Whispers

“Did you hear about the farmers near Riverbend?” a girl whispered, leaning against the railing of the Academy’s inner balcony. Her brown braid swung over her shoulder. “They said the livestock are dying overnight, and some villagers… vanished.”

“Vanished?” another student, a boy with ink-black hair, frowned. His hawk companion, perched on his shoulder, ruffled its feathers, scanning the courtyard below. “You mean like… completely gone? Or… attacked?”

The first girl shivered. “Attacked, maybe. Nobody’s really sure. There’s talk of a disease too. They say veins glow… like they might burst.” She glanced around nervously, lowering her voice. “It’s spreading fast outside the protective wards.”

From the other side of the balcony, Lucien leaned against the railing, Fenris at his feet, tail flicking gently. He had overheard them without trying. “Veins glowing, huh?” he murmured, mostly to himself. The wolf cub tilted its head, ears pricked. “Sounds like something worth paying attention to.”

Arian, standing a few steps away, crossed his arms, silver hair catching the afternoon sun. His lynx, Sylvara, padded silently beside him, tail sweeping in measured arcs. 

“It’s not supposed to happen now,” he said quietly. Lucien glanced at him, noting the worry beneath the calm exterior. “Everything should be… stable. The wards are strong.”

“Stable?” Toren called out from the stairway, lounging lazily with his fire-drake, Blaze, curled around his legs. “It’s never stable when someone starts whispering about glowing veins and disappearing peasants. I mean—come on, this is the countryside!”

Elira, standing with Emeris coiled around her wrist, frowned. “It’s serious, Toren. Even if the wards protect the Academy, it doesn’t mean our families, estates, and villages outside are safe. We can’t ignore it.”

Caelith, perched on a balcony post, his hawk Nyx scanning the horizon, spoke softly, voice thoughtful. “We should stay vigilant. Wards or not, problems beyond the walls eventually seep in. We’ve seen it before.”

Another student, a girl named Liora with a golden fox at her side, shivered and said, “My parents live near the northern river. If this is true, they could… they could be in danger.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “Then we’ll have to make sure nothing crosses the wards. First is to stay alive. That’s why they’re here, isn’t it? To protect us while they handle the outside.” He stroked Fenris’s head. The cub nudged him, tail wagging slowly, as if agreeing.

Arian murmured again, quieter this time, almost to himself. “It shouldn’t be this way. Nothing like this should reach us now… not yet.”

Though didn't catch that and thought Arian boy was anxious so Toren just rolled his eyes.

 “Dramatic much? Relax, silver boy. The Academy’s got layers of protection. And we’ve got companions, right?” Blaze let out a small puff of smoke and snorted, tail flicking irritably.

“Companions are helpful,” Lucien said, his tone measured, “but we can’t just rely on them. Information matters too. We need to know what’s happening out there, even if it’s outside our wards.” Fenris pawed lightly at his foot, gaze sharp.

Elira tilted her head, glancing toward the horizon. “I haven’t seen Professor Aldwyn today either. Has anyone?”

A few students shook their heads. Murmurs ran through the group. “Did something happen to him?” one whispered.

Lucien frowned, exchanging a glance with Arian. “Coincidence? Maybe. But… I don’t like it. Something feels off.” Fenris’s ears twitched, sensing the tension in his mage.

“I agree,” Arian said quietly. “It’s not just the news or the wards. There’s a… weight in the air. Something’s moving. And we’re supposed to be safe here.” Sylvara padded closer, brushing against his legs.

Liora’s fox let out a soft yip and circled her feet, sensing her anxiety. “I wish my family were here,” she whispered. “It’s not fair that they’re out there alone.”

Lucien stood straighter, placing a hand on Fenris’s head. “We’ll have to stay alert tonight. If anyone tries to get through, we’ll know. And we’ll be ready.”

Elira’s gaze swept the horizon, sharp and calculating. “Agreed. But vigilance means more than standing here. Watch the patterns. Watch the behavior of the students who returned from the countryside mission. Something about them…” She trailed off, letting Emeris sharp cry punctuate the thought.

Across the balcony, Toren scoffed, though his drake huffed in agreement. “You mean Rynel? Or Mira? Come on, they’ve been a little off, sure, but let’s not start whispering ghost stories yet.”

Elira’s green eyes narrowed. “They’re not ghost stories. They’ve changed since the countryside. Subtle, but noticeable. Gloves, covering themselves, avoiding touch…” Emeris hissed softly, curling protectively.

“Something followed them back,” Lucien muttered, leaning closer to Arian. “I felt it. Fenris sensed it too.” The wolf cub padded around him, tail flicking in thought, ears alert.

Arian’s eyes darkened, expression unreadable. “I don’t want to think it’s what I fear. Not yet.” Sylvara’s ears twitched, sensing his tension.

From the stairwell, another group of students arrived, companions at their sides. A red-haired boy with a fox at his heels muttered, “Did you hear about the merchant village near the east ridge? Same thing. People vanishing, animals sick. My uncle lives there…” His voice faltered, and the fox growled softly, tail bristling.

Lucien exchanged a glance with Toren. “See? It’s not isolated.”

Toren grunted. “Yeah, yeah. Fine. We’re on alert. Happy now?” Blaze let out a smoky snort, clearly unamused.

Elira pushed past, voice firm. “Alert isn’t enough. Students need orders. Dorms secured, companions ready, everyone accounted for. And we must inform the administration if anyone notices something unusual, especially among the returned mission group.”

Lucien’s hand tightened on Fenris’s fur. “We’ll need rounds tonight. Fenris and I will patrol the outer wards. Quietly.”

Arian’s silver gaze met his. “I’ll go with you. It’s better if we move in pairs. Sylvara will cover our backs.”

Caelith’s hawk let out a soft, warning cry. “I’ll fly above. Any anomalies in the wards or near the perimeter, I’ll alert.”

Toren stretched, clearly unamused. “I’m staying with Blaze. If anything comes out, fire and noise is my specialty.”

Elira’s serpent coiled tighter around her wrist. “And Emeris and I will remain near the dorm halls, femals dorm. Subtle observation is often more effective than brute force.”

The group fell into a tense but organized formation. Even students not in their immediate party took note, companions moving to their sides. Whispers about glowing veins, missing villagers, and strange illnesses drifted through the Academy, but the protective wards ensured no immediate danger. Still, the anxiety was palpable.

Lucien crouched beside Fenris, eyes scanning the courtyard. “Keep your senses open. And… watch the students who returned.”

The wolf cub yipped softly, tail brushing Lucien’s arm, ears twitching. A silent agreement passed between them.

Arian murmured under his breath as they moved toward the dorm halls. “This isn’t supposed to happen. Not now. Not here.”

Catching that Lucien’s stomach tightened. “No, it isn’t. But we can’t stop it from starting.” Fenris nudged him, reminding him that some things could be faced together.

At the far edge of the courtyard, Rynel and Mira lingered, companions tense, hands gloved, faces a little too pale, eyes darting. Lucien noted the detail but said nothing aloud—yet.

The Academy’s protective wards hummed faintly, a soft pulse under their feet. Beyond them, the countryside simmered with unseen threats: disease, mana anomalies, and monsters, moving silently, slowly encroaching toward Eryndor’s students.

Lucien exhaled, brushing Fenris’s fur. “We wait and observe. And if anything crosses the line… we act. However not alone. It's dangerous.”

Sylvara’s tail swished beside Arian, Blaze emitted a low plume of smoke, Emeris hissed quietly, and Fenris’s eyes gleamed gold. Each companion sensed the tension, silent guardians ready for the coming storm.

And deep down, Lucien knew—tonight, the Academy would no longer feel safe.

•••