Dawn broke over Eldrath with a muted, silver light. Mist curled through the courtyard, giving the academy an ethereal glow. Kael and his friends gathered silently, each dressed for battle but carrying the weight of the night's planning.
"Everyone knows their role?" Kael asked, eyes scanning the circle of ten.
"Yes," came the steady chorus.
"Good. Then we move."
Pallas took to the skies first, her wings slicing through the mist as she vanished beyond the outer walls. Zephyr melted into the shadows, leaving no trace of his passage. Vex followed, conjuring faint illusions behind him to mask their movement.
Kael, Elian, and Luminor followed the planned route, carefully stepping through wards and sensors they had set the night before. Lyra and Amara stayed behind at the designated safe zones, ready to protect students and support the team remotely.
Arden and Thorne moved as a coordinated duo, blending brute force with precise timing, while Malian focused on dismantling magical wards they encountered.
Kael's heartbeat thudded in his chest, steadying him. Every step mattered; one misstep, and the traps laid by Nox could unravel everything.
The first obstacle came sooner than expected. A corridor, lined with blackened runes, shimmered with dark magic, the faint hum of binding energy vibrating through the walls.
Malian knelt, murmuring a counter-spell under her breath. Sparks of silver light danced around her fingers as the runes twisted and shivered. "I can neutralize it—but we have less than a minute before it resets."
Thorne rolled his shoulders. "Less than a minute? That's plenty of time. Just don't make it look too easy, Malian, or I'll lose my suspenseful entrance."
Arden shot him a sharp look. "Focus, Thorne."
Kael moved past, sword drawn, ready to respond if the runes erupted. Zephyr signaled silently from the shadows ahead—safe passage confirmed.
They continued deeper into the academy, corridors twisting unnaturally as if the building itself sought to confuse intruders. Nox's magic was subtle but pervasive; he had anticipated intruders, yet Kael sensed the faint imperfections in his design.
At the central atrium, they found their first direct confrontation. Shadows writhed across the walls, coalescing into humanoid forms—students under Nox's binding spell, forced to attack their own friends.
"Hold!" Kael commanded. "These aren't truly enemies. Stay sharp, but do not harm them unnecessarily."
Lyra whispered incantations, golden light radiating from her hands. Amara reinforced protective wards, creating shimmering barriers around the possessed students.
Thorne and Arden sprang forward, precise and careful, disarming and restraining those under the spell without causing lasting harm. Vex manipulated illusions to confuse the controlled students, making them hesitate and giving the team precious seconds.
Kael moved through the chaos, striking at shadow-possessed constructs with measured force, careful not to harm the students trapped inside. Elian calculated patterns, predicting the next moves and guiding the team with his tactical mind.
Pallas returned from the upper floors, eyes sharp. "More incoming," she warned, wings folded in human form. "Nox anticipated this corridor. Reinforcements are on their way."
Kael clenched his teeth. "Then we adapt. Luminor, coordinate with Vex. Arden and Thorne, draw them into the traps Malian and I set."
The next wave of shadow constructs fell into the team's traps with surprising efficiency. Malian's counter-spells interfered with Nox's binding energy, while Vex's illusions created openings for Kael and Arden to strike with precision.
Zephyr appeared behind a group of approaching constructs, silent as the wind. Within moments, he disabled three before they could react, moving like a shadow himself.
Even with coordinated efficiency, the team was stretched. Kael's sword hummed with energy, every strike deliberate. He glanced at Lyra as she reinforced a barrier, sweat glinting on her brow, yet her resolve unwavering. Her presence anchored him—reminding him of why they fought.
Amara moved gracefully among the barriers, healing minor injuries, her youthful determination shining in her every action. Pallas circled above, ready to strike from a distance or scout the next danger.
Finally, the central figure emerged: a humanoid shadow, taller and more defined than the others. Its eyes glowed with crimson energy—Nox's direct proxy, a sentinel created to test them.
"Kael Eldrath," it hissed, voice a distorted echo of the assistant headmaster. "You dare to defy me?"
Kael stepped forward, sword raised. "We don't just dare. We act."
The sentinel lunged. Arden and Thorne moved to flank, Malian prepared a containment spell, and Vex's illusions disoriented the figure. Lyra and Amara focused their magic to weaken its bindings, while Zephyr struck from behind, and Pallas dove from above.
The battle was precise, synchronized—a dance of light and shadow, magic and steel. Every friend contributed, their coordination making them more than just ten individuals. They were a single, formidable unit.
Finally, the sentinel collapsed, dispersing into a cloud of dark energy. Kael exhaled heavily. "Good. Everyone okay?"
A chorus of nods and murmurs confirmed it. But Kael's sharp eyes noticed something—the shadows lingering, coiling like smoke in the corners. Nox was watching. He wasn't defeated, only delayed.
Luminor stepped forward, voice grave. "He knows we're moving. This was a probe. A test. The real fight is yet to come."
Kael clenched his fists, looking at his ten friends. "Then we prepare for what's next. We've survived the first strike, but Nox won't let us advance so easily again."
Lyra touched his arm, gentle but firm. "We can do this… together."
Kael nodded, heart pounding. "Together."
Outside the atrium, the academy was quiet once more, but every corner, every shadow seemed to watch. The first strike had been successful—but the storm was only beginning.
And in the uppermost tower, hidden in shadow, Nox's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "So, they have some skill… some unity. Let's see how long it lasts.