In the middle of a peaceful forest, a blinding purple light ignited from the chest of a purple haired girl seated cross-legged in a small clearing.
From it, the petite figure of Lumindra burst forth, soaring high into the air and turning sharply to face a particular direction.
Zoey's eyes snapped open, following Lumindra's gaze into the sky.
"What happened?" she asked instantly, her heart pounding.
Lumindra's gaze was icy, her bloodthirsty aura blanketing the entire forest. It was as though she had spotted her greatest enemy. It was a look Zoey had never seen Lumindra wear before, not since the day they bonded.
But that wasn't what made Zoey's heart race. Her hands were trembling, and though there was nothing visibly threatening in her surroundings, she could feel it. It was Lumi.
Despite the aura of raw aggression Lumindra was exuding, Zoey could sense her true emotions. She was angry, and scared.
It was as though Lumindra hadn't even heard her. Her narrowed eyes remained fixed on the distance, and her aura continued to grow, reaching unimaginable heights.
The ground began to quake, trees swayed violently, and branches rattled under the weight of the energy she was releasing.
The brilliance of the purple light intensified as Lumindra began to transform. Her petite form expanded, shifting into a massive, imposing drake.
"Lumi! What's wrong!?" Zoey's voice rose.
Her mind raced. Was there a threat nearby? What could have triggered this reaction? She couldn't find an answer. And it scared her even more.
Lumindra's massive wings flapped once, creating an intense wind that uprooted nearby trees and sent a wave of dust billowing outward. She looked ready to take off when, suddenly, she froze.
'Shit. I'm in the academy,' Lumindra thought grimly.
The academy's rules were absolute. Until students completed their required three years, none of them were permitted to leave. The aegis shield that enveloped the academy made certain of that.
'With my current power, I can't break through,' Lumindra realized, her icy gaze darkening as she reverted back to her petite form.
This was one of the strict conditions of bonding with a human. In Eldoralth, spirits were always limited to the abilities of the humans they bonded with.
For most spirits, this was a significant power reduction. It was why spirits were cautious about choosing who to bond with.
Bonding with someone with subpar potential could limit them irreparably, as the bond could not be broken without the death of either the human or the spirit.
Even as Lumindra returned to her normal form, her gaze remained locked on the distant horizon, her thoughts racing. She ignored Zoey's calls, both vocal and telepathic.
'Why is he here?' Lumindra thought gravely. 'This is bad. Incredibly bad. If that man is here, then massive changes are coming that will shape Eldoralth and everyone living in it.'
Minutes passed, and Zoey eventually grew frustrated. She flew up to meet the petite spirit, floating directly in front of her and blocking her line of sight.
"Lumi! What the hell! What's going on?" Zoey's angry voice snapped Lumindra out of her thoughts, forcing her to focus on the girl in front of her.
Lumindra took a deep, heavy breath, the sound carrying a weight that immediately silenced Zoey's frustration.
"Zoey," Lumindra's voice was still small and sweet, but the seriousness and gravity within it were impossible to ignore.
Zoey's anger melted away as she registered the shift in tone. Her expression grew serious, and she waited silently, bracing herself for what Lumindra was about to say.
Lumindra began,
"A change is coming, and it's not good. A spirit has just appeared in your sector. I'm not entirely sure why, but the implications can only mean trouble."
Zoey's expression darkened. "Is everyone okay?" Her thoughts immediately turned to her grandmother and mother. If Lumindra was reacting like this, even with Seraphina, a paragon, present, then it had to be something terrible.
"Honestly, I don't know," Lumindra admitted. "But I can't think of any reason why he would harm any humans, so I think you should calm down."
"Then why is this spirit there?" Zoey pressed. She was still feeling uneasy.
"I can only think of one reason: he found someone he wants to bond with."
Spirits didn't just come to Eldoralth without reason. There was always a purpose, and in most cases, it was when they found a human they were interested in bonding with.
But this thought left Lumindra more confused than ever. In all of Eldoralth, she doubted there was anyone who could interest that man.
And yet, a figure suddenly came to mind.
'Could it be him?'
A talent so overwhelming it defied logic. A demeanor so cold it sent shivers down the spines of many. And most importantly, an unshakable pride.
There was only one person who fit the description: Atticus Ravenstein.
But Lumindra immediately dismissed the thought.
'He doesn't have spiritual energy,' she reasoned. Without spiritual energy, it was impossible to bond with any spirit, let alone catch the attention of one as significant as this.
Regardless, the man was in Sector 8, and it was not good news.
"Who is this spirit?" Zoey's question pulled Lumindra from her spiraling thoughts.
Lumindra sighed heavily, her gaze softening as she looked at Zoey. "Zoey… I've been keeping things from you, and for that, I'm sorry."
"Keeping things from me?" Zoey frowned.
"Yes. About our origins. Tell me, what do you know about that?"
Zoey furrowed her brows. The origin of the spirits was a story passed down through the Starhaven family for generations. Even the youngest children knew it.
"You were one of the first races of Eldoralth. You roamed the planet before humans existed."
Lumindra shook her head. "That's a lie," she said, "We were never from Eldoralth. The spirit realm isn't just another plane tied to this world, it's an entirely different world. A mid world, to be exact."
Zoey's head began to spin. It felt like everything she had believed in was crumbling around her.
Lumindra's voice softened even more. "I know, Zoey. It's a lot to take in. I promise I'll explain everything later. But for now, I need you to listen carefully to what I'm about to say. Big changes are coming, and you need to be ready."