I didn't sleep all night. I sat in my room, gripping my sword, eyes fixed on the door—waiting for Ember to return, or for the enemy to arrive. Whichever came first.
At dawn, Ember flew in through the window, her wings pulsing with anxious light. Through our bond, I felt the urgency of her message: **Professor Firestone wasn't in his office.** In fact, he wasn't in the academy at all.
"Where did he go?" I whispered to Ember, but she had no answer.
This was deeply troubling. At the worst possible time, the one professor I trusted completely was missing.
I heard movement from the others stirring—everyone waking for morning training. I decided it was time to tell them the truth.
I stepped out of my room to find the team gathering in the common area, looking tired but ready for another day of Crusher's hell.
"Good morning!" Celia said with her usual perfect smile. "Sleep well?"
"Perfectly," I lied, giving the others a look that said *we need to talk*.
"Celia," Elaina suddenly said, "could you check if the water's hot? I want a quick shower before training."
"Of course!" Celia replied and headed toward the bathroom.
The moment she was gone, I rushed to the others.
"Firestone is gone," I whispered. "Ember couldn't find him anywhere."
"What?" Draken hissed, alarmed. "Where could he be?"
"I don't know, but the timing is suspicious," I said. "And last night, Celia planted a summoning crystal under our table."
"A summoning crystal?" Zara asked, shocked.
"A device that lets the enemy teleport directly here," I explained quickly. "I took it, but this means they've been planning to attack us *in our own home*."
"So what do we do?" Ash asked.
Before I could answer, we heard Celia returning.
"The water's hot!" she announced cheerfully.
"Great," Elaina said. "I'll go quickly."
As Elaina entered the bathroom, Crusher arrived at our door, as usual.
"Good morning, future warriors!" he bellowed with his usual energy. "Today, we have a special guest for training!"
"A guest?" I asked cautiously.
"Professor Shadowcraft!" Crusher announced proudly.
My heart stopped. **Professor Shadowcraft**—the very professor who had betrayed the academy and was part of the Crimson Shadow Organization!
"But… wasn't she imprisoned?" Marcus asked, confused.
"She was released after investigation," Crusher said. "Turns out the charges were fabricated. Mistakes happen in wartime."
This was either a blatant lie, or Crusher had been deceived—or worse, he was part of the conspiracy.
Professor Shadowcraft stepped into our home, wearing her familiar black robe, her smile smooth as silk—but never reaching her eyes.
"Hello, children," she said softly. "So good to see you again."
Her gaze swept the room, taking in every detail.
"Where's Miss Elaina?" she asked.
"In the bathroom," Celia said quickly.
"Ah, well," Shadowcraft said. "We can begin without her."
"Begin what?" I asked, my hand slowly moving toward my sword.
Shadowcraft smiled—a terrifying, knowing smile. "The final training, of course."
Suddenly, she raised her hand and unleashed a wave of dark energy that filled the room. Crusher collapsed instantly—unconscious. He had been deceived.
"Now!" I shouted, drawing my sword.
But Celia was faster. In an instant, she transformed—her posture became combat-ready, her eyes glowing with a sinister red light, and two daggers materialized in her hands from nowhere.
"Sorry, friends," she said in a completely different voice—cold, calculated. "But the act is over."
The battle erupted in the small common room. Shadowcraft launched a *Darkness Prison* spell at Draken, while Celia attacked me with terrifying speed.
"Ember, fire shield!" I shouted, and a wall of flame erupted between me and Celia's daggers.
"Marcus, protect Ash!" Draken yelled, dodging a whip of darkness from Shadowcraft. "Zara, help me!"
The fight was chaotic and brutal. The cramped space of the house made movement difficult, and Celia was far stronger than she'd ever shown.
"How could you believe I was just a student?" Celia—no, *Orilia*—laughed, circling me with inhuman speed. "I am **Orilia the Shadow Killer**, one of the Crimson Shadow Organization's finest spies!"
Her dagger sliced through my sleeve, and I barely dodged a strike that would have severed the veins in my wrist.
"Luna, where's Elaina?!" I shouted while fighting.
"She's still in the bathroom!" Luna replied, casting a *Paralysis* spell at Shadowcraft.
Suddenly, we heard Elaina scream from the bathroom, followed by the sound of shattering glass.
"Elaina!" Draken roared, but Orilia blocked his path.
"You're going nowhere," she said coldly. "Our allies are handling the girl."
Through the bathroom window, I saw red lights flashing—more Crimson Shadow agents attacking from outside.
"It's a full trap!" Ash yelled, launching a *Lightning Bolt* at Shadowcraft.
"Of course," Shadowcraft sneered, deflecting the bolt with a darkness barrier. "Did you think we'd leave anything to chance?"
The situation was hopeless. We were surrounded in our own home, Elaina was in danger, and our enemies were stronger than we'd imagined.
But I refused to give up. "**Orilius!**" I summoned the young dragon.
Orilius appeared in his small form, but his presence filled the room with powerful energy.
"A dragon?!" Orilia gasped, stunned. "Impossible! How…?"
"Orilius, save Elaina!" I shouted. "We'll handle these two!"
Orilius shot toward the bathroom, leaving a trail of golden fire behind.
"No!" Shadowcraft screamed, unleashing a massive wave of darkness at all of us.
But at that exact moment, the front door of the house exploded open—and **Professor Stormhammer** stormed in, flanked by a squad of Imperial Guards.
"I thought you might need some help!" Stormhammer roared, launching a massive fireball at Shadowcraft.
"How…?" Shadowcraft began, but her answer came when she saw **Ember** flying right behind Stormhammer.
Ember hadn't gone to Firestone—she'd found **Stormhammer** instead!
"Clever little spirit," Stormhammer said with a grin. "She found me on an off-campus mission and delivered your message."
The battle turned in our favor instantly. Orilia, realizing the situation was lost, threw a smoke bomb and tried to escape.
But I was ready. "You're not getting away!" I shouted, using a speed technique I'd learned from my father's ancient book.
I reached her before she could leap out the window—my sword pressed against her throat.
"Game over, Orilia," I said, my voice calm and terrifying.
She glared at me, her eyes filled with hatred. "I thought you were smart, Lian Shadowwind. But you know nothing of the bigger picture."
"Then tell me," I said.
She laughed—a mad, chilling laugh. "The Master is returning. And when he does, he will turn this world into a wasteland. And you… you will be the first to pay the price."
Before I could stop her, she bit down on something in her mouth—a hidden poison capsule in her tooth.
Within seconds, she was dead.
The battle was over, but the victory was bitter. Shadowcraft also died the same way—poisoning herself before we could interrogate her.
"Suicide over capture," Stormhammer said grimly. "That means what they're protecting is more important than their lives."
Orilius returned, carrying Elaina—wounded, but alive.
"Three of them attacked me," she panted. "But Orilius arrived just in time."
"Thank the stars you're safe," Luna said, healing Elaina's wounds with her magic.
"This isn't over," I said, staring at Orilia's body. "She said, *'The Master is returning.'* Whatever this 'Master' is, today's attack was just a distraction."
"A distraction for what?" Stormhammer asked.
Suddenly, **alarm sirens** blared across the academy—a loud, terrifying sound I'd never heard before.
"**Red alert!**" one of the guards shouted, bursting into the house. "The library! Someone is attacking the Forbidden Section!"
The **library**. The **Forbidden Section**—where the academy's most powerful magical tomes and ancient seals were kept.
"It's what they were really planning," I realized in horror. "The attack on us was to draw the defenders away from the real target."
"We have to go!" Stormhammer said. "If they reach the Forbidden Section…"
He didn't finish, but we all understood.
Whatever this "Master" was—**the answers were in that library.**
And if we didn't get there fast… we might lose any chance to stop him.