A group of thirty black-robed figures stood gathered before a massive boulder, deep within the shadow of the forest. Silent. Still. Waiting.
The night was thick with darkness. The full moon hung high in the sky, cold and heavy, like an on cast from the heavens. The air bit at the skin, but none among them moved or sought warmth. They had co with purpose, bound by a command they dared not refuse.
Then, without warning, a man appeared atop the boulder. He stood tall, proud, and unmasked. His hair was streaked with grey and black, a sign of age and battles past.
His eyes, though wrinkled at the edges, burned with fire—sharp and alive. He looked down at the gathering, and they straightened, drawn to his presence.
With a voice that cut through the night, he spoke.
"My brothers and sisters… tonight, we take back what was stolen from us! Tonight, we rise! What we claim will lift us above all others, and make this world kneel before the will of our Lord!"
His words struck like thunder. The forest seed to tremble.
"We will spill blood. We will break lives. But do not falter! The innocent we sacrifice will be guided by our Lord's hand—each death, a gift, an offering!"
A roar of mana exploded from him, rippling through the trees and into the hearts of every robed figure. Their chests swelled. Their eyes lit with frenzy.
"This is no re act," he cried. "This is war! We may fall tonight, but we do so chasing the dream of true freedom! No more chains! No more gods watching from above, holding us down! We are not their servants—we are their end!"
The silence shattered.
"YEEEAHHH!!"
"FREEDOM THROUGH BLOOD!"
"ALL HAIL LORD ERWIN!"
The forest echoed with their cries. And the moon, high and cold, watched the madness below unfold.
-------**-------
"They're after the staff," Ariana said quietly, her eyes clouded with worry.
Adrian stiffened, trying not to let his instincts take over. "What staff?" he asked, though, he already knew. He just couldn't show it.
Ariana leaned in closer, her voice barely a whisper. "About fifty years ago, a war broke out near the southern border—close to where the academy stands now. Back then, Sir Eden was the headmaster. He was also… my ntor."
Adrian gave a small nod. "I know of him," he said, his voice flat, hiding the tension growing inside.
She inhaled slowly, choosing her words with care.
"He saw what was coming. He knew if he left things to the Tower alone, the Acolytes would one day reach the students. And he couldn't let that happen."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. This wasn't in the novel. Nor in any history book.
"He joined the war…" Ariana paused, looking away for a mont. "But not on our side. He joined the Acolytes."
Adrian didn't react—not yet. He felt the urge to, but instead, he stayed still, listening, watching her face.
"He had an affinity for darkness," she continued.
"One night, he vanished. Slipped into one of their main bases. Everyone thought he was lost… but it was all a lie. A setup. By the end of that night, the base was destroyed. A man was caught—soone wearing Sir Eden's face. But it wasn't him."
Her voice grew softer, more uncertain. "The real Sir Eden had already gone deeper—into the heart of their stronghold. No one knows how he got in. No one knows how he got out. But when he returned, he had sothing they'd kept hidden for centuries."
"The magical staff?" Adrian asked.
Ariana nodded, her voice barely above a breath. "Yes. Sothing they were never supposed to lose. Sothing tied to their Lord himself…"
She trailed off, and for a mont, only the sound of the wind tapping against the windows remained.
After a mont of silence, Adrian asked, "How important is that staff to them—besides the fact that it belonged to their cult leader?"
Ariana leaned back in her chair, her teeth gently pressing against her lower lip as she searched her mory. "From what I've heard… it can create multiple teleportation portals. Quite many at a ti. With it, the Acolytes could appear anywhere in the world without warning, without being tracked."
She paused, her voice growing quieter. "So yes… that staff must never fall into their hands."
Adrian already knew all of this. In the story, this was the arc where the staff was stolen from, but he had to hear it from her. He needed to confirm it really existed in this world, the sa way it did in the book.
Ariana exhaled slowly, as if the weight of old secrets had tired her. Then, casually—maybe too casually—she added, "Although it's still in the—"
"Aria, no."
Adrian cut her off sharply, his voice firm, almost stern.
She blinked in surprise. His tone wasn't angry, but it carried a heaviness that made her heart skip. He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with her.
"This is critical information—sothing the forr Headmaster shared only with you. Don't tell anyone. Not even ."
Ariana stared at him. For a heartbeat, silence settled between them like fog.
She trusted him—more than anyone. Yet, what he said… was true. The more people who knew, the greater the danger. And if the Acolytes ever found out Adrian knew, he'd beco a target.
Her voice was soft now. "Alright. I won't speak of it again."
Adrian gave a single nod and started to rise, heading toward the counter to make so coffee for them both—when suddenly—
BMMMMMM!
A deafening alarm roared through the air. Both of them flinched.
"This alarm?!" Ariana gasped.
Adrian's face turned sharp. "It's from the forest in the north. Soone's broken in!"
Without wasting a second, he rushed to the window and threw it open. Cold air hit his face—but what caught his eye was far worse.
Smoke.
Thick, black smoke rising between the trees.
"There are Wardens out there," Ariana said, her voice shaking—then her eyes widened. "Oh… fuck!"
A deep, guttural roar shook the sky. From the forest, a massive shadow burst into the open.
Branches snapped like twigs as a dragon rose into view, its wings spreading wide and powerful, tearing through the treetops. Its scales shimred with heat, and its yellow eyes burned with rage.
It opened its huge, jagged mouth—and fire erupted out, pouring across the trees like a wave of death.
Adrian's heart pounded. It started!
BMMMMMMM!
Another alarm. This ti from the west.
"They're surrounding us," Ariana growled, already storming toward the door.
"Wait!" Adrian called out. "Don't step out of the academy—there are traps set all around."
She paused, confusion flashing in her eyes. She didn't understand, not fully—but after a second's hesitation, she gave a short nod and kept moving.
Adrian rushed to the window and leapt out.
He landed with a thud, knees bent, and looked around. Instructors were already scrambling across the courtyard—so sealing the academy gates, others shielding the student dorms.
"Professor Adrian!" a voice shouted.
He turned to see Professor Norma, her red hair tied back, running toward him with urgency in her stride.
"You and Professor Newt, cover the south wing," she said quickly. "Watch the fence line. And make sure no student sneaks out through the backdoor!"
Adrian gave a sharp nod, then caught her just before she turned away.
"Wait—take this."
He flicked his hand and a staff appeared in a flash of light—sleek, darkwood, and glowing faintly with runes. He tossed it to her.
Norma caught it with both hands. She blinked. It hadn't been there a second ago, and yet it felt warm—alive. Attuned perfectly to her.
"I won't let you down," she said, voice steady.
"Good. Go," Adrian replied, already turning back toward the battlefield.
Ahead, the Wardens were locked in combat—four of them, holding off wave after wave of beasts and Acolytes. But it was too much. The enemy was pushing through with sheer numbers and dark magic.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"They're breaking through…"
Sure enough, a monstrous creature lunged past the Warden line, tearing through what remained of the forest barrier. It charged toward the academy's front gate—claws tearing dirt, eyes glowing with madness.
But soone stood in of way.
Ariana.
She stood tall, her battle axe gleaming, crackling with enchantnt. Her eyes locked onto the approaching horde, unmoving, unshaken.
And then—
TING.
A faint, sharp chi rang through the air. Barely audible.
But Adrian heard it.
His eyes narrowed.
He'd been waiting for that sound.
The trap was triggered.
And hell was about to follow.
**BOOOOOOOM**
The ground beneath the lead orc exploded with a deafening blast. Fire, smoke, and shards of earth shot into the air. The force was brutal—instant.
The orc didn't even have ti to scream.
Its massive body was torn apart in a flash. Flesh and armor burst like ripped cloth. One twisted leg flew into a nearby tree and stuck there with a sickening crack. Another chunk of its torso landed yards away, smoking and steaming. Blood rained down in black, heavy drops.
But the heat from the explosion never touched Ariana.
A shimring, translucent barrier had risen around the entire academy building—like a giant shield of glass. It humd softly, glowing with runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.
High above, the dragon let out a furious roar and dove straight for the academy's roof.
Its wings cut through the air like blades, eyes locked on the tower spire—ready to tear it down.
TING!
Another alarm.
Then—
DHOK! DHOK! DHOK!
From hidden launch points around the academy's roof, lava orbs blasted into the sky—fired at point-blank range with no warning.
The dragon had no ti to dodge.
The molten spheres struck its scales with brutal force. One hit its wing, another its chest, and the third exploded beneath its neck. Flas wrapped around the beast midair.
"KHUEEEEEK!!"
The dragon scread—a high, piercing cry of pain—as it smashed into the barrier with a violent crash, then fell, its burning body sliding down the do and crashing into the forest below.
Trees split. Ground trembled. Smoke rose.
Ariana stood still, her battle axe now dimd, her eyes wide.
She slowly turned to Adrian, a mix of shock, awe, and disbelief on her face.
"I don't pay you enough for all this," she muttered.
Adrian grinned, "I'll gladly accept a bonus."
A mont of quiet passed between them—but only a mont.
The war wasn't over. The enemy hadn't fallen yet. But now, both sides knew: This fight wasn't going to be easy.
And neither side was backing down.
••••••••••
A/N:- Thanks for reading. I am mass-releasing the other book, the Villainess one, so only chap today.
User Comments
0 comments from readers