RHEIN'S POINT OF VIEW
Saturday was a whirlwind. The campus buzzed with life—students draped banners, painted backdrops, and carried crates of food. Everywhere smelled of paint and flour and magic sparking in the air.
I threw myself into work too, weaving enchantments and strengthening the barrier that shielded the academy. Sweat dampened my temples, but I pushed harder. To avoid evil outsiders breaking in, this barrier would matter more than any banner.
Sunday morning, Principal Oak summoned me, Dylan, and Justin to Mnarr Palace.
We teleported and as we arrived, Sister Rona and Natre were waiting. She led us through the palace gates, her expression grim.
What I saw inside stole the air from my lungs.
The training grounds stretched wide, filled with warriors. Knights in gleaming armor clashed swords. Mercenaries from distant towns drilled in small units. Tribal fighters painted in vivid colors sparred with brutal precision. Everywhere I looked, strength was gathering like a storm.
"Rhein, I think I have an idea what's happening," Forelody said, fear evident in her voice.
My hands clenched at my sides.
"You've been called here for a reason," Sister Rona said, her voice cutting through the clang of weapons. "A war brews on the horizon. The academy must be ready—not only for its own protection, but to fight alongside these warriors."
My chest tightened. We are just students.
I glanced at Dylan. His jaw was set, unreadable. Justin, hands in his pockets, said nothing, but his eyes burned with something dark.
As for me, I couldn't shake the feeling of a heavy shadow creeping closer.
The assembly room of Mnarr Palace felt so heavy. Together with the King and Queen, the elders, generals, and the leaders of towns and tribes, we gathered for a council of war. The air was thick with the scent of incense and iron—the mingling of holy preparation and sharpened weapons. I sat near Dylan and Justin, though my eyes strayed often to Audrey.
She sat rigid, her hands clasped tightly on her lap, shoulders stiff beneath the weight of the stares boring into her. The glares from the elders and chieftains were sharp as daggers, and though she kept her chin raised, I could see the unease in her eyes. It struck me how alone she looked, despite sitting in a hall full of people.
The meeting began, voices clashing like swords as leaders debated strategies, fortifications, and alliances. And then Justin stood. Calm, collected, his words struck like an arrow cutting through the noise.
"The Deorcanen Clan," he said, his voice steady, "is preparing for war. Their movements are no longer in whispers. They are gathering weapons. Training. Waiting."
A shiver ran down my spine.
Maybe this was why Justin had refused to share his updates with me before. Maybe, to him, it didn't matter if I knew. After all, what could I possibly do with such knowledge? To him, perhaps I was better off in the dark.
When the meeting finally adjourned, my head spun with the weight of what I'd heard. The grand hall emptied into hushed whispers and hurried footsteps, but I could barely feel my legs as I followed Sister to her quarters.
She had prepared snacks for us—her way of softening the edges of heavy days. Forelody immediately took an apple, as she always did, crunching noisily while Natre nibbled at pastries. Their chatter filled the air, but Sister caught my gaze and gestured silently.
We slipped onto the balcony, the late afternoon sun painting the sky in shades of amber. Below us, the yard stretched wide, filled with warriors in motion. Swords clashed, shields locked, and the rhythmic thud of boots on earth carried the beat of a looming war.
Sister's voice broke the silence. "Like me, you are a princess of Mnarra."
I stiffened.
Her eyes were sharp, unwavering, as they met mine. "That carries weight. As one of the royals, you must be a shield that holds our world together when fear threatens to tear it apart. If barriers fall, if morale breaks, it will be your strength the others look to."
Her words pressed on me heavier than any crown. My chest tightened, my throat locked. I wanted to tell her I wasn't ready, that I didn't even know what being a shield truly meant—but no sound came out.
She laid a hand on my shoulder, firm yet gentle. "Rhein, we are running out of time. I am not asking you to be ready someday. I am telling you to be ready now."
The training yard roared with another clash of steel, echoing her words in my chest.
I stood there, silent, as the truth wrapped itself around me like invisible chains.
I wasn't just part of this fight anymore. I was being called to stand at its center.
When we returned to the academy, the sense of urgency followed us like a shadow.
Principal Oak wasted no time—before the dust of our arrival had even settled, she summoned the teachers to his office for a closed-door meeting. I caught only fragments of their voices as I passed by the corridor: talk of safety measures, contingency plans, and the possibility of evacuation drills.
Meanwhile, Dylan, as tireless as ever, called for an emergency assembly in the Student Council office. The officers crowded the room, their faces tense with expectation. Dylan stood at the center, his expression calm but his eyes sharp with resolve. He relayed to them everything that had been discussed in Mnarr Palace—the Deorcanen Clan's movements, the warning of war, and the call to prepare.
Yet, despite the grim air, one decision remained firm: the acquaintance party would still push through the next day. Not recklessly, but with heightened caution. Guards would be discreetly stationed, barriers reinforced. Perhaps, I thought, it was less about celebration and more about proving we weren't already living in fear.
After the meeting, as we left the SC office, I barely had time to breathe before Lovely, Kate, and Allie surrounded me like a swarm of bees.
"So? What happened in the palace?" Lovely asked first, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Yeah, did they say anything about the clan?" Kate added, leaning closer.
"Tell us everything!" Lovely pressed, almost bouncing on her toes.
Their eagerness tugged at me, but my mind was somewhere else entirely—still replaying Sister's words, still feeling the echo of weight she'd placed on my shoulders. I tried to answer, but the words tangled.
"They… we talked about preparations. That's all." My voice sounded distant, even to my own ears.
"That's all?" Lovely pressed, her brows shooting up. "Rhein, you're hiding something."
I forced a laugh that came out weaker than I wanted. "I'm just tired. Really, nothing more."
The truth was, my thoughts were too scattered to piece into any explanation. Even when we returned to our dorm room, they peppered me with questions, but all I could manage were short, vague replies. Eventually, they gave up, exchanging knowing looks with one another.
When the room finally quieted, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, sleep was as far from me as the stars outside.
Finally, I pushed myself up, the walls of the dorm feeling too small, too heavy. I slipped outside, the cool night air biting gently at my skin. The campus was hushed under the veil of midnight, the lamps casting long shadows on the stone pathways.
I thought I was alone—until the flutter of wings brushed against the silence. A familiar weight landed on my shoulder, and I turned my head to see Forelody, her feathers gleaming silver under the moonlight.
"Couldn't sleep either?" I whispered.
She tilted her head, her sharp eyes studying me as though she could read the thoughts I hadn't spoken. Then, she said, "I heard what your sister told you."
I blinked. Of course, she had. Forelody was never far.
"You're not carrying this alone, Rhein," she continued, her tone firm yet gentle. "As your pracien, I am bound to you. Whatever burdens you carry, I carry them too."
Her words were soft, but they struck deep.
"You don't have to be strong all the time," she added, brushing her wing lightly against my arm, as if to anchor me. "When your strength falters, mine will rise. We're in this together."
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening—not from fear this time, but from something warmer.
We walked on in silence, Forelody perched gracefully on my shoulder, the moonlight bathing the campus in silver.