Cursed By Fate

The puppet Master

Chapter 14: The Puppet Master

The air still smelled of blood and smoke. The Academy grounds, once a symbol of hope and learning, were now littered with the remnants of the brutal battle. But even as the students and instructors gathered their wounded and reinforced the gates, an unsettling feeling lingered in the back of Aria’s mind.

Something didn’t add up.

As she surveyed the scene, she noticed how the beasts had moved with eerie coordination. It wasn’t random. They had attacked key points, targeting defenses that were strategically weaker. And the larger, corrupted beast? It hadn’t seemed like a mere animal acting on instinct—it had been driven, almost commanded.

Aria narrowed her eyes, her hand gripping her sword tighter. Someone was behind this. She could feel it.

---

In the shadowy depths of the forest, far beyond where the students had ventured, a figure stood, cloaked in darkness. His eyes gleamed with malevolent amusement as he observed the aftermath of the battle through a shimmering portal.

"Interesting," the figure mused, his voice a low, menacing whisper. "The girl is stronger than I expected."

From the darkness, a shape materialized—a shadowy servant, its form shifting and indistinct, like smoke given life. The servant knelt before the figure, its voice barely audible as it spoke.

"Master, the beasts did as you commanded. But she was able to overpower them. She... she is not ordinary."

The figure smirked, stepping forward into the faint light that filtered through the trees. His features were sharp, almost inhuman, his eyes glowing with a cruel intelligence. "Of course she’s not ordinary. She carries the curse of the gods. But that only makes this more entertaining."

The shadowy servant shifted uneasily. "Shall we continue, Master? Shall I send more of the beasts?"

The figure raised a hand, silencing the servant. "No. Not yet. I want to see how she reacts first. Let her think she’s won this round." His smirk widened. "The real game has only just begun."

---

Back at the Academy, night had fallen, but the unease in the air had not dissipated. Aria, despite the exhaustion from the battle, could not rest. Her mind was spinning, her instincts screaming that something darker lurked just out of sight.

As she made her way through the now-quiet corridors of the Academy, she felt it—a presence. Something was watching her.

She stopped, her eyes scanning the shadows. For a moment, everything was still. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it—a flicker of movement, barely perceptible, but there. A shadow, darker than the night itself, shifting unnaturally along the walls.

Without hesitation, Aria drew her sword. "Show yourself," she demanded, her voice low and steady.

Silence. Then, from the shadows, a shape began to emerge—a figure, humanoid but distorted, like a nightmare given form. Its eyes were hollow, empty pits of darkness, and it moved with a grace that belied its terrifying appearance.

"Who are you?" Aria asked, her grip tightening on her weapon.

The figure didn’t answer, but it tilted its head as if studying her. Slowly, it raised a hand, and in its palm, a dark, swirling orb appeared—something familiar, something tied to the cursed power she wielded.

"You’ve been watched," the figure finally whispered, its voice a raspy echo that seemed to come from all directions at once. "He’s been watching you."

Aria’s blood ran cold. "Who?"

The figure’s hollow eyes seemed to glint with amusement. "The one who controls the beasts. He knows your power, and he wants it."

Aria’s heart pounded, but her face remained expressionless, just as it always did. "Tell him to come himself, then. I’m not afraid."

The shadowy figure laughed, a chilling sound that reverberated through the empty halls. "You should be."

In an instant, the figure vanished, leaving nothing but darkness behind.

---

The next morning, the Academy was bustling with whispers again, but this time, they were of fear. The students had seen the beasts, they had seen the destruction, and now rumors of an unseen enemy spread like wildfire. But Aria kept the encounter with the shadow figure to herself. She needed more information before acting.

Kaelan, however, had noticed her silence. "Something’s bothering you," he said during their training session, his eyes sharp as always.

Aria met his gaze but didn’t speak.

Kaelan sighed, stepping closer. "You’re not like the others, Aria. You’ve got more than just strength on your side. If something’s coming, I need to know."

For a moment, Aria considered telling him about the shadow figure and the cryptic warning. But something held her back. She had learned long ago that trust was a dangerous thing, and in this place, she wasn’t sure whom she could trust.

"I’ll handle it," she said simply, turning away.

Kaelan didn’t press her further, but his expression told her he wasn’t convinced. Still, for now, it was enough.

---

That night, Aria sat alone in her room, staring at the envelope that had brought her to the Academy. Everything had changed since that day. The beasts, the curse, the shadowy figure—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle she didn’t yet have the key to.

But one thing was clear: whoever was behind the attack, they weren’t done. And neither was she.

Far off in the forest, the shadowy servant returned to his master’s side. "She knows you’re watching, Master," the servant whispered.

The figure smiled, his eyes gleaming in the darkness. "Good. Let her prepare. The real battle is yet to come."