By the time I got back to the House Anu dorm common area, the sky outside had faded into deeper hues of orange and navy. Most of my classmates had taken the day off to relax, catch up on sleep or to go hang out down by the beach. Some, like Mel and Zenobia, went to go train more in the combat gym. I admired their determination.
The bonding moment we had at the bonfire from the day before still lingered in my mind. The bonding we had as a group was touching, and I could really feel the class becoming a powerful unified unit. We knew each other’s story and past grudges or initial judgments were subsiding. Unfortunately, after the intruder, I realized the truth. They were all in danger with me around.
— Whoever the spy is, they have to be the ones who sent the guardian to the first floor. And that means they are after me. That note from yesterday it was for me. They are after me! Those bastards are going to keep coming and coming because they are after me! Someone wants me dead or out of the picture, and they aren’t above killing kids to get that done. But that ends. I clenched my fists as I pushed open the door to the dorm.
—‘What are we going to do?’ Fern asked.
—We are going to move fast. Find this guy first. He’s the immediate threat.
—‘But, there is so much to do,’ Fern said.
—I know!
I was growing impatient. The spy was deliberately trying to get me and those around me killed. Then, there’s the whole get stronger while learning about the Twin-Souls power issue. Next, Noah could be lost for good. I pleaded with whatever gods that rule this world would keep his soul is still in control. I had to reunite with him. Make things right and fix us both.
I couldn’t forget the damned cursed sword, either. Its unknown consequences were driving me slightly mad.
It was all becoming overwhelming. Too much for me to handle, but I had no choice. That was life sometimes. It all piles on and on then, you feel as if you will collapse. I had to breathe. Inhale and Exhale. One thing at a time. However angry or stressed I get, I had to keep going. I had to move.
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Inside the dorm, the mood was more mellow. A few upperclassmen were sprawled on couches or leaning against the walls, flipping through textbooks or dozing with half-lidded eyes. Ol’ Mumm was slouched over in her large recliner that sat in a corner, just the right distance between the kitchen and the window overlooking the Eastern Sea. Everyone was enjoying the day’s quietness. No one knew what lurked around them.
—We successfully got Hopsander to agree to help us. Now we need some friends to let in on this whole thing.
—‘Yeah, remind me why did the Captain agree so quickly?’
—Who knows, maybe he has his own plans? Maybe he sees the opportunity of having a strong Twin-Soul on his side? Maybe he is more sinister than we believe and we will regret this. Either way, we take that risk. I need to jumpstart our growth now. I can’t wait through four years oh training. We already see how we can move faster, hit harder and grow faster than the others. Hell, who knows if the spy will even give us one year to grow more? They have already tried to kill us by sending the Guardian.
—‘We don’t know for sure it was them that sent the guardian.’
—Oh, who else could it be, Fern? Right now I am sticking with the Spy sent the Guardian. Not just in the Trial, but before we even came to Ash. Someone doesn’t want me here. Anyway, the point is we need more allies. Starting with those two. I nodded towards Silas and Ruriel.
They sat near a small round table tucked in a corner. Silas had his mechanical arm detached at the elbow, tinkering with some intricate mechanism inside it. He was comparing it to Ruriel’s grapple gauntlet. Ruriel laid back on his chair, upside down. His purple ponytail grazed the hardwood floor. He was skimming through the red thin booklet of blood infusions. Both looked up as I approached.
—‘They’re going to think you’ve lost it if you tell them everything,’ Fern said, his voice a low whisper inside my head.
—Maybe, but when I was their age, when I was your age, I always wanted someone to be upfront and honest with me. I could smell when someone was lying or not telling me the full truth because I was too young to understand. I thought.
What’s the actual risk here? Will they think I am crazy? Ok, let’s assume that. But either way, an opportunity to access the restricted archives is sure to wet both of their appetites. I’ve seen how they hunger for more knowledge in class.
—‘Let’s give it a shot then, I guess,’ Fern said.
“Erik,” Silas said quietly, sliding a small wrench into his belt. “You look… determined. What’s going on?”
Ruriel’s gaze flicked behind me, then back, as if checking for eavesdroppers. “Something’s up. Spill it.”
I flashed a confident grin at them. “It’s time I’ve been honest with you boys. Come with me.”
The two looked at each other and shrugged. They gathered their things and followed me up to our dorm room.
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Our large, round dorm room was empty and silent. Tevin and Lucius were out—maybe fetching more food or relaxing with the other recruits somewhere—leaving just the three of us here. Adrenaline and exhaustion pressed at my skull. I felt the pressure of time on my back. I needed to do this now.
I guided Ruriel and Silas to a broad wooden table near the room’s center, and we all sat. They watched me expectantly, Ruriel leaning back with arms folded and Silas adjusting his mechanical arm, the faint whir of gears breaking the hush.
I took a deep breath. “I’m going to tell you everything,” I whispered.
Then, I spilled it all. About Noah, my brother, how I came from another world called Earth and ended up in Fern’s body. I told them about the Twin-Soul condition, how I share this body with Fern, and the double abilities it gives me—sharper senses, greater speed, and strength beyond a normal Voidblood. I explained my alliance with Hopsander, the spy Lotrick mentioned, and my desperate quest to find the truth hidden in the restricted archives beneath the library. I confessed my fears, my confusion, and my burning need to reach Noah. I left nothing out.
They listened without interrupting. Their eyes widened at mentions of Earth and the Twin-Soul, narrowed thoughtfully when I detailed the spy and softened when I admitted my vulnerabilities and the burden of being trapped in another’s life. When I finally stopped talking, the silence was profound, ringing in my ears.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“So,” I said at last, voice quieter than before, “will you come with me? I need your help—more hands and eyes as we search the archives.” I hesitated, then added, “I’m not asking for nothing. If you help me reach my brother… I swear I’ll do whatever I can for you in return. I’ll owe you, big time. Anything you want—”
Ruriel and Silas exchanged a glance. Their expressions were unreadable for a heartbeat. Then Silas scratched his chin, and a grin tugged at his lips.
“Wait… is that why you sometimes just zone out like a statue?” he said, leaning forward. “You’re chatting with Fern in your head? I used to think you were daydreaming about bread or something.”
Ruriel’s eyes widened mock-dramatically. “And when you ask those weirdly basic questions, like the major cities, or when you were confused about the Pillar, it’s because you really know nothing about this world?” He barked out a laugh, slapping the table. “No wonder you seemed clueless half the time!”
Silas burst into laughter too, his mechanical arm thumping against the wood. “It all makes sense now! We thought you were sheltered or something, but you’re actually a lost traveler from another world! Burn me alive, that’s hysterical.”
Heat rose to my cheeks, part embarrassment, part relief. I’d worried they’d reject me or freak out, but their laughter was warm, and accepting, like we’d just shared a funny story rather than a life-altering secret.
As their laughter died, Silas wiped at his eyes, still smiling. “Erik, you colossal idiot. You don’t have to bribe us with favors to get our help.” He flexed his metal fingers. “We’re friends, remember? You helped us through the worst day of our lives in that trial. You guided us when we were clueless. You showed trust and kindness, and we’ve bled and laughed together. We do what friends do—we help each other. No matter what age! You could be an old grandpa and I’d still help ya out.”
Ruriel nodded, serious now. “If you go astray—if you turn into some power-hungry maniac or forget the morals that brought you and us here—then, sure, we’d stop you. But as you stand now? You’re one of us. We don’t want payment or contracts. Just… trust.”
I felt a weight lift off my chest I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying. Fern stirred inside me, equally relieved.
“Thank you,” I said, voice thick. “I won’t forget this.”
Silas reached across the table, offering a fist. Ruriel mirrored him, and I bumped both their fists. A silent pact of friendship.
“Alright,” Silas said, rolling his shoulders. “So… secret archives at midnight, right? Sounds like a ridiculous plan, but we’ve handled worse.”
Ruriel smirked. “Let’s break some rules, find some truth, and keep each other alive while we’re at it.”
I grinned, heart lighter. “Midnight, then.”
At that moment, amid the dim lamplight and lingering laughter, as I did with Hopsander, I felt less alone. Fern and I were not alone.
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I slipped through the darkened halls an hour before midnight, each step feeling too loud against the stone floor. I had spent the rest of the day resting up and had left Ruriel and Silas behind while I went ahead. The Academy had settled into a tense, restless quiet; no laughter drifted through corridors, no casual voices. I passed a few closed doors and silent classrooms until I reached the meeting spot Hopsander had described—an alcove tucked behind the east wing of the library.
Two shapes emerged from the gloom as I drew closer. Silas and Ruriel, were both dressed in dark clothes that wouldn’t draw attention. Silas carried a small pack slung over one shoulder, likely filled with his mechanical tools, while Ruriel had a thin blade sheathed at his belt. I had told them to be prepared for anything. With a spy lurking about, he could strike anywhere. They greeted me with nods rather than words. No one wanted to risk extra noise.
—‘They’re nervous, and so are you,’ Fern said softly in my mind.
—We’d be fools not to be. If we’re caught down there, it could end everything. But you’re right, I have to calm them. I gave my friends a nod back and held out my fist. They looked at each other, and then they smiled and bumped my fist. Simple enough I guess. I chuckled to myself.
A murmur of movement drifted from the corner ahead. Hopsander stepped into the faint moonlight, arms folded. He had his signature rope dart tied to his belt. His large frog-like toros were so wide the buttons on his uniform were slightly stretched. He gave a curt nod and handed me a small rune-carved key. Up close, I could see the tension in his eyes. He might have been calm at his desk earlier, but now he looked like a man about to step onto a battlefield.
“Behind this tapestry,” he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath, “there’s a hidden latch. Use the key on the third door you find below. Move fast, don’t linger. Most of the staff don’t come here at night. If they do, I won’t vouch for you. You will most likely be brought to a trial. The information here is strictly regarded as secret. Information taken from not only all of Stylos, but across the globe throughout Cinder expeditions. I’ll keep Mrs. Brindle occupied. You have about an hour, maybe less.”
I gripped the key. “Thank you, Professor.”
His gaze traveled over the three of us. “If anyone asks, I never saw you tonight. Our alliance is still new, but I won’t hesitate to end it…lad.” Then he slipped away. His demeanor was different. Almost like he had fully grasped that he wasn’t talking to a kid. But he knew that already. Maybe it became more clear when I approached him earlier today.
Silas turned to the old tapestry that hung over a portion of the library’s side wall. It depicted a familiar scene. The same man from the painting I saw in the hallway before. An old man with a black beard, wearing a white robe with green leaves on his shoulders. He was giving some sort of speech to a bunch of…animals? I shook my head and helped Silas open the corner of the tapestry. Its edges were frayed from time. We lifted it carefully, revealing a rough wooden panel with a faint seam down the middle. By the light of a tiny glowstone fitted into his mechanical arm, Silas found a small slot that fit Hopsander’s key.
With a quiet click, the panel swung inward, releasing a stale draft of air from below. We slipped through, replacing the tapestry and closing the hatch behind us.
I took point, tiptoeing down the narrow steps. Silas was behind me, lighting up the stairs with his arm. The staircase spiraled downward into the earth beneath the library; the walls lit only by the faint blue glow Silas’s device provided. The surrounding stone was dry and smelled of burnt charcoal.
—‘This place feels ancient,’ Fern said, his voice subdued.
—Let’s hope we find something that helps, not just more mystery.
At the bottom of the stairs, we reached a heavy wooden door etched with runes. I recognized one of them for the term ‘Door’. The rest of the runes I couldn’t recall from our short week of lessons. I pushed open the door, and the dry smell of paper and dust assaulted us. Dim lanterns lit the room, presumably powered by the Pillar of some sort of energy source. Scrolls and books filled the shelves from ground to ceiling. The large cavern-like archive had 15-foot tall ceilings, there were several staircases on wheels for people to reach higher shelved books. On the side of each bookcase was the name of the section.
Silas adjusted a dial on his arm, dimming the light to a soft glow. We crept between rows of ancient texts and came to a large crossway between four sections of the Restricted Archives. I scanned the surrounding genres. Fiction Tales, Academy Record Keeping, History, and Academic Research. “Look for anything about Guardians, Twin-Souls, or something referencing a kingdom above, then bring it to me,” I murmured to Silas and pointed him down the history section. “Ruriel, look for research from Professor Pestil’s department and his predecessors. Look for anything on Twin-Souls and then bring it to me. We will read them back at the dorm. The point is to grab and go.” I pointed him to the research section. I walked down into the Academy Record-Keeping area.
We were spread out, but through the gaps in the bookshelves, I could keep my eyes on my two friends. Ruriel found a cluster of scrolls, labeled in scientific jargon, that said “Celestial Wardens and the practicality of Whole Body Infusion.” As well as a report directly written by Professor Pestil labeled, “Encounters with Twin-Souls Through the Years.” He handed them to me. Silas discovered a heavy codex titled “The Kingdom Above: Fragments of a Lost Age.”. They both went back to their sections to continue looking. My pack was already half full with the items. I made a mental promise to return the books after I looked through them. I pocketed the most recent 5 years of hiring and firings and assignments for staff to the academy. I pulled records of materials and schedules of shipments that have left the academy. Written everywhere I saw notes saying “do not ship Pillardust”.
After sometime, I packed what I could find and returned to the center of the room. Ruriel and Silas joined me.
“Anything useful in all of this?” Ruriel asked as I pulled out the first scroll he had given me. I swallowed, heart pounding, as I turned brittle pages and read snippets by the faint light.
What I found fit together like jagged puzzle pieces:
Guardians were once human—individuals who had taken on a “mantle”, linking them to a significant power source in the Pillar’s upper reaches. They enforced isolation, ensuring no one climbed too high without a worthy cause. They served The Kingdom Above, some civilization that may or may not still exist high above the surface, past the clouds and on the atmosphere's outer reaches. It had been sealed away after some grand schism. The Guardians prevented anyone from bridging that gap. Cinder’s in the past have been able to do so, though. Some in the previous fifty years have even established contact with The Kingdom Above. But the notes about those contacts were blacked out.
—What kind of secret archive has concealed papers? I thought.
Then, in a different scroll, I found references to Twin-Souls. Rare, dangerous anomalies created through a combined effort of high-level mages. Each country has tried to make their own, for impossibly potent weapons of war. The two souls fought for dominance, which almost always destroyed the Twin-Soul. But if they balanced, they could unlock immense potential. Beyond the power of two beings. Two souls with infinite possibilities combined to be two infinite things at once. It was all confusing hearsay and jargon written in either too scientific language for me to grasp, or very flowery language written as myth. Something about rituals, about surpassing mortal limits. I thought of Noah, maybe fighting that battle within himself even now, after all these years.
—‘This is bigger than we thought,’ Fern said, voice hushed. I almost pictured him scratching his head in the corner of my eyes.
—I know. The Guardians are sentient, like we thought. They aren’t just mindless creatures they are people of The Kingdom Above, sent to be their guard dogs. And how did the Spy convince one to help him?
I shared the snippets with Silas and Ruriel. Their faces grew grim, understanding the gravity. Someone had tampered with the system. The threat of the spy grew grander. They were more than just eyes and ears for the Royals. They were actively working against the Cinders.
Just as we prepared to leave, a soft scuff echoed from the stairwell behind us.
We froze.
—‘We’re not alone,’ Fern warned.
I raised the cursed sword slowly, its runes beat with my heartbeat. It flickered in the warm lantern light. Silas and Ruriel tensed at my sides. I heard a quiet whiz of gears as Silas’ short blade slid out from his palm. Ruriel pulled out two small knives and stepped into a crouched stance. The door we’d come through creaked, and a slender silhouette slipped in, cloaked in shadow. It was tall, and its head had glowing red eyes and a white mask. A long neck stretched up to the 15-foot ceiling. Two long hands stood at its side, long claws grew, two, no, three feet long.
“We have company,” I hissed under my breath.
No one should have known we were here. Yet someone had followed. Are we betrayed so quickly? Or was the Spy two steps ahead?
We braced ourselves, caught in the secret heart of the Academy’s buried truths. Then, the tall masked blood-infused stepped towards us.