The doors to the Council Chamber loomed tall, etched with glowing runes and the Angel Academy crest. I paused for a moment, hands at my sides, feeling the invisible weight of authority pressing down even before stepping inside.
Selene's voice, calm and deliberate, drifted from within. "Enter."
I walked in. The room was vast, bathed in golden light from the floating threads of magic Selene controlled. Aeron and Eryx stood at either side, lances at rest but radiating quiet power. Lyra leaned against the balcony railing, arms crossed, observing the room with sharp eyes. Mira hovered near the center, calm as ever.
Selene's gaze settled on me. "Haru. You will remain an observer. You will speak only when prompted. Your role is to learn—to see beyond the surface, beyond the immediate. The Council's decisions are threads of fate; every action we take ripples across the academy."
I nodded, swallowing the knot of nerves in my throat. "Understood, Lady Selene."
Aeron gestured to a glowing projection at the center of the chamber. It displayed the academy grounds, wards, and recent anomalies—the flickering of the outer defenses from yesterday.
"This anomaly," he said, voice low, "was subtle. Controlled. Yet it breached our outer wards and tested Class A. Grey-eyes, you were present. Your intervention—quiet, precise—did not go unnoticed."
I kept my head low, careful not to reveal more than necessary.
Eryx smirked faintly. "Observation alone is deceptive. You see what we show you, but never the full picture. The real test is understanding why we act, how we weigh risk, and when to intervene."
Lyra's eyes flicked toward me, sharp and assessing. "You'll also see mistakes, oversights… human error. Learn from them, but do not assume you are exempt from it yourself."
Mira's voice softened, floating near me. "Focus, Haru. This is a chance to understand the currents. Watch, absorb, and remember."
Selene rose gracefully, threads of golden light weaving intricate patterns in the air. "Every threat, every anomaly, every disruption—even something as small as yesterday's ward flicker—is connected. You must see beyond the obvious, anticipate the hidden, and recognize when intervention is necessary. Your life, the academy, and perhaps even fate itself may depend on it one day."
I stayed silent, absorbing everything. The threads of light, the weight of authority, the subtle interplay between members—their synergy, their unspoken communication. I could feel the invisible currents of strategy flowing, and for the first time, I understood the scale of what I had stepped into.
Selene's golden eyes met mine briefly. "Do not mistake your youth or your inexperience for weakness. The Council observes all, but one day, you may act decisively where we cannot. Until then… learn."
I nodded again, heart pounding, aware of every detail, every unspoken rule, every thread of responsibility being woven around me. Half angel. Half demon. Dangerous. Unstable.
And now… officially in the orbit of the Chosen Five.