The morning sun cast a golden light on the dualing arena of the Royal Hunter Academy, causing shadows to stretch on the polished stone floor. Students gathered on raised benches, talking excitedly about whose turn it would be next. Lucian Vale entered the dualing arena with deliberate steps, as if he were taking no particular notice, yet every cell in his body was on alert. Today, he would be matched against yet another student from the academy—and a seasoned duelist at that.
Across the arena, his rival, a thin and dark-haired boy named Kael, laughed with confidence. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked forward to pitting his abilities against the new challenger. Kael had some reputation: quick reflexes, intelligence, and a tiny bit of control over the elements. Lucian knew better than to underestimate him, no matter for how brief an instance.
Lucian shifted his position and allowed the shadows at his feet to ripple slightly, an automatic response to remind himself of his skills. Today, he would not show how much he could do. Not yet. It all led up to something. A culminated understanding at the academy, with every match and every encounter.
The bell clanged, and the duel began. Kael attacked at once, swinging his sword with an trace of magical energy. Lucian side-stepped, breaking down movement pattern and rhythm. All these factors were committed to memory; learning from experience made Lucian more perceptive. Lucian measured Kael with deliberate defense and deception, encouraging Kael into extending attacks.
The audience responded with each reaction, cheering and screaming. Seraphine stood with the crowd, her eyes tracking Lucian's every move. She leaned her head slightly, impressed with Lucian's composed confidence and strategy. Lucian met her gaze for an instant, idly letting a smile appear before refocusing. She notices… good. But she better not get too much yet.
Kael's attacks began to get more aggressive, pushing Lucian's responses. Lucian backed up slightly, careful not to expose the shadow tendrils unwinding at his feet. They were ready and waiting, reacting without being seen, working with his thoughts, and boosting his reflexes.
As Kael made a truly ambitious attack, Lucian knew what he would do before it ever happened, twisting just enough to turn the momentum against his attacker. By a flicker of his wrist, he caused the shadows to nudge slightly out of position, enough to disturb Kael's timing. Kael stumbled, giving Lucian an opening for a perfectly measured blow.
The bell rang again, and the duel ended. Applause broke out among the crowd, Seraphine clapping her hands wildly, oblivious to the presence of shadows. Lucian nodded politely at Kael. "Well fought," he said with a hint of satisfaction. Kael frowned, realizing belatedly that he had almost been outplayed.
Lucian's pride was low-key and very satisfying. The fact that he had achieved what he set out to do with the duel—demonstrating clever strategy, getting a reading on his enemy, and refining shadow control—was precisely what he aimed for. But more significantly, he had again proven he could keep things secret and still display skill.
A short while later, as the academy corridors began to quiet, Lucian made his way back to dormitories. Briefly, he stood at the balcony railing, noting the grounds below that were illuminated with an soft, silver light. That was when a sensation, a hint of unease, began to brush at the corners of his mind. Dark places outside the academy walls danced with shadows. Something, or someone, was watching.
Magnus Crowe and Selene Frost. Just the mention of these two names made Lucian's spine turn ice-cold. But they stood there at the edge of the forest surrounding Lucian and Della, masked from sight by illusions. Magnus and Selene talked amongst themselves with an air of mirth and calculation.
"She's still there," Selene whispered, her gaze roaming across the dormitories. "The girl. She stays. unremarkable. At least, for now
Magnus' lips twisted into a sly smile. "But he's different. The boy—the 'Vale' they have there—is more powerful than he was before. Far more powerful than he should be at that age. It's curious. Our aims will have to be tempered with patience, but he shows promise."
Lucian realized it before he saw them. His shadows at the tips of his fingers quivered ever so slightly, a warning that reverberated within the magical energy. His instinctual need to protect Seraphine kicked into high gear, and he balled his fists. They are here, watching. But they will not touch her. Not as long as I sense it.
Lucian thought about the duel and what had transpired throughout the day. Every encounter, every duel, was a learning experience. Shadows, under careful control, would prove a tremendous advantage. Yet shadows were also volatile, reacting as much to feelings as to will. Anger, fear, exhilaration—each would impact the movement and responsiveness of his abilities. It would not be easy.
But the notions of Magnus and Selene were ever-present, lurking within the shadows at the periphery of his consciousness. Stefan had known deceit before, had understood the bitter taste of overconfidence and misplaced trust. Those experiences were burned into his very soul. Now he could see an adversary and weigh the risk before it ever happened.
Seraphine's face drifted once more into his mind, and her warmth and light brought stability. He would not let these invisible dangers touch Seraphine. She represented what he fought for and became a source of strength against the shadows that he controlled. Each beat and burst of darkness lived not solely because he wanted it that way, but because he wanted her safe.
Lucian permitted a momentary smile, even as he felt no sense of ease. It seemed an innocuous academy, but appearances were clearly deceiving. There were whispers lurking within the shadows that danced along walls and waited around corners. Lucian had grown accustomed to trusting these as much as he trusted his own judgment.
But he had one more practice that evening, combining several shadows into a semi-autonomous being, a small sentinel that could observe and act on its own. The shadows responded perfectly, coalescing into a tight, wolf-like form that prowled silently across the floor. It paused, its head swiveling toward Lucian, then continued its rounds, sensing his moods with eerie accuracy.
Satisfied, Lucian let the shadows recede slowly, wrapping around him like a mantle. The duel, the training session, and the whispered threats had given him a sense of focus and alertness. The academy may have seemed a safe haven, but he had learned to deal with the dangers that lurked in the open and those that were invisible.
As he finally settled down to rest, with the light of the moon throwing silver shadows across his room, Lucian Vale made a silent promise. No one will harm her. No one will get in the way of my second chance. Shadows, allies, strategy—they are mine to control. And I will emerge even stronger. The night passed on, dark and silent, but with an undercurrent of energy that reflected not so much the night itself as it did the boy who would be known as the Shadow Monarch.
A world away from the academy, Magnus and Selene sat watchfully, unaware that they were already being detected, plans disrupted before they were more than thoughts. Lucian closed his eyes and let the confidence born from expertise envelop him. Tomorrow would bring a fresh set of problems, a fresh set of battles, and a fresh set of chances to hone expertise and technique. And with it all, he would have to be ever vigilant and alert.