[POV: Arya]

  Arya walked slowly through the Lunar Academy’s long corridor, her light footsteps echoing on the ancient stone. She had just finished a magic lesson, where she’d managed a simple elven defense spell without much trouble – progress she felt quietly proud of. Yet, as she turned a corner, she overheard a group of female students speaking excitedly.

  “Did you see Princess Selene in css? She cast a spell that seemed straight out of a forbidden grimoire…”“Yes, and she even modified the formu on the spot! Apparently, she has an incredible command of magic flows…”

  Arya paused behind a column, holding her breath. Ever since she had been saved by Selene, the princess had done nothing but prove her exceptional magical prowess. Her name was now on everyone’s lips. The chatter, full of curiosity and fear, bounced from one corner of the corridors to another.

  “Not just in magic,” added a third student. “During the st fencing lesson, she defeated an opponent much bigger than her in just a few seconds… and rumor has it she didn’t even use her full strength.”“Well, I’ll never forget how she suppressed magic during the incident after the welcoming ceremony. She literally nullified every spell in the area!”

  A slight shiver ran down Arya’s back, recalling exactly how that wave of arcane emptiness had struck her that day, making the air feel frozen, devoid of all magical flow. And yet, she had also felt immense relief in seeing Selene step in to protect her.

  The girls moved on, turning the corner without noticing Arya, who lingered for a few moments, her heart tightening. Ever since Selene had revealed her power, opinions around the Academy had radically changed: some revered her almost like a deity, others feared her as a threat.

  I… am both fascinated and worried. Arya drew in a quiet sigh, trying to shake off that unease. She knew she should talk to Selene about it sooner or ter. On one hand, she admired the Princess deeply, but on the other, she couldn’t ignore the burden Selene carried – nor could she forget the voice telling her to “seek out the strongest vampire.”

  Summoning her courage, she continued walking, wondering how much Selene, that vampire girl, felt the pressure of being under constant scrutiny.

  Turning another corner, she caught sight of the sky through a tall window: golden light pyed along the ancient stone, sketching elegant shadows. Maybe I should find her and… ask how she’s doing, she thought.

  After walking a bit more through the corridors, Arya found herself at the entrance to the Academy’s Library.It was a rge hall with vaulted ceilings, lit by oil mps and stained-gss windows that cast colorful shadows on the dark wooden tables. The smell of ancient parchment embraced her the instant she stepped inside.

  Though she had visited before, she felt a new impulse now: a whisper at the edge of her mind urged her to explore the more remote sections.She knew she was meant to find… something. Even if she couldn’t yet define what.

  “Lady Arya, are you looking for a specific volume?”

  The librarian, an elf with gray hair, emerged from behind a shelf, wearing a kind smile. Arya gave a small bow.

  “I’m not sure, exactly. Maybe something about Archmage Lunaris…” she murmured, surprised by her own request. It was as if the words had slipped out on their own.

  The librarian nodded. “Then you should check the Historical section on the second floor, eastern corridor. You’ll find texts on the Academy’s founding and on the past of its most notable schors there.”

  Arya thanked her and headed up a flight of creaking stairs, ascending with light steps. The whisper had vanished now, as if it had led her here and then disappeared. Strange, she thought. But Archmage Lunaris founded the Academy… maybe learning more about him will help me figure out which path to follow.

  Rummaging among dusty shelves, Arya stumbled upon an old manuscript with worn corners. Faded along its spine was a title she could just make out: “Lunar Treatises and Arcane Myths.” Carefully opening it, she found schematic drawings of magic circles, notes written in dense script, and symbols she didn’t recognize.

  “…the power beyond the gods…”“…entrusted to the wisdom of future Custodians…”“…so it will not witness the end of the world…”

  These were scattered phrases, as if the text were cryptic or incomplete. At the bottom of one page, a single name repeated multiple times: Archmage Lunaris. Next to it was a circur emblem featuring a moon and an eight-pointed star reflecting each other. Arya felt drawn to the design, as though it were calling her, and lightly ran her finger over it, feeling a slight tremor, like a tiny jolt. Could it be…

  Suddenly, footsteps resounded behind her. Arya snapped the book shut and turned to find Selene standing there.

  “Lady Arya? What are you doing here?” asked Selene, arching an eyebrow. In her school uniform, her silvery hair draped over her shoulders like a shimmering veil of light.

  Arya held the book tightly against her, partly covering the title. “Nothing special, I was just looking into some old volumes. You, Princess… what brings you here?”

  Selene, giving a half smile, replied, “I wanted… a bit of peace. Today I managed to… keep things under control. It seems some students challenge me to test my limits. It’s a bit nerve-racking.”

  Despite that smile, Arya caught sight of a shadow in her eyes, presumably caused by those same students.“I see. You’re in the spotlight, after all.”

  For a moment, silence fell between them, tense. Arya felt the urge to tell her about the passages she’d just read, to ask if Selene had ever heard talk of a “power beyond the gods,” but at that moment, the whisper in her mind resurfaced, advising her not to reveal it. Not yet. Or perhaps she simply didn’t want to worry Selene unnecessarily.

  “If… you find anything interesting, let me know,” Selene said, her smile faint with fatigue. “I have a feeling that understanding the Academy’s history might help us figure out a lot about these conflicts around us.”

  Arya nodded, gripping the tome more tightly. Yes, something tells me Archmage Lunaris’s story has more to do with us than we think.

  Shortly after their brief exchange, the two went their separate ways: Selene was called by one of Revalios’s assistants for a demonstration in a nearby cssroom. Arya, instead, chose to linger in the Historical section a bit longer. As she skimmed page after page, she came across vague references to:

  “An ancient, neutral energy” that surpasses the gods’ own order.

  Allusions to a “future ritual” for which the Academy was destined.

  Mentions of “chosen custodians” who, along with “the chosen one,” would one day protect the world “from the abyss.”

  Nothing directly mentioned her or Selene by name, but Arya felt she was connecting the dots. And the more she read, the deeper the stirring in her chest became, as if someone were confirming she was on the right track.

  [Third-Person POV]

  In the silence of a forgotten room, somewhere in the Academy’s oldest and most hidden wing, a shadow moved.It had no defined shape, just a swirling of dense smoke woven with crimson fshes. It was waiting, lurking.

  The ancient bonds that had kept it away from these walls were weakening, fueled by the echo of conflicting emotions: fear, admiration, distrust, envy…

  “They’re here…” hissed a voice devoid of warmth, as though formed of a thousand overpping whispers. “And they seem to remember almost nothing…”

  A faint light glimmered in a corner of the room. The shadow reached out, enveloping it in a shudder of menace.

  “The princess’s power grows. Yet she’s still vulnerable… her own conscience troubles her, afraid of what power she holds. The seed of corruption feeds on doubt.”

  A whispered ugh slid through the chamber, like a sudden icy wind: this entity well remembered how, at the welcoming ceremony, Selene had already shown too much. If she fell into the coils of darkness, that immense power would become the perfect weapon for its design.

  “That elf… guided by a divine whisper that shows her which steps to take… But the truth is far beyond her grasp. And beyond both of them.”

  The voice fell silent again, while a vibration ran through the ancient stones. A few discarded books on a lectern creaked as if in protest at the unnatural presence, drifting toward the crack of a half-open door like dense smoke in search of an exit or a host to occupy.

  But there was more. A sinister pn lurking for centuries by an entity of formless existence.“Let them draw closer… little by little, driven by uncertain feelings. Until it’s I who dictate the rules of this bond. A complete union might ruin my efforts… but if I can steer them toward darkness…”

  The shadow chuckled—or so it seemed, in that trembling mass of smoke.“Then I will have won.”

  In the corridor, distant footsteps echoed. The shadow left the room, gliding fluidly and ominously along the walls, heading toward the poputed sections of the Academy. All that remained was a faint musty smell and an unnatural chill in the air, the trace of an evil growing in the shadows, while Selene and Arya, clueless, were unprepared for a fate far greater than they could imagine.

  [POV: Selene]

  Selene now stood at the center of a spacious cssroom, its walls lined with dusty tomes and ancient glyphs traced on the floor. Professor Revalios had summoned her to demonstrate the magic-suppression ability that had astonished everyone at the welcoming ceremony.

  “Princess Selene, as agreed, I’d like you to show your spell-containment power under controlled conditions,” Revalios said gently but firmly.“Yes, Professor,” she replied.

  In one corner of the room y an old artifact—a dark globe enclosed in a gss case. Selene didn’t know its purpose, but she could almost feel it… vibrating.

  The exercise began: a volunteer student unched a simple fire spell. Selene raised her hand, as she had done before, and exercised her suppression. The fme seemed to colpse, snuffed out by a sudden void. But this time, something different happened.

  A burst of energy flickered from the globe in its case, awakening ancient runes that glowed vermilion. Everyone present flinched. Selene herself felt a blow to her chest, as though she’d absorbed a wave of power stronger than she was used to.

  The suppression worked, but it was more violent than usual: the fire spell didn’t just vanish; it dissolved like ash scattered by an arcane wind.

  Around her, the handful of students and assistants watching shuddered. A murmur of astonishment rippled through them; some held their breath, others exchanged anxious looks. Someone whispered fearful words, others were awed—no one had ever witnessed such a complete nullification of a spell.And that wasn’t all: the entire cssroom’s mana had been erased, as though it never existed.

  “Oh…” murmured Revalios, taken aback. “Princess, you’ve shown… yet another evolution of your power?”

  Still shaken, Selene couldn’t respond right away. The murmurs behind her intensified like a rising tide. Her gaze fell on the globe, now inert and dark, as if resting after that moment of exhiration.

  Professor, pardon me, but… that object… reacted to…?” she asked in a faint voice.Revalios lowered his eyes, hastily cutting her off. “It’s an ancient reliquary we know little about. I couldn’t say…”

  His words broke off with a slight embarrassment, as if he didn’t want to say too much. It only sparked Selene’s curiosity more.Behind her, two vampire students exchanged uneasy gnces. This wasn’t just a demonstration gone too far: it seemed like another sign the Princess held an extraordinary power—fear and reverence cshed in equal measure.

  Feeling unsettled, Selene couldn’t help but notice the armed faces, wondering how much longer she’d have to prove—or hide—before she learned the truth about herself.

  Shaken by what had happened, Selene pulled Revalios aside, hoping for more expnation. But the professor remained evasive:

  “Perhaps we should speak with Aurelia. But… it’s not wise to delve into these matters, Princess. You could end up awakening ancient problems.”

  A chill ran along Selene’s spine. Ancient problems? What sort of problems? Just then she didn’t have the nerve to push him further, but inwardly she knew she wouldn’t give up so easily on finding out what that artifact was about.

  Later, Selene decided to seek answers elsewhere. She knew that on the second floor of the Academy’s western wing y the Hall of Portraits, a corridor lined with paintings of ancient vampire rulers and noble houses.

  Walking through that dim space, lit by flickering candles, the portraits seemed like specters from distant ages. Some faces bore typical royal vampire traits: silvery hair, piercing eyes, ornate clothes.

  Eventually, she stopped before a painting partly hidden behind drapery, depicting a man with a proud gaze and snowy hair. At his feet, a small inscription in ancient runes read:

  “Alfius de Lunaris, bearer of part of the arcane key. Guardian of the House’s secret.”

  Selene’s heart pounded against her ribs as she reached out to touch the frame. Arcane key? So her family had protected something mysterious and vital for generations. She began to see why Revalios spoke of “dangerous matters.”

  “Princess… I saw you come in.”

  A voice behind her made her jump. She turned to see a venerable-looking teacher, probably an older vampire who taught Imperial history. His eyes were grave.

  “If I may, Your Highness, it’s better not to dig too deep into these issues. Certain truths may wound your soul more than any weapon ever could.”

  Selene felt an odd mix of irritation and curiosity. Why was everyone so secretive? The more they tried to warn her off, the more she felt compelled to push further.

  So she left the Hall of Portraits, her heart pounding in irregur beats. The image of Alfius de Lunaris, beled as a “bearer of part of the arcane key,” wouldn’t leave her mind.Why my family…? she wondered as she walked along a corridor lit by the weak glow of oil mps.And why do they all speak of “ancient issues” and “truths that could hurt”?

  She cast a gnce at an ornate mirror on the wall and saw her own reflection: long silvery hair, eyes that for a moment seemed darker, almost troubled.I didn’t choose to be born heir to the de Lunaris line, yet… something tells me that merely being a Princess doesn’t expin the power I sense growing inside me.

  A wave of unease washed over her. If “arcane key” truly means there’s a secret tied to my bloodline… is it possible I bear a power greater than I ever realized? She bit her lip, fully aware she had no answers right now.But one thing was certain: she could no longer ignore those signs.

  [Third-Person POV]

  In the hallway that led to the Academy’s administrative offices, Professor Revalios waited in silence. When Aurelia Nocturne appeared, her confident stride was shadowed by a crease of concern on her lips.

  “So, it really happened? The reliquary… reacted?” asked the Headmistress, lowering her voice so that any passing students wouldn’t catch on.

  Revalios nodded, crossing his arms. “Yes. At the exact moment she used her magical suppression, the runes glowed blood-red. It was as though they recognized their true owner’s signature.”

  A fsh of apprehension crossed Aurelia’s gaze. “We never thought it would happen so soon. Perhaps the seals the founders left behind are weakening more quickly than we anticipated.”

  Revalios hesitated briefly, then whispered, “She already realizes… there’s more to all this, Headmistress. And that ‘more’ is revealing itself in ways that frighten her. I’m worried about her bance if she continues without proper guidance…”

  Aurelia tightened her lips, a hint of mencholy crossing her face. “We have to proceed gently. We can’t terrify her by revealing everything, not yet. And yet, to completely ignore these signs could send us into total chaos.”

  Revalios nodded. “I understand. I’ll keep a closer eye on her, hoping she won’t do anything reckless. And… what do we say to the other teachers?”

  A hush fell between them. “For now, we don’t share more than what they already know. Only you, I, and a chosen few understand the gravity of what’s happening. When the time comes, the Princess herself will have to decide.”

  The echo of their footsteps faded behind the rge door of the Magic Department, leaving an air of unspoken secrets in the corridor. In that stillness, it almost seemed one could hear a whisper, like a warning carried on the edge of night.

  [POV: Selene]

  In the days that followed, a teacher organized a paired exercise in which an elven student and a vampire student were to join forces and create a healing spell. Selene, partly by chance and partly by the teachers’ design, ended up paired with Arya.

  Tension crackled between them: Arya was surrounded by an aura of mystery (her library research, that ethereal voice), while Selene was uneasy after what happened with the globe. Yet, as they worked together, something remarkable occurred.

  “Channel your energies… merge your magic flows into one circle,” the teacher instructed, watching them carefully.

  At first, Selene worried her magic might be too strong to unite with Arya’s flows. The combination, however, produced an effect beyond anything they had seen before: a silver-and-green glow which, uniting vampire strength with elven craft, formed a healing barrier so impressive that even the teacher called it “beyond any expectation.”

  Selene and Arya exchanged a stunned look. For a moment, their hands brushed, and a warmth—friendly, almost familiar—washed over them. What is this feeling?