Chapter 57

Chapter 57
Chapter 57

The sun hung low as the group reached a quiet village just outside the capital city of the Human Kingdom. The journey had been long and tense, the memories of the burned village still clinging to them like smoke. Villagers paused in their chores to stare at the unfamiliar group: five young strangers and a woman cloaked in quiet authority. Whispers followed them as they passed, but Isabella paid no mind. Her focus was fixed ahead.

“We’re close,” she said softly, more to herself than the others.

They continued walking until the cobbled road gave way to a dirt path that veered into the woods. The trees here were tall and old, their leaves rustling in the late afternoon breeze. Isabella led the way, her hand held out before her as she activated the elemental compass—a small silver device glowing faintly with swirling energies. The arrow spun twice before locking onto a direction, pulsing with urgency.

“There,” Isabella said, pointing toward a moss-covered clearing about a kilometer in. “That’s where the teleportation point is anchored.”

The others followed her into the trees, stepping over roots and pushing aside hanging vines. When they reached the spot, Isabella knelt and pressed her palm to the forest floor. The earth hummed beneath her touch. Light pulsed out from her fingers, tracing ancient elemental symbols into the dirt. A soft glow shimmered into existence, forming a perfect circle filled with radiant markings that shimmered and danced.

James looked down at it, visibly awed. “This is the teleportation array?”

“Yes,” Isabella said as she rose to her feet. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were serious. “This will take us directly to the Elemental Academy. But the teleportation force is strong—it’s not meant for untrained minds. You must all close your eyes the moment you step into the array. Do not open them until I tell you to. If you do… you may see things your soul is not ready for.”

They nodded one by one.

“Stand in the circle,” she instructed.

Nova was the first to step forward, her heart racing. One by one, the others joined her: Samuel, James, Lestat, and Oliver. The moment they were all inside, Isabella stepped into the circle with them and raised her hands. The air buzzed with energy as the symbols beneath their feet began to spin.

“Close your eyes,” Isabella commanded.

They obeyed.

Lestat crossed his arms and gave Isabella a sidelong glance. “Why exactly do we need to close our eyes? Is this one of those ancient traditions no one questions anymore?”

He tilted his head slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching in a half-smile. “Come on, what’s the worst that could happen? I think I’ll keep mine open, just to see what all the fuss is about.”

Isabella didn’t argue. She just smiled in that quiet, unreadable way of hers, as if the answer was something he’d learn soon enough. She stepped back from the circle, her fingers brushing the air with practiced ease. The lines of the teleportation array began to glow under their feet, faint at first, then growing steadily brighter.

“Suit yourself,” she murmured.

A hum filled the air, low and vibrating deep in their bones. The circle flared to life in a sudden burst of white light that swallowed the woods in a single breath.

Lestat’s eyes flew wide open just as the energy surged up around them. “Ah! My eyes! What the hell—” He stumbled, hands flying to his face. “It burns! I’m blind, damn it!”

The others stood still in the circle, their eyes shut as they’d been told, faces lit by the intense white glow.

Isabella didn’t say a word. The light pulsed again, and then the clearing was empty.

Everyone burst into laughter at Lestat’s expense, their chuckles echoing through the trees as he continued to groan and rub his eyes dramatically.
Then, in a flash, the light wrapped around them one final time—and they were gone.
The next second, the group of six emerged in a completely different world.
They stood at the edge of an immense stone square, tall columns and carved archways stretching toward the sky around them. The air shimmered faintly with magic, old and powerful, humming through the veins of the place like a living thing.
The five candidates for the Son of Light turned slowly, their eyes wide as they took in their surroundings. The square was ancient but well-maintained, paved with smooth stone tiles that caught the early sunlight. It was massive—stretching out across hundreds of acres, bordered on all sides by majestic buildings of pale stone and high towers wrapped in vines of blooming elemental flowers.
At the center of the square stood a towering sculpture, forged from crystal and glowing faintly with elemental energy. It depicted the first five elemental masters, each wielding a different force: fire, water, wind, earth, and light.
James let out a low whistle. “So this is the Elemental Academy.”
Nova nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on the sculpture. “It’s more than I imagined.”
The square was surrounded on all sides by towering buildings that stretched endlessly upward, their tops hidden by the soft mist drifting through the morning light. Grand structures made of stone and enchanted crystal gleamed beneath the rising sun, each one humming quietly with the pulse of old magic.

The group stood in awe, necks craned, mouths open. It was like stepping into a dream painted in gold and memory.

Nova’s eyes sparkled as she took a few steps forward. She spun in place, drinking in the view with breathless wonder.

“Aunt Isabella,” she cried, her voice echoing across the stone, “this is the legendary Elemental Academy Square! I’ve seen it so many times in the murals at the palace, but I never thought I’d stand here myself. This is... amazing.”

Several of the other candidates echoed Nova’s amazement, their voices rising with excitement as they pointed at different parts of the square. Each building seemed to hold a mystery, each symbol carved into the stone promised ancient knowledge waiting to be unlocked.

Lestat, still blinking from the remnants of the teleportation light, rubbed his eyes dramatically and muttered under his breath, “At least I’m not blind. Not completely.” He glanced around with a grin slowly forming on his face, then threw his arms wide.

“This place will remember me,” he declared loudly. “I swear it. I’ll be the greatest elemental master this academy has ever seen.”

James groaned. “Here we
go again.”

But even he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.