Shadow Bonds

Prologue

Luna

The Day Luna Arren arrived at Velathyr Military Academy, the Sky mirrored her mood: overcast, heavy and utterly inconvenient. The sprawling fortress loomed ahead, its high walls and ominous turrets drenched in shades of Gray. Luna trudged along the muddy road, her sharp amber eyes scanning every detail with an expression that was equal parts curiosity and disinterest. She absently adjusted the straps of her backpack, muttering to herself about the pointlessness of grandeur.

It wasn't as though she had a choice. Attendance at Velathyr was mandatory for anyone with an Essentii bond, and skipping it wasn't an option unless you wanted to spend the rest of your short life in a cell-or worse. She scoffed. "You'd think a death sentence would at least come with better scenery," she muttered, kicking a rock from her path.

Complaining already? The voice in her head was smooth, dripping with quiet amusement. Fenn, her Essentii, stirred within her shadow, a ripple of movement visible only to her.

Quiet Fenn, she snapped back telepathically. This is already annoying enough without your constant nagging.

But her bonded companion didn't quiet. Instead, his laughter echoed softly in her mind, a sensation she was still getting used to. Essentii were rare, shadow-like beings that bonded with humans for as long as history recorded, but they didn't come with instructions. No one knows why they bond and how they choose who to bond with. Luna sometimes wondered if she was the only one who got stuck with a sarcastic shadow that seemed to enjoy picking at her nerves.

The academy gates loomed closer, their iron bars gleaming dully, reminding more of a prison than a school build to train soldiers. A small group of new recruits had gathered in front of the gates, a mix of nervous energy and excitement filling the air. Luna lingered at the back, her sharp eyes cataloguing their postures, clothing and expressions. It took her mere seconds to sort them into categories: the overconfident ones who would falter the moment they were truly tested-useless, the quietly competent ones she'd have to watch out for-useful, and the outright foolish ones who were already a liability-useless.

What do you think, Fenn? she asked, her tone dry. Odds on how many of them don't make it through the First Test.

Fenn hummed thoughtfully. Half, perhaps? Maybe less. The academy isn't known for mercy.

Luna sighed, her irritation mounting. She hated guessing games and the unknown variables of Velathyr's infamous entrance exam grated on her nerves. Not that she was scared-fear required investment and Luna couldn't be bothered to care that much. But she disliked unpredictability and the academy was nothing if not unpredictable.

A horn sounded from somewhere atop the walls, a sharp, cutting tone that silenced the chatter of the recruits. The gates groaned open, revealing a figure in a sleek black military uniform with badge of affiliation on the left upper arm. The officer's expression was as hard as the stone walls behind him.

"Welcome to Velathyr Military Academy" the man barked, his voice carrying effortlessly over the gathered group. "For the next four years, this fortress will your home, your battlefield and for many of you, your grave." He let his words sink in for a few seconds and added "The First Test begins now."

The group shifted uneasily, but Luna remained still, her calculating gaze fixed on the officer. She watched as he gestures toward the forested valley stretching out below the academy. A bridge spanned the gap-a narrow, rickety thing that looked like it had been cobbled together by a particularly vindictive architect.

"Cross the bridge and make it to the gates on the other side," the officer continued. "That's it. Simple, isn't it?"

Luna narrowed her eyes. Simple, her foot. There was no way the test was this straightforward as it seemed. She could already spot the traps: uneven planks, the fraying ropes, the suspicious lack of obstacles beyond the bridge. This wasn't a test of strength or speed-it was a test of awareness, strategy and composure under pressure.

Careful, Luna, Fenn murmured, his voice a soft reminder to take a breath. You're thinking too much again.

Better than not thinking at all, she retorted, stepping forward as the recruits began to move. Some sprinted toward the bridge without hesitation, while others hung back, paralyzed by uncertainty. Luna fell somewhere in between, her pace deliberate, unhurried and unbothered.

The bridge swayed ominously as she stepped onto it, the wind catching in her hair and tossing it into her face. She brushed it aside impatiently, her focus sharp. Every step was measured, her weight carefully distributed to minimize the strain on the cracking wood.

Behind her, a recruit panicked, his movements jerky and frantic. The bridge buckled and he screamed as he slipped through a gap between the planks, his cries fading into the abyss below. Luna didn't look back. She couldn't afford to.

When she finally reached the other side, her boots hitting solid ground, she allowed herself a brief moment of relief. But it was fleeting. Ahead of her, the gates loomed once more, and she knew this was only the beginning.

Well, Fenn said, his tone amused. That wasn't so bad now, was it?

Shut up, Luna muttered, but a small, wry smile tugged at her lips. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Then again, maybe it would be worse.