Eclipse of Fate

Darkness.

For a moment, the chamber was swallowed in an abyss of nothingness. Raine's grip tightened around his sword as his heartbeat thundered in his ears. His outlaw instincts screamed that they were being toyed with—this was no mere loss of light, but something deeper, something unnatural.

Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the darkness receded. The enchanted torches flared back to life, their glow weaker than before. The cloaked figures were gone.

Aldric exhaled sharply, glancing around. "Cowards," he muttered. "Disappearing the moment things get interesting."

Mordain, however, remained still, his gaze lingering on the scorched inscription. He traced the burned letters with his fingers, his expression unreadable.

"We were shown this for a reason," he murmured.

Raine studied the headmaster, uneasy. "They knew something. Something they chose not to say."

Aldric crossed his arms. "And I'm guessing it wasn't random that they called me an anomaly."

Mordain finally turned to face them. "No, it was not." His voice carried a weight that made both Raine and Aldric straighten. "There are forces in this world that exist outside of noble bloodlines, beyond magic and the natural order. Prophecies are not merely visions of the future—they are pieces of a game being played on a scale few can comprehend."

Raine clenched his jaw. "And we're pieces on that board?"

Mordain shook his head. "No. You are something far more dangerous."

He turned back to the inscription, his voice lower now. "The Harbinger shall walk in the wake of the Eclipse, unseen and unknown—until it is too late."

Aldric ran a hand through his hair. "That sounds ominous. And vague as hell."

"It was meant to be," Mordain replied. "But the meaning is clear—the Harbinger is already moving."

A silence stretched between them. Raine glanced at Aldric, but his rival's expression remained unreadable.

"So what now?" Raine asked.

Mordain exhaled. "Now… we return."

Without another word, he turned, striding toward the entrance. Raine and Aldric exchanged a look before following.

As they emerged from the underground passage, the academy felt eerily quiet. The night sky stretched above them, the moon casting silver light over the towering spires of Veythar.

Raine's thoughts churned. Every answer only seemed to lead to more questions. The prophecy, the Harbinger, the cloaked figures—they were being pulled into something far larger than the academy, and he wasn't sure if they had any way to escape it.

Beside him, Aldric was similarly silent. Whatever he was thinking, he kept it to himself.

Mordain led them toward the central courtyard, where the cool night air carried the distant hum of students still awake. He stopped suddenly, turning to face them.

"You both must be careful," he warned. "Whatever forces are watching, they will not remain passive forever. You have drawn their attention."

Raine nodded. "We've gathered that much."

Mordain's expression remained firm. "This academy is no longer just a place of learning for you—it is a battlefield, whether you realize it or not."

Aldric smirked. "Good. I'd hate for things to get boring."

Mordain didn't return the humor. "Joke all you like, but the moment you step beyond these walls, you will see the truth for yourselves." His gaze hardened. "And you may not like what you find."

The warning lingered as he turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Raine and Aldric standing alone beneath the moonlit sky.

Raine exhaled slowly. "Well. That was a lot."

Aldric's smirk faded slightly. "Yeah."

For the first time, there was no rivalry between them—only the weight of what they had uncovered.

And neither of them knew what awaited them next.