Chapter Five: The Awakening
The next few days at Arcanwyn Academy were a blur of new faces, strange magic, and the ever-present feeling that she was being watched. Despite the calm that had settled after the Wraithborn had vanished, the weight of what had happened hung heavy on Lila. Her hands still tingled with the residual magic from that night, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was waiting for her to unlock more than just her hidden power. The voice that had spoken to her lingered in her mind, like a whisper from the deepest corners of her soul.
She spent the following morning in the Academy's grand library, which was as breathtaking as it was overwhelming. Shelves towered high above her head, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls that seemed to hum with magic. The air smelled of parchment and dust, but beneath it all was the undeniable scent of something ancient—a knowledge long forgotten, waiting to be rediscovered.
Thorne had insisted she come along, though Lila had barely been able to focus on the words in the books before her. It was hard to concentrate with everything swirling in her mind—her bloodline, the prophecy, the Wraithborn... and the question of whether or not she was truly the Seer Caelum had described. The weight of that role was suffocating, but at the same time, it felt strangely... right.
As she walked deeper into the library, Lila's thoughts turned back to her mysterious connection with the Wraithborn. There had been a moment—just before she unleashed the magic—that she had felt something akin to recognition. It wasn't just power; it was familiarity. As if she had always known how to use it, how to push it away. But why? What was it that had connected her to them, and why had they been so terrified of her magic?
A soft voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked up to find Thorne standing beside her, holding an ancient-looking book.
"You look lost," Thorne said, her tone teasing but with a hint of concern. "You need to focus. There's a lot to learn, and if you don't understand the magic around you, you might just stumble into something worse than Wraithborn."
Lila shook her head, trying to push the swirling questions aside. "I'm not sure I can focus. Everything is... overwhelming."
Thorne sighed and sat down next to her. "I get it. It's a lot to process, but trust me—if you don't understand the magic here, you won't survive it. The Academy teaches you more than just spells and incantations. It teaches you to harness the magic within you, to control it before it controls you."
Lila nodded, her eyes scanning the page of the book before her. There were words she didn't understand, phrases in languages she couldn't even begin to read. And yet, the letters seemed to pulse with energy, drawing her in. It was as if the knowledge was waiting for her to unlock it.
For the first time since arriving at the Academy, Lila felt a strange pull to the books. They weren't just words—they were keys. Keys to her power, to her past, and to the future of the worlds she now found herself entwined in. It was time to stop running from the truth. She wasn't just a girl with a strange dream anymore. She was the Seer—the one meant to shape the fate of both worlds.
As the days passed, Lila immersed herself in her studies. The Academy's curriculum was as daunting as it was fascinating. She learned about the Veil, the creatures who had once lived in harmony with humans, and the ancient rites that had been abandoned long ago. She also learned about the Wraithborn—what they were, how they had once been human, and why they were now driven by a singular purpose: to destroy the Veil.
But the more Lila learned, the more questions arose. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about the Veil's weakening—something about the prophecy—that was more complex than she had been told. Why had the Wraithborn chosen her? Why had they been so drawn to her magic?
One evening, while poring over a particularly dense book about ancient rituals, Lila stumbled upon a passage that made her blood run cold. It was a prophecy, much like the one Caelum had spoken of, but this one was different. It spoke of the Seer, born of the Veil, who would awaken the ancient bond between realms—but it also spoke of a choice. A choice that could shatter the Veil forever.
A chill ran down Lila's spine. This wasn't just about protecting the Academy or her bloodline. This was about the fate of both worlds—and there was no telling which side of the veil she would fall on.