Daywalker Part 1: Lucian Moonshade and the Sunlit Prophecy

Chapter 3: Secrets in the Library

Lucian spent the next few days trying to get accustomed to life at Solara Academy. The schedule was intense, and the classes were as diverse as the students themselves. Each day, he and his classmates delved into different branches of magic: ancient vampire blood rituals, werewolf combat techniques, fae illusions, and spellcasting unique to witches. But the more Lucian learned, the more questions he had about his own abilities. His power to walk in the sunlight remained a mystery, one that none of the teachers seemed willing—or able—to explain.

One evening, after a particularly grueling day of classes, Lucian found himself wandering the halls of the academy alone. The other students had gone back to their dorms, but Lucian's mind was too restless to sleep. His thoughts were consumed by everything he had experienced in the past few days—the initiation trials, the tension between the different factions, and his strange, unsettling interactions with Kieran Blackthorn.

As he turned a corner, he found himself standing before the doors to the academy's grand library. The doors were made of dark wood, etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Lucian hesitated for a moment before pushing the doors open. The library was vast, its walls lined with towering bookshelves that stretched up to the ceiling. The scent of old parchment and ink filled the air, and the only sound was the faint rustle of pages being turned by unseen hands.

Lucian stepped inside, the heavy doors closing behind him with a soft thud. He had heard whispers about the library from other students—how it contained knowledge from all corners of the magical world, some of it so ancient and powerful that even the teachers avoided certain sections. If there was anywhere he could find answers about his powers, it was here.

As he made his way deeper into the library, Lucian felt a strange pull guiding him toward the back of the room, where the shelves were taller and more imposing. His fingers brushed over the spines of countless books, many of them written in languages he didn't recognize. Finally, he came to a stop in front of a section labeled "The Lost Histories of the Bloodlines."

His heart raced as he pulled a dusty, leather-bound volume from the shelf. The cover was worn, but the title was clear: The Moonshade Legacy. Lucian's fingers tightened around the book. He hadn't expected to find something so directly related to his family. With a deep breath, he opened it and began to read.

Hours passed as Lucian poured over the pages of the book, his eyes widening with each new revelation. The Moonshade family wasn't just a powerful vampire clan—they were once guardians of an ancient balance between light and dark. According to the text, the Moonshades had been entrusted with the responsibility of protecting a sacred relic, known as the Daystone, which had the power to maintain the delicate equilibrium between the two forces. However, the book was vague about what had happened to the Daystone. It only hinted at a betrayal that had occurred centuries ago, leading to the family's downfall.

Lucian's thoughts swirled as he closed the book, his mind racing with questions. Was his ability to walk in the sunlight connected to the Daystone? Was he somehow tied to this ancient legacy? And if so, why had his family never told him about it?

"You're up late."

Lucian jumped, nearly dropping the book as a soft voice broke the silence. He turned to see Elowen standing behind him, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Elowen," he breathed, his heart still pounding from the shock. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, her voice hushed as she glanced around the library. "I come here sometimes when I can't sleep. The library... it's calming, don't you think?"

Lucian nodded, though the book in his hands was anything but calming. He hesitated for a moment before holding it out to her. "I found this," he said quietly. "It's about my family. There's something... something they never told me."

Elowen took the book from him, her brow furrowing as she read the title. "The Moonshade Legacy? I've heard of this. It's one of the lost histories." She looked up at him, her expression serious. "What does it say?"

Lucian exhaled slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. "It says my family was once the guardian of something called the Daystone. It's supposed to be a relic that keeps the balance between light and dark. But there's not much more than that. Just vague references to some kind of betrayal."

Elowen's eyes widened. "The Daystone? That's... that's incredibly rare magic, if it's real. There are only a few relics like that left in the world, and most of them are considered lost or destroyed. If your family was connected to something that powerful..."

"Then why didn't they tell me?" Lucian finished, his frustration evident. "Why keep it a secret?"

Elowen bit her lip, clearly thinking hard. "Maybe they were trying to protect you. If there was a betrayal, it could be dangerous. Relics like that... people would do anything to get their hands on them."

Lucian sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "That's what I'm afraid of. I don't know who I can trust anymore. Even Kieran—he's been acting strange. Like he knows something about me that I don't."

Elowen's expression darkened at the mention of Kieran. "He's dangerous, Lucian. I've heard rumors about the Blackthorns—they're involved in all sorts of dark dealings. You should stay away from him."

"I know," Lucian said quietly. "But it's hard to avoid him when he's always watching me."

Elowen placed a hand on his arm, her touch gentle. "You're not alone, Lucian. You have me, and Lyra. We'll help you figure this out."

Lucian looked at her, grateful for her words. "Thank you, Elowen. I appreciate that."

She smiled faintly before glancing back at the shelves. "You know, there might be more here. The lost histories are scattered throughout the library, but they're all connected in some way. If the Daystone is real, there might be other books that mention it."

Lucian nodded. "Then let's find them."

For the next several nights, Lucian and Elowen returned to the library after hours, searching through the endless volumes for anything that might shed light on the Daystone and its connection to the Moonshade family. Each night, they found pieces of the puzzle—fragments of ancient texts that spoke of the relic's power, of how it was said to hold the very essence of sunlight within it.

One night, after hours of fruitless searching, Lucian leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "This is impossible. There's so much information, but none of it fits together. It's like we're missing the key piece."

Elowen, who had been reading through a particularly dense text on ancient vampire magic, looked up thoughtfully. "Maybe we're thinking about this the wrong way. The Daystone is supposed to be a balance between light and dark, right? What if it's not just a relic, but something... living? Something that has to be passed down through generations?"

Lucian stared at her, her words sinking in. "You mean... my powers?"

Elowen nodded slowly. "It would make sense. You're the only vampire who can walk in the sunlight. Maybe the Daystone's power was transferred to you, somehow."

Lucian's mind raced as he considered the possibility. It explained so much—why he had always been different, why the sunlight never harmed him. But it also raised new questions. If the Daystone's power had been passed down to him, what did that mean for the balance it was supposed to protect? And if the relic had been betrayed, as the book suggested, who was responsible? More importantly, were they still out there?

Before he could voice his thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed through the library. Lucian and Elowen froze, their eyes wide as they listened. The footsteps were getting closer, and they sounded heavy—too heavy to belong to a student.

"We need to go," Elowen whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Lucian nodded, quickly closing the book he had been reading. Together, they slipped out of the library through a side door, their hearts pounding as they hurried back to their dorms.

As they reached the safety of the main hall, Lucian glanced back at the library, his mind still reeling from everything they had discovered.

"I don't know what's going on," he muttered, more to himself than to Elowen. "But I have a feeling it's only going to get worse."

Elowen nodded, her expression grim. "We'll figure it out. But we need to be careful. I don't think we're the only ones looking for answers."