Celestia Academy: The Veiled Secrets [Book 2]

Chapter 20: Shadows in the Light

Chapter 20: Shadows in the Light

The crisp morning air filled the grounds of Celestia Academy as students and faculty gathered in the courtyard for a rare occasion: the annual Founders’ Day Ceremony. This celebration honored the academy’s origins, paying tribute to the wisdom, bravery, and unity of its founders. For the first time, Aria and her friends would attend as members of the Guardians' Circle, a responsibility they all felt deeply.

Dressed in the traditional blue and silver robes of the Guardians, Aria stood with Marcus, Ivy, and Lila near the grand podium in the courtyard. Banners bearing Celestia’s crest hung above them, their edges shimmering with enchantments that made the colors dance in the sunlight.

As the ceremony began, Professor Elara took her place on the podium, her voice carrying across the crowd. “Today, we celebrate the vision of those who built this academy, a place of learning and protection for generations. But we also honor those among us who continue their legacy.”

She glanced toward Aria and her friends, a faint smile on her face. Aria felt warmth and pride in the acknowledgment but also an odd stirring—a sense that something wasn’t quite right.

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An Ominous Message

As the ceremony proceeded, Aria couldn’t shake a growing unease. She glanced at Ivy, who was fidgeting nervously, and at Marcus, whose brow was furrowed. They felt it too. Lila was the first to voice their shared concern, whispering, “Do you feel that? It’s like… a presence.”

Aria closed her eyes, reaching out with her senses, and felt a ripple of dark energy—a faint, pulsing wave that seemed to radiate from the edges of the crowd. Her heart quickened as she scanned the audience, but everyone seemed blissfully unaware, absorbed in the ceremony.

Suddenly, she caught sight of a cloaked figure at the edge of the courtyard, partially obscured by shadow. The figure’s face was hidden, but there was something unsettlingly familiar about the way they stood, watching her.

“Cedric,” she breathed, just as the figure’s gaze shifted, meeting hers. Before she could react, the figure disappeared into the crowd, leaving only a lingering sense of dread in its wake.

“We need to tell Professor Elara,” Marcus whispered urgently.

Aria nodded, but as she moved toward Elara, a series of whispers echoed in her mind—soft and sinister, like a cold wind brushing past her. She couldn’t make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable: a warning, or perhaps a threat.

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The Unveiling of a New Threat

After the ceremony, Aria, Marcus, Ivy, and Lila met with Professor Elara in her office. The warm atmosphere of the celebration had given way to tension as Aria described what they had felt—and seen.

Elara’s face grew serious. “Cedric is relentless. I had hoped the sealing of the vault would deter him, but it seems he’s more determined than ever. And if he’s tampering with dark magic, he may be after something even more dangerous than we suspected.”

Ivy shivered. “Is there any way we can stop him?”

Elara hesitated, glancing down at her hands. “There is one way. But it would mean stepping into territory most Guardians never venture into. We may need to confront him directly, outside of the academy’s protections.”

A silence settled over them as the weight of her words sank in. Confronting Cedric would mean risking everything, venturing into unknown dangers without the safety of the academy’s walls. But each of them knew there was no other option; Cedric’s dark ambitions threatened not just Celestia but the balance of magic itself.