The academy grounds lay silent under the moonlit sky. Aleron walked briskly, his thoughts clouded with the events of the day. Master Kaelan's cryptic words about a "hidden affinity" haunted him. What had happened in that class? The strange whirlwind of power he had conjured felt alien, even to him. He had never felt anything like it before, and Kaelan's warning only added to his confusion.
As he passed through the academy's courtyard, Aleron noticed the unnatural stillness. The distant chirping of crickets was absent, replaced by an eerie silence that seemed to press in on him from all sides. His pace slowed, senses tingling with an uncomfortable awareness of the emptiness around him. It was as though the very air had grown heavier, thicker with something he couldn't quite name.
Aleron paused, taking a deep breath. He wasn't sure what exactly he was sensing, but he knew it was no coincidence. He had learned long ago to trust his instincts—especially when they told him something was off. His hand instinctively hovered near his sword hilt as he continued walking, scanning the shadows for any movement.
The academy, with its towering stone walls, was supposed to be a safe haven. The strongest magic wards in the land kept the students and faculty protected. But tonight, something was wrong.
He quickened his steps, heading towards the dormitory. His mind raced—Master Kaelan's warning, the strange surge of power in the classroom, and now this ominous feeling. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. The darkened path ahead felt less like a walk and more like a confrontation waiting to happen.
Suddenly, he stopped.
There, just ahead, a flicker of movement caught his eye. A shadow—a figure moving between the tall stone pillars at the edge of the courtyard. It was too quick to make out clearly, but it was definitely there.
Aleron's heart rate spiked. He wasn't alone. He knew it. Someone was watching him.
He took a step back into the shadows, careful not to alert the figure to his presence. The shadow moved again, darting behind one of the academy's stone walls. It was a fluid motion, almost predatory in its stealth. Whoever—or whatever—was out there, they knew how to move unseen.
Aleron's hand went to his sword, drawing it with a soft hiss. His senses were alert, the faintest sound or movement could betray the figure's position. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He wasn't sure if he was being hunted or if he was simply the observer, but the feeling of being watched was undeniable.
He crouched low, moving soundlessly towards the source of the disturbance. The courtyard was wide, but the towering stone walls and towering oak trees provided ample cover. With his back to one of the ancient oak trunks, Aleron waited, his breath shallow.
Minutes passed, or maybe it was hours—time felt distorted in the thick silence. The world around him seemed to shrink, the space between breaths stretching. He kept his gaze fixed on the place where he had seen the figure disappear, waiting for any sign of movement.
A rustling sound broke the stillness. Aleron's grip tightened on his sword, but he did not move. Slowly, the figure appeared again, this time closer, stepping from the shadows beneath a stone archway. Aleron's breath caught in his throat as he saw the silhouette—a tall figure draped in a dark cloak, its face hidden beneath a deep hood. The figure moved with purpose, but there was no hurry. It was as though it was accustomed to moving in the shadows, at ease in the darkness.
Aleron's instincts told him this wasn't an accidental encounter. This person had been watching him, and now, they were waiting. But waiting for what? Aleron had no answers.
The figure stopped abruptly, just a few feet from Aleron's position. They seemed to pause, as if sensing the change in the air, the subtle tension that had settled between them. The figure didn't speak. There were no sounds, no warning. It was as if the entire world had held its breath.
Aleron's mind raced. Was this a test? Someone from the academy? Or was this something more? Something dangerous?
He shifted, stepping out of the shadows, his sword drawn, ready for whatever came next. The figure remained still, not moving a muscle. The tension between them grew thicker, an invisible force pressing down on both.
Before Aleron could make another move, the figure suddenly turned and walked away. Aleron's eyes narrowed. Was it retreating? No. It was waiting. Watching.
Aleron's sword remained poised, but the figure had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, melting into the shadows once more. There was no sound, no sign of struggle. It was as if the person had never been there at all.
Aleron stood frozen, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Had it been real? Had it been some sort of test by the academy? Or had someone—or something—been truly watching him?
He stepped forward cautiously, scanning the area, but there was no sign of the figure. No lingering magic, no trail. Nothing but the quiet stillness of the night. His pulse still pounded in his ears, and his thoughts raced. It was impossible to shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Later that night, in his dormitory room, Aleron sat in silence, the moonlight casting faint shadows across his bed. He had locked the door behind him, but the unease he felt had only deepened. His encounter in the courtyard had left him more questions than answers. Who had been watching him? Why? And more importantly, what did they want?
He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm his thoughts, but it was no use. The feeling of being hunted lingered. He couldn't shake the sensation that the academy itself was no longer a safe haven. Something was happening, something that went beyond his understanding.
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on his door.
Aleron froze, his heart racing. Who could it be at this hour?
He stood up quietly, moving to the door, his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword. He didn't open the door immediately, his senses on high alert. Another knock, louder this time.
"Aleron," a voice called softly. "It's me, Kaelan."
Aleron's grip on the door handle tightened. What could Kaelan want at this hour? Was he here to discuss the events of the day?
Slowly, he unlocked the door and opened it, revealing the headmaster standing in the hallway. Kaelan's expression was serious, his eyes filled with something Aleron couldn't quite place.
"I need you to come with me," Kaelan said, his voice low and urgent.
Aleron hesitated, his mind racing. This couldn't be about the class, not at this hour. "What's going on?"
Kaelan's eyes flickered briefly to the darkened hallway behind him. "There's been an incident. Something... dangerous. You need to see it for yourself."
Aleron nodded, his thoughts swirling. He followed Kaelan down the hallway, his heart pounding with a mix of confusion and anticipation. Whatever had happened, it wasn't going to be good.
As they walked, Aleron couldn't shake the feeling that everything was connected. The shadowy figure, the power he had unleashed in class, and now this. It was as if the pieces of a puzzle were slowly coming together, but the final image was one he wasn't prepared to face.
They turned a corner, heading toward the academy's grand library. Aleron's eyes widened when he saw a small group of mages gathered in the hallway, their faces grim.
"What happened?" Aleron asked, but Kaelan didn't respond immediately.
He led Aleron into the library, and that's when he saw it.
The flame, the one Kaelan had mentioned in his lesson that day—the one that had been sealed away for years—was glowing faintly, its light pulsing like a heartbeat.
And standing before it was the shadowy figure from earlier, now revealed in full. But this time, Aleron wasn't the one being watched. It was the flame that seemed to draw their attention.
Aleron's breath caught in his throat. The figure didn't turn. It didn't need to. They knew he was there.
Kaelan attacked the shadowy figure and it immediately disappeared but then,
"Get back!" Kaelan shouted, pushing Aleron away.
But it was too late.
To be continued…