Chapter 26: The Calm Before the Storm
The Academy was quiet, but it was a silence that felt forced, like the uneasy calm before a storm. Valen’s arrest had sent ripples through the halls, and while no one knew the full details, everyone could feel the shift. The once powerful student had been dragged away, his influence shattered, and those who had aligned themselves with him now moved cautiously, unsure of their next steps.
Lahsiv, however, remained focused. Valen’s fall had been necessary, but it wasn’t the end. The Umbral Circle was still out there, and now that their pawn was removed from the Academy, Lahsiv knew they would act soon. He had stripped them of their foothold, and in doing so, painted a target on his back.
But he welcomed it. They could come for him if they dared.
Lahsiv met Elira in the quiet sanctuary of the old library that evening. The large, vaulted ceilings and rows of forgotten tomes offered them a level of privacy that few other places in the Academy could. It was the perfect place to talk strategy without being overheard. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows along the walls, mirroring the dark thoughts swirling in Lahsiv’s mind.
Elira’s face was tense as she sat across from him, her usual confidence giving way to unease. She had been with him through Valen’s downfall, but now, she could sense that the real threat was only beginning to reveal itself.
“You’ve done it,” Elira whispered, her voice almost lost in the vastness of the library. “Valen’s gone, and the students are shaken. But… something feels wrong.”
Lahsiv nodded, his gaze steady. “It’s not over. Valen was just a pawn for the Umbral Circle. They won’t abandon their plans just because he’s out of the way.”
Elira’s fingers drummed nervously on the table. “But the Circle—do they really care about a student they’ve lost access to? Can’t they just cut their losses?”
Lahsiv leaned forward, his voice low and cold. “The Circle isn’t like us. They don’t think in terms of students or alliances. They want the power of the Abyss, and they know I hold the key to it. Now that Valen’s failed, they’ll come for me directly.”
Elira’s eyes widened. She had feared as much but hearing Lahsiv confirm it made her stomach churn. “So, what do we do? If they come for you, we can’t rely on the instructors to protect you. The Circle operates outside the Academy’s influence.”
Lahsiv was silent for a moment, considering his options. He had expected this since his first encounter with the Abyss. There was no turning back. The Circle was only the first of many who would try to take what was his. But he wasn’t afraid. If they wanted to come after him, he would be ready.
“We can’t rely on the Academy for anything,” Lahsiv said finally, his voice cold and resolute. “The instructors won’t intervene until it’s too late. We need to draw the Umbral Circle out—force them to act on our terms.”
Elira frowned, her brow furrowed in confusion. “You want to bait them?”
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Lahsiv smirked slightly, a glint of dark ambition in his eyes. “Not bait them. Expose them. They’ve been operating in the shadows, manipulating students like Valen. They won’t be able to resist if they think they can catch me off guard.”
Elira swallowed hard, sensing the danger in Lahsiv’s plan. “And how do we do that? How do we get them to show themselves?”
Lahsiv stood, his cloak shifting with the movement, the shadows almost seeming to cling to him. “I’ll confront them directly. I know where they’re likely to make their next move. If I push hard enough, they’ll reveal themselves. Once they do, we’ll strike.”
Elira looked up at him, uncertainty flashing in her eyes. “Lahsiv, this could be dangerous. You’re talking about going up against an entire organization. We don’t even know how many of them are inside the Academy.”
“I know,” Lahsiv said, his voice low but filled with determination. “But the Abyss has shown me the path. If the Circle wants its secrets, I’ll make them fight for it.”
Elira hesitated, then nodded. She had chosen to follow Lahsiv, knowing full well the risks that came with it. Now, more than ever, she realized how far he was willing to go to protect what he had claimed from the Abyss. His ruthlessness made him a dangerous ally, but it also made him the only one capable of facing what was coming.
That night, as the Academy settled into uneasy sleep, Lahsiv prepared himself. He stood alone in his quarters, the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the narrow windows, casting a pale light on the stone floor. The shadows in the room moved at his command, swirling lazily around him as he gathered his thoughts.
The Abyss stirred within him, its dark energy pulsing faintly beneath his skin. It was a reminder of the power he held, but also of the constant threat that came with it. Control was fleeting, as the Abyss had warned, but Lahsiv had already proven his mastery. Now, it was time to see just how far he could push that control.
His thoughts turned to the Umbral Circle. He had encountered their influence once before, during his battle with Valen, but he knew there was more to them—more than just shadowy figures pulling strings from afar. The real leaders of the Circle had yet to show themselves, and Lahsiv suspected they were closer than anyone realized.
There was one place in the Academy that held more secrets than anywhere else—the Abyssal Hall.
It was there, in the heart of the Academy’s darkest chamber, that Lahsiv believed the Circle would try to make their move. If they truly sought the power of the Abyss, they would need access to the Hall’s forbidden knowledge. And Lahsiv would be waiting for them.
He gathered his sword, the Sword of Ruin, feeling the familiar weight of it in his hand. The blade pulsed with dark energy, its edge sharp enough to cut through both flesh and shadow. It had served him well so far, but tonight, it would face a far greater challenge.
Lahsiv moved through the Academy’s corridors, his footsteps silent on the stone floor. The halls were empty at this late hour, the students and instructors alike long since retired to their chambers. Only the faint flicker of torchlight illuminated his path as he made his way toward the Abyssal Hall.
The deeper he went, the stronger the pull of the Abyss became. The dark energy that had once felt foreign to him now felt like a natural extension of his own being, a part of him that he could call upon at will. It guided him, its whispers faint but clear, as he approached the entrance to the Hall.
As he neared the heavy stone doors, Lahsiv paused, his senses on high alert. He could feel something—someone—waiting inside. The shadows shifted unnaturally in the corners of the hall, as if they were alive, responding to the presence of another.
The Circle.
Lahsiv smirked, his grip tightening on his sword. They had come, just as he had expected.
Without hesitation, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
The Abyssal Hall was just as he remembered—vast, ancient, and filled with the dark energy of the Abyss. The runes along the walls pulsed faintly, casting a dim glow that barely illuminated the chamber. But this time, the Hall wasn’t empty.
Three figures stood at the center of the room, their faces obscured by dark cloaks. Lahsiv recognized the aura of the man from the shadows—the one who had first warned him of the Abyss. But the other two were new, their power palpable even from a distance.
“Lahsiv Vale,” the man said, his voice echoing through the chamber. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Lahsiv stepped forward, his sword held at his side, but ready. “I know who you are. The Umbral Circle.”
The man chuckled softly. “We prefer to remain unseen, but yes. You’ve caught our attention. And now, we’ve come to see if you’re truly worthy of the Abyss’s power.”
Lahsiv’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need your approval.”
“No,” the man agreed. “But you will need our guidance, if you wish to survive what’s coming. The Abyss is not something you can control alone.”
Lahsiv’s grip tightened on his sword, the dark energy swirling around him. “I’ve already proven I can. If you’re here to take what’s mine, you’ll fail.”
The other two figures remained silent, but Lahsiv could feel their power growing, the air around them thickening with dark energy. They weren’t here to talk—they were here to test him.
“Then prove it,” the man said, stepping back as the other two figures moved forward. “Show us what the Abyss has taught you.”
Lahsiv’s eyes blazed with cold determination. The time for words was over.
The battle had begun.