The academy was wrapped in a suffocating silence, heavier than before. The sky above was a dark sea of clouds, swallowing the stars and hiding the moon's pale light. Somewhere beyond the horizon, the sun was preparing to bleed red, though no one here could see it yet.
Kael and I met beneath the east tower, the ivy-covered stones cold and rough beneath my fingers. The dagger Professor Valen had given me lay hidden beneath my cloak, its ancient runes pulsing faintly against my side.
"We can't wait," Kael said softly, his usual fire dimmed with worry. "If the Hollow's plan involves the blood moon, it means we have less time than we thought."
I nodded, swallowing the lump rising in my throat. "I followed Jaren again last night. He met with the cloaked figure near the old well—where the shadows are thickest. They spoke openly this time."
Kael's eyes narrowed, flames flickering in response.
"They talked about 'final steps' and 'breaking the last seal,'" I continued, voice tight. "Whatever it means, it can't be good."
"The seals hold back the Hollow," Kael said grimly. "If they break the last one… it will flood the academy with darkness."
The weight of that realization settled on me like stone.
Night deepened, and I found myself on the academy's rooftop, staring out over the courtyard. The world below was quiet, but the shadows seemed restless, moving just beyond sight.
The cold wind whispered through the branches of the ancient trees, carrying secrets I didn't want to hear. My thoughts raced, tangled in doubt and fear.
Then, footsteps—soft but deliberate—approached from behind.
I spun around.
Jaren stepped out of the darkness, his face unreadable beneath the moonless sky.
"You're following me," he said quietly, not angry, just stating a fact.
"I have to," I replied, standing firm. "The academy is breaking. You're part of it. Why?"
His eyes darkened with a storm I couldn't penetrate.
"You don't understand," he said bitterly. "The Hollow promised power. Strength to protect what remains. The academy is weak, crumbling from within. This is the only way."
I swallowed the betrayal choking my throat. "Sacrificing everyone else?"
He looked away, unable to meet my gaze. "I'm doing what I must."
Before I could respond, a distant roar ripped through the night, tearing through the fragile silence.
Bone Creatures surged from the shadows, their skeletal forms pale and terrible in the moonless dark. Their hollow eyes glowed with cold hunger.
Kael appeared beside me, flames erupting from his fists, casting dancing light and shadows on the walls.
"We need to get to the gates," he said urgently.
Together, we raced through the courtyard, weaving between shattered stone and broken trees, Kael's fire tearing through the bone creatures that lunged for us.
The Bone Creatures were relentless—twisted husks of death, moving with unnatural speed. I called on my shadows to weave snares and shields, but the mist that always seemed to accompany them blurred my vision and dulled my senses.
Kael's fire was a beacon, lighting our path, but even his flames couldn't hold back the tide forever.
We reached the main gate, battered and broken from the last attack. The lock had been shattered again, a dark scar in the ancient wood.
"We hold here," Kael commanded, planting himself firmly in front of the gate.
I nodded, gripping the dagger tightly. It felt alive in my hand, pulsing with a quiet power.
The Bone Creatures pressed closer, their bony fingers scratching at the wood, trying to pry it open.
"Now," I whispered, and with a swift motion, I plunged the dagger into the stone threshold beneath the gate.
A wave of shimmering light exploded outward, the runes on the blade flaring bright. The Bone Creatures shrieked, recoiling as if burned.
Kael roared, flames roaring higher, driving them back.
But one creature slipped through the barrier—a massive beast, larger and more twisted than the others. It lunged at me, jaws snapping wide.
I dodged, but barely.
Kael was at my side, a fireball blasting the creature's skull into dust.
We stood panting, surrounded by the battered remains of the Bone Creatures. The courtyard was littered with broken bones and ash.
But it wasn't over.
Jaren appeared at the edge of the courtyard, cloak torn, eyes wild.
"You don't understand what you're fighting," he shouted. "The Hollow isn't just a monster. It's a force. It changes everything."
I glared at him, anger and betrayal burning hot. "You chose this. You chose them."
He shook his head. "I chose survival. I chose the only way to save us."
Kael stepped forward, flames licking the air. "You chose the Hollow. You betrayed us all."
Jaren's expression faltered, and for a moment, I thought he might plead or explain. But then he turned and vanished into the trees, swallowed by the mist.
As dawn crept over the horizon, the academy was left bruised but unbroken—for now.
The blood moon had not risen yet, but its shadow hung over us all.
I knew this was only the beginning.
The Hollow was coming. And next time, it would not wait in the shadows.
Entry 12: Blood Moon
The blood moon hasn't risen yet, but the air feels charged with something terrible. Kael and I fought side by side under a sky too dark to see the stars. Jaren's betrayal cuts deeper than any blade. He's gone now—running back to the darkness he chose. But I can't shake the feeling that the true battle is still ahead.
The dagger burns against my skin, a reminder that some weapons are more than steel—they are hope.
We have to be ready.
Because when the blood moon rises, nothing will ever be the same.