Beneath Dark Skies

Teacher's Pet

"The Choosing Ceremony left me shaken, especially under Guild Master Vespian Black's intense gaze, which felt like both a promise and a threat. As I joked with Skye I couldn't escape the unsettling thoughts..."

-Izzy Welsh,year 2895

The echoes of our intense lesson with Guild Master Black still lingered in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder how long we could maintain our lighthearted banter before the shadows of Dark Science consumed us.

Brushing my hair behind my ears, I looked at Izzy. "That was interesting, wasn't it?"

The corridor we walked through was dimly lit, except for thin beams of sunlight streaming through narrow, arched windows lining the stone walls. The echoes of our footsteps on the cold, polished floor reverberated, accompanied by the low hum of arcane-powered lights overhead, casting an eerie bluish glow that clashed with the natural light.

"Yeah, it was kind of scary." She hesitated for a moment, her tone uncertain. I let out a nervous laugh. This was our life now-"kind of scary" was an understatement. The moment the guild mark appeared on my skin, my fate had been sealed, and so had Izzy's. We weren't just students anymore. We were bound to something much larger-something darker.

A slant of sunlight filtered through the narrow window ahead, catching the sharp edges of the arcane symbols etched into the stone. It gave the corridor an almost magical feel, like we were walking through the halls of an enchanted castle. But the tension in the air was palpable. Students passed by with furrowed brows, their expressions grim, weighed down by the brutal lecture we'd just endured with Guild Master Black. For many, the Choosing Ceremony had been a harsh awakening. For me, it was just another day. Even though my family never said it out loud, being a member of the Dark Science Guild was expected-a burden passed down from one generation to the next. Others struggled under the weight of that expectation, but for me, it was simply the reality I had always known.

"You know, I don't even understand why I'm in this guild, Skye." Izzy's voice grew serious, her brows furrowing with worry. She slowed her pace, her uncertainty weighing heavily on her.

"After seeing what can happen... it's unsettling."

Her words hung between us like the stone walls surrounding us. The lesson had shown us just how dangerous Dark Science could be, and Izzy was clearly struggling with it. I glanced at her, searching for something comforting to say. The hum of the academy's arcane systems pulsed beneath our feet, a constant reminder that we were always connected to forces beyond our control.

"Izzy, we were chosen for this. The Choosing Ceremony doesn't make mistakes. We're here because we can handle it. Dark Science isn't for everyone, but it's for us. You'll be fine." I pulled her into a quick hug, feeling the weight of her uncertainty. The scent of old books and the metallic tang of arcane energy lingered in the air. "I know you will be. Don't doubt yourself." I playfully ruffled her hair, trying to ease the tension. "At least not while I'm around."

Her laughter lightened the mood, though it didn't completely chase away the shadows of our new reality.

"Okay, okay, but still-ugh, that was some heavy stuff back there," she said, gesturing over her shoulder toward the classroom we'd just left. Behind the heavy ironwood doors, the lesson we'd survived still lingered in my mind, its implications haunting.

We passed under a high stone archway, heading toward the academy's garden-a rare patch of nature hidden among the cold, hard edges of the guild. The sunlight ahead was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the dark corridors we had left behind.

"By the way," Izzy continued, a mischievous grin spreading across her face, "what did you think of Vespian?"

I laughed. Izzy always had a way of shifting the mood. "He's Guild Master Black to us. I don't think he'd appreciate you calling him by his first name."