The city of Virelia always felt like it was watching.
Not in the paranoid sense—more like a quiet hum beneath the concrete, a pulse in the fog that rolled in every morning. The buildings were old, even the new ones. Their foundations sat on stories, and those stories had teeth. People didn't talk about it much, but they knew. You didn't walk past the cathedral after midnight. You didn't touch the statues in the park. And you never, ever joked about the Veil.
Katherine Levi had grown up with those rules. She didn't believe in them, not really. But she respected them the way you respect a fire—just enough to keep your fingers intact.
It was a Tuesday morning, and Virelia High buzzed with the usual chaos. Students spilled through the gates, half-asleep and half-late. Kat stood by the front steps, her dark curls pulled into a loose bun, her backpack slung low. She wore confidence like a second skin—easy smiles, quick nods, the kind of presence that made people feel seen.
James Williams jogged up beside her, hoodie half-zipped, earbuds dangling.
"You're early," he said, breathless.
"I'm always early," Kat replied. "You're just always late."
James grinned. "Fair. Aria's inside already. Sage said he might skip first period."
Kat raised an eyebrow. "Again?"
"He said something about the library. Or the roof. Or both."
"Classic Sage."
Their group was an odd mix, but it worked. Aria Norman was the heart—soft-spoken, intuitive, always carrying extra snacks. Sage Ethan was the mystery—quiet, sharp-eyed, transferred in last semester and never quite explained why. And James? James was the glue. Loyal, funny, always ready to throw hands or homework depending on the situation.
Kat loved them fiercely.
Inside, the school felt like a maze of half-lit hallways and echoing lockers. Posters for the upcoming Veil Night Festival hung crookedly on the walls—black and silver, with swirling symbols that looked suspiciously like runes.
Kat paused at one of them.
"You ever wonder why we celebrate a myth that's basically a warning?" she asked.
James shrugged. "Humans are weird. We throw parties for ghosts and call it culture."
They reached their homeroom just as the bell rang. Mr. Whittingham stood at the front, adjusting his tie. He was tall, lean, with silver hair and a voice like gravel. Students respected him. He was fair, firm, and surprisingly funny when he wanted to be.
"Good morning, everyone," he said. "Before we begin, a quick announcement. We'll be hosting a joint excursion with the Virelia Academy of Magical Studies next week. Select students will attend a guided tour of the cathedral's historical wing."
A ripple of excitement moved through the room.
Kat blinked. "Wait, the cathedral? Isn't that place off-limits?"
Whittingham smiled. "Not anymore. The Academy received special clearance. It's a rare opportunity to explore Virelia's spiritual history."
James leaned over. "This feels like a setup for a horror movie."
Kat didn't disagree.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of lectures, gossip, and hallway drama. Aria joined them at lunch, balancing a tray of rice and plantains.
"Sage texted," she said. "He's in the library. Said he found something weird in the myth archives."
Kat perked up. "Weird how?"
"He didn't say. Just told us to meet him after school."
They did.
The library was quiet, dust motes dancing in the sunlight. Sage sat at a corner table, surrounded by old books and handwritten notes.
"This city's myths aren't just stories," he said without looking up. "They're records. Warnings. Some of them mention a spirit named Vandal."
James frowned. "Vandal? Like… graffiti?"
"No. Like cursed. Like sealed."
Kat leaned in. "Sealed where?"
Sage tapped a page. "The cathedral. There's a scroll on the altar. It's supposed to hold his essence. But the seal is fragile. It says here that if someone touches it and speaks the wrong words…"
He didn't finish.
Aria swallowed. "Why would they keep something like that in a public place?"
Sage looked up. "Because they didn't expect anyone to break it."
Kat felt a chill crawl up her spine.
That night, she couldn't sleep. Her parents were out again—called to a new case. She sat by her window, watching the fog roll in, thinking about the scroll, the myths, the way Mr. Whittingham had smiled when he mentioned the cathedral.
Something didn't sit right.
The next morning, the school was buzzing again—but this time, it felt different. There was a tension in the air, like static before a storm.
Kat met her friends by the lockers.
"Did you hear?" Aria whispered. "The Academy's excursion started early. They sent a student ahead yesterday."
"Why?" James asked.
"No idea. But rumor says he went alone."
Kat's heart skipped. "Do we know who?"
Sage nodded slowly. "Junior Sebastian. Half-demon wolf hybrid. Top of his class. He's the one who touched the scroll."
Everyone went quiet.
Kat exhaled. "So… it's broken?"
Sage didn't answer.
They spent the day pretending everything was normal. But Kat couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. The halls felt colder. The lights flickered more than usual. And Mr. Whittingham—he was smiling too much. Laughing at things that weren't funny. Watching them a little too closely.
After school, Kat found herself alone in the courtyard. The wind picked up, rustling the trees. She turned to leave—and froze.
A shadow moved across the cathedral's stained glass.
It wasn't a bird. It wasn't a cloud.
It was a figure.
Watching
She blinked, and it was gone..