Chapter Four – The Fracture and the Storm

(POV split: Talon / Riven)

Talon

She shouldn’t exist.

The balance of nature in this world depends on four elemental affinities of earth, air, fire, and water because each element possesses both weight and legacy. Each elemental affinity serves as a fundamental thread that binds together family history and the power of a House with deep-rooted traditions. The families take great pride in their control of one element which they mastered to bring honor to their community.

She possessed complete control over all four elemental forces within herself.

The reality presented a complex disturbance that caused societal disruption through its conflicting forces. Her existence stood as an enigma because she embodied multiple contradictions unlike others who represented a singular legacy.

Beneath these four complex elemental layers existed a deeper entity that many believed belonged only to history.

Something older and darker.

We had entombed it deep within our past, reducing it to murmurs and warning stories.

Void.

Our entire order trembled at the mere mention of Void magic because since the downfall of House Noctura no one dared to use it. The Council worked hard to remove every sign of Void from historical records because they saw it as a deadly threat to our existence.

During this period the celestial bodies refused to shine upon the world and created darkness specifically for those who dared to explore forbidden magic. The practice of Void had transformed into a forbidden taboo that was completely hidden from view. We created this myth to frighten children into submission by alerting them about the unknown darkness existing beyond their comprehension. The presence was so real inside the skin of the stranger before us that we could have sworn it was breathing.

But I felt it in her.

Just beneath her conscious alertness a soft hum vibrated like a sensation.

Subtle. Submerged.

Its inherent power remained dormant yet potent through its silence until it would eventually emerge from its hidden state. The presence felt alive with pulsing desire as it prepared to emerge.

Waiting.

As I considered the magnitude of this discovery, the atmosphere became tense. She represented a paradox by existing as a source of elemental balance while simultaneously harboring shadows capable of dismantling our world’s foundation. The questions loomed, heavy and unyielding: what would become of her? What power did she wield? The most disturbing question remained when she would succumb to the Void within her dormant nature.

The name “Lyra” reverberated inside me as a dissonant sound that scraped against my thoughts with painful intensity because its gentleness and vagueness made it seem like it had been birthed from cosmic nothingness without clear definition. Earthborn. Unclaimed. Unclassified. The labels appeared straightforward but failed to fully capture the deep essence they were meant to define.

Her essence remained profound despite the initial vague descriptions which only hinted at her depth.

She possessed numerous paradoxes which included her abundant connections, excessive enchantment and overwhelming luminance. Lyra entered our world like a shard of glass which was both jagged and beautiful thus breaking up everything around her simply through her presence. Her presence shattered our carefully preserved equilibrium and fractured the core structure of our existence.

To me she remained an unsolved mystery that held the nature of a paradox.

When confronted with dangers beyond comprehension instinct becomes the dominant response. It demands control measures to restrain the mysterious and captivating forces she embodied.

I climbed the spiral steps of the Tower of Glass that night while fighting against the increasingly thin air which seemed to coil around me as the atmosphere grew more fragile, as though we were ascending toward some distant celestial boundary. The starlight streamed down the walls like molten silver while casting a gentle unearthly light onto the ancient stones. From my elevated position I could see the academy stretched out beneath me as a fragile miniature version of itself ready for me to transform or realign at my discretion.

Lyra stood as the sole element that disrupted the precision of this delicately crafted universe. She functioned as the unsolvable jigsaw piece and remained the external element that couldn’t merge into the existing system.

Gazing through the grand observatory window I held a wine glass between my fingers while watching the constellations move and settle as though gears in an elaborate cosmic clockwork. The telescope functioned as both a precise observational device and a tool for intimate understanding and had recorded her arrival at the exact moment her fall changed everything. That moment in time felt heavy with mystery while triggering simultaneous sensations of fear and wonder deep inside me.

Celestial blood.

Summoned.

But hidden.

Which meant someone powerful wanted her lost. Another person had called her back.

I replayed the memory rune. Again.

I recalled her motions as she touched down and then rose from the ground while maintaining eye contact with us specifically directed at me.

No fear. No confusion. No recognition.

Even Cassian’s flames didn’t shake her. Which told me one thing:

She remained totally unaware of the threat she posed. Her complete lack of awareness about her own danger made her the most dangerous entity of all.

I looked at the night sky but despised my emotions.

Not awe.

Not even fear.

Uncertainty.

There was a change occurring but its nature remained unknown to me. My tolerance levels drop when situations become unpredictable.

Riven

It seemed as though a deity had dared her to take the first swing and she accepted the challenge with determination while her electrifying demeanor matched her untidy hair which framed her fierce expression with an untamed halo. The intensity of her flaming eyes fractured the ordinary school atmosphere and sparked curiosity about the internal battles she faced. Her posture resembled an expertly made blade at full extension as she prepared to cut through ordinary life with the exactness of someone fearless.

The halls had been walked by all types of girls from those who were petty to those who were powerful and polished. Some girls displayed their ambition as a high-fashion brand while showing their teeth to push others aside in their climb up the social hierarchy because their grins had a calculated edge and their laughter felt like broken glass. Attention fueled their existence while they enjoyed their power over classmates by building their identities from their accolades and their influence.

But she wasn’t like them. She stood apart as a distinctive figure in a world where all players followed the same rules. The superficial trappings of attention and the intoxicating allure of power didn’t interest her. Her singular focus acted like a laser beam slicing through the surrounding chaos. She rejected the idea of gathering followers or seeking praise because she needed to uncover the hidden truths beneath lies and facades. The truth which sparked an enduring fire inside her remained difficult to extinguish.

She refused to back down or become despondent when she encountered ambiguous situations or met resistance. No, she wanted a fight. The defiant spark in her gaze served as both a challenge and a declaration that she would never retreat or submit to existing norms. Working alongside those principles was possible for me and their logic was clear to me. Her courage to face the unknown struck a chord deep inside me in a world where everyone wore masks.

The familiar sensation of lightning crawling under my skin emerged whenever something intriguing occurred. The energy of anticipation and curiosity coursed through me like an electric current as I followed the powerful energy she was radiating. My senses directed me toward the east wing which served as neutral ground at the school center where friend and foe distinctions became indistinguishably fragile.

The space provided no dorms for comfort nor protective barriers against scrutiny and had no allies to support her. Just her. Despite her solitude she held a commanding presence while standing before the statue of an ancient Ascendant whose marble countenance captured a mysterious victory. She challenged the statue to rise from its eternal sleep and recount its lasting legacy while defending the burdens it imposed.

I rested my back against a decaying pillar while maintaining silent vigilance during this intense moment. History reverberated around us yet her audacity created the only significant tension. My attention remained fixed on her defiant gaze into the void while she maintained her tense readiness to move at any moment. In that moment, I understood: Her restless energy made her unyielding force of nature and I found myself irresistibly drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

“I know what you are.” I stated with my voice slicing through the silent room like a knife cutting through silk. My words carried a heavy weight which I felt deep within my bones and I prepared myself for the forthcoming reaction.

She didn’t flinch. Her eyebrow remained completely still. Her eyes stayed stubbornly locked on a distant point while she appeared to be pondering reality’s deepest mysteries. Her indifferent posture, which seemed frozen and unresponsive, created a sense of discomfort.

“Do you?” She questioned with a voice that flowed like honey over rough surfaces. ‘And what is it you believe to know about me?” The offer she presented combined intellectual challenge with instinctive allure in a complex dance between mind and nature.

“Four elements. I declared, “One Void,” and stepped boldly toward the bright light which illuminated our space completely. I maintained my position while urging her to recognize the truth that I had exposed.

Her head moved at a gradual pace to lock eyes with me while her face kept its mystery as a brief shadow of curiosity appeared. Or maybe it was defiance.

“I can count.” she responded with a flat voice showing no reaction as if my discovery had no effect on her.

Gods, she was sharp. Honed to perfection every word she uttered acted like a blade that captured my interest even though danger pulsed between us. Her striking confidence was matched by her skillful use of words which she deployed as weapons.

“Mm, I can see that, but the question is…“ I challenged “… can you fight?” while my patience wore thin and my temper sparked as lightning crackled between my fingers. The charged atmosphere buzzed with energy and palpable tension that surged around us as it activated my power.

Her mouth twisted into a blend of mockery and threat which sent an exhilarating shiver through my body. “Try me.” The challenge was a duel invitation that lit a battle fire inside me with the certainty that both of us would be hurt.

The moment became heavy as we stood on the brink of the confrontation that would challenge both our abilities and hidden truths.

We moved to the dueling ring. No crowd. No rules. Only our presence existed alongside the stormlight crackling between us.

She didn’t hesitate. Didn’t chant. Didn’t call on the elements.

She just hit me. Hard. My jaw cracked, the world spun. My grin stretched wider.

She promised to be trouble and I felt eager for what would come.

I was certain she would make it through the academy.

But the real question?

Was whether the academy would survive her.