Lunch was a relief after the chaos of the day, but it came with its own set of problems. As I walked into the cafeteria with Fiona, Dexter, and Celestia, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Marina and her friend Luna Dark were waiting for me. Marina had made it clear she wasn’t done with me after our fight earlier, and Luna—who had the power of umbra kinesis, or shadow manipulation—was right by her side.
The cafeteria was buzzing with students chatting and eating, but my eyes were locked on Marina and Luna, who were sitting at a table near the back. Marina’s glare was fixed on me, her anger practically radiating across the room. Luna, with her dark eyes and quiet demeanor, stood beside her, adding an extra layer of unease.
Fiona, noticing my tense stance, leaned closer. “Looks like they’re still pissed about the fight. Just ignore them. They’re not worth it.”
Dexter nodded in agreement, though his usual relaxed demeanour was a bit more serious today. “Yeah, just focus on enjoying lunch. We’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
Celestia, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood. “Exactly. Besides, we’re in a school for people with powers. It’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows.”
I managed a small smile, but the tension didn’t ease. Marina and Luna’s presence loomed over us, a constant reminder that not everyone here was going to be friendly. As we sat down to eat, I couldn’t help but glance over at Marina. She was whispering to Luna, their heads close together. It was clear they were plotting something.
I hoped it wasn’t anything too serious. For now, I had to focus on getting through the day and finding a way to deal with Marina and Luna without letting it completely wreck my mood. If this was just the beginning of what Aegis Academy had in store for me, I was in for one wild ride.
As I was trying to enjoy my lunch, Marina and Luna Dark were huddled together at their table, exchanging heated words. It was clear that Luna was still fuming from the fight earlier, and she wasn’t about to let things slide.
Luna’s eyes were locked on me as she made her way over, her presence almost seeming to blend into the growing shadows of the cafeteria. Her power was on full display; the light above flickered as if it were afraid of her. The shadows around her twisted and coiled, reacting to her irritation. She moved with an unsettling grace, her steps barely making a sound.
“Nice show earlier,” Luna sneered as she approached, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Didn’t know you were so keen on making a spectacle of yourself.”
Her ability to manipulate shadows was evident. The darkness around her seemed to pulse, bending to her will. As she gestured towards me, the shadows on the floor stretched and darkened, creating a menacing, almost tangible presence. I could feel the chill of her power even from where I sat.
“Not impressed,” she continued, her tone icy. “I’ve seen stronger. Just wait until you get a real challenge.”
The way she used her powers to emphasize her words made it clear she was trying to intimidate me. Her control over the shadows was flawless, her movements fluid and deliberate. It was like the darkness was an extension of her own will, and she wasn’t afraid to use it to assert herself.
Celestia, who had been sitting with me during the tension-filled lunch, finally spoke up, breaking the silence. “You know, Luna used to be a lot different,” she said, her voice carrying a mix of nostalgia and regret. “We were actually friends before things went south.”
I raised an eyebrow, curious. “What happened?”
Celestia sighed, her gaze shifting to Luna, who was still casting dark glances in our direction. “Luna and Marina were always tight, but Luna’s attitude changed over time. It was like she started using her powers to control and manipulate others, instead of helping. She became obsessed with being the best, and that’s when things started to unravel.”
“Luna used to be the kind of person who would use her umbra kinesis to make everyone’s day easier,” Celestia continued. “She helped with school events and was always around to lend a hand. But then, she got caught up in this competitive mindset, and it wasn’t long before she started turning on people who didn’t meet her expectations.”
Celestia’s expression softened as she remembered the past. “We tried to stay friends, but as Luna’s ego grew, she began pushing us away. It was like she was more interested in proving her power than keeping the friendships she had. Eventually, we just drifted apart. I guess she saw me and the others as obstacles rather than friends.”
I glanced back at Luna, who was now sitting with Marina, her shadowy aura still present. “So that’s why she’s so bent on beefing with me?”
Celestia nodded. “Yeah. She’s always looking for someone to challenge, someone to prove herself against. And now that you’ve made a splash, you’re an easy target for her frustrations.”
Celestia, always the calm in any storm, didn’t flinch as Luna’s shadowy tendrils crept closer. Instead, she raised a hand slightly, and in an instant, the room seemed to brighten. Tiny particles of light, like miniature stars, began to swirl around her fingers, shimmering with a soft, ethereal glow. The stardust danced through the air, forming intricate patterns as it met Luna’s darkness head-on. Where the shadows sought to consume, Celestia’s stardust sparkled with a brilliance that seemed to push back the night itself.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
It wasn’t just light; it was as if each speck of dust held a piece of the cosmos, a reminder of the vastness and beauty of the universe. The stardust wove through Luna’s shadows, dissolving them as if they were nothing more than mist. The entire cafeteria seemed to hold its breath, caught in the quiet but intense battle of light and dark. Celestia’s eyes remained fixed on Luna, not with anger, but with a calm determination that spoke of inner strength. It was a mesmerizing display, and for a moment, I almost forgot where I was, lost in the sheer beauty of Celestia’s power.
Luna’s shadowy tendrils slithered across the cafeteria like living vines, dark and menacing. The air grew colder as the shadows thickened, swallowing up the light with an oppressive force. Celestia stood her ground, her stardust still swirling around her, but I could see the strain in her eyes. She summoned more of the cosmic dust, its glow intensifying as it clashed with Luna’s darkness. The stardust shot forward like a comet, aiming straight for Luna.
But Luna was ready. With a flick of her wrist, the shadows surged forward, forming a dense, impenetrable wall that absorbed the stardust’s impact. The cafeteria erupted in gasps as Celestia’s light seemed to falter against the overwhelming force of Luna’s umbra kinesis. I could feel the tension in the room, the fear that Luna’s darkness might win.
Celestia didn’t back down. She pushed harder, summoning every ounce of her power. The stardust began to morph, shaping itself into dazzling, star-shaped constructs that shot toward Luna like missiles. The light cut through the shadows, and for a moment, it seemed like Celestia might gain the upper hand.
But Luna was relentless. She lashed out with a wave of darkness, swiping away the star constructs as if they were nothing. The shadows coiled around Celestia, tightening like a noose. The cafeteria fell silent as the light began to dim, swallowed by Luna’s ever-growing shadows. Celestia’s stardust flickered weakly, and with a final, crushing blow, Luna’s shadows snuffed out the last of the light.
Celestia staggered back, her energy drained, and Luna stood victorious, a smug grin on her face. The shadows retreated, leaving the cafeteria in a heavy, oppressive silence. Luna’s victory was clear, but as she looked around the room, she didn’t find the admiration she was expecting. Instead, she was met with glares and whispers, the entire school clearly on Celestia’s side. No one was impressed by Luna’s bullying tactics.
Even though she won the fight, Luna lost something far more important—the respect of everyone around her. Celestia’s friends rushed to her side, helping her up, while Luna stood alone, her victory hollow. The cafeteria’s atmosphere was tense, charged with unspoken disapproval toward Luna. Despite the outcome, it was clear who the real winner was in the eyes of the school.
The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the Aegis Academy campus as I wandered outside, desperate for a moment to clear my head. I found a quiet spot near the edge of the grounds, away from the bustling activity of the school. I leaned against a tree, letting the cool evening air wash over me. My mind was still buzzing from the fight and the lingering tension of the day.
A sudden, sharp vision flashed before me. I was no longer on the serene grounds of Aegis Academy but in a chaotic scene I didn’t recognize. In the memory, I saw a young girl—her features strikingly familiar. They were calling her Calida Cloud. A chill ran through me as I realized they were talking about her as if she was my sister. The scene grew more intense as she was forcibly taken away by my father’s team, struggling against them. They injected her with some strange substance. I watched, heart pounding, as the life drained from her, the memory of her agony making my own chest tighten. The revelation hit me like a jolt: I had a sister, and she was gone.
The memory was agonizingly vivid, revealing more about Calida Cloud. She was just fourteen, with striking red hair and deep brown eyes, a stark contrast to my mother’s own features. Her fire abilities had been evident even in those desperate moments, flames flickering around her as she tried to fend off my father’s team. The image of her—so young and full of life—being dragged away, her powers unbidden and uncontrolled, left a searing pain in my chest. They had taken her, tested her, and in the end, they’d extinguished the very spark that made her unique. The realization hit me harder than I could have ever anticipated: she wasn’t just a name from the past but a part of my family that I never knew I had, and now, I had lost her forever.
My anger was an inferno, burning through every thought and feeling. I could barely contain it as the memories of Calida flashed in my mind—her fiery spirit, her tragic end. I felt a surge of power coursing through me, an uncontrollable force that had been building up all day. Without warning, a massive bolt of lightning streaked from the darkened clouds above, slamming into the campus with a deafening crack. The entire school was plunged into darkness for a heart-stopping moment, the only sound the crackling of the aftermath. Students screamed and stumbled in the dark, and I could feel the raw, pulsating energy of my powers as they gradually receded. The storm had passed, but the anger and pain inside me remained, a tempest that no amount of lightning could truly disperse.
As the lights flickered back on and the campus slowly returned to normal, I saw a tall figure approaching me through the haze. It was Miss Raven Echo, the most powerful teacher at Aegis Academy. Her reputation for sound wave manipulation preceded her—an aura of authority and grace that was hard to ignore. She stood before me, her expression a mix of concern and understanding.
"Gia," she said softly, her voice carrying a gentle yet commanding resonance that seemed to cut through the lingering tension. "I saw what happened. You’re not alone in this."
I looked up at her, feeling a mix of shame and relief. "I didn't mean for it to get out of control," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "I was just—"
Miss Raven Echo held up a hand, stopping me. "It’s okay. I understand more than you might think. My own story is not so different from yours."
She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I was brought to Aegis Academy as a baby. I never knew my real parents. Mr. Noah White raised me here, trained me, and became my family. I’ve spent my entire life within these walls, never knowing the world outside. It’s a different kind of loss, but loss nonetheless."
Her eyes held a depth of sorrow that mirrored my own, and I realized that despite our vastly different experiences, there was a shared understanding between us. She continued, "We all have our struggles, Gia. Sometimes, the only way to find peace is to acknowledge the pain and let others help us carry it. You’re not alone in this. You have friends here who care about you, and we’re all part of this strange, powerful family."
Her words resonated deeply within me, offering a glimmer of solace amidst the chaos. Miss Raven Echo’s empathy was a reminder that even amid our personal battles, we could find strength in the connections we made with others.