The next morning, the Imperial Academy of Asteria had returned to its usual bustle. At least, on the surface. Students hurried through the corridors, conversations blending with the sound of footsteps and opening and closing doors. Classes resumed their normal rhythm, professors handed out exercises, and the first aura formations had already begun on the training grounds. And yet, something had changed. The knights of the Order of the Black Raven were everywhere. Not enough to make it seem as though the academy had been occupied. Just enough to ensure that no one could forget they were there. Two knights stood guard near the main entrance. Others patrolled around the gardens and administrative buildings. Some watched over the entrances to the dormitories. They barely spoke. They moved with a discipline that contrasted strangely with the students' usual bustle. Kael was crossing one of the academy's great corridors with Noah and Lysandra when he spotted Darius at the far end of the gallery. He was speaking with Gareth Riven. The lieutenant held a report in his hands while Darius listened carefully. His expression was serious, his posture straight, completely different from the one he had shown the previous day with Kael. Noah followed Kael's gaze. — He's really different when he's working. Kael raised an eyebrow slightly. — Darius is working almost all the time. — I'm starting to understand why you found him annoying when you were kids. Lysandra smiled faintly. — You really found him annoying? Kael looked at Darius for a few seconds. — He talked a lot. Noah burst out laughing. — That hasn't changed at all. As if he had heard him, Darius raised his head. His eyes met Kael's. For a second, his expression remained perfectly serious. Then a smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Kael sighed. — There. — What? — Nothing. They continued on their way. Behind them, Darius immediately returned to his report. Lysandra watched the scene with amusement. — You really have known each other for a long time. — All our lives, Kael replied. Noah lightly bumped his shoulder. — And you never told us he was second-in-command of such an important order. — I didn't think it was relevant. — Kael. — What? — That's still a pretty important detail. Kael thought for a few seconds. — Perhaps. Noah rolled his eyes. — You're impossible. They reached their classroom. For once, Kael didn't answer. His gaze had stopped on a window overlooking the gardens. In the distance, two Black Raven knights were watching the path leading toward the academy's older areas. The door beneath the gardens. Kael felt something tighten slightly in his chest. The crystal. It was still in the inner pocket of his uniform. It hadn't reacted since the previous day. But Kael hadn't forgotten what it had shown him. The door. The symbol. And that faceless figure that seemed to be waiting behind it. — Kael? Lysandra's voice brought him back to reality. — Are you coming? He looked away from the window. — Yes. They entered. --- The morning class was about complex magical formations. The professor had drawn several diagrams on the board, each representing a different structure of mana circulation. — A formation doesn't depend solely on its power, the professor explained. Its stability is just as important. A formation that is too powerful can become dangerous if it isn't properly balanced. Kael followed attentively. Beside him, Noah was trying to reproduce the third diagram without erasing half of the first. — I hate this subject, he muttered. Kael continued writing. — You say that every class. — Because every class gives me a new reason to say it. Lysandra, sitting on the other side, stifled a laugh. The professor turned around. — Mr. Noah? Noah immediately straightened. — Yes, professor? — Since you seem particularly interested in my lesson, perhaps you could explain the difference between a reinforcement formation and a stabilization formation? Noah remained silent. Kael lowered his eyes slightly to hide his smile. — A rather... important difference? A few students laughed. The professor sighed. — Sit properly and let Mr. Veyron save you once again. Noah looked at Kael. — See? Even the professors know you're my savior. — I'm starting to regret helping you. — Too late. Kael lightly tapped him with the end of his pen. The class continued. For a few minutes, everything seemed normal. Then the crystal vibrated. Barely. Kael froze. He slowly put down his pen. The movement was so slight that no one around him noticed. No one except Lysandra. She turned her head slightly. — What's wrong? Kael didn't answer immediately. He felt the vibration again. A second time. Then nothing. He discreetly moved his hand toward his pocket. The crystal was cold. Very cold. And yet, a faint glow seemed to pass through its surface. Kael raised his eyes. The professor continued explaining. The students were taking notes. Nothing had changed. But something had just happened. He was certain of it. --- At the end of class, Kael waited for the room to begin emptying. Noah slowly packed his things. — Are you coming to eat? — In a few minutes. Noah looked at him. — Are you going to do something mysterious again? — ...No. — You hesitated. — No. — You did. Kael sighed. Lysandra closed her book. — Leave him alone, Noah. — I'm leaving him alone. I'm just making sure he doesn't disappear into a secret passage. Kael looked at his best friend. — I'm not going anywhere. Noah stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. — Okay. He left with Lysandra. But after a few steps, he turned around. — And if you find a secret passage, call me. Kael raised a hand. — Go eat. Noah smiled before disappearing down the corridor. Kael waited a few seconds. Then he took out the crystal. Its black surface had returned to normal. He frowned. — You only do this whenever it suits you... — Are you talking to a crystal now? Kael suddenly looked up. Darius was standing behind him. — You're quiet. — I'm a knight. — That doesn't stop you from talking. Darius smiled. — Certainly not with you. Kael put the crystal away. Darius noticed. His smile faded slightly. — Did it react? Kael looked at him. — Yes. Darius didn't ask anything else. He already understood that this wasn't the time to joke. — Where? — During class. — Here? — No. I didn't sense anything in the classroom. Darius thought for a moment. — Then it's probably not an attack. — I didn't think it was an attack. — What did you think? Kael hesitated. — I don't know. Darius stared at him. — That's exactly what worries me. Kael crossed his arms. — You don't need to worry about everything. — Yes, I do. — Darius... — Kael. Silence passed between them. Then Darius spoke more calmly. — I know you want to understand what happened. I'm not going to stop you. Kael didn't answer. — But if that crystal reacts again, you tell me. — Even if I don't know why? — Especially if you don't know why. Kael finally nodded. — All right. Darius lightly tapped his shoulder. — Good. Kael immediately pushed his hand away. — Don't get too confident. — See? That's exactly why I came. — To annoy me? — Among other things. Kael gave a faint smile. For a few seconds, they were back to their old friendship. Then a metallic sound echoed through the corridor. Darius immediately turned around. His expression changed. In a second, the boy who had been joking with Kael disappeared. The second-in-command of the Black Raven was back. Two knights appeared at the end of the corridor. Gareth Riven was walking with them. — Commander. Darius straightened. — Report. Gareth stopped in front of him. — Nothing unusual in the northern and eastern sectors. But we found something near the gardens. Kael exchanged a look with Darius. — What? Gareth pulled a small piece of dark fabric from his pocket. — This was caught on a branch near the outer wall. Kael examined it. No symbol. No inscription. Just a slightly torn piece of black fabric. Darius took it between his fingers. — Someone could have lost it. Gareth nodded. — It's possible. — But? The lieutenant hesitated. — There were footprints nearby. Kael's gaze hardened. The gardens. Again. Darius immediately noticed. — How many? — A single set. Kael felt his heart beat slightly faster. A single set of footprints. Just like the day before. Darius looked at Gareth. — Have the entire area checked. Discreetly. I don't want the students to start panicking. — Yes, Commander. Gareth left with the two knights. Kael remained silent. Darius turned toward him. — You're thinking the same thing I am? — Probably. — The door? Kael nodded. — And the symbol. Darius lowered his eyes toward the fabric. — Then someone else may be looking for that place. Kael didn't answer. He looked out the window. The gardens were quiet. Too quiet. --- That evening, Kael went to the library. He hadn't told anyone about what they had found. Not yet. He placed several books in front of him. Old plans. Academy archives. Foundation records. Everything that might concern the gardens. Noah appeared about twenty minutes later. — I knew you'd be here. Kael looked up. — How? — Because you're predictable when you try to be unpredictable. Kael sighed. Noah placed two drinks on the table. — I got one for you. Kael looked at the glass. — Thanks. — You're welcome. Noah sat down. He looked at the books. — You're still looking for the door? — Yes. — Find anything? Kael hesitated. Then he answered: — Darius found footprints near the gardens. Noah's smile disappeared. — Someone was there? — Probably. — And you're planning to go back? — Not tonight. Noah looked at him carefully. — That means you are planning to go back. Kael didn't answer. — Kael... — I know. Noah sighed. — I'm not going to ask you to stop. But at least tell me. Kael looked at him. — Why? — Because I'm your best friend. The answer came immediately. Kael lowered his eyes slightly. — All right. Noah smiled. — There. A voice suddenly came from behind them. — You two are really bad at being discreet. Lysandra approached. Noah raised his hands. — I object. I'm very discreet. — You just spoke loudly enough for three rows of books to hear you. — They're used to it. Lysandra sat beside Kael. — Darius told me he'd found something. Kael looked up. — He spoke to you? — He simply told me that the knights had found footprints near the gardens. Noah looked at Kael. — See? Everyone knows except us. — You knew before them. — Yes, but I like complaining. Kael shook his head slightly. A small smile appeared on his face. For a moment, the tension disappeared. They were simply three students in a library. Three friends. Then one of the lamps flickered. Kael froze. The crystal in his pocket had vibrated. This time, much more strongly. Lysandra felt it. — Kael? He slowly took out the crystal. A line of light appeared across its surface. It moved. Very slowly. Then formed the same symbol. His parents' symbol. The symbol from the door. Noah leaned closer. — Is that new? Kael nodded. The light transformed into a thin line that crossed the symbol. Then a second line appeared. As if someone were drawing something on the other side of the crystal. Kael watched the shape take form. It wasn't a map. It wasn't a sentence. It was a direction. Toward the gardens. Lysandra whispered: — It wants you to go there. Kael stared at the symbol. — Maybe. Noah frowned. — Or someone wants you to think that. Kael looked at him. Noah was right. For the first time, the crystal didn't seem to simply be showing him a path. It seemed to be answering him. And that thought was far more unsettling. Kael slowly closed his hand around the crystal. Someone had left footprints near the gardens. Someone knew the symbol. Someone might know what he was looking for. And now, that person also knew that Kael was no longer alone. At the same moment, far from the library, on a walkway overlooking the gardens, an unmoving figure watched the academy's illuminated windows. It remained there for several seconds. Then disappeared into the darkness. Without leaving a trace. But on the damp stone, where the figure had been standing, a small symbol had been carved. The same one. The one Kael had been searching for from the very beginning.

What Lurks in the Shadows