Intergalactic Academy (Book 2: 2ND Year)

Episode 9: "Time is Ticking"

Raven's POV

Things were slowly returning to normal after the attack. The air was still thick with the memory of the chaos, but the academy halls felt quieter now, as if everything was trying to slip back into routine. I looked around at the rest of the R.S.C., all of us feeling the weight of what happened. The Shadow Walkers shouldn’t have been able to breach the Intergalactic Academy's defenses. It was supposed to be impossible.

We decided to skip classes today. Not that any of us could focus on lectures after what went down. Instead, we gathered in one of the hidden chambers beneath the academy, a place only the R.S.C. knew about. We needed to figure out how the Shadow Walkers got here, how they managed to slip through the academy’s layers of protection without triggering a single alarm.

Leaning against the cold stone wall, I crossed my arms, staring at the holographic map of the academy floating in front of us. "There has to be a breach somewhere," I said, my voice steady but tense. "They didn’t just stroll in."

The others nodded, but no one spoke for a moment. We were all trying to piece it together.

Ethan chimed in, breaking the silence. "It doesn’t add up," he said, stepping closer to the holographic map. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the glowing lines outlining the academy’s structure. "The Shadow Walkers didn’t use the usual infiltration methods. No signs of tampering with the security grid, and none of the outer perimeter alarms went off."

He tapped the map, zooming in on a section near the training fields. "What if they didn’t come from the outside? What if they were already inside?"

The thought hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. My mind raced through the possibilities. Could they have been hiding among us this whole time? Or worse, could someone here have let them in?

I glanced at the others, their expressions mirroring my unease. Ethan had a point, but it only raised more questions than answers.

Reese, always the pragmatist, leaned forward, arms crossed. "Whatever is going on, we need to figure it out fast before they decide to attack again," he said, his voice hard with urgency. "If they can sneak in once, they can do it again. And next time, we might not be so lucky."

He wasn’t wrong. The last attack had caught us off guard, and we barely managed to fend them off. If we didn’t uncover how they got in, we’d be sitting ducks the next time they came for us—and the academy wouldn’t survive another breach like that.

I could feel the tension rising in the room. Everyone was on edge, but Reese’s words had a way of grounding us. He wasn’t panicking, just stating the facts. And the fact was, we had a ticking clock on our hands.

Adrian stepped forward, always the strategist, and addressed the group. "Well, Reese, Raven, and Cherry can figure out the how, why, and when they breached our security system. Sophia and Ethan," he said, turning to them, "you two can do damage control—go around helping people recover while also trying to gather any important information you can."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "And what will you, Adrianna, and Taylor be doing?"

Adrian flashed a confident grin. "We’ll pay a little visit to our dad and see what he can do to upgrade the security system. If anyone can figure out how to reinforce our defenses, it’s him."

The room was quiet for a moment, the weight of our plan settling in. Adrian’s dad was one of the top security experts in the galaxy, and if anyone could help us, it was him. Still, the idea of splitting up made me uneasy. We’d been stronger as a team, but Adrian’s plan made sense.

"Alright," I finally said, nodding. "Let’s get to work."

William, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "I’ll join Sophia and Ethan," he said, determination in his voice. "Let’s do this!"

Sophia gave him a nod of approval, while Ethan clapped him on the back with a grin. “Good to have you on board, Will. We’ll need all the help we can get.”

The group was solidifying. Everyone had their role, their purpose, and the plan was coming together. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than waiting around for another attack. Time wasn’t on our side, but at least we were moving, taking action. I exchanged a glance with Reese and Cherry, feeling the pressure mount.

“We’ll keep in touch,” I said, stepping toward the door. “No one goes dark. We’re all in this together.”

With that, the R.S.C. split off, each of us ready to take on the roles assigned, but the same goal driving us: stopping the Shadow Walkers before they struck again.

Adrian's POV

moment to breathe, trying to process everything that had happened. The weight of recent events pressed on my shoulders. Not only was I still grappling with the full extent of my powers—Light and Darkness—but now, I had to help stop these unknown creatures before they destroyed the academy. It felt overwhelming, and for a second, I wished I had more time to figure it all out.

Just as my thoughts were spiraling, I heard someone calling my name.

"Adrian? Adrian!"

I blinked, looking up to see Jalen approaching, his usual confidence replaced with something more hesitant.

"Hi, I didn’t see you there. What’s up?" I asked, forcing a smile. It was strange seeing Jalen, of all people, look uneasy.

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. "I just wanted to apologize... for how I acted in the restroom earlier. It was so immature of me. I hope we can still be friends."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "Jalen, no need to go all shy on me. It's cool," I said, waving off his apology. "I know you were just being skeptical of William and his intentions toward me. Actually, I should thank you for your concern."

Jalen blinked, looking genuinely surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. And yes, we can still be friends. No hard feelings," I reassured him. "I gotta go now, though. We’re in the middle of... well, you know."

Jalen finally met my eyes, a small smile forming on his lips. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Adrian. See you around."

With that, I headed off, feeling a little lighter. At least one thing today had been settled peacefully. But as I walked away, I knew the real battle was just beginning.

Unknown's POV

They are getting closer to finding out! We should act fast!" one voice hissed, its tone urgent and laced with fear.

But a deeper, more ominous voice responded, calm and calculated. "No need. I want them to find out." There was a pause, thick with malice. "Let them scramble to piece it all together, thinking they have a chance. When they do, I’ll shatter all their hopes of saving that pathetic academy."

A low chuckle echoed in the darkness, sending a chill through the room. "Adrian and Adrianna’s powers... soon, they will be mine. They have no idea what’s coming."

The others fell silent, understanding that their master had a plan—one far beyond what the R.S.C. could imagine. Time was ticking, but not in the way Adrian and his friends believed.