The Academy of Magic was a whirlwind of activity. The hallways buzzed with frantic energy as everyone prepared for the upcoming battle to break the Moire blockade. Cel could hardly hear her own thoughts over the clamor of hurried footsteps, shouted orders, and the clinking of armor and weapons.

Eloken had made the Academy his strategic hub, bringing in high-ranking officers and key advisors to plan the assault while the rest of the soldiers and their fleet were gathering at the docks.

Despite the chaos, the students were still expected to attend their classes and continue their practice. It felt surreal to Cel as if the normalcy of academic life was a fragile illusion in the face of the looming conflict.

During a brief break between classes, Cel found a quiet corner in the courtyard where her friends had gathered. Drevan was there, looking unusually serious, along with Tuk, Lyra, Joren, and a few other close companions.

Cel took a deep breath as she approached her friends. "It's crazy out there," she said, trying to break the tension.

Drevan nodded, his brow furrowed. "I heard they’re planning on going tomorrow morning. We might be closer to breaking the blockade than we think."

Lyra sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It feels like we're the only ones not doing anything. We’re stuck in classes while everyone else is preparing for battle."

Joren, usually the quiet one, spoke up. "We should be out there too. We’ve been training for this. We can help."

Cel glanced around at her friends, seeing the same determination mirrored in their eyes. "I’ve been thinking the same thing. We can't just sit here and do nothing."

Tuk leaned forward, his voice low. "You know Eloken has already said no. He doesn't want students involved."

Cel squared her shoulders. "Maybe it's time we changed his mind. We’re not just students. We’re capable of making a difference. I’ve been sparring with him a lot and lately, I’ve been holding my own pretty well."

Drevan's expression softened slightly. "I am not sure you guys understand War, it’s pure and utter chaos. It changes people. I saw it on my father, after some battles and squashed revolutions it took him months, hell even years to return to his old self."

Drevan’s father, General Tharion, was one of the most renowned generals of the Isari Kingdom. A veteran of countless battles and skirmishes, he had earned a reputation for his strategic brilliance and unwavering courage on the battlefield. General Tharion had been instrumental in numerous key victories, and his tactics were studied in military academies across the land. More importantly, he was feared by the Kingdom’s enemies because of his brutality and persistence despite the odds of victory, and his quick thinking to turn bad battles into winning ones.

When Eloken overthrew his uncle and took over the kingdom before the new King was crowned, General Tharion was among the first high-ranking officers to publicly declare his support to Eloken. His endorsement lent immense credibility to Eloken’s cause, rallying many other officers and soldiers to join his side and squash any thought of revolution against Eloken.

Despite his formidable presence, those who knew him best, like his son Drevan, saw the toll that each battle took on him. The aftermath of the war left him scarred, both physically and emotionally. Drevan had witnessed his father's struggle to return to his old self after the horrors of combat, that’s why lately his father was more of an advisor than field general.

Cel listened intently to Drevan's words, understanding the weight behind them. She knew Drevan spoke from experience, the deep scars of war evident in his voice as he recounted his father's struggles. Yet, despite the gravity of his warning, Cel couldn’t shake the feeling that they needed to act, to be a part of this battle.

"I understand what you're saying, Drevan," Cel began, her voice steady but resolute. "War changes people. It takes a toll that we can't fully comprehend until we've lived through it. But that doesn't mean we should stand by and do nothing. I mean hell, we are training to be warriors and…"

"And what?" The battle that could start any day now had left Drevan visibly frustrated, in a way Cel had never seen him before. "We’re training to be—what? We don’t even know. We work with magic, but we’re just beginners at that too. These are warriors, people who have spent their entire lives killing so they wouldn’t be killed. And to make things worse, this will be a naval battle against damn pirates who are born, live, and die on the water. Anything less than a complete massacre will be a success for us," Drevan finished.

The others exchanged glances and no longer wanted to participate in the discussion. They felt like it had become a private debate between Cel and Drevan, and they themselves were no longer sure about persuading Eloken and Echo to let them help in this upcoming war.

Cel noticed that everyone was averting their eyes from her and Drevan, looking down at the ground. She considered for a second whether to continue the debate but decided against it. Drevan had deeper issues with the war than he was talking about, so she decided to discuss it with him privately later.

"Alright," she said. "We'll sit this one out..." Drevan nodded with a slight smile and an expression that said, "Thank you for understanding."

The time between classes was short, so they spent the rest of it chatting about lighter topics, trying to take their minds off the impending battle. As they were about to part ways, Tuk pulled Cel aside.

"I have something to show you when we're alone," he said, his voice tinged with excitement.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I can't talk about it here. Let's meet tonight after classes in the storeroom behind the kitchen. It'll be empty after eight"

"Alright," Cel agreed, having no idea what it could be.

Before heading back to her classes, Cel decided to seek out Eloken and ask him once more if there was any way she could help. She had never been one to sit idly by and watch things happen around her, and that was something she knew would never change.

She reached the top of the Academy where Eloken’s meetings with other prominent figures usually took place. Through the half-open door, she saw Eloken, General Tharion, and Echo standing on the balcony.

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Just as she was about to grab the doorknob, she changed her mind. She decided to sneak onto the balcony from the roof and eavesdrop on their conversation, hoping to gain some information they wouldn’t normally share with her.

Using her powers, Cel easily made her way to the part of the roof above the balcony, where she could hear their conversation without being seen.

"... So, according to all reports, we'll have significantly fewer ships than them, at least thirty five percent less. Considering they're much more experienced on the water, it'll be very difficult to achieve anything. I hope you have an ace up your sleeve," General Tharion was saying just as Cel arrived, catching his words mid-sentence.

"That’s actually the reason I called you," said Eloken. "I do have an ace up my sleeve."

The general eyed him and asked, "What do you mean?"

Cel leaned over the roof to get a better view of the trio. The General wore his Isari uniform, adorned with numerous medals that barely fit on the uniform, if he earned few more there wouldn't be place for them. Eloken wore his distinctive dark green coat over a simple black shirt. He looked as powerful as ever, but the fatigue on his face was evident.

Echo was another story altogether. She wore her new, formidable red and black armor. Ever since they returned from the docks about seven days ago, Echo had barely taken off her new armor, and even when she did, she never parted from her newly acquired sword. Now, the sword hung on her right side, and she held her helmet with antlers in her left hand while listening to the conversation between Eloken and the General.

"Well, look, I had an idea based on a story I heard, and you’ve probably heard it too. And just now, Trotk confirmed to me that it’s absolutely true," Eloken continued.

If he was confused, the General didn't show it on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, considering everyone keeps telling me that we can’t beat Joixari and his pirates on the water, what if we don't fully engage them in battle?" Eloken continued.

The General now looked slightly concerned, but Eloken pressed on before he could say anything. "I won’t be part of the battle at all. I’m going to head to Pyre Crest and try to lure the dragon."

"A dragon?" The General was definitely confused now, glancing between Eloken and Echo for some explanation.

Before Eloken could continue, Echo spoke up. "Our dear Eloken had this idiotic idea, which I hoped would come to nothing. But with Trotk’s confirmation, it seems this might be our best chance."

The General's expression grew serious as he focused entirely on Echo. "In short, Eloken plans to go to Pyre's Crest while we engage Joixari at Moira and lure the dragon to Moira," she explained. "Our task will be to enter the battle with Joixari’s forces, but we shouldn’t go all-in. Instead, we fight just enough to hold their attention until Eloken brings the dragon. When he gives the signal, we will quickly disengage and retreat at full speed to give Eloken and the dragon space to wreak havoc on Joixari’s army."

The General couldn't tell if they were joking or serious. "A dragon," he repeated in a flat voice. "I told myself nothing would surprise me anymore, so I won’t let this surprise me either. But why are you telling me this just a day or two before the battle?"

"Because we weren't sure if the story about the dragon was true..." Eloken replied. "But one of Trotk’s most trusted men has confirmed that he personally saw it. So we are telling you now because it’s our best chance for success and breaking the blockade."

"And you are one of the few people outside our core group whom we fully trust," Echo added. The General nodded coldly, in a manner befitting a seasoned soldier.

"We need you to share this only with those you trust implicitly and can personally vouch for," Eloken continued. "We believe Joixari has spies within our ranks, so for most of the army, it will appear that we are going into full battle. When you relay our seemingly odd half-battle tactics, it won’t seem strange because you are the mastermind of warfare."

The General nodded and started to ask, "And how do you plan to—" At that moment, Cel lost her concentration, slipped, and a clump of moss growing on the roof fell onto the balcony.

The three of them stopped talking, and an absolute silence fell. Cel didn't move.

"Bird," Eloken broke the silence. "We have a problem with the verglarks."

Cel sighed in relief but decided not to eavesdrop any longer and to seek out Eloken after classes. This whole plan seemed absurd, but then again, this was Eloken and his team—if nothing else, they were odd and full of crazy ideas.

Cel couldn’t concentrate during classes all week, and after hearing Eloken's crazy plan, her thoughts were more scattered than ever. A dragon? That’s complete madness, she thought. Over the past week, she had considered thousands of scenarios, but none had gone in this direction.

She decided to lie to her professor and leave class early, claiming that Eloken had requested her presence. The professors knew about their close relationship, knowing that she was his protégé, so they didn’t question her much.

She headed straight to the top of the academy, to Eloken’s unofficial headquarters. The doors were once again not fully closed, and she heard numerous voices coming from inside.

Before she could decide what to do, she heard Eloken’s voice. “Come in, Cel.”

She obeyed, entering and closing the door fully behind her. Inside, the entire team was present. They greeted her with smiles as they casually sipped their drinks.

“How’s the view from the roof?” Echo asked with a slight smile. She wasn’t wearing her armor, but her sword was propped against the wall nearby.

Cel blushed, unsure of what to say, her eyes darting between Eloken and Echo.

“We don’t have a bird problem,” Eloken said, his relaxed expression and body language indicating that she wasn’t in trouble.

“Don’t tease her,” Yaub added. “She’s part of our team.” He approached her, wrapping his huge claws around her and gently pushing her toward the center of the room, where everyone was gathered in a semicircle.

"Alright, how much of the plan do you know?" asked Eloken.

"I know just the beginning, until I knocked over the moss and rock. Then I decided it was smarter to leave," Cel admitted.

"I figured as much," Eloken replied. "Let’s bring you up to speed completely."

Eloken and Echo explained the entire plan to her, with Trokt, Yaub, and Dalamir filling in the parts they were responsible for. The plan wasn't overly complex, and it all hinged on Eloken and the dragon.

"And now you know the whole plan," Eloken said.

"So how can I help?" Cel asked.

"You can't," he answered bluntly. "Your job is to stay here, continue your studies, and become what you’re meant to be. Only then can you truly help."

"But—" Cel began, but Echo cut her off swiftly.

"No buts," Echo said firmly. "By telling you this, we’re showing you that we trust you. Eavesdropping wasn’t the right thing to do, but we’ll let it slide because we know your intentions were good. Now you need to trust us when we say it’s best if you sit this one out."

Cel looked at Echo, then nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll sit this one out."

"And now, we will fully integrate you into our group," said Dalamir. "Do you prefer wine, beer, or something stronger?"

"Isn't she a bit too young to drink?" asked Yaub.

"I am not," Cel quickly replied. "Give me a glass of wine."

Dalamir poured her a half glass of greenish wine. Cel accepted the glass, and then everyone raised their drinks for the group’s toast.

"To a brighter future, to moments yet to unfold. Remember the past, but don't let it chain you, Salut!”

"Before every major battle or mission, we would sit together the night before as if it were our last evening," said Eloken.

"And we would reminisce about the moments we’ve shared, both good and bad," added Echo. "Then, we would make plans for the future, ensuring we give our all to survive."

Cel sat with them for a long time, listening to stories from their youth—how they met, and how they went through various adventures as children, much younger than she was now. She sipped the surprisingly strong greenish wine while they talked. Suddenly, she remembered that Tuk had asked her to meet him in the kitchen.

Before they finished making plans for the future, Cel excused herself, saying she felt tired and needed to go to her room. She didn’t mention anything about Tuk.

Before she left, Cel shook hands with everyone and hugged Eloken, Echo and Yaub.

"Come back in one piece," she said to all of them.

"We will," they all replied in unison, smiling and tilting their glasses slightly.