In the twilight gloom, as the tamers still struggled to process the threats revealed by the Watchers of the Void, a solitary figure stepped through the main gates of Valmere Academy. His cloak, now worn by time, fluttered in the cold wind, bearing the marks of battles long past. It was the former instructor Arduin Vellor, a man whose reputation had become nearly legendary among the tamers — one who, years ago, had abandoned his post after facing unspeakable horrors and losing everything he held dear.
Arduin reappeared without fanfare, but rumors quickly spread among the students. By lunchtime, he was seen walking through the corridors, his gaze piercing and posture rigid, as if each step carried the weight of a past that refused to fade.
"We need to hear what he has to say," Neyra whispered to Lira as they watched Arduin approach the Hall of Assembly.
The Meeting in the Hall of Shadows
In the shadowy comfort of an ancient hall — its walls adorned with faded tapestries of old battles and mystical symbols — Arduin was summoned by the administration and, secretly, by tamers more attuned to magic. Among those present were Ethan, Kael, Lira, and Neyra, gathered in an air of anticipation and caution.
Arduin stepped up to the makeshift pulpit, his eyes still alive, glowing with internal scars and unspoken secrets.
"I have lived what you now fear," he began, his voice low but steady. "I faced the Void when it tried to breach our world. I witnessed its manifestations: shadows that devour hope, echoes of a past that refuses to be buried."
Ethan's eyes widened. He listened, heart heavy, to the words of a man who knew the depths of that evil like no one else. Kael, ever skeptical, frowned, while Lira tilted her head, absorbing every detail.
"But there is more," Arduin said, lowering his voice. "When we fight the Void, it's not just about brute strength. We must understand its whispers, decipher the signs it sends. And believe me, it is not indifferent. It chooses its victims, and many of the Guardians who once thought they were protecting the balance fell to its silent fury."
A murmur rippled through the room. Neyra mentally recorded every word, while the Forest Ancestral Stag, who quietly accompanied Ethan, remained still, as if sharing the weight of the revelation.
"There is a creature that followed me as I fled that battle," Arduin continued, his eyes momentarily lost in a painful memory. "A beast born of the Void itself, shaped from pure darkness and despair. It had four burning eyes and horns as sharp as blades. I haven't seen it since… but I can sense its scent in the darkest corners of the academy. And I fear it… is hunting tamers."
The Warning from the Past
Arduin paused, letting the silence hang heavy over his words. His gestures were slow, but each movement conveyed the exhaustion of battles long past. Ethan felt a tremor within — not just from fear, but from a newfound sense of purpose.
"What should we do?" Ethan asked, his voice trembling yet sincere, echoing in the silent room.
"Prepare yourselves," Arduin replied, fixing his gaze on each tamer present. "We must not let the Void feed on our despair. You must strengthen your bonds, review your teachings, and above all, listen to the whispers of the magic around you. Evil doesn't only attack with strength; it corrupts, devours memories, and breaks alliances."
Kael sighed, a touch of irony in his voice mixed with seriousness.
"So, we're supposed to listen to our own failures?"
"Exactly," Arduin replied. "Only through honesty with ourselves and with our beast partners can we face what lies ahead."
The Echo of a Shadowed Presence
After the meeting, as the tamers slowly dispersed through the hall, Ethan drifted down one of the less-traveled corridors. There, he once again felt the weight of a presence. The sound of his own breathing mixed with a subtle noise — like footsteps made by shadows behind him.
The Forest Ancestral Stag stopped and raised its head, ears alert, eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Ethan quickened his pace. In his heart, the certainty grew — that the Void, or something born from it, still lingered in the darkest corners of the Academy like a spreading flame.
Far off, he heard a whisper — not clearly, but just enough to make his heartbeat quicken:
"The imbalance shall spread… and the Watchers… the Watchers shall judge."
And that voice, along with Arduin's words, would never let Ethan forget that, amid the darkness, every tamer must seek their inner light to protect not only themselves — but everyone around them.