[Jack's POV]
The castle-like walls of the academy came into view, tall and imposing, silhouetted against the sky like a fortress guarding what mattered most.
I didn't slow down. Not yet.
"Volt. Willow. Talk to me—what happened?" I asked aloud, pushing my thoughts outward through the bond.
^I'm not sure,^ Volt replied almost immediately, his voice clipped. ^They were doing a quest near the academy—just a basic request near the forest. One moment, everything was calm; the next… something attacked the group. I've been trying to track them. Whoever it was, they're fast. Too fast. I've got nothing so far.^
Willow's voice followed, softer but urgent. ^I'm with them. Terra's here too. We were in the school greenhouse when the attack happened—we rushed over the second we felt it.^
I finally exhaled. My heart was still pounding in my ears, but at least I knew they weren't alone.
Now that the academy gate was closed, I slowed to a jog—enough to not cause a scene.
"Thank you. Where are you now? How's everyone doing?"
^We're in a hidden room near the greenhouse,^ Willow answered. ^It's magically dense—very old magic—and apparently only a few people even know it exists. We're safe here, for now. Zek, Araki, and Orin are scratched up but alright. Ark… Ark got stabbed in the leg.^
I stopped dead in my tracks, my blood turning cold.
"What?" I said, barely a whisper.
^We're treating him, but… something's wrong. Something is happening to his leg. I'll try to help him, but you need to hurry!^ Her voice cut off as a wave of static filled the bond.
I didn't hesitate.
"Hells—"
I broke into a sprint again, passing through the main gate.
And then I was stopped.
Two figures stepped into my path.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. Academy uniforms—noble cut.
'Not now.'
"I don't have time for some petty noble drama," I growled. "Step aside."
They didn't look offended. In fact, they looked almost… amused.
The one on the left—male—raised a hand calmly. "We're not here to bother you. We're here to help. We're looking for you, actually."
I blinked, scanning their features. They were twins. Third or fourth years, judging by height and confidence. Both wore matching rings with pale blue gems, faintly pulsing with active magic.
"…Why?"
The girl stepped forward. "We're friends of Terra. We helped her get your friend to the hidden room. We're here to lead you and explain."
I hesitated.
Then I nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."
They nodded in unison and turned.
"I'm Elaina," the girl said. "This is my little brother, Jethro."
Jethro snorted. "She's the younger one. We don't have time for her lies."
"You still believe that nonsense?" Elaina hissed.
I clapped my hands once. "Focus."
They both flinched and coughed.
"Sorry," Jethro muttered. "When we saw Terra running, we went with her. Ark was the worst injured. We noticed weird magic embedded in the wound—it wasn't just a stab. It was something else."
I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know it was a dagger?"
They shared a look.
"We're adventurers," Elaina said.
"And volunteers in the infirmary during school competitions," Jethro added. "We've seen plenty of wounds. This was a dagger. But the magic? That wasn't normal."
"What kind of magic?"
"Shadow," Elaina said softly. "And from what we heard… one of your friends is a shadow mage. A Leonin. Uses daggers. Could it be—?"
"It was," I cut her off, voice flat. "Thanks. You just confirmed my suspicion. I'll explain later."
They didn't argue. Just nodded as we reached the greenhouse.
Instead of going in, we circled around to the side, stopping at an old stump.
Jethro crouched, placed his hand on the center, and pushed down.
The stump sank slightly—click—then rose back.
A faint circle of runes appeared on the grass before us, shimmered, then dissolved. A round platform of stone lowered into the ground, revealing stairs.
"Follow us," Elaina said.
I nodded and stepped carefully down the stone steps, magic thickening with every breath.
'This is old. And strong.'
Warm lights flickered ahead. The space opened up into something unexpected—a wide, well-lit room that looked… lived in.
Tables, chairs, shelves, hanging lights—it looked like a hidden lounge cut right from the academy's halls.
'This… shouldn't exist.'
The twins led me to a door along the wall, knocked twice.
"It's us. We brought Jack."
The door opened.
Araki stood in the doorway.
He didn't look relieved.
He looked furious.
"The fuck happened?" he snapped.
I didn't answer.
I pushed past him the moment I caught a glimpse of Ark.
He was pale.
His leg was wrapped in red-stained bandages and a dark feeling wormed its was into my mind when i looked at the shadowy spot on his leg.
Zek, Orin, Terra, and an older woman stood nearby, but I didn't spare them a glance.
I went straight to the bed, knelt down, and took Ark's hand.
His eyes opened, watery.
"…Hi," he whispered.
I let out a soft laugh, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Hey."
"How are you feeling?"
"…Hurts. But I've felt worse. It just… it just scared me." He blinked slowly. "I think it was Aaron. But that doesn't make sense…"
I looked away.
"…It was him, wasn't it?" Ark asked.
I sighed and nodded.
Willow floated above his leg, looking at me. "He's stable. But some cond of magic is in the wound. I've slowed it, but it's gonna need help. He should remain stable for another hour."
"Good, that gives us time," I said
I reached into my hoodie, pulled out the blue book, and flipped it open.
"Priority override. Cancel all current tasks. Appraise Ark's injury. Full focus."
The book pulsed.
I turned to the others and finally noticed the older woman.
"Who's she?"
Terra stepped forward. "Ms. Cottonflower. She's the greenhouse caretaker. A trusted friend."
i took note of her true nature but didn't comment on it.
"Everyone. Sit," I said quietly. "I want a full explanation. From Aaron's behaviour to the attack. I want everything in order."
"Finally," Araki growled. "Now maybe we'll get answers."
His fists were clenched.
"Zek and Orin know something. And you clearly do too. Why the fuck are we in the dark? Ark almost died!"
He turned to me, eyes full of fire.
"Do you even care if your boyfriend dies?!"
The room went silent.
Terra blinked in surprise.
Ark stared, stunned and slightly embarrassed.
Zek and Orin looked away, guilt visible.
Cottonflower smiled softly, choosing not to comment.
My eye twitched.
Then I let go.
I released my aura.
The temperature in the room dropped.
The lights dimmed.
Everyone went pale.
Willow shied away from me.
Terra and Cottonflower didn't react much.
Zek and Orin were tense.
The twins stared in shock and awe
Araki froze, feeling the full weight of my aura.
His knees nearly gave out as he stared at me, not seeing a classmate…
…but something else entirely.
Something that could end him.
I reined it in.
"I care," I said quietly. "More than you know. But I need a timeline to know how far Aaron has fallen. That will give me an idea as to what we are dealing with and how to help Ark now. Once we have that, I'll explain what I've learned. Things didn't go the way I expected. But they rarely do."
Araki swallowed hard, nodding stiffly.
I sat down and exhaled slowly. "Alright. What happened first?"
Zek was the first to respond. "I don't know if it's connected… but since you and Ark are together now, it might be. Agatha's been assigned as a teacher's aide in our alchemy class."
My head tilted slightly. "Agatha Rondo?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I don't think she knows who we are, but… it still feels off. The way she watches everyone. Especially Ark."
I grimaced. "I doubt she's directly involved—but I'll keep an eye on her anyway. Good catch."
Zek gave a quiet nod, and Orin took a breath next to him.
He didn't look up.
Then, quietly, he said, "Aaron came to see me Friday night. Said some weird things. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now…"
My eyes narrowed. "Not that simple anymore, is it?"
"No," he muttered. "Definitely not."
"Start from the beginning," I said.
He let out a sigh, like he'd been holding it in for days.
~~~~~~~~~~~
**[Orin's POV – Friday Night]**
I lay on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Jack's story about the Mountain of Stars had haunted me for days now. I couldn't shake it. The way he said it—the certainty in his voice. And Zek's reaction…
It wasn't just a legend.
It was real.
But what did that mean for us? For me?
I glanced at the weapons resting against the wall—my greatsword, my crossbow.
Was I ready to follow Jack up that mountain? To face whatever lay at the top?
Was I strong enough?
A knock at the door broke the silence.
"Orin, you in there?"
Aaron's voice.
I blinked and sat up, a little cautious but not going to push someone who needs help away. "Yeah. Come in."
The door opened slowly.
Aaron stepped inside, but something was… wrong.
Not physically—he wasn't bleeding or bruised. But the way he moved, the way his tail lashed behind him and his eyes flicked around like he was being watched…
It was like he didn't trust the air.
"You okay?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
He didn't answer right away.
Instead, he closed the door behind him and leaned against the wall, arms folded tight across his chest.
"Jack told you something about me," he said flatly.
I tensed. "…What?"
"Don't play dumb," he snapped. "You've been weird ever since you two talked the other day at the guild. I can feel it."
His tone was sharp—defensive. Almost like he was trying to convince himself more than me.
I swallowed. "It's nothing."
"Bullshit!"
The word hit like a slap.
Aaron exhaled, then rubbed his face with one hand. "Just… I need to know. Did he say something about me?"
His voice was different now. Less hostile. Worn down. Desperate.
I hesitated.
Zek told me not to say anything.
But this was Aaron.
"…Yeah," I admitted softly.
He didn't react right away. Just turned away from me and walked to the window.
But then he said, "He's wrong."
"About what?" I asked
Aaron's fingers curled against the windowsill, knuckles white. "About what's happening to me."
"Aaron…" I stood, cautiously taking a step forward. "What *is* happening to you?"
He didn't turn around.
"I'm fine," he said.
It was then that I noticed it.
The shadows in the room shifted.
Only slightly.
Just enough for me to tell they weren't following the candlelight anymore.
They were following *him.*
The corner of the room darkened, and something flickered beneath his feet. I froze.
Aaron must've felt it too—his ear twitched. His body tensed.
He turned, just enough to glance back at me.
One eye was normal—sharp, green-gold.
The other…
Black. Depthless. Wrong.
A weight. A presence.
I couldn't breathe.
"Aaron—"
"I'm fine," he said again, softer this time.
Then he turned and walked to the door.
"I just needed some air," he said as he closed the door.
I didn't move. Couldn't move.
He was gone before I even remembered how to speak.