Luna Vale stared at the invitation in her hands, the elegant script shimmering in the candlelight.
You are formally invited to the Midnight Trials Selection Ceremony. Attendance is mandatory for all mascots.
The words felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. Mascot. The title echoed in her mind, both a joke and a challenge.
She sat on the edge of her bed, the dormitory quiet except for Pixie's gentle snoring from the top bunk. The moon hung low outside the window, casting silver bars across the floor. Luna traced the embossed crest on the invitation, her thoughts spinning.
She had survived her first days at Midnight Academy-barely. She'd made friends, fumbled through magical lessons, and even managed to impress a moon fox. But the idea of competing in the Midnight Trials, a tradition older than the academy itself, was something else entirely. She was human. She had no magic, no supernatural strength-just stubbornness and a knack for attracting trouble.
What if I fail? What if I embarrass myself… or worse, let everyone down?
A soft knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. She tucked the invitation under her pillow and padded over, opening the door to find Lior Thorne waiting in the corridor, moonlight glinting off his autumn-leaf hair.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Luna shook her head. "Not really. Too much on my mind."
Lior smiled, a little crooked. "Come on. I know a place."
The Observatory
They walked through the silent halls, Lior leading her up a spiral staircase that wound higher and higher until they emerged into the academy's observatory. The domed ceiling was a lattice of glass and silver, revealing a sky awash with stars.
Luna gasped. "It's beautiful."
Lior sat on the edge of a low wall, patting the spot beside him. "I come here when I need to think. The stars don't judge."
Luna joined him, hugging her knees to her chest. For a while, they sat in companionable silence, the night air cool and crisp.
"Are you scared?" Lior asked quietly.
Luna hesitated. "Terrified. I don't belong here, Lior. I'm not like you or Rafe or Pixie. I'm just… me."
He looked at her, eyes bright in the starlight. "That's exactly why you belong. Midnight Academy needs someone different. Someone who sees the world with new eyes."
Luna bit her lip. "What if I let everyone down?"
Lior's smile was soft. "You won't. And even if you stumble, you'll do it your way. That's what makes you special."
A shooting star streaked across the sky, and Luna made a silent wish: Let me be brave. Let me find my place.
Morning: The Selection Ceremony
The next morning, the academy buzzed with anticipation. Banners fluttered from the towers, and students gathered in the Great Hall, their voices a chorus of excitement and nerves. The hall had been transformed for the occasion-long tables replaced by a circular stage at the center, surrounded by flickering lanterns.
Pixie zipped over to Luna, her wings a blur. "You look amazing!" she squealed, straightening Luna's collar. "Don't worry, you'll be great."
Luna glanced down at her uniform, which felt more like armor than clothing. "I feel like I'm about to be fed to a dragon."
Pixie giggled. "If you are, at least you'll look cute doing it."
Rafe appeared, towering over both of them. "Ready, mascot?" he rumbled, giving Luna a reassuring nudge.
"Not even a little," Luna admitted.
"That's the spirit," Rafe grinned. "Just remember, everyone's nervous their first time. Even me."
Lior joined them, his presence a calming anchor. "We'll be right there with you."
A hush fell as Headmistress Moonshadow entered the hall, her silver hair gleaming, her eyes sharp as moonlight. She stepped onto the stage, raising her hands for silence.
"Welcome, students, to the Midnight Trials Selection Ceremony," she announced, her voice echoing through the hall. "Tonight, we honor tradition. We celebrate courage. And we discover which among you will represent your houses-and our academy-in the Midnight Trials."
She gestured to a large crystal orb at the center of the stage. "The orb will choose the champions. Step forward when your name is called."
One by one, students were chosen-werewolves, vampires, fae, and others Luna couldn't even name. Each stepped onto the stage, their friends cheering.
Finally, the orb pulsed with silver light. "Luna Vale," the headmistress intoned.
Luna's legs felt like jelly as she walked to the stage. The entire hall watched, some with curiosity, others with skepticism.
Moonshadow smiled. "Our mascot. The first human champion in a century."
Luna swallowed, forcing herself to stand tall. "I… I accept."
A ripple of surprise and applause swept the hall. Lior, Rafe, and Pixie cheered the loudest.
Moonshadow nodded. "Let the trials begin."
Afternoon: Training and Doubt
After the ceremony, the chosen champions were ushered to a training ground behind the academy-a field ringed with ancient stones and enchanted torches. Professors and older students waited, ready to test their skills.
Luna was paired with Rafe for the first challenge: an obstacle course designed to test agility and teamwork.
"Don't worry," Rafe said, stretching. "Just stick with me."
The whistle blew, and they were off. Luna scrambled over walls, ducked under swinging logs, and leapt across a stream. Rafe moved with supernatural grace, but he slowed his pace to match hers, offering a hand when she faltered.
Halfway through, Luna tripped, tumbling into a patch of mud. She heard laughter from the sidelines-some mocking, some sympathetic.
Rafe offered his hand. "You okay?"
Luna gritted her teeth, accepting his help. "Yeah. Just bruised my pride."
They finished the course together, not first but not last. Luna's heart pounded with exhaustion and adrenaline.
"You did great," Rafe said, clapping her on the back.
Luna managed a weak smile. "Thanks for not leaving me behind."
"Never," Rafe replied. "We're a team."
Evening: The Mentor's Advice
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Luna wandered the academy's corridors, her mind swirling with doubts. She found herself outside the library, where Selene Noir sat reading by the window, her pale skin luminous in the fading light.
"Trouble sleeping?" Selene asked without looking up.
"Trouble thinking," Luna replied, sinking into a chair across from her.
Selene closed her book, studying Luna with those piercing blue eyes. "You're afraid."
Luna nodded. "I don't want to let everyone down. I don't want to be the joke."
Selene's lips curved in a faint smile. "Everyone is afraid, Luna. The difference is what you do with that fear. Use it. Let it sharpen you."
Luna considered this. "Did you ever compete in the trials?"
Selene's gaze grew distant. "Many years ago. I was terrified. But I learned that courage isn't the absence of fear-it's acting in spite of it."
Luna nodded slowly. "Thank you."
Selene inclined her head. "You have allies, Luna. Lean on them."
Night: The Mascot's Rebellion
That night, Luna lay awake, staring at the ceiling. She thought of the trials, the expectations, the whispers in the halls. She thought of her friends-Lior's encouragement, Rafe's loyalty, Pixie's boundless optimism, Selene's wisdom.
She thought of herself-not just as a mascot, but as Luna Vale. A girl who had been expelled from three schools, who had survived monsters both real and imagined, who had come to Midnight Academy searching for a place to belong.
I'm done running. I'm done hiding. If I'm going to be the mascot, I'll do it my way.
She sat up, determination settling over her like a cloak. She grabbed her journal and began to write-a plan, a promise, a rebellion.
The Next Morning: A New Resolve
Luna woke before dawn, slipping out of bed and into the chilly corridor. She made her way to the training grounds, where the dew sparkled on the grass and the air was thick with possibility.
She began to run the obstacle course alone, over and over, each time a little faster, a little stronger. She practiced shield charms, stumbling but refusing to give up. She studied her potions notes, determined to avoid any more frog-related mishaps.
As the sun rose, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink, Luna felt something shift inside her-a quiet certainty.
She wasn't just the mascot. She was a champion. She was Luna Vale.
And she was ready for whatever the Midnight Trials would bring.