow then sink into the ground just as fast as they turned.
"What?" Max unable to hold in his thoughts speaks out.
"Don't worry about that you'll get the chance to understand in a little bit." Vespera clearly not willingly to explain every little new thing that is happening around them.
Rising back from the floor both Monty and Atlas arise like zombies from a grave.
"Headmaster is ready to see you Vice-Captain." Monty then brings out a small rope.
Vespera grabbing it then holds it out in front of the boys.
"Grab this it'll send us over to Headmaster."
Knowing that they don't have much choice in the matter the boys each grab a part of the rope.
Vespera then gives it a quick tug like one would to open a door. The rope then flew out of their hands each strain of the rope looping together to make a large circle.
Slowly though the looping rope can be seen creating what looks to be a portal into an office.
"Please, come in." The voice that emerged from the portal carried weight – not just in its tone, but in the way it seemed to ripple through the air like stones dropped in still water.
Vespera stepped through without hesitation. Alex exchanged quick glances with his friends before following, his heart hammering against his ribs. The transition felt like stepping through a curtain of warm water, and then—
The first thing that hit him was the smell – old books and something else, something that reminded him of Sunday afternoons at his grandparents' house. The tension in his shoulders melted before he even realized it was there. The office felt *different* from the cathedral's cold grandeur, like stepping into a space that existed slightly sideways from reality.
Behind an ancient oak desk sat a man who could only be Merlin. Alex had expected someone imposing, maybe someone who radiated power like Graves or charm like Vespera. Instead, he found himself looking at an elderly man with kind eyes, casually marking a piece of parchment with a quill that gleamed like starlight.
"Please, take a seat." Merlin didn't look up from his work, but his free hand traced a pattern in the air. Three mahogany chairs materialized from nothing, their wooden forms assembling like puzzle pieces clicking into place.
"Hot damn," Max whispered, earning an elbow from Randy.
Alex sank into the nearest chair, unable to take his eyes off Merlin. Grayish-white hair fell past the wizard's shoulders, and his well-groomed beard gave him the look of someone who'd stepped out of a fantasy movie – except there was something in his presence that no special effects could capture. It wasn't just wisdom; it was the weight of centuries.
Merlin set his quill down with deliberate care. When he looked up, a pulse of light whispered through the room, leaving Alex's skin tingling like he'd brushed against an electric fence.
"'Tis true what Graves said." Merlin's eyes held galaxies. "You are indeed Daywalkers." He folded weathered hands on the desk, and Alex noticed thin scars tracing patterns across his knuckles. "I am Merlin, Headmaster of Darkwood Academy and guardian of humanity's United Front against Lord Erebuzal, the Primordial of Darkness." His gaze settled on each of them in turn. "And you are...?"
"Alex Lunaria." "Max Greyson." "Randy Oswald."
Their names came out in unison, like a practiced choir. Alex's mouth snapped shut. "How did you make us do that?"
Merlin smiled. "'Tis but a simple trick. Now then, I suspect you have questions. Ask them—for there's no better teacher than one who has walked your path."
"You see," Merlin's eyes grew distant, "in my youth, I was naught but a simple lad—son of a noble Lord in a modest town. No more than a thousand souls, quite quaint. We did our duty, collected taxes, sent them to the crown. They cared for us, and we in turn—"
Cough. Cough.
In the corner, Vespera cleared her throat pointedly.
"Ah, my apologies." Merlin straightened. "'Tis an old man's weakness to wander through memories. You were asking questions?"
Alex blinked, thrown off by the headmaster's scattered rambling. "Right... well, most pressing things first: What are we? And how do we get home?"
"Ah, the eternal questions—what we are and where our paths may lead." Merlin's voice softened. "You deserve truth, after such a day. Your world turned upside down by demons, your safety shattered—'tis only fair you receive clear answers."
"'Tis thus: we call you Daywalkers for you come from Earth, where the sun rules your sky. Here on Terra, darkness claims most of our cycle. We are Nightwalkers, you are Daywalkers. Simple as that."
"And getting home?" Alex pressed.
"'Tis... rather more complex than that. The heroes who performed the banishment—they scattered their knowledge like seeds in the wind. Each worked from different corners of the world, in castles, manors, and hidden laboratories. What we've gathered here in our kingdom is mayhap twenty parts of a hundred of their complete research."
Standing, Merlin walked to his bookshelf and retrieved a thin volume, no more than three hundred pages. He placed it carefully on the desk. The worn cover read simply: Journal Notes of King Arthur.
'King Arthur? Like... the guy from legends?' Alex's eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. 'Wait—Merlin... King Arthur...' He stared at the headmaster, really seeing him for the first time. Not just a man named Merlin, but the Merlin.
His jaw dropped.
"Oh wow, that's kind of weird that your name is Merlin and there's a book about King Arthur—" Max suddenly shot up from his chair, pointing at Merlin like he'd spotted a celebrity. "Holy crap, you're *Merlin*! Like, from the books and TV shows?"
Merlin's eyes crinkled with amusement. "So they still remember old Art and me, do they? Hmm." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Two thousand years and people still know our names. I suppose we did manage a few... noteworthy deeds."
He chuckled. "Though I must tell you, young Max, 'tis likely I'm not quite the legend those tales paint me to be. Pray, be seated and rest easy."
With a casual flick of his wrist, Max's excitement seemed to evaporate like morning dew. He sank back into his chair, suddenly calm.
Alex, ignoring his friends' presence, fixed his gaze on Merlin. The ancient wizard's aura seemed to pulse with each heartbeat, a subtle reminder of the power contained within his deceptively frail form. The question that had been gnawing at Alex's thoughts finally spilled out, carried on a breath that felt heavy with destiny.
"There's a price for all this knowledge you're giving us, right?" His voice carried a hint of wariness, each word carefully measured. Growing up, he'd learned that nothing truly valuable came without cost—a lesson that seemed especially relevant in this realm of magic and monsters.
Merlin's ancient eyes studied Alex, galaxies of wisdom swirling in their depths. A flicker of approval crossed his weathered features, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. "'Tis but a modest price I seek," he said, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "I want you to join my Academy."
The air itself seemed to still as he paused, letting the words settle like dust motes caught in shafts of ethereal light. "Mayhap you think this a simple matter, but I assure you, 'tis everything. For two thousand years, my Academy has stood steadfast against the demon hordes. I've tutored warriors, sorcerers, wizards, witches, and mages in abundance—yet never, in all my years, have I had the privilege of instructing a Daywalker. That alone is payment enough."
Max tilted his head, confusion rippling across his features like waves on a disturbed pond. "That's it?"
The corners of Merlin's eyes crinkled, ancient knowledge dancing behind his gaze. "You see, the very essence of our world flows through the bloodlines that course through our veins. My own power commands the elements themselves, while others may wield the strength of desire or physical might. Your origin from another realm suggests bloodlines yet unknown to us—perhaps magics never before witnessed in all our recorded history."
The excitement in Merlin's voice was palpable, crackling through the air like static before a storm. His eyes gleamed with scholarly enthusiasm, thoughts clearly racing toward the possibilities these boys represented. For all he knew, they could hold the key to finally defeating Erebuzal.
'He won't turn us into lab rats, right?' Alex thought, studying Merlin's expression with careful intensity. "And you only want to study this bloodline, right?" he asked, noting the eager glint in the wizard's eyes.
Merlin's laughter rang out like distant bells, echoing with genuine amusement. "Nay, young one, fear not such crude experimentations. The bloodlines be sacred vessels, their power bound to the very essence of thy being. To forcibly extract such power would render it naught but empty vessel—like a heart torn from its chest, the magic would cease to beat."
Alex felt his shoulders ease slightly, though wariness still lingered at the edges of his mind. While Merlin's words couldn't be entirely trusted, their circumstances left little room for choice. If this ancient wizard truly offered a path home, they would have to place their faith in him, despite the lingering shadows of doubt.
"Now then," Merlin continued, his fingers weaving arcane patterns in the air that left trailing whispers of light, "'tis time to show you to your chambers. The autumn term begins in two weeks." A portal shimmered into existence behind them with a casual twirl of his hand, its edges rippling like heat waves over summer pavement. "Vespera will show you everything you need to know and provide all necessities. Should you have questions, mayhap ask your OSA—though I suppose I should explain what that is." His smile seemed to cast years from his ancient visage. "'Twas a pleasure speaking with you. May fortune guide your path."
Vespera pushed off the wall she'd been leaning against, her movement as fluid as shadow across water. The boys rose from their seats, their movements weighted with the gravity of all they'd learned.
Randy, who had been silent since introducing himself, finally spoke. "Thank you, Mr. Merlin. We'll make sure to make the most of this opportunity." He bowed his head slightly before turning toward the portal, the gesture carrying both respect and uncertainty. Alex and Max followed suit, offering their own respectful bows.
Stepping through the portal brought back that familiar sensation of cosmic pressure, though this time the boys walked through with steadier steps. The weight of Merlin's offer—and the hope it carried—seemed to ground them against the otherworldly forces that had once left them staggering.
Emerging into a hallway that echoed the ornate style of the teleporting room the boys make way to their new home. As the portal sealed shut behind them with a sound like sighing wind, their footsteps echoed against the tiled floor in a rhythm.
Breaking the silence Max couldn't stop him self from talking about what just happen.
"Dude, I can't believe that was the actual Merlin!" Max's voice bounced off the walls, excitement finally breaking through his earlier shock like sunshine through storm clouds.
"I know, right?" Randy shook his head in disbelief, his glasses catching the ethereal light. "I thought it was just a coincidence his name was Merlin and he happened to be a wizard, but this? This is insane!"
"Guys," Alex cut in, his tone grounding their excitement like an anchor in turbulent seas, "I get it. Yes, it's crazy that he's the Merlin and friends with King Arthur. But maybe we should focus on the bigger picture here—he's offering us a way home. That's kind of a big deal."
The weight of Alex's words settled over them like a heavy cloak, tempering their amazement with the gravity of their situation. The ornate hallway stretched before them, leading toward an uncertain future in a world where legends walked and magic was real—and somehow, they'd ended up right in the middle of it all, their ordinary lives transformed into something extraordinary with the crossing of a single threshold.
What is considered normal of this world was fantasy of his, nothing seems to make sense. Portal's demons magic and bloodlines, all very much too confusing for Alex. Right now, all he hopes that it won't take too long to reach home.