The academy felt deceptively calm the next day. Students hurried through lessons, laughter echoing in the courtyards. Yet in the shadows, larger forces were already stirring.
Aiden walked with his friends across the quad when Ophis suddenly appeared beside him. Her emerald eyes locked on him, her presence commanding enough to make nearby students step aside.
"You look tired," she said smoothly, as if they'd always been close. "You should rest more. I could… help with that."
Aiden blinked, caught off guard. "I'm fine."
"Fine?" Ophis's lips curved slightly, the faintest smirk. "You think being fine will protect you in this world? You need strength, Aiden. Real strength. And I can give it to you." Her eyes flickered dangerously, a glint of hunger hidden beneath her calm.
Before Aiden could respond, Selene's voice called from behind. "Ophis." The name cut the air sharp as a blade. Selene approached with a guarded look, sliding naturally to Aiden's side.
Ophis only chuckled. "So protective. Relax, Selene. I'm just… curious about him." She turned away with deliberate grace, her words lingering like smoke. "But curiosity can become desire very quickly."
Aiden felt a shiver crawl down his spine, though he couldn't explain why.
Far away, deep beneath a cathedral drenched in incense and candlelight, the Church seethed.
The High Inquisitor slammed a fist onto the marble altar. "Three of our finest spies, erased. Their signals vanished the instant they neared the academy."
A cardinal raised his voice. "Victor's hand is in this. Who else but his assassin wife could move with such silence?"
"Victor may watch the academy, but even he cannot guard it forever," the Inquisitor hissed. He turned to the gathered knights and priests, their armor gleaming faintly in the light. "Send the Second Choir. Hunters of the First Light. Let them test the academy's defenses. If the boy exists… we will drag him out."
A hundred voices rose in unison: "For Heaven's judgment!"
That evening, while the academy lights dimmed and students retreated to their dorms, Lilith was restless. She couldn't stop replaying Ophis's words from the night before. The Elderblood princess didn't just want to awaken Aiden's bloodline—she wanted to claim him.
As Lilith sat in the courtyard, a chill swept through the air. A tall, enchanting figure descended with elegance, her wings fading into shadow as her feet touched the ground. Her presence was overwhelming, a blend of allure and danger that made even the strongest supernatural beings shiver.
"Mother," Lilith whispered, standing quickly.
The woman's eyes glowed faintly, her beauty edged with inhuman perfection. This was the Succubus Goddess, Lilith's mother — a being whose very existence could unravel kingdoms with desire and dread.
She smiled faintly, her voice smooth and haunting. "It seems the world is shifting again. Show me this boy who dares stir the blood of kings and gods alike."
And with that, the academy was no longer just a school. It had become the heart of a storm that no one could escape.