Adrian braced himself as the figure drew closer. He held his ground, his muscles taut, every sense primed for the confrontation he knew was coming. Yet, just as the distance between them dwindled, the figure halted only a few paces away.

For a moment, they lingered in the shadows, their posture uncertain. Then, the figure raised a hand to lower their hood. As the dim light of the moon touched their face, Adrian’s breath caught in his throat.

The elf boy standing before him was shockingly ordinary, a stark contrast to the elegance Adrian had always associated with elves. His dark hair was cropped short, while his brown eyes were warm yet hesitant, lacking the determined look Adrian had come to expect. There were no sharp, ethereal features to mark him as exceptional, only a subtle awkwardness that clung to him.

Adrian blinked a few times as confusion took its place. This is who was following me? He doesn’t look like some elite assassin or anything remotely dangerous.

"Who are you?" Adrian asked.

The elf shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his gaze dipping to the ground before meeting Adrian’s. His ears twitched slightly, a nervous tic that gave away his unease. "I... I’m Xenon. Princess Alisha’s personal bodyguard."

Adrian’s eyebrows shot up at the declaration. Crossing his arms over his chest, he tilted his head, fixing the boy with a skeptical glare. "Really? You followed me halfway across town just to introduce yourself?"

Xenon flushed, the faint color spreading across his cheeks visible. His ears flicked again as he fidgeted with the hem of his cloak, his fingers pulling at the fabric like it might ground him. "I wasn’t sure how else to approach you. The princess told me to keep an eye on things, and, well..." He trailed off with an awkward shrug, his discomfort painfully obvious.

Adrian let out a small, exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes as the tension eased from his shoulders. "Let me guess. You’re here to tell me to stay away from Alisha. Maybe warn me that I’m not good enough to hang around her, or something like that?"

To his surprise, Xenon didn’t bristle at the jab. Instead, the boy’s expression softened, his features losing some of their earlier awkwardness. He shook his head quickly, his dark hair brushing against his forehead. "No, not at all. I don’t have a problem with you. If the princess trusts you, then that’s enough for me."

Adrian blinked, caught off guard by the boy’s sincerity. Wait, what? That’s... not what I expected. He studied Xenon’s face more carefully, searching for any hint of sarcasm or deception. But there was nothing.

"You’re serious?" Adrian asked.

Xenon nodded. "The princess doesn’t trust people easily. If she thinks you’re decent, then you must be. Besides, you don’t seem like a bad person."

"I… see, but you're a bit young looking to be a bodyguard, no? Unless you're actually a lot older than you look."

"No, no, I'm only twelve. It's just that the King wanted someone who could also join the academy to watch over Princess Alisha there."

"Hold on, so you're also a student at the academy?"

"That I am… yes."

Adrian stared at him, unsure how to respond. He had expected hostility or disdain, not this genuine honesty from someone claiming to be Alisha’s bodyguard. His mind reeled, trying to reconcile this timid elf with the dangerous, elite protectors he’d imagined would surround royalty. Is this guy really a bodyguard? He looks like he’d apologize to a bandit for inconveniencing them.

"Honestly, I… wasn't expecting you to be so genuine," Adrian admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Most people who meet me are usually more of the pompous type."

Xenon smiled faintly, his awkwardness giving way to a shy warmth. "Maybe that’s their problem, not yours."

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Adrian stuffed his hands into his pockets, letting out a small, wry laugh. "Well, thanks, I guess. Though next time, maybe don’t follow me around. A normal ‘hello’ works too, you know."

"Sorry about that, I’m not used to… normal introductions."

"Yeah, I can tell. But anyway, do you actually need something? Or are you just going to stand there all night?"

Xenon hesitated, his shoulders stiffening slightly. His brown eyes flickered with something unreadable before he nodded and took a cautious step forward. "There’s… something I need to ask you."

"What is it?"

Xenon stopped just a few paces away, the faint moonlight highlighting the faint creases of worry etched across his face. He glanced around briefly, his hand brushing against the edge of his cloak before resting at his side. "Have you noticed that there’s something… off about the academy?"

Adrian frowned, caught off guard by the question. He studied Xenon for a moment, the elf’s unassuming demeanor now layered with a seriousness that felt out of place. So he’s noticed it too.

"Off how?" Adrian asked.

Xenon exhaled quietly, his shoulders slumping as if he carried more weight than his slight frame should have allowed. "I mean the way it’s run. There’s something happening behind the scenes. Something they’re not telling us."

Adrian’s chest tightened, the unease in Xenon’s words resonating all too well. The trial dungeon rushed back into his mind: the armored troll’s towering figure, the impossible resurrection, the weight of its unrelenting strikes. They never explained that, quite the opposite actually.

The instructor had dismissed it as part of the test, but Adrian had felt the wrongness in the air, the way the magic crackled like static against his skin. Yeah, there’s definitely something they’re hiding.

He uncrossed his arms, fingers flexing at his sides as he considered Xenon’s words. "You think it’s more than just a school with tough rules?"

"It’s not just the rules—or the trials. There’s… a kind of magic being used there. Malicious magic. I’ve seen it. Or at least I think I have. It’s subtle, like it’s buried under the surface, but if you pay attention, you can feel it. And the instructors. some of them don’t act like teachers. It’s more like they’re... watching."

"Malicious magic? What do you mean exactly?"

Xenon hesitated, glancing around as if checking for eavesdroppers, though the park was still empty save for the two of them. "It’s… it’s hard to explain because I don't have much evidence yet. But for example, I've caught glimpses of some of the instructors using spells that don’t belong in a place like this. Dangerous ones."

Adrian’s pulse quickened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He thought back to the troll, its resurrection glowing with an eerie, unnatural light. The magic had felt wrong then too heavy, suffocating, like it had been pulled from something ancient and angry. Why would a school use that kind of power in a trial?

"Why hasn’t anyone said anything? If you’ve noticed this, other people must have too." Adrian asked.

Xenon grimaced, his ears twitching as he shook his head. "I don’t know. Maybe they’re too scared, or maybe they don’t care as long as long as the status quo doesn't get affected too much."

Adrian let out a slow breath, his thoughts racing. This place isn’t just about training the best students, is it?. The realization sent a chill through him, though he tried to keep his expression neutral.

"Why are you telling me this?" Adrian asked after a moment, his gaze locking onto Xenon. "If you’re Alisha’s bodyguard, shouldn’t you be warning her instead of me?"

Xenon’s face softened, and for the first time, he looked more nervous than determined. "The princess already knows something’s wrong. She’s been watching too, but she can’t act openly without risking herself. That’s why she’s trusting you to help. You’re… different."

"Different how?" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow.

Xenon flushed slightly, waving his hands quickly. "I didn’t mean it like that! I just—" He stopped himself, exhaling and shaking his head. "What I mean is, you’re not like the others. The ones who only care about their titles or their family names. She trusts you because she thinks you’re different."

"Okay, but that doesn’t explain what you’re doing here. Why follow me all this way just to ask if I’ve noticed something weird about the academy?"

"Because the Princess wants to keep tabs on everyone who's noticed something off about the academy, that's really it."

"That’s a lot of faith to put in someone you just met," Adrian said dryly.

Xenon smiled faintly, his earlier awkwardness returning like a shadow creeping back into the light. "I trust the princess’s judgment."

Adrian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he considered Xenon’s words. The elf was putting a lot on him, but he couldn’t deny that he shared the unease about the academy. The trials, the secrecy, the strange rules. One way for another, my time at the academy will be very eventful.

"Alright," Adrian said finally, his tone resigned. "I’ll keep my eyes open. But if I get in trouble for snooping, I’m blaming you."

Xenon nodded. "Thank you. And… sorry for following you earlier."

Adrian waved him off, his smirk returning. "It's all good, I'll see you at the academy."