Episode 54: Ashes and Embers
The skies had begun to settle.
What remained of the demonic storm faded into the horizon like a terrible nightmare slowly drifting from memory. The ground still held the scars of battle, and so did the hearts of Kael and his team. The war may have paused, but the healing had only just begun.
The halls of Shadowbound High reopened, though part of the east wing was still cracked from an ancient magic blast. Students wandered with lowered voices, reverent eyes, as if something sacred had happened there. And it had.
Kael sat quietly by the school's magical pond, its waters glowing faintly in the evening sun. His hands were dipped beneath the surface. It wasn't about cleansing—it was about grounding. The golden aura around him had faded slightly, though sometimes it flickered back without warning, reminding everyone that a god now lived in a boy's body.
Behind him, Lana approached. Quiet footsteps. No words.
She sat beside him, not saying anything for a long while. The silence between them was no longer awkward—it was needed. She finally reached for his hand beneath the water, and he let her.
"Does it hurt?" she asked.
"The power?" Kael looked at her, his eyes glowing faintly. "No. The loneliness does."
Lana's fingers laced with his. "You're not alone. Not while I'm here."
---
Meanwhile, Tunde limped his way through the hallway, balancing two boxes of bandages and enchanted herbs.
"Why am I always the one carrying this stuff?" he grumbled.
Rhea chuckled, leaning against the doorframe of the infirmary. "Because you keep saying you're 'the strongest guy in the group'—you kinda signed up for this, champ."
He gave her a sly smile. "And here I was thinking you'd come patch me up with soft hands and even softer kisses."
Rhea rolled her eyes, but a blush betrayed her. "Keep dreaming, Tunde."
"Oh, I will. Every nap, every night."
They shared a laugh. It was brief, but in it, the tension melted. Even after the terror, they were still them.
---
But not all was quiet.
That night, something crept into the realm unnoticed—a shard of corruption that had not been destroyed with the Gate of Pythros. It slithered like black smoke, entering through the school's basement tunnels, undetected by even the most sensitive wards.
Felix was the first to sense it.
He woke in his dorm with a violent shiver, clutching his grandmother's relic that pulsed dangerously in his palm.
"Something's wrong," he whispered. "Something's still here."
---
The next morning, students woke to a strange fog over the school courtyard. Magical lights flickered, struggling to stay lit. Teachers murmured spells that fizzled or gave odd effects. Lana tried summoning a healing rune, only for it to spark and vanish.
"Why is everything fading?" she asked, fear creeping in.
Kael stepped outside, eyes narrowing. "Because this isn't just fog. It's feeding."
He touched the air—and drew his hand back instantly. "It's draining magic."
---
Heartbeats and Courage
The team gathered once more, stepping toward the source below the school. Tunde and Rhea held hands tightly. Felix led the way, the relic glowing brighter.
When they reached the bottom floor, they saw it: a jagged crack in the wall, seeping with dark mist. A swirling shard pulsed inside like a heartbeat.
"It's a leftover fragment," Rhea gasped. "From the Primorati…"
Kael stepped forward. "Let's destroy it—together."
But as they raised their hands, the shard spoke.
"Destroy me, and you destroy what's left of the magic that protects this school."
They froze.
"If you are truly gods and guardians… make the choice."