Chapter Three – The Academy of the Ascendant

(Lyra’s POV)

If stares held the power to burn me I would have vanished to become smoke spiraling into the sky, dispersing with the universe’s breath until I left no trace of my existence.

Three figures representing fire, shadow and ice stood as unyielding guardians at the boundary of an inaccessible world pulsating with its silent codes and time-honored rights while they observed me with a palpable intensity. I landed in the middle of their holy emblem which was etched into the surroundings while my body still reeled from the hard landing which transported me here and my skin buzzed from the magical energy that pulled me out of my reality into their presence.

The atmosphere in this place felt heavy because it contained both extreme heat and cold as well as a deep pressure that settled onto me like an unseen burden. We sat in a space heavy with tangible expectation as an unholy combination of uncertainty and curiosity sparked between us.

The sky seemed to freeze in time with an overwhelming intensity that I could barely grasp.

But I did not kneel.

I refused to shrink away.

If my death were to occur under the gaze of these elemental guardians I would meet it standing proud without any fear or submission in my heart. I would remain upright while my heart pounded and my mind weighed between threatening and hopeful possibilities.

The first to break his intense stare at me was the warrior whose forearms displayed fiery tattoos that seemed alive. I would soon learn his name was Cassian from those who whispered legends about him. His appearance embodied war itself through sharp angles and resolute strength while his towering stature commanded a presence that made the surrounding air tremble. He possessed golden eyes that radiated fierce intelligence and a predator’s keenness while simultaneously expressing both curiosity and a challenge.

He possessed an innate charisma that drove others to follow him naturally as if guided by the beat of a distant drum. His authority filled the air with a tangible force yet an enigmatic aura wrapped around him promising both peril and exploration. In this unfamiliar realm I stood unaware of my destiny while powerful beings watched me with abilities I could not grasp.

“You’re not welcome here,” he said, his voice as sharp as striking flint. I met his gaze, my eyes unyielding. “Didn’t ask to be,” I shot back, my tone defiant.

The tattooed man, that reminded me of a storm, grinned at my response. He moved with the fluidity of the wind, circling me like I was his favorite plaything. He seemed to have all the time in the world to torment me, his fingers sparking with lazy lightning.

Among the three, it was the third person who captured my attention. His pale hair shone in the dim light as he stood completely still and silent. My gaze met his intense stare which revealed his calculated attention to my every breathing pattern and movement. His frozen stance was glacier-like and equally threatening.

The three of them were clearly predators who had set their sights on me as their target. The third one displayed his mischievous grin and electrifying touch, maintained a silent and calculating presence, and spoke to me first with his steel-cutting voice.

I recognized this group as dangerous and understood I had to exercise caution. I mentally prepared myself for the upcoming situation while an unexpected thrill surged through me. I had always confronted challenges head-on and refused to change that behavior now.

I held my position and stared back at each one of them in turn. Predators, all three of them. My defenses were strong so I prepared to fight back.

I didn’t know their names yet. I had no idea of my location or the route I followed to reach here.

I remembered that turning my back would be a mistake.

I was unfamiliar with this type of attention directed toward me.

Like I mattered.

Like I was something dangerous.

The courtyard came to life with the sound of the bell tolling slowly through its ancient stones while the air breathed frostily around me. The heavy bell’s sound bounced against the high walls which created an air of anticipation mixed with dread throughout the area.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The courtyard sprang to life with swirling portals that materialized like shifting mirages. The shimmering gates released fragmented starlight which created a supernatural light show that moved across the cobblestones. The energy around me buzzed like a live wire while its pulse both sped up my heart rate and filled the air with untapped possibilities. Figures started passing through the gates one after another and stepped into the world from the radiant light with an eerie elegance.

The newcomers moved silently through the courtyard, some displaying serene confidence while others showed tense expressions with their calculating stares. Their otherworldly beauty held an intense allure and fright as their sharp features formed perfect symmetry which appeared unnaturally pristine and deadly. Their presence filled the air with an unseen force which made me feel like I was trespassing within an unknown system of rules.

A collective gaze from them fell upon me.

Without thinking I pulled back as my instincts took over and fear began to surge through me. My body reacted instinctually to their gaze as if I were prey encountering a predator much like a deer confronting the sudden flash of headlights. Their eyes seemed to drill into me while evaluating my presence and I quickly started imagining what stories they exchanged about me.

Someone from the crowd sneered at me while calling me “New girl” with blatant contempt. The phrase struck me as if a physical blow because I could feel their contemptuous attitude treating my Earth origins as the worst possible offense.

A sharper voice cut through the murmurings, tinged with contempt: “Why’s she in the Pentacle? That space is for Ascendants.” The mark of my presence emerged once more bringing with it the weight of my status which hovered above me like a threatening storm cloud.

The mark on my wrist reacted to the surrounding tension by igniting with warmth that raced up my arm. A powerful sensation coursed through my veins as it awakened something profound inside me. My skin became a canvas for dazzling colors as light burst out displaying reds, blues, greens and silvers that swept through my body like flames while weaving together like elemental forces.

Fire rages wild and untamed, while Water flows with calming fluidity; Earth stands firm and enduring alongside Air which moves with swift elusiveness. The elements converged, breathtaking in their intensity.

The crowd released a joint gasp which created a wave of surprise that temporarily hushed remaining whispers. I observed their emotions transform as if they were shadows within them where fear emerged slowly along with newly sparked curiosity and simmering resentment beneath the surface.

“She has four,” someone whispered, their voice a soft yet heavy with intonation that seemed to freeze the air. The declaration sent a shiver through the throng, a stark reminder that I was different, an anomaly in a carefully structured world.

A hush fell across the courtyard.

Dozens of eyes shifted. Some wary. Some furious. Most hungry.

They treated my presence as if I were a bleeding injury that they eagerly observed to determine my survival.

And then she appeared.

A woman—tall, ethereal, terrifying. She stepped out of the darkness and her presence demanded everyone’s attention instantly. Reality appeared to fold and bend under her immense presence as an otherworldly aura shimmered throughout the air surrounding her.

The lady mounted the stone steps gracefully as if gravity held no power over her while her flowing robes spread behind her in patterns resembling stars in motion. The fabric displayed individual stitches that emitted their own light while tiny stars within it pulsed as though breathing. Her hair flowed like a lunar river as its silver and white strands sparkled with celestial thread in the dim light. Her hair looked as though it contained the spun material of the universe itself. Her eyes gleamed like twin moons above a starlit sky while revealing ancient wisdom and profound mysterious depths.

When she spoke, her voice wasn’t loud. Her soft words created an internal resonance in everyone’s hearts without requiring any increase in volume. A gentle curl of sound, like smoke in motion, navigated through the audience before wrapping us in its tender authority.

Her voice filled the vast room as she addressed the students saying “Welcome back to the Academy of the Ascendant.”

Her intense look fixed on me as though she was able to see into my very essence. My surroundings dissolved into nothingness while time seemed to freeze in my moment of awe mixed with fear.

“As you can see… we have a surprise guest.” Her smile held secrets like a moonlit crescent in the night but her eyes remained mysteriously bright. The situation felt uncomfortable because it suggested that everything was not as it appeared. An instinctual alarm triggered as a shiver traveled down my spine.

“Let’s see what the stars have to say about her.” The proclamation hung in the air like a spell, pregnant with mystery. The audience took a collective breath as she gestured toward something invisible behind her and the room filled with both intrigue and apprehension. The academy’s atmosphere throbbed with impending discoveries which pushed us to lean closer in eager anticipation of the cosmic truths about to be revealed.