Blade institute: the unseen prophecy

16

Night had fully settled by the time Evangeline made her way back to the Institute. The stars were scattered across the sky like diamonds on black velvet, but their beauty did little to soothe the turmoil inside her. Her clothes were still damp from the ocean, and the cold air bit at her skin as she walked across the courtyard, the silence of the Institute pressing in around her. She hadn't seen anyone on her way in—most of the trainees were likely already in their rooms or still out on assignments. It was late, and the usual buzz of activity had given way to an eerie quiet.

Evangeline's thoughts swirled as she headed toward her room. The events of the day had left her emotionally drained, and the experience at the beach had shaken her more than she cared to admit. The encounter with the shadows, the feeling of being torn apart from the inside—it was something she couldn't easily forget. And now, all she wanted was to collapse into bed and lose herself in sleep, hoping that the nightmares wouldn't follow her.

But when she reached her room, she noticed something odd. The door was slightly ajar, a sliver of light cutting through the darkness of the hallway. Her heart skipped a beat as she pushed the door open cautiously, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her dagger.

She stepped inside, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light, and froze when she saw the figure sitting on the edge of her bed. The figure was familiar—too familiar. As she moved closer, the shadows in the room shifted, revealing Rian sitting there, his posture stiff, his expression unreadable.

"Rian?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. "What are you doing here?"

He looked up at her, his dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. There was something different about him tonight—his usual hard demeanor was still there, but it was tempered by something softer, something she hadn't seen before. For a moment, she almost didn't recognize him.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice low, almost hesitant. "Can you walk with me?"

Evangeline blinked, taken aback by the request. This was not the Rian she was used to—the one who barked orders, who was always in control, always distant. Something had changed, and she wasn't sure how to react to it. But the day had been long and exhausting, and the last thing she wanted was another confrontation. Still, curiosity won out, and she nodded, though her wariness didn't leave her.

"Sure," she said, keeping her voice neutral as she dropped her bag on the floor. "Let's go."

They left her room and walked down the quiet corridors of the Institute, the only sounds the faint echo of their footsteps and the distant hum of the nighttime air. The atmosphere was heavy, laden with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Rian walked beside her, his shoulders tense, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Evangeline couldn't help but notice that, despite the hard set of his jaw, there was something different in his demeanor—something almost... tentative.

After a few moments of walking in silence, Rian finally broke it. "How was your day?" he asked, his voice more controlled now, though there was an edge of something softer underneath.

Evangeline was caught off guard by the question, especially coming from him. She wasn't used to Rian asking about her day—let alone in a tone that was anything close to friendly. The urge to be sarcastic, to brush off the question with a curt response, was strong, but she held it back. Instead, she lied.

"It was great," she said, forcing a smile she didn't feel. "Just... relaxing. Went to the beach."

Rian glanced at her, his brow furrowing slightly, as if he didn't quite believe her. "The beach?" he repeated, his voice neutral. "That's all you did?"