Forged in shadow

Chapter 6

Lilith walked down the well-lit corridors of the academy, her nerves causing her hands to sweat as she made her way forward. Her shadow-wielding companions were right beside her, maintaining the pace.

Sterling walked beside her, pushing a cart filled to the brim with books she had handpicked from the enormous library of the academy. As she entered, she was greeted by a less-than-cheery librarian—an older woman whose eyes were filled with judgment and distrust. She did not appreciate Lilith and her shadows being anywhere near the library, but she had to abide by the king's rule.

Lilith herself wasn't thrilled about being there either, but she had little choice in the matter. She disliked the idea of the king manipulating her into teaching the students. She knew his ultimate goal—to uncover the secrets hidden within the shadow realm—and she wasn't about to give them up so easily.

Throughout the previous night, Lilith had been pondering what and how she should teach. Her class was a new one, so there was no established curriculum to guide her. They called it the Art of Shadows, a name she secretly found intriguing, though she would never admit it aloud.

Deciding on her approach, Lilith settled on teaching them the basics—the history and morphology of shadows. She could enlighten them about the wars fought with neighboring countries and who their allies were—information considered common knowledge everywhere but in Eldoria.

Spending the first half of her day searching for books on shadows, Lilith found that there was little substantial knowledge available. To make matters more challenging, the librarian was less than cooperative, making the search through the Archives extremely difficult.

Lilith stopped at the entrance to the classroom assigned to her, her entourage stopping behind her. Loud laughter and chatter could be heard from behind the closed door. She took a deep breath and turned to Sterling.

"You will follow my every step, keep to your duties, and do not speak until you are spoken to," Lilith instructed. Sterling nodded in response, and together they opened the door.

The classroom was spacious, hosting around 150 students. The atmosphere was lively, with students engaged in animated conversations and laughter that did not subside as Lilith entered. Her shadow companions lined the walls, their presence adding an air of intrigue to the room. However, Lilith's gaze was fixated on a shadow-cloaked figure at the back of the classroom—Kael.

Turning her attention away from him, Lilith walked up to her table and signaled for Sterling to stop with her cart next to the giant oak table. Sterling complied, positioning herself a few feet behind Lilith. Taking a moment to compose herself, Lilith looked up at the class, expecting the usual hushed silence she was accustomed to. But it did not come.

"Welcome, Fourth Years, to the class of Art of Shadows," Lilith began, her voice cutting through the chatter. The students turned towards her, the room gradually quieting. "I understand this is new to many of you, and perhaps unexpected to see a shadow wielder standing in your midst, but here we are."

As Lilith spoke, one of the students threw a witty comment, but she ignored it, maintaining her composure.

Pushing off from the table, Lilith walked gracefully over to the first rows of students, meeting each of their gazes. Some bore familiar runes etched into their skin, gleaming in the torchlight.

"In this class, you will learn everything you need to know about shadows—from their origins to their function," Lilith explained. "You will delve into the history of the Shadow Realms and the wars fought throughout the ages."

"To facilitate this learning, we will establish a few rules. First..." Lilith raised her hand and clenched it into a fist, shadows swirling around her and the classroom, enveloping it in complete silence. "We will learn in the ways of the shadows, which demand utter silence."