—Narrated by Eli Whitmore.
---
That Night – Ravenwing Hall, Room 3C
It was just past midnight. The academy was supposed to be asleep. The hallways were dark. Quiet.
But I was wide awake.
My fingers traced the edge of a worn book about spirit-channeling. I wasn't really reading. I was just... waiting. For something. For what, I didn't know.
Then it came.
A soft knock—three quick taps.
I sat up straight. Felix stirred in his bed, his hair a mess, blinking blearily.
"Did you hear that?" I whispered.
Felix rubbed his eyes. "Unless I'm dreaming... yeah."
The door creaked open on its own. No one was there.
But something was.
A folded piece of parchment floated inside, glowing faintly.
Luna slipped in through our window a second later—because of course she would.
"Midnight summons," she whispered, her eyes glittering like the stars in her hair. "Knew it would happen eventually."
I opened the parchment.
It read, in ink that shimmered silver and then black:
"To the ones who see, who heal, who walk in light and shadow.
The Lightshade calls.
Come to the Mirror Hall. Midnight sharp. Tell no one."
My heart thudded.
Felix looked over my shoulder. "The Lightshade? That's just a myth…"
Luna gave him a knowing smile. "You think legends don't start somewhere?"
---
The Mirror Hall – 12:12 AM
We crept through the academy like ghosts. Thorne was already waiting when we arrived—leaning against a pillar, arms crossed.
"You're late," he said with a faint smirk, though his voice was as quiet as the moonlight around us.
"You came?" I asked, surprised.
"I don't sleep much."
"Because of the screaming spirits?" Felix asked a little too loudly.
Thorne just looked at him. "Something like that."
The doors to the Mirror Hall opened without a sound.
The hall was… unlike anything I'd ever seen. The walls weren't walls—they were mirrors, endless and alive, reflecting not just our bodies, but our fears, our memories, our futures.
And in the center stood a tall figure in a black cloak.
Their face was covered by a silver mask shaped like a half-moon. Two others stood beside them—one in gold, one in shadow.
The one in the center spoke, their voice neither male nor female. It echoed in the air like a dream.
"You've been seen. You've been chosen."
---
The Secret Society
The masked figure stepped forward.
"We are The Lightshade," they said. "A secret order of mages, bound by oath to protect the Arcane Institute—and the magical realms beyond."
Thorne's expression didn't change, but I could feel his attention sharpen.
Felix clutched my sleeve. "Is this a test?"
The gold-masked one answered, their voice soft, almost kind. "No. A door has opened. You must choose to walk through."
Luna tilted her head. "What if we don't?"
The shadow-masked one finally spoke, voice like rustling leaves. "Then you forget this ever happened."
"And if we say yes?" I asked.
The silver mask turned to me.
"Then your lives will never be the same."
---
The Trial of Trust
Suddenly, the mirrors around us shimmered—and changed.
Each of us saw something different.
Felix gasped. "M-My brother?"
Luna narrowed her eyes. "Oh no. Not this memory again."
Thorne said nothing—but he stepped in front of me. His hand brushed mine. Just lightly.
"Don't let the mirrors win," he said quietly. "They show your truths. But not all truth is meant to be obeyed."
I closed my eyes.
When I opened them, the reflection had shifted.
My grandfather stood behind the glass. He looked proud. Tired. But proud.
"You're doing well, Eli," he whispered. "Don't forget your heart."
Then he was gone.
The mirrors faded.
The Lightshade's leader stepped forward again.
"You have passed," they said. "Not by strength. But by understanding."
---
The Oath
One by one, we stepped forward.
Luna went first, her voice steady. "I swear to seek the truth."
Felix, his voice trembling just a little: "I swear to protect the light—no matter how dark the road."
Thorne: "I swear to guard the balance between shadow and flame."
Me?
My voice almost caught—but I spoke from my soul.
"I swear to guide the lost, to open the gates for those who need crossing. To carry hope, even when I feel none myself."
The Lightshade leader bowed their masked head.
"You are now one of us. All of you."
They handed us silver rings—smooth, cold, engraved with a small symbol. A flame surrounded by wings.
"If ever you are called," the leader said, "this ring will burn."
Felix looked at his in awe. "It's warm."
"It means it recognizes you," Luna said softly.
"Wear it with caution," Thorne added. "Secrets have a weight."
---
Later That Night – Ravenwing Hall Balcony
The wind was cool on my face as I leaned over the balcony rail.
I felt... different.
Not stronger. Not safer.
But connected.
Behind me, Thorne stepped into the moonlight. He didn't speak. Just stood next to me, quiet.
I glanced at him.
"Do you believe in fate?" I asked.
He looked out over the garden, then at the stars.
"I used to believe in nothing," he said. "Now I believe in you."
I looked down, smiling softly.
"Thanks for coming with me tonight," I whispered.
"I always will," he said.
---
This Was Just the Beginning
The Lightshade had secrets. Deep ones.
But so did we.
We were outcasts. Friends. Something more.
We had magic. We had trust.
And now, we had purpose.
As the silver ring on my finger warmed again, I knew:
This academy held more mysteries than we could ever imagine.
But we were ready.
Or at least... we would be.
To be continued...