---
Jade jolted awake, his heart hammering in his chest. Sweat soaked through his clothes, and the room around him felt suffocating, as if the very air had thickened with malice. The remnants of the dream—the crushing darkness, the looming Shadow Wraiths—still clung to his mind like a suffocating fog. For a moment, he couldn't tell if the nightmare was still with him or if he had truly woken.
But the cold sweat on his skin and the chill in the air told him it was more than just a dream.
He sat up, his breath shallow and fast. The events from earlier had all been too real—the ominous warning from the Jade Dragon, the sudden appearance of the Wraiths. The haunting whispers. All of it.
And the voice.
"You are not alone."
Jade took a deep breath, shaking the lingering fear from his limbs. The voice of the Jade Dragon was comforting, but this time, it was mixed with something else—something unsettling. The Shadow Wraiths had found him. Not only in his dreams but in the waking world, their dark presence now threatening to bleed through the veil of reality.
He clenched his fists, willing himself to remain calm. This was a warning. He had to be prepared.
---
The next morning, Jade set out early. The memory of the previous night's encounter weighed on him, but he pushed it aside. There was work to be done. His mission from the academy—to find and recruit new disciples—was still the priority, and the task of training his new recruits and bringing them under the academy's wing hadn't changed. If anything, it gave him purpose amidst the chaos.
He found himself in a bustling market square by mid-morning, the vibrant colors and the chatter of the crowd offering a strange contrast to the dread gnawing at his gut. This town was full of life, yet Jade felt an undercurrent of something darker moving beneath it. He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
The performers he'd seen last time, with their brilliant displays of magic, were back, surrounded by a small crowd. Their levitating balls of flame and illusions of animals were a sharp reminder of the talent this world had to offer—and of the untapped potential that the Infernal Star Academy could shape. Jade approached, looking for any promising candidates to bring back with him.
Lyra, the young mage who had joined him on his last recruiting trip, was among them. She was leading the performance today, guiding the magic as if it were an extension of herself. She caught sight of Jade in the crowd and gave him a welcoming nod, her dark green eyes bright with enthusiasm.
"We should have a word," Jade called over, cutting through the noise.
She excused herself from the group and walked over, her light laughter still carrying through the air. "Got a feeling, huh? That look in your eyes… it's like you've seen a ghost."
Jade gave a half-smile. "Something like that. I'm actually looking for more recruits. I know it's a bit sudden, but there's a need at the academy for more skilled mages, especially with the upcoming tests."
Lyra raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A challenge, huh? Sounds interesting. You want me to help you, then?"
Jade nodded, his mind still partially focused on the creeping shadows around them. "That's the plan."
As they walked through the market, Jade's eyes kept darting around, trying to shake the feeling of being watched. His instincts were on high alert, but it was just the normal bustle of the town. Nothing seemed amiss—except that nagging feeling gnawing at him, like something was about to go wrong.
---
As the day stretched into afternoon, Jade found himself at a small tavern on the outskirts of town. Lyra had recruited a few more potential candidates, and they were now resting, waiting for the evening feast. Jade excused himself for a moment, feeling a strange compulsion to step outside and get some air. The chill of the evening was starting to settle in, a prelude to the storm clouds that seemed to be gathering on the horizon.
Suddenly, the air around him shifted, and the ground beneath his feet seemed to grow cold. Jade stopped in his tracks. The faintest whisper echoed in the back of his mind, barely audible but distinct.
"We are coming."
A shadow darted across his peripheral vision, and before he could react, something cold and sharp brushed against his arm.
Jade turned, his magic flaring up instinctively. A wraith-like figure stood before him, its outline flickering like a reflection in a broken mirror. The creature's glowing red eyes locked with his, and its jagged teeth gleamed in the dim light.
He didn't hesitate. With a burst of energy, Jade raised his hand and unleashed a wave of light magic toward the creature, sending it recoiling back into the shadows.
But it didn't vanish. The wraith seemed to laugh—though it was a sound that chilled Jade's blood more than any laughter should.
"You cannot banish us that easily, mortal." The words echoed, both from the creature's lips and from the air around him.
Jade's heart thundered as the wraith advanced, drawing nearer, its form more solid now.
The voice of the Jade Dragon rang in his mind: "Do not let it touch you, Jade. Its touch is a curse."
With his training coming to the forefront, Jade immediately began weaving a protective barrier of light, chanting the incantation as quickly as he could. But the wraith was relentless. It twisted and contorted, moving faster than he could keep up.
The air around him crackled with energy. The wraith shrieked, its form flickering again, and suddenly, it lunged forward. Jade barely managed to raise his hand in time.
He could feel its cold fingers brushing against his skin.
Pain. A sharp, searing pain coursed through his body as the wraith's touch felt like ice embedded in his bones. He gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain, and with all his might, he shouted the incantation for a light blast—one that he'd perfected in his magic class. A bolt of blinding white energy erupted from his hand, striking the wraith directly.
It screamed, its form splintering into shadows as it collapsed, vanishing into thin air with a hiss.
Jade collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, his body trembling. The pain from the wraith's touch still lingered, a gnawing coldness that refused to fade. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, his pulse still racing.
That had been too close. And it was only the beginning.
---
That night, after the incident, Jade returned to his chambers in the academy, his mind in turmoil. The wraith had not only tried to manifest itself in the real world, but it had also shown him a glimpse of what they were capable of. The Jade Dragon's words echoed in his mind, warning him of the dangers to come. He couldn't afford to ignore them any longer.
He sat on the edge of his bed, trying to collect his thoughts. What were these creatures? What did they want with him? More importantly, why had they appeared now, after everything that had happened?
As he sat in silence, a shadow moved across the far wall. Jade immediately looked up, his heart skipping a beat. But there was no figure, no enemy.
The chill remained, though—lingering, insistent.
And then, the voice returned.
"We are always watching, Jade."
Jade's blood ran cold. He could feel it, creeping through every crack in his soul. The Shadow Wraiths were not just haunting his dreams anymore. They were here, now on the verge of breaking into his world. And they wouldn't stop until they had him.