I woke up half an hour before Crusher, using the quiet darkness to plan. How do you pretend to trust someone you know is plotting to kill you? Celia had been feeding us lies since day one, and now I had to act like I believed every word. It was a dangerous game—cat and mouse—and I was the mouse pretending not to see the claws.
Ember was anxious, fluttering around me nervously. Even she sensed the danger. When Celia stepped out of her room at 4:00 AM with her usual perfect smile, I forced one of my own.
"Good morning, Lian! Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, perfectly," I lied, forcing a smile. "And you?"
"Like a little child," she replied.
*If you knew what I know, you'd realize even children lie naturally.*
The game had begun.
When the others arrived, I decided to test her. "Celia," I said with calculated casualness, "I was thinking yesterday—have you visited the academy library? It has an amazing section on time and space magic."
A flicker of hesitation flashed in her eyes—just for a fraction of a second. "No, I haven't had the chance yet. But it sounds fascinating!"
But I knew the truth. She'd been in the library yesterday. I'd seen the records. The lie was confirmed.
"We should go together after training today," I suggested. "I can show you the best books."
"What a wonderful idea!" Her enthusiasm was clearly faked.
She knew the library well. She was pretending ignorance. The deception was high-level, professional. But not perfect.
Then came Crusher's morning run. He arrived at 4:30 with terrifying energy. "Morning run! Today—fifteen kilometers!"
"Fifteen?!" Everyone groaned.
"Yesterday you were slower than dead turtles!" he said with demonic delight. "We need to push you harder! Anyone who complains gets twenty!"
The run was brutal. My lungs burned, my legs screamed. But Celia? She moved like she was on a morning stroll. No labored breathing. No sweat. No sign of fatigue. It was unnatural.
"Celia," I panted, running beside her. "You're in amazing shape. Were you an athlete in your village?"
"Oh yes," she smiled. "I love outdoor activities."
"What kind of activities?" Draken gasped.
"Long walks, swimming, and some… local games."
*Local games?* I'd seen that hesitation before. Those weren't games. That was military training.
Every answer was a lie. Every smile was calculated. Her skill at deception was expert-level.
During Vera's training session, the perfect opportunity arose. "Today we'll practice fighting in complete darkness," she announced. "Real enemies don't only attack in daylight."
The lights went out. Total darkness.
"Pair up and find your partner. First to locate their partner wins."
I partnered with Celia and activated my Sacred Spirit Eye. What I saw chilled me to the core.
She didn't search. She *knew*. She moved with absolute confidence, as if she could see perfectly. And around her—a faint, dark magical aura. The same energy signature as the Crimson Shadow Organization. 99.9% match.
"Found you!" she said suddenly, her hand on my shoulder.
"How did you find me so fast?" I asked, pretending to be impressed.
"Good intuition," she smiled. "And a bit of luck."
"Intuition… or something else?"
A strange look flickered in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Just admiring your skills."
But I'd seen it—the spark of suspicion. She knew I was watching. The danger had just increased.
After training, during dinner, I made my move. "Celia, could you grab more bread?"
"Of course!" She left the dining hall.
The moment she was gone, I signaled the others to gather close. I whispered, "We need to talk. Something very important about Celia."
"What?" Draken asked, tense.
"I think she's a spy."
Elaina gasped. "What?!"
I told them everything—the library lie, her inhuman stamina, the dark aura in the dark combat, her hesitation when questioned. With every word, their faces grew darker.
Marcus was the first to speak. "I can't believe this… but it explains her skills."
"What do we do? Confront her?" Ash asked.
"No!" I said firmly. "If we do, she'll contact her allies. We lose our only chance."
"So we pretend?" Luna asked.
"Exactly. Let her think she's fooling us. Maybe she'll lead us to the rest of the network."
"That's dangerous," Draken said. "If she finds out…"
"I know. But we have no choice. Act normal. Never discuss important plans in front of her."
Then—her footsteps. "She's back! Act natural!"
Celia entered, carrying a tray of bread, her perfect smile in place. "Sorry for the delay. The cook was a bit chatty."
"No problem," I said with a forced smile. "We were just talking about tomorrow's training."
"Oh, exciting! What will we do?"
"More group drills. We need to improve coordination."
"Excellent idea," she said—but I saw her eyes glint in a way that sent shivers down my spine.
The air was thick with tension. Every word was calculated. Every glance, measured. The danger was rising.
At midnight, I stayed awake. I knew she'd make contact again. At exactly 12:00 AM, I heard the soft creak of a door.
From the window, I saw Celia slip out, moving through the shadows like a trained assassin.
I followed silently, using every skill Vera had taught me. My Sacred Spirit Eye cut through the dark. I kept my distance, careful not to make a sound.
She headed to an abandoned tower at the far end of the academy—unused for years. She slipped inside. Minutes later, a faint light flickered from the upper windows.
I crept in, ascending the stone stairs with extreme caution.
Through a slightly open door, I saw her standing before a large magical mirror.
In the mirror: a shadowed face, but two terrifying, glowing red eyes.
"Report," a cold, powerful voice echoed.
"Training is making them stronger quickly. Especially Lian Shadowwind—his power is growing at an alarming rate."
*She's talking about me like I'm a lab rat!*
"Expected. Do they suspect you?"
"I don't think so…" Her voice hesitated. "But Lian has been watching me more closely than usual."
**Danger!** She suspected I suspected her.
"Or is it intelligence? If you're exposed…"
"I won't be! I'm extremely careful."
"Excessive caution won't hurt. The final phase is approaching."
Then came the revelation that froze my blood:
"The Master is preparing to appear in person."
Celia gasped. "The Master? In person?"
"Yes. After a thousand years of imprisonment, he will finally be free."
A being imprisoned for *a thousand years*—and now, about to return.
"His first act will be to reclaim his power."
"And that means…?"
"The Power of the Seven. Lian Shadowwind and his friends—fuel for the Master's glorious return."
We weren't just targets. We were *fuel*. Sacrifices to revive something ancient and monstrous.
"When?"
"Very soon. Be ready. And Celia… failure means your death."
The mirror went dark.
I slipped out of the tower as fast as I could, my mind racing. The truth was worse than I imagined. The Crimson Shadow Organization wasn't just some rogue group. They served a being locked away for a millennium. And we were the key to his return.
I returned to the dorm, realizing everything had changed. We weren't just fighting spies—we were fighting a force that had been imprisoned for a thousand years, waiting, watching, feeding on our growth.
And the enemy didn't just live among us—she slept in the next room.
That night, I didn't sleep. I watched her door, planning for the battle ahead. Ember stayed beside me, her eyes glowing with the same fear I felt.
Who was this Master? What crime earned him a thousand years of imprisonment? How much time did we have? Could we run? Or would we have to fight?
One thing was certain—if what I'd heard was true, we wouldn't get a second chance.
The real battle was about to begin.
And the calm before the storm had never felt so heavy.