The sky was cloudy, and the air was thick with the smell of wet leaves. Deep in the woods, far from the eyes of their families, John Eldrins and Alice Nightrune stood under a tall tree.
This was the only place they could talk freely.
No one knew about their meetings. Their families hated each other for reasons neither of them fully understood. But here, in the woods, it didn't matter.
"I heard my grandfather talking again last night," Alice said quietly, brushing her fingers along the tree bark. "He was holding something. Some kind of badge."
John looked up. "Mine too. It had an old symbol. Looked like a bird or a flame."
Alice nodded slowly. "Same. And I heard him say a name… something like 'Arcanwell.' Does that mean anything to you?"
John shook his head, then paused. "Actually… I saw it in a book once. In the attic. It was half-burnt, but I remember the word. Arcanwell Academy."
"A school?" Alice asked.
"I think so," John said. "But why do our grandfathers have the same badge from the same place? They never talk about it. Ever."
The wind moved gently through the trees. It almost felt like the forest was listening.
Alice looked around and then pulled something from her coat pocket — a small, folded paper. "I found this in an old chest. I don't think I was supposed to see it."
John opened it carefully. It was a hand-drawn map. Old and faded. In the middle, circled in red ink, were two words:
Arcanwell Grounds
John stared at it. "Is this… real?"
"I don't know," Alice whispered. "But I think we need to find it."
He nodded, eyes serious. "We don't tell anyone. Not yet."
For a while, they said nothing. Just stood there, listening to the woods around them. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called. The leaves rustled gently, almost like a whisper.
Then John spoke again. "Do you think they went there together? Our grandfathers?"
"I don't know," Alice said. "But it feels like something big happened. Something they're hiding."
John folded the map and handed it back. "Let's go tomorrow. Early morning. Before anyone notices."
Alice agreed with a quick nod. "We'll start at the edge of the forest. There's an old trail near the stone well. Maybe it leads somewhere."
As they turned to walk away, John glanced over his shoulder. For just a second, he thought he saw a shadow move between the trees. But when he blinked, it was gone.
---
That night, back in the Eldrins home, Edran sat by the fire. He held the old badge again.
"They're asking questions," he said softly.
In the Nightrune house, Vorian stood at his window, watching the wind move the trees outside.
"They're beginning to remember," he whispered. "Just like we did."
Neither man said the name of the place.
Neither dared speak the truth aloud.
But in the woods of Duskwind, the past had started to stir again.
And something… or someone… was listening.
---