The first light of dawn spilled across the Moon estate, painting the towers with gold and silver. Thaddeus Moon had been awake for hours, shadow tendrils curling quietly around the courtyard as he practiced, each strike sharper, each movement more deliberate. The day was calm, almost deceptively so, and he felt the tension coiling in his chest—anticipation of the journey to Elysium Academy, and the unknown trials awaiting him there.
Aurora was already on the terrace, her silhouette framed against the rising sun. Her silver eyes tracked his movements as he executed a series of complex shadow forms, the tendrils bending and twisting in response.
"You're moving too predictably," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Even the shadows are beginning to anticipate your strikes."
Thaddeus paused mid-spin, letting the shadows fold back into themselves. "Predictable?" he asked. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I am simply giving them confidence."
Aurora's lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile. "Confidence is earned, Thad. Not granted."
Heathing his katana, Thaddeus walked toward her, the morning air cool against his skin. "Two days remain," he said. "Two days to prepare for a journey I cannot fully predict. Two days to ensure that the Moon heir does not falter."
Aurora nodded silently, her gaze drifting toward the horizon where the faint outline of the Solgard estate was visible even in the morning light. The distance between their estates was more than miles—it was centuries of rivalry, of blood, and of unspoken challenges.
Thaddeus allowed himself a rare moment of reflection. The Solgards… he thought, fingers brushing the hilt of his katana. Evan Solgard. That boy is destined to be my rival. He always will be. But the prophecy… He shook his head. It was a word that carried weight he could neither ignore nor fully comprehend. Destiny, fate, eclipses, power—they all converged into a tapestry he could not yet see in full. All he knew was that he had to be ready.
The first day of preparation was spent in meticulous packing and training. Every katana was inspected, every shadow exercise repeated until muscle memory was flawless. Aurora assisted silently, her own shadow control nearly flawless. Together, they practiced maneuvers that bent and split darkness like liquid, preparing for any situation that might arise during the journey.
Meals were simple but hearty. Thaddeus and Aurora spoke little, the quiet companionship of siblings who had trained together for years speaking volumes. Outside, the estate's servants moved with practiced precision, ensuring that nothing was left to chance.
That night, Thaddeus stood on the terrace, katana in hand, watching the moon climb higher. "Do you ever wonder if we are truly ready?" he asked Aurora.
"For what?" she replied, eyes narrowing.
"For everything. The Academy, the Solgards, the prophecy… the shadows, even. Are we truly prepared for what is coming?"
Aurora remained silent for a long moment. Then she said, softly, "We can never be fully ready. But we will face it, together. And that is enough."
Thaddeus let the words settle in his mind. Enough—or as close to enough as anyone could achieve.
The next morning, the carriages were ready. Crafted from polished obsidian wood and reinforced with steel, the wheels gleamed in the morning sun. The Moon family attendants helped stow provisions, personal weapons, and training supplies. Thaddeus and Aurora boarded silently, settling into their seats as the horses were readied.
The road stretched ahead, winding through forests dense with elemental energy, rivers that shimmered with latent power, and hills that rose like guardians of the land. Every turn, every bend brought with it subtle reminders of the Moon estate's influence—the shadows that lingered longer here, the wind that seemed to pause in respect, the faint whisper of unseen creatures.
Thaddeus watched the landscape pass by, shadows occasionally flicking at his feet, sensing danger—or perhaps simply observing. Elysium Academy waits ahead, he thought. And with it, the first real tests. Rivalries. Alliances. Perhaps even… other bonds.
The journey was mostly silent, each sibling lost in their own thoughts. The rhythm of the carriage wheels on cobblestone was hypnotic, a constant undercurrent to the contemplation of what awaited them. Thaddeus reflected on his own training, recalling the long hours of shadow mastery, the countless repetitions of form and technique, and the subtle lessons Aurora had drilled into him.
I am ready, he told himself. Not for what I want, but for what is expected. For my family, for the prophecy, for myself.
The road led them through villages and small towns, where people paused to glance at the Moon carriage. Whispers followed in their wake—whispers of the Moon heir, of the family who had mastered shadows for generations, and of the upcoming convergence at Elysium Academy. Thaddeus felt the weight of reputation pressing on him, but he allowed it to strengthen rather than weaken his resolve.
By the second day, the forest thickened. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in fractured beams, illuminating motes of dust that danced like sparks. Thaddeus disembarked for a brief exercise, drawing his katana as shadows responded instinctively, stretching along the trees and stone to mirror his movements. Aurora joined him, her own shadows bending and twisting in perfect synchrony.
"You move faster than yesterday," she noted. "But are you controlling your anticipation, or letting it control you?"
"I control it," Thaddeus said, spinning through a series of complex strikes. The shadows responded, fluid and precise. "Always. Every movement, every thought… under control. Always."
Aurora's gaze softened slightly. "Good. But remember—control is nothing without awareness. Elysium will test more than skill. They will test mind, heart, and spirit. Even the strongest shadows cannot fight for you if you are unprepared."
Thaddeus let the words sink in. The Academy would be unlike any estate training, any duel, or any exercise he had experienced. There would be other heirs—rivals, allies, perhaps even those who were unpredictable. The Solgards were the most obvious threat, but Thaddeus suspected they would not be the only challenge.
By evening, the Moon carriage paused near a river that mirrored the fading sunset. Thaddeus leaned against the side, katana sheathed, shadows coiling lightly around him. Aurora sat beside him, silent. The quiet was comforting yet tense, as though the land itself acknowledged the approaching storm of destiny.
Thaddeus allowed himself a rare thought, fleeting and hesitant: What if the prophecy is true? What if everything I have trained for is merely preparation for a fate I cannot control?
But he quickly dismissed the thought. Destiny might guide, but it would not define him. He was Thaddeus Moon, heir to shadows, master of the unseen, and he would shape his own path, no matter the forces that sought to pull him.
The night deepened, stars glimmering faintly through the forest canopy. Shadows whispered at his feet, a subtle promise of what was to come.
"Tomorrow," Thaddeus said quietly, "we reach Elysium Academy. And everything changes."
Aurora nodded. "Then we face it together."
Shadows curled around him, responsive and obedient, yet alive in their own right. They were his allies, his weapons, his companions—and in them, he drew strength.
As the carriage resumed its journey, Thaddeus Moon stared forward into the unknown, knowing that the road to Elysium Academy was only the first step in a path that would test every skill, every instinct, and every ounce of his will. The prophecy loomed, the Solgards waited, and the other heirs were still unseen—but all of it was within reach. And he would meet it head-on.