After three days heavy with painful memories, we returned to the academy we had left believing we were embarking on a routine mission.
The journey was long, through green plains and small villages that seemed to close their eyes to the evil devouring the empire.
We were traveling in a carriage pulled by strong horses, but our silence was heavier than the sound of hooves on the road.
Silence filled the carriage compartment as if it were an additional stone burdening our sorrows.
Draaken, who we had always known as strong, solid, and unshakable, hadn't uttered a word for most of the journey.
His pale face looked at the passing landscapes, but he wasn't really seeing them; he was occupied by a dark inner world where echoes of betrayal and death cries reverberated.
The loss of his brother, even though he was a traitor, had left a deep hole in his heart that was difficult to bury.
Elyana sat beside him in the carriage, her voice carrying a touch of tenderness and compassion; as if trying to wipe away some of his pain. She said gently after hesitation
"Draaken... you know? If you want to talk, we're here."
He raised his eyes slightly as if the words barely reached him, then replied in a hoarse voice from too much suppressed emotion:
What can I say? My brother betrayed me and betrayed our family
He joined an evil organization, and took innocent lives. Then he died trying to fix what he destroyed. What's left?
His voice carried anger not directed at anyone as much as at himself and his brother; the betrayal he had experienced had deeply affected his psyche. I felt that though these words were short, they carried a weight heavier than their size.
I said, sitting across from him trying to find a way to lighten his burden
You can say that you loved him despite everything.
And that this love, no matter how it tried to hide behind the shadows of betrayal, is what brought him back to you in his final moment.
He looked at me with red-rimmed eyes from severe sleeplessness and crying that we perhaps hadn't seen.
In his gaze was a question about the usefulness of words in the face of such loss, so he replied bitterly
"And do you think that matters? Does it change anything from the fact that he killed innocents by order of an entity that shows no mercy?"
"..."
I paused for a moment then answered with painful honesty because I realized that burdened consciences don't want falsely comforting words
"No, it doesn't change anything from his actions."
But this means something good remained in him until the end. And this is important, because it proves to us that complete evil doesn't" take over a person without resistance."
Marcus interjected with his calm voice
"Lian is right."
"I saw with my own eyes how he defended your father in the end and how he chose to stand against those who ordered him."
"It doesn't erase his mistakes nor bring back the dead, but it shows that your real brother didn't die completely, and that there was an internal struggle that ended with him choosing your side in his final moment."
Draaken nodded slowly, and the look in his eyes was a mixture of acceptance and rejection. The pain was evident, like an open wound that refused to heal.
When we entered the city housing the academy at sunset, the scene was majestic.
The sky's colors ranged from orange to purple above the high walls, and the air carried the scent of autumn mixed with smoke coming from the hearths.
As soon as we stopped in the main square, we found a crowd of students and professors waiting for us. Their gathering was so large it seemed as if the entire academy had come out to welcome us.
Then the cheers and applause began in one powerful wave, as if they were trying to push away the terrible news they had heard.
Clap!
Clap!
"Ironford heroes!"
A student shouted raising his fist in the air, and voices around him echoed words of thanks and appreciation.
"They defeated the Red Shadow Organization!"
Another shouted, and the words resonated through the square like a distant echo.
But those beautiful celebrations faded when they noticed our serious expressions.
Our mission wasn't a simple victory; it had carried stories of betrayal, death, and a greater danger approaching.
Professor Firestone approached us with quick steps, his face pale from anxiety and the desire to know the truth.
He was a man of strong presence, but even this presence showed signs of tiredness. He said without preamble
"How did the mission go? Your reports were suspiciously brief."
I said, trying to balance between telling the truth and not burdening him with painful details in public
"We succeeded in liberating the city, and saved many. But the price was... extremely high."
Firestone glanced at Draaken with a look full of understanding and compassion, as if he understood what the words weren't saying.
"..."
Then he gestured saying "Come to my office. We need a detailed report of everything that happened."
In Firestone's large office whose walls were covered with shelves filled with old books and magical manuscripts, we all sat around a long polished table.
The gentle light emanating from the magical lamps cast shadows on our tired faces that heightened the sharpness of our exhausted features.
We began recounting what we faced in Ironford starting from the moment of discovering Victor's betrayal, through the battles we fought against the Red Shadow Organization, to the moment Draaken lost his brother.
We recounted how we faced creatures we had never encountered before, and how despair nearly overwhelmed us when we discovered the organization had influence more dangerous than we had imagined.
Firestone murmured with concern as he ran his hand over his beard, as if trying to remove something that couldn't be removed
"Something worse than just human?"
His voice was low choking in his throat.
"This is very concerning. It seems there are hidden forces we don't yet understand."
Luna took from her bag a small black crystal, which appeared to absorb the light around it, to the point that we felt chills when we looked at it.
She said while being careful not to touch it directly with her hands
"We also have this. We found it in the palace laboratory. The evil energy gathering around it doesn't resemble anything I've seen before."
Firestone took the crystal cautiously and serious expressions appeared on his face.
He placed it inside a reinforced box with a strong magical barrier, then covered it with a protection seal. He spoke in a commanding tone that indicated how serious what we were facing was
"I will have our experts examine it. It may contain important information or perhaps a trace of energy we can track. We don't know yet."
I felt something being orchestrated behind the scenes bigger than all expectations. So I said, my heart churning with anxiety
"Professor, I believe the Red Shadow Organization is planning something bigger than what we've seen so far. All these attacks, abductions, and suspicious experiments seem like preparations for a massive event, perhaps one that will change the face of the world."
Firestone shook his head heavily and said with seriousness we weren't used to: "I agree. And for this reason the Imperial Academy's special council has decided to accelerate the training program for students who have proven their competence. We don't have time to progress through lessons gradually. Danger is approaching and we need real strength."
Zara, who had always been cautious about big promises, looked at him and asked with curiosity and concern
"Acceleration? How so?"
Firestone took a deep breath and answered
Hah!
"Starting tomorrow, you will begin special training outside the usual curriculum. Imperial elite warriors who have fought wars against dark forces will participate in your training, as well as veteran sorcerers with long experience in arts not usually taught at the academy, and even some professional mercenaries who excel at fighting in unconventional ways. You might learn something different from each of them."
His words embodied how serious the situation was, to the point that Marcus, who was accustomed to joking in the most difficult times, appeared as serious as a rock. I said in a faint voice
"Is the situation really this bad?"
Firestone answered with painful honesty
"Worse than you imagine. We've received reports from different parts of the empire about strange activities: entire villages of civilians disappearing without a trace, unnatural magical phenomena where strange lights are seen in the sky or storms form from nothing, and even reports about monsters we've only heard about in ancient legends."
Ash, who had been listening silently, raised his head and asked him with unhidden concern
"Old monsters? Like what?"
Firestone answered while counting on his fingers as if recording the magnitude of the disaster
"Black dragons that have long been considered a myth, advanced undead who can think and strategize, and small demons who carry out their tasks in secrecy. These are things that have been sealed for centuries by great sorcerers, of whom only stories remain... and it seems someone is trying to break those seals."
My body trembled at the idea of such creatures returning, because I remembered in the game we had previously experienced a story arc titled "Broken Seals," where villains try to release ancient creatures to destroy the world. Realizing that this fictional scenario could become our terrifying reality.
I said with increasing anxiety, my voice nearly trembling
"Professor, does anyone have an idea about the Red Shadow Organization's ultimate goal? Are they just trying to cause chaos, or is there something specific they want to achieve?"
Firestone hesitated for a moment before answering, which increased our anxiety. Then he said cautiously
"We have theories, but nothing certain. Perhaps they're trying to awaken an ancient power, perhaps they want to control powerful magical sources, and perhaps there's something bigger than this. For this reason we need you to become strong as quickly as possible. Knowledge alone won't be enough against such power."
We left Firestone's office with our shoulders burdened by the weight of responsibility. A strange feeling enveloped us
We were no longer just students learning spells and magical sciences.
We had become soldiers in a hidden war that might decide the fate of the entire world. I felt the air had become heavier as we stepped out the door, as if the place itself realized we were heading toward an unknown future.
In our shared house, where we used to exchange conversations and laughter after lessons, we sat in the large living room in silence.
"..."
Each of us was trying to digest what had happened and what had been said. Our faces were pale, but our eyes were full of determination despite everything.
Elyana said with frustration while placing her head between her hands
"I feel like we're fighting an enemy we don't really understand. Every time we think we've taken a step forward, we discover the problem is bigger and more complex than we thought."
Marcus replied while crossing his arms and leaning back
"It's like fighting a hydra. Every time you cut off a head, more grow in its place. There's no end to it."
Draaken, who usually spoke sharply, lowered his head and said bitterly
"At least the hydra is a clear enemy. We can face it directly. Here, danger comes from every direction. Even people we trust can turn into enemies. My brother was with us yesterday, and today we discovered he was a member of the Red Shadow Organization."
His words were like an arrow piercing our chests. How many other spies are hiding in the academy? How many people who appear to be friends might just be pawns in a bigger game?
I said with determination, feeling a fire burning inside me, perhaps motivated by fear or by the desire to protect everything we love
"We must become stronger. Strong to the point that it won't matter how many enemies there are or how strong they are. If we possess strength and knowledge, we will be able to withstand no matter how fierce the storm."
Zara whispered with hesitation carrying something of both challenge and doubt
"Easy to say, but how?"
I didn't have a clear answer. But before I could try to explain what was going through my mind, we heard a knock on the door.
The knock was gentle, but in times like these even gentleness seems suspicious.
We exchanged quick glances.
Could it be another enemy sneaking in on us? Or is it a message from one of the professors?
I went toward the door cautiously, my hand near the hilt of my sword. When I opened it slowly, I was surprised to see a girl about our age standing in front of it.
She had beautiful, impressive features.
Her long silver hair shone like the moon on a clear night, and her sky-blue eyes reflected intelligence and calm.
She was wearing elegant but practical clothes suggesting she wasn't just a fashion-loving student, but someone who knows how to move freely and quickly.
She said in a transparent, sweet voice, with politeness and confidence at the same time
"Sorry to bother you at this late hour. My name is Sylia Monster. I'm a new student here, and I was told you accept new members in your team?"
I looked behind me at my friends and saw in their faces the same surprise I felt.
I paused for a moment then asked with extreme caution, trying not to show suspicion
"Who told you that?"
Sylia smiled a calm smile
"Professor Firestone himself. He said you need more strength, and that I might be helpful in your upcoming missions."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise; Firestone hadn't mentioned that minutes ago when we were in his office.
Why is he sending someone new now without warning us? I told myself nothing happens here by coincidence.
Draaken approached, having regained part of his solidity, and asked her in a tone clearly carrying a test
"What's your specialty?"
She raised her head proudly and smiled confidently
"Space-time magic. It's a very rare specialty, but I master it, and it's useful in combat in ways you can't imagine."
Space-time magic? That was indeed extremely rare.
In the game we had experienced parts of, there were only very few characters who possessed this ability, and it had a great impact on the course of battles.
I needed proof of her words' truthfulness, so I asked her
"Can you prove that?"
Sylia smiled confidently and raised her hand in the air with a gentle movement.
Hmm!
Suddenly, I felt the air around us slow down; time stopped for a moment.
The papers that were falling from the trees outside the window stopped in their place, and the wind that was moving the curtains became still.
Even the sounds outside the house seemed to belong to another world that stopped at the door's boundary.
The condition lasted for one or two seconds, then Sylia raised her other hand and time flowed again as it had been. The papers returned to their movement, and the wind continued to play with the curtains as if nothing had happened.
Elyana exclaimed with genuine admiration as she looked in amazement
"This is amazing... time control!"
Sylia said with a wide smile, as if proud to show what she could do
"Did you like it? This is just a simple example. I can do more exciting things when we need them in battles or missions."
Despite my admiration for her abilities, something still worried me.
Her timing of appearance, Firestone's knowledge of her, and even the way she smiled at us and answered our questions as if she had anticipated them - everything seemed... too perfect.
I don't believe in someone appearing with all the solutions at exactly the right time without a clear reason.
Are we facing a friend or someone sent to monitor or infiltrate us?
I finally said after looking at my friends and signaling to them with my eyes
"Okay, you can join us for a trial period. But we'll need to make sure you really fit with the team, because we can't risk each other's safety in these times."
Sylia said with enthusiasm and sincerity in her tone
"Of course! You won't regret this decision. I'm here to prove myself and to help you."
As Sylia entered our house and began getting to know the others, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was wrong or abnormal.
She had all the right answers, the appropriate rare abilities, and the perfect moment to appear.
In a world full of traitors and conspiracies, can there be something called "too perfect"?
Fwoosh!
Ember, the small spirit flying around my shoulder and sharing my feelings, made a faint sound of disapproval, as if warning me that she too felt something strange.
Perhaps our intuition was warning us about what we don't yet know, or perhaps it was just imaginings heightened by recent events.
But for now, we needed all the help we could get facing the challenges awaiting us.
I only wished this help would be a blessing.