The small, secluded room was quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of pages turning as Tessa flicked through an old, tattered journal she'd found in the Academy's library. The others gathered around the table, the weight of the events earlier in the courtyard pressing heavily on them.
Logan leaned back in his chair, grinning mischievously. "So, what do we think? North Tower?"
Mason, who had been absent for most of the day, leaned forward, eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You mean the tower everyone's been whispering about? The one with the 'do not enter' signs?"
"That's the one," Logan said, his voice laced with excitement. "It's the perfect spot for our little expedition. We could uncover all sorts of interesting things. Get a jump on the next attack, maybe."
Lilliana crossed her arms, her expression guarded. "I don't know. The professors said to stay away from there. Something's definitely off about the whole situation."
Tessa hesitated, glancing at her friends. "But they're keeping secrets. There's something they're not telling us, and we're not going to find out just sitting around. We need to get to the bottom of this."
Mason smirked, stretching his arms behind his head. "Oh, I'm in. The suspense is killing me. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
Logan's eyes gleamed as he leaned in. "Exactly. It's just a little adventure. We'll sneak in, do some exploring, and get back before anyone notices."
Caleb, who had been quiet in the corner, shook his head. "This is a bad idea," he said, his voice low and serious. "We shouldn't be messing around in restricted areas. Whatever's going on, we're not supposed to know yet. It's dangerous."
Logan raised an eyebrow, his usual playful tone turning teasing. "Come on, Caleb. Don't be such a buzz kill. It'll be fun! We'll sneak in, explore, and if we get caught, we'll just tell them we were doing our part in solving the mystery."
Caleb stood up, walking over to the window. He stared out for a moment, his face hardening. "This isn't a game, Logan. You don't know what's really out there."
Mason chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Aw, come on, Caleb. You're always the responsible one. Just for once, break the rules. Who knows? You might even enjoy it."
There was a tense pause before Caleb turned away from the window, his expression unreadable. "I'm not going."
Lilliana sighed, her voice soft but firm. "We'll be fine. If something happens, we'll handle it. You don't have to come, but I'm going."
Caleb just looked at them for a moment, his jaw clenched. "Fine," he muttered, but his tone was sharp. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."
The North Tower loomed tall in the distance, its dark, jagged silhouette cutting through the night sky. The students crept through the corridors, avoiding the watchful eyes of the professors and the magical wards set up around the building.
As they reached the base of the tower, the air seemed to grow colder, the shadows thickening. Logan's voice was a whisper in the dark. "This is it, guys. We go up, take a look around, and get out. Easy."
The group made their way inside, carefully stepping over old, creaky floors and narrow staircases that wound upward. The further they went, the more unsettled they became.
Mason glanced around, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You guys feel that? Like the air is charged with something?"
Tessa nodded, her eyes wide. "I don't like this."
Lilliana was already moving ahead, her curiosity getting the best of her. "We're almost there. Just a little further."
And then it happened.
A sudden shriek echoed through the tower, causing them all to freeze in place. A creature—massive, with glowing red eyes and scales like blackened iron—burst from the shadows, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision.
Logan acted first, diving forward to protect Tessa, while Lilliana and Mason quickly drew their weapons. They fought with speed, but the creature was stronger than they had anticipated, its relentless attacks forcing them back.
"Get back!" Lilliana shouted, trying to push them away, but the creature's growls only grew louder.
Mason barely dodged a swipe that would've torn him in half, his heart racing with the thrill of the fight. "I can't believe I'm saying this… but we need to get out of here."
Just as the creature lunged toward them, its claws gleaming in the dim light, Caleb appeared in the doorway. His eyes glinted with anger, his hands raised in an instant as the energy around him crackled.
"Enough!"
In a single motion, Caleb threw himself into the fray, creating a barrier of light that pushed the creature back, momentarily disorienting it. The creature screeched and stumbled, and Caleb's magic lashed out again, wrapping around it, binding it in place.
It wasn't long before the creature was subdued, collapsing to the ground, defeated.
The group stood in stunned silence, catching their breath. Caleb lowered his hands, his expression unreadable as he surveyed the scene.
Logan was the first to break the silence. "That… was amazing," he said, his voice full of awe.
Mason grinned, clapping Caleb on the shoulder. "Okay, okay. You saved our butts. I'll give you credit where it's due. You're a hero now, Hayes."
Lilliana shot Caleb a thankful look. "You didn't have to come, but I'm glad you did."
Caleb's gaze flickered over them all, but there was no time for more words. The sound of footsteps approaching quickly signaled the arrival of the professors.
"Run!" Logan hissed, turning to bolt for the door.
They dashed back down the tower, trying to keep quiet, but the sound of heavy boots behind them told them they weren't going to make it unnoticed.
Freya and Rourke stood in the hallway when they burst out of the North Tower, their faces thunderous.
"What were you thinking?" Rourke's voice was low, a dangerous edge to it. "Do you realize the risks you've taken? The North Tower is off-limits for a reason!"
Caleb stepped forward, his voice cold as ice. "It's my fault. I warned them."
Freya shot him a sharp look, her anger evident. "This is exactly why we need to keep better control of you, Caleb. You can't just run off and be a hero whenever you feel like it."
The others stood quietly, taking the reprimand as it came. They all knew the consequences, but it didn't change the fact that they had ventured into dangerous territory—and Caleb had saved them.
"You're all lucky to be alive," Freya added, her gaze lingering on each of them. "I expect you all to report to the Headmaster tomorrow morning. We will discuss the consequences of this behavior."
As the professors turned to leave, Caleb glanced at his friends. Despite the tension in the air, a slight smirk tugged at his lips. He'd just saved them all—and, for the first time, they'd seen a side of him they hadn't fully understood until now.
As Caleb tried to distance himself from the conversation, the weight of being in the spotlight still lingered heavily on his shoulders. He was still processing everything—the attention, the newfound status, and the constant questioning from his peers. Just as he was about to step away from the conversation, trying to retreat into his usual silence, a figure approached him from behind.
The soft sound of footsteps alerted Caleb to her presence just before she spoke.
"Hey," a soft, hesitant voice said.
Caleb turned to find a girl standing there, her expression unsure but curious. She was around his age, with soft, dark curls that framed her face and sharp, inquisitive eyes. She was wearing the academy uniform, but her demeanor wasn't quite as rigid as the other students. It was clear she wasn't just another face in the crowd.
For a moment, Caleb's first instinct was to ignore her, to pretend she wasn't there. He didn't want any more attention, especially from someone who seemed to have heard about what happened at the North Tower.
But she stood there, clearly waiting for him to acknowledge her. Her eyes flickered between him and the others, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. She was new—he could tell from the uncertainty in her gaze.
"Caleb Hayes, right?" she asked cautiously, her voice gentle but direct.
Caleb blinked, slightly thrown off by the approach. He wasn't used to being approached like this, not by someone who didn't seem like they were trying to be part of the crowd or the hero-worshipping. His eyes narrowed slightly as he gave a short nod. "Yeah, that's me."
"I'm Elena," she said, introducing herself with a hint of nerves. "I… um, I just wanted to say… well, thanks. For what you did. I saw everything, and it was… I mean, you saved everyone."
Caleb could feel the heat of everyone's gaze suddenly shift to him. He wanted to tell her it wasn't a big deal, that anyone would've done it, but the words felt hollow. He wasn't sure he could explain why he acted the way he did without sounding like he was making excuses. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, she continued.
"I don't know if anyone's said it to you yet, but... you're a hero." Elena's voice was a little more confident now, like she was testing the waters of what she could say next.
The words hit Caleb in a way he didn't expect. He almost felt uncomfortable being the center of it all, especially from someone who seemed to have genuine admiration.
"Well, I didn't do it for any of that," Caleb muttered, shrugging uncomfortably. "Just… did what needed to be done."
Elena smiled softly, and for a moment, Caleb almost saw a flicker of recognition in her eyes, as if she understood something he wasn't saying.
"I get that," she said quietly. "But still... people notice."
Caleb gave her a quiet nod, wanting the conversation to end. He wasn't one for compliments, especially from strangers, but before he could excuse himself, Elena stepped a little closer, her gaze dropping to the ground for a brief second before looking back up.
"Actually," she said, her voice quieter now, "I heard something else. About you. There's... some talk that you've been avoiding your abilities, keeping them hidden."
The casual mention of his secret abilities made Caleb stiffen. He could feel the weight of the question pressing on him, the unspoken challenge in her words. He didn't know how to answer, especially with Mason, Tessa, and Logan watching.
Before he could say anything, Elena glanced quickly at the others around him, seeming to realize the awkwardness of the situation. She hesitated, then added, "Anyway, just... wanted to say thanks again."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Caleb standing there, his mind racing.
"Good job, Caleb," Mason said, voice dripping with teasing amusement as he watched Elena walk off. "You've got people all worked up now."
Caleb shot him a glare, but the discomfort he felt was palpable. He didn't want to be seen as a hero—he was just trying to get through the day without anyone making a fuss.
Tessa, ever perceptive, caught the shift in Caleb's demeanor. "What did she say?" she asked, her tone light but curious.
"Nothing important," Caleb muttered, feeling the weight of the interaction more than he let on. "She just thanked me for... well, saving everyone."
Logan raised an eyebrow. "You're really going to downplay it like that? Hero status is serious business around here."
Before Caleb could respond, a loud voice echoed down the hallway, cutting through the tension.
"Attack! All students to the courtyard immediately!"
The urgency in the announcement sent the group into action, the casual atmosphere immediately replaced by a rush of adrenaline. Caleb barely had time to process the words before everyone was moving, heading toward the courtyard.