Prologue
Long before Lila Harper's name was whispered in the halls of Arcanwyn Academy, before the magic began to stir once more, there were tales—tales of creatures bound by ancient powers, of bloodlines destined for greatness or destruction, and of a school hidden deep within a forest that lived and breathed in the shadows of time.
The world had forgotten these stories. The gates of Arcanwyn had been locked, its secrets buried beneath layers of history and magic. But nothing is ever truly forgotten.
Now, something is waking, something that will call forth those who are chosen by fate—whether they wish it or not.
Chapter One: The Glowing Path
Lila Harper never believed in magic.
At least, not until the day the creature appeared.
It was a quiet afternoon when it first happened. The sun had already begun to sink beneath the horizon, casting a golden hue over the small town of Brindlewood. Lila had been walking home from her last class of the day, her boots crunching the fallen leaves as she made her way down the narrow trail that wound through the forest near her house.
The forest had always intrigued her. It wasn't vast, nor was it especially wild, but it had a strange aura that made her feel like it was hiding something—something ancient. Lila had spent many afternoons there, lost in her thoughts or sketching the trees in her notebook. It was her place of quiet.
But today, something was different.
The moment she stepped into the woods, she felt it, a shift in the air, a hum that was almost imperceptible. It was as though the forest itself had awakened. The wind had ceased, the birds had gone silent, and the only sound that remained was the faint rustling of leaves under her feet.
Lila paused, tilting her head slightly as she scanned the trees around her. The shadows had grown longer, and the forest now seemed almost alive—alive in a way that made her skin prickle with unease.
And then, it appeared.
A glowing figure flitted between the trees, its wings shimmering like liquid light. It was small, delicate, yet its presence seemed to command the entire forest. For a moment, Lila thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but the creature moved again, its wings catching the last rays of the sun as it darted through the trees.
Lila's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't help herself she stepped forward, her curiosity overpowering any sense of caution.
The creature led her deeper into the forest, its wings beating softly like the flutter of a distant bird. It never turned to look at her, but somehow, Lila knew it wanted her to follow. There was something magnetic about it, something that made her feet move of their own accord, as though the creature had woven some spell over her.
As she ventured deeper into the woods, the trees grew taller, their gnarled branches twisting into shapes that seemed unnatural. The air became thick with the scent of moss and earth, and the ground beneath her feet was soft and spongy, like walking on the surface of a living thing.
The creature paused at the base of a great, ancient oak tree. Its trunk was wide and twisted, covered in thick vines that pulsed with an ethereal glow. The creature hovered in front of the tree, its wings beating gently, as though waiting for Lila to approach.
"Come closer," a voice whispered, though no one had spoken aloud. The words echoed in her mind, soft and insistent.
Lila froze, her heart pounding in her chest. The voice wasn't hers, yet it sounded familiar, comforting, even. She hesitated for a moment, then took a tentative step forward, her legs trembling.
As she reached the tree, the glowing creature flew upwards, disappearing into the thick branches above. And that's when she saw it.
Carved into the bark of the ancient oak was a door small and delicate, almost invisible, hidden among the shadows of the tree. It was framed in silver, and strange symbols were etched into the wood, swirling around the edges. The door seemed to pulse with an energy she could feel deep in her bones.
Lila reached out, her fingers grazing the door. The moment her skin made contact, a surge of magic coursed through her, sending a wave of warmth flooding her veins. Her heart raced, her breath catching in her throat.
She stepped back, her mind spinning. What was happening? Magic. It had to be magic. But how? Why her?
Before she could question herself further, the door creaked open, revealing a swirling, glowing mist beyond. It beckoned her, calling her into the unknown.
With a final glance back toward the path she had come from, Lila stepped forward.
The moment she crossed the threshold, everything changed.