SHADOW || The Catalysts Series, #2

IV || Trust

They step into the now revealed room, and Lena finds herself in Arcana's office for the second time since her arrival in Arcane Academy.

The room, simple at first glance, morphs immediately to Arcana's needs. At the same time, Lena's unconscious perspective of the room is confusing her: the room is made to shift according what she will want to see. She shakes her head hard, trying to focus instead on the reason she's here instead of her surroundings.

Arcana strides to his desk by the glass panel that overlooks the courtyard. The once broken fountain is now restored, not a single scratch on its marble and grey stone. The fields are now empty, all signs of any battle long gone. There are no students milling about now, all probably called back into classes now that the professors are out of their meeting. No random brawls and exploding sections of the Academy when Lena first arrived. A glance outside the beautiful pavilion and the gates of Arcane Academy finally seems peaceful, normal. The sun shines through the glass, creating various refractions of light throughout the wide room.

If Arcana knew about the duel, he certainly isn't saying anything about it. Not even the greatest of duels between the most powerful students in the Academy leaves a permanent mark on Arcane Academy, given the technology.

While Lena is still observing the room, Caelus makes the space his own, trailing Arcana all the way across the mostly empty room and over to the metallic table in front of the glass panel. He pulls a chair and casually leans against the spine of it, and as Arcana is still looking out of the glass panel for God knows what, Caelus reaches for the desk and pushes a button without the headmaster's permission.

A hologram of Arcane Academy's model bursts to life in a faint purplish blue hue. Caelus toys with the hologram, turning and expanding the diagram at every corner of the labyrinth and castle of the Academy. He finally stops at a corner, marking it with a touch of his finger.

"This spot. They took Roen from here."

Arcana finally tears his attention away from the view outside, turning to look at the now beeping diagram marked by Caelus. He considers it for a moment, then asks, "How many?"

Caelus doesn't look up from the marked red spot as he replies, "Two, according to Neesha."

"And the students taken?"

For this, Caelus doesn't answer. His eyes are strictly glued to the hologram. Arcana sighs, placing his palms against the table and taking a seat. He has to force the technology away, and only then does Caelus pay attention to the headmaster. Still, he doesn't say a word.

A screen similar to the personalised one at every desk each student owns materialises before Arcana, a blue display in between Arcana and the two students. A few beeps sound as Arcana works his way on the technology, the screens shifting fast. A list or something of that sort is being scrolled, and when the headmaster finally stops, he stares at the screen for a very long time. Silence befalls the room.

Lena looks between Caelus beside her then to Arcana behind the screen. She has no idea what's going on, but can't seem to find the right moment to ask. But when she finally finishes the struggle with her words and builds up the courage to do so, Arcana speaks first.

"Three students taken," Arcana says suddenly.

This statement is enough for Lena to forget everything she's been trying to do. Caelus, too, looks up immediately at this information.

"How do you know that?" Caelus asks.

"Do not ever question the technology, Caelus, and you should keep in mind how I can easily keep tabs on the students here," Arcana explains. "With that, I am similarly very well informed of your many... absences."