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The Garden's Veil

When the Reality You See is Only Yours

Arvanya's POV:

Intense silence followed. We were now crouched behind the statue, my mind racing. Who could be here so late in the courtyard? Was it the dormitory staff, or someone else? The consequences of getting caught flashed in my mind—not just for me, but for my friends too. If we were discovered, we'd be in huge trouble. And how could I help the air elementals if we were found out now?

Too many thoughts swirled in my mind as I slowly peeked over the statue, hoping it was just some random student passing by.

But of course, it wasn't.

It was none other than Celeste.

I internally groaned. Out of all the students on campus, why did it have to be her?

Nico peeked out from behind the statue, then smirked. "Well, well, look who's here—the Queen of Attitude herself, Lady Superior Snarkington... also known as Celeste."

I rolled my eyes but stayed silent.

And she wasn't alone.

A boy stood beside her, and for some reason, he looked familiar—but I couldn't quite place him.

Nico nudged me lightly, his grin widening. "You're her favorite," he whispered. "Oh, and don't forget—if she catches us here, tonight, she's definitely going to make you a star celebrity."

I gave him a deadpan look. "Great. I always wanted to be the center of attention in a scandal."

Nico chuckled. "Hey, at least this one'll be a big hit. You'll be all over the academy's gossip channels by morning: 'Aria Collins—caught sneaking around at night. Is she plotting something big, or just looking for a dramatic exit?'"

I groaned and slumped lower behind the statue. "Why me? Why tonight? Why her?"

Nico shrugged, still grinning. "Well, you know what they say—every star has its spotlight. Looks like tonight, it's yours."

"Why do I feel like my life is one big reality show with her as the producer?" I muttered, tense and still peeking through the statue, watching Celeste and the boy standing near the entrance, completely unaware of us hiding.

Nico leaned in closer, his voice lowering. "If she turns this into a full-blown show, you might want to charge her for the drama. At least that way, you'll make a profit off of this mess."

I rolled my eyes, trying to stay focused. "I swear, if she doesn't leave the courtyard soon, I'm gonna be the star of a very public expulsion."

Nico grinned, his sarcasm thick. "Oh, she'll create a huge scene. Every student in the academy, including the dorm staff, will be the audience. And guess who the chief guest will be?"

I blinked, heart sinking. "Let me guess... Lucian?"

Nico's grin widened. "Oh, absolutely. She'll make sure it's a full-blown spectacle. 'Lucian, Lucian! Look at your beloved Aria—what's she doing out here in the middle of the night, near the forest? And oh, Nico's here too!'" He paused, waggling his eyebrows. "She'll make sure the whole academy knows exactly who's here... and for what reasons."

I sank lower, my heart racing. "Great. This is just... perfect."

Nico continued, his voice lowering with mock seriousness. "And you know she won't stop there. She'll tell authorities we're breaking academy rules and planning something dangerous. And don't forget—she'll make sure we're both expelled by the end of it."

My stomach twisted into knots. "I can't get expelled... not now, not when everything's just starting to make sense."

Nico gave me a sympathetic look. "Well, you know what they say, Aria. You're either the hero or the villain. Looks like tonight, you're getting a taste of both."

I exhaled sharply. "I'd rather be neither, thank you very much."

Just as I finished my sentence, I caught the faintest sound—a soft rustling of fabric—and my heart skipped a beat. Celeste and the boy had heard our whispers. They both turned their heads toward us, their eyes locking onto our hiding place.

My heart pounded.

I looked at my friends, who were hiding behind a large tree in the forest. Kai caught my eye and quickly signed to us to move from our hiding spot. His hands moved swiftly, urging us to get away from the statue and the courtyard before it was too late.

I gave him a quick nod, heart hammering in my chest. It was now or never. Celeste and her mysterious companion were getting closer, and staying put any longer would be asking for trouble.

Nico gave me a pointed look, his face serious for the first time tonight. "Kai's right," he muttered. "Time to vanish."

I started thinking, my eyes darting everywhere for a way out. Nico was doing the same, his usual smirk long gone. Now even he looked tense. If we delayed even one more minute, we were going to get caught.

Panic clawed at my chest, but then—suddenly—I looked behind me.

My gaze landed on an intricate art piece made of greenery, plants, and flowers. An idea sparked in my mind.

I grabbed Nico's arm. "Come with me. But bend down and stay low."

Nico gave me a questioning look but followed without hesitation.

We crouch-walked quickly toward the plant-covered structure, and I immediately summoned my nature dragon.

It responded instantly.

I whispered urgently, "Nico, sit close to me. As close as possible. And do not make a sound."

Nico, for once, didn't make a joke and simply obeyed.

I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar pulse of energy within me. As I focused, a tingling warmth spread through my fingertips. With a flick of my fingers, the vines responded instantly, surging forward like they had been waiting for my command. Flowers bloomed in rapid succession, their petals unfurling as if embracing the night.

The greenery twisted and curled around us, wrapping us in a living cocoon. Leaves rustled softly, shifting into place, sealing every open space. Within seconds, we were completely hidden within the structure, the scent of fresh earth and blossoms surrounding us.

We became part of the nature.

Celeste and the boy reached our area and started looking around.

"I swear I heard something," the boy muttered.

Celeste narrowed her eyes, scanning every corner. Then her gaze landed on our hiding spot.

My breath hitched.

She frowned. "This... wasn't here before, right?"

The boy also turned to look at the plant structure. "Yeah, it looks... newer. Like it wasn't here the last time we came."

Nico's fingers twitched beside me, as if preparing to react, but I kept him still. I could feel his tension mounting, but I gave him a warning look. He stayed silent, his lips pressed together in a thin line.

Celeste tilted her head. "Maybe Mr. Wing added it? He's the one who maintains all the greenery around the courtyard, including the nature statue."

The boy nodded, relaxing. "Yeah, makes sense."

Celeste glanced around the courtyard again before sighing. "We shouldn't meet here. It's not safe. Someone might see us."

Meet?

What is she doing out here so late with him?

The boy nodded, then muttered, "You're right. And if the dorm staff saw us, we'd be in trouble."

I barely registered his words as I tried to place where I had seen him before. My mind scrambled through vague memories, but nothing clicked. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get anything.

A bad feeling settled in my stomach, but now wasn't the time to think about it. We had our own mission.

After another moment, Celeste and the boy finally left.

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I waited a few more seconds before letting out a slow breath.

Then, Nico broke the silence, his voice barely a whisper. "Looks like your chance to become a celebrity today is gone."

I gave him a small, tense smile. "Don't worry, I'll have so many chances in the future."

I could feel Nico's grin despite the situation. "Oh, definitely. You'll be trending in no time, don't worry."

Then, with another small command, the plants and flowers slowly receded, retreating back into the original structure.

Within seconds, it was as if nothing had ever changed.

I looked at Nico, who was still pressed close to me.

He exhaled dramatically. "Wow. That was... intense."

I shook my head. "Let's go before something else happens."

Nico nodded, and together, we slipped out of the courtyard, heading toward the forest to rejoin the others.

As we reached to them, Calen let out a relieved sigh. "Whew! That was way too close. I thought for sure you two were caught. But wow, Arvi, your nature element is amazing! We saw the whole thing from here—you wrapped those plants and vines around yourselves like it was nothing!"

Esme shook her head in awe. "Arvi, when you told us your fifth dragon was nature, I thought, cool, another power. But now, seeing you actually use it like that? Just... WOW. You're basically the queen of plants."

I chuckled. "Thanks. My nature dragon is the best."

As soon as I said that, I felt a shift inside me.

My other dragons stirred.

I could sense their mild irritation, like they were all glaring at me from within.

Oh, boy.

I held back a laugh, smiling to myself. They were all jealous.

Dante rolled his eyes. "Pfft. This is nothing new for us. We've seen her use her powers a hundred times already."

Nico smirked and crossed his arms. "Yeah, at this point, it's like watching a magician do the same trick over and over."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Should I just let you all get caught next time, then?"

Dante immediately put his hands up. "Whoa, whoa—let's not be hasty here. I love seeing your powers in action. Truly. It's always a privilege."

Nico chuckled. "That's what I thought."

Kai, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "Honestly? I'm grateful you have a nature dragon. It's proving to be really helpful in the forest."

I shook my head with a small smile and turned serious. "Alright, enough talking. We need to move."

They all nodded, falling into step behind me.

As we walked deeper into the forest, my thoughts drifted to the place where the air elementals were being kept.

I took the lead, stepping carefully over the uneven ground, remembering the way—each turn, each landmark, guiding us toward our destination. Kai walked slightly behind me to my left, his movements quiet but alert. Esme was to my right, whispering something to Calen, who walked beside her. Dante and Nico followed closely behind, keeping an eye on the rear. The faint glow of fireflies flickered between the trees, casting eerie shadows on the mossy forest floor.

We moved swiftly into the forest, keeping low and sticking to the shadows. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and fresh leaves, the towering trees above stretching their branches like skeletal arms against the night sky. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the occasional rustle of leaves made me glance around cautiously.

As expected, it didn't take long for their banter to start up again.

Nico let out a dramatic sigh. "I just hope there aren't any dangerous animals in this forest. You know, like some... giant, fanged, night-stalking beast." He glanced around nervously.

Esme snorted. "You mean like you?"

Dante chuckled. "Yeah, I thought we were supposed to be the scary ones."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Come on, Nico. You're a fire elemental, and you're afraid of some random animal?"

Nico scoffed. "I am not afraid. I'm just... being cautious."

Calen grinned. "Right. Because you totally looked fearless when you ducked behind Arvi earlier."

Nico groaned. "That was different! That was Celeste! She's scarier than any wild animal."

I bit my lip to suppress a laugh. "Alright, keep your voices down. If there are animals out here, we don't need to announce our presence."

Nico huffed but didn't respond, his eyes scanning the trees warily.

Suddenly, a howl echoed through the forest. It was distant—far off, but unmistakable. The kind of low, haunting cry that sent a chill down your spine.

We all paused for a moment, listening as the sound of the wolf faded into the distance.

Nico gave a nervous laugh, though his eyes were still darting around. "Well, that's reassuring. It's far, but... wolves in a forest? Yeah, that's not creepy at all."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "It's just one howl, Nico. It's not like they're surrounding us."

Dante snickered. "Yeah, Nico. Keep the firepower ready, just in case."

Nico shook his head, but his posture was tense. "I'm telling you, if they show up, I'll roast 'em alive. You'll see."

Esme nudged him with an elbow. "You should've heard yourself earlier. You almost jumped out of your boots. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were scared."

Nico scowled, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I'm not scared. Just... prepared."

I couldn't help but smile at their back-and-forth, but I quickly refocused. We had a mission to complete.

"Enough with the chatter," I said, my voice steady. "Keep moving. We don't have time to waste."

They fell into line behind me again, the howls from far off fading into the background as we continued onward. My mind was focused on the air elementals, wondering if they were okay, hoping we weren't too late.

But as the minutes stretched on, doubt started creeping in. The trees all looked the same, and the path ahead twisted endlessly, offering no sign that we were getting any closer.

We had been walking for what felt like an eternity, yet the place was still nowhere in sight.

Kai finally sighed, glancing around. "Arvi, are you sure we're going the right way?"

Esme groaned. "We've been walking forever, and everything looks the same."

One by one, the others voiced their concerns.

Nico exhaled dramatically. "At this rate, we'll discover a new place before we find the one we're actually looking for."

Dante frowned. "I don't think we're getting anywhere."

Calen crossed his arms. "Yeah, either we're lost, or this place doesn't exist."

I looked around, my stomach twisting. That's when I realized—I had no idea where we were.

Panic crept in, but I tried to keep my face neutral.

Esme ran a hand through her hair. "If we keep wandering like this, we're just going to spend the entire night in this forest."

That's when something clicked. A memory surfaced—the night I got lost. My nature dragon had guided me back to the academy. Maybe... it could help me again.

Without explaining, I walked toward a nearby tree, placed my palm against its bark, and closed my eyes.

I focused. I called for my dragon.

The others fell silent, watching me, their confusion practically radiating in waves.

Then, of course, Nico had to break the moment.

"Uh, I really hope you're not just hugging that tree for emotional support," he whispered.

I cracked an eye open just to glare at him. Then, I lifted a finger to my lips.

"Shhh."

And just like that, the entire group froze.

Nico's mouth clamped shut. Kai's eyebrows lifted slightly. Esme, who had been mid-shift in stance, stilled completely. Even Dante and Calen exchanged glances but remained silent.

A rare moment of complete, undisturbed quiet.

I closed my eyes again, inhaling deeply. Come on...

At first, nothing happened. The air remained still. The ground beneath me was just dirt and roots.

Doubt started creeping in again. Maybe this wouldn't work this time.

Then I tried something different—I visualized the place. The way it looked, the trees, the path leading to it.

Suddenly, something shifted.

A whisper of energy ran up my arm, like a pulse from the earth itself. A strange pull deep in my chest guided my focus forward.

And then—I saw it.

Not just in my mind.

The path stretched ahead, as if it had been there all along, hidden beneath layers of uncertainty. It wasn't just an image in my head anymore. It was real, right in front of me, revealing itself step by step. And at the end of it—the place we had been searching for, standing just beyond the trees, waiting.

My eyes snapped open.

"I saw it!" I blurted out, excitement bursting through me. I turned and pointed ahead. "It's this way!"

The group just stared at me.

Kai was the first to speak. "How can you just... see the way?"

Nico narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. You couldn't do this before."

Dante gave me a skeptical look. "Right. We've never seen you do something like this."

Esme and Calen exchanged glances before both looked at me again.

Esme folded her arms. "Are you hiding another secret from us?"

I groaned. "No! I swear, I don't even know how I did that! The last time I got lost here, I touched a tree, and suddenly, I saw the way back to the academy. So I tried it again, and... well, it worked."

Silence stretched between us.

Then Nico, as always, decided to break it. He clapped his hands together. "So basically, the trees have officially adopted you. Cool. Let's move before they change their mind."

I rolled my eyes but didn't argue. "Come on, let's go before I lose the vision."

The others hesitated only for a moment before falling in line behind me. We walked in silence, our footsteps crunching against the uneven ground.

After a few minutes, Kai spoke up, his voice uncertain. "Are you sure... whatever trick you used is actually working? I mean, is this really the right way?"

I exhaled, trying to push away my own lingering doubts. "Yes," I said firmly. "Because last time, when I saw the path, I walked on it and reached the academy. So I hope this time it works the same way."

Kai still looked skeptical, but he nodded.

As we walked, the forest began to shift, becoming darker, more twisted. The trees grew taller, their bark warped and contorted like something unnatural had taken hold of them. Their branches stretched out like skeletal fingers, scraping the air. The ground beneath our feet grew rougher, jagged rocks and tangled roots tripping us up at every step. The usual sounds of the forest—chirping birds, rustling leaves—were gone, replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence. It was as though the forest itself had been corrupted, turned into something sinister.

"Is it just me, or is this place... off?" Esme whispered, glancing around nervously.

Kai looked around too, his expression tense. "This doesn't feel like a forest anymore."

I raised a hand to silence them, my voice barely above a whisper. "We're close. Stay alert, and don't make a sound. If they hear us, everything will be ruined."

They all nodded, their faces reflecting the seriousness of the situation. We continued moving forward, the air thick with unease. My heart raced in my chest, but I couldn't let fear take over—not now, not when we were so close.

We finally reached the place, and I instantly recognized it. As I stopped, the others also stopped behind me. A twisted structure carved into a cliff, its entrance a gaping mouth with jagged iron bars. A sickly green light flickered from within, casting an eerie glow on the dark, uneven stone. Strange, maddening symbols were etched above the entrance. The whole place radiated a dark, ominous energy, warning us that getting to the air elementals wouldn't be easy.

I turned to my friends, my voice steady but urgent. "We're here. Now, hide behind something so no one can see us. When the right moment comes, we'll go inside."

They all exchanged confused glances, as if I had said something bizarre. Kai stepped forward, his brows furrowed. "But where's the place you were talking about? All I see is just the forest. There's nothing here."

Nico squinted at the surroundings, his voice skeptical. "Yeah, this part of the forest looks different, but we didn't see any place here."

Dante raised an eyebrow, looking around as if expecting the structure to appear out of thin air. "I don't see anything either. This is starting to feel... off."

Esme stepped closer, her voice tinged with worry. "Arvi, are you sure? You were so certain this was it."

Calen, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, his tone more serious. "Maybe you're just seeing things, Arvi. We don't—"

I cut him off, frustration creeping into my voice. "Are you sure you aren't seeing it? It's right there! Right in front of me!" I gestured toward the structure, its twisted shape looming ahead, the eerie green light flickering from within.

But they still didn't react.

They all looked around again, their expressions a mix of confusion and growing concern.

"But... there's nothing," Kai said slowly, watching me carefully.

A cold shiver ran down my spine. How's that possible? My heart pounded. I could see the place, clear as day, but they couldn't.

I turned back to them, my unease growing. Their confused and wary faces only made it worse.

Something was wrong.

This place was far from what I thought it was, and now, freeing those elementals had just become even more difficult.