Chapter 5 - Climbing To The Top!

I pushed open the towering doors to the great hall, the heavy wood groaning as if reluctant to let me pass. The air inside was thick with anticipation, with a murmur of excitement rippling through the gathered students.

The walls of the hall soared above us, lined with banners of past World Keepers, their eyes seeming to follow me as I stepped inside. It was as if they knew what I had done and the darkness I had unleashed. And yet, they remained silent, their judgment held in the shadows.

As I walked down the central aisle, my mind drifted back to Dustin—how close I had come to ending him. The image of his broken body, barely clinging to life, seared into my memory. I had seen the fear in his eyes and felt the weight of my power crushing him. I didn’t want to be that person again—the one who loses control and destroys without thinking.

The principal keeper stood at the front of the hall, his presence commanding. He began speaking, his voice carrying over the crowd with practiced authority.

“Welcome, students, to Keeper Academy,” he announced, his tone almost regal. “You stand at the threshold of greatness, where we will forge you into the protectors of our nation and our world.”

I glanced around, catching sight of Ivy McKinley in the crowd. When she saw me, she waved and smiled. I waved and smiled back at her. I wondered if she knew what I was feeling—this churning mix of fear and determination, this desperate need to prove myself, to gain the power I needed to tear down the very walls that imprisoned us all.

Even though I may be the only one to know it.

The principal keeper continued speaking, “Today marks the beginning of your journey, a tradition that has shaped generations of World Keepers. But not all of you will follow the same path.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

“All students of nobility, please proceed to the adjoining chamber.”

The room stirred as the nobles filed out, holding their heads high as if they were already assured of their superiority. My stomach twisted in disgust. Nobles. The very word left a bitter taste in my mouth. They were born into privilege and given everything on a silver platter, while the rest of us were left to fight for scraps.

As the last of the nobles disappeared, the principal’s eyes scanned the remaining students.

“Nico Lotus, Ivy McKinley, Colin West, and Leena Grey,” he called out, his voice ringing clear. My heart skipped a beat as he spoke my name. “The rest of you, please proceed to the far side of the hall.”, the Keeper Principal announced.

The room emptied quickly, leaving only a small group of us standing before the principal keeper. The lack of noise added to the pressure.

“You four have been chosen for the Noble Class Placement Exams,” the Principal Keeper announced, his gaze lingering on each of us. “This is a rare opportunity, given only to those with exceptional magical and combat abilities. You will duel each other, and the top two will join the Noble class. The others will remain in the normal classes.”

A chance to join the Noble class. The thought filled me with a mix of dread and desire. I had no love for the nobles, but I needed the power that came with their status. If I was ever going to take down Keeper Academy, I needed to be where the power was concentrated, among those who wielded it like a weapon.

“The first duel will be between Nico Lotus and Colin West,” the Principal Keeper declared. “You have until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow to prepare. Use your time wisely.”

Colin’s eyes met mine, and I saw the same fire in them that I felt burning in my chest. He was strong, no doubt about it, and his mastery of water magic was renowned even among the upperclassmen. But I had something he didn’t—dark magic, a power so feared that it had been forbidden. I wasn’t sure if I could control it, but I knew I couldn’t afford to hold back.

As the principal keeper dismissed us, I lingered for a moment, staring at the spot where he had stood. This was it. My chance to prove myself was to rise above the station I had been born into. The cost could be more than I am willing to pay.

I made my way back to my room, the corridors of the academy twisting and turning like a maze. My thoughts were a whirlwind of doubts and determination, of fear and fury. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dustin and how close I had come to killing him. And now I was supposed to fight again, to unleash that same power that had almost destroyed him.

I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.

But as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the flames dancing in the hearth, I knew I needed to win this duel. I needed to join the Noble class, to be where the power was, and to gather allies who could help me bring down the academy from the inside. But to do that, I might have to become the very thing I feared.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Tomorrow, I will face Colin. And I would win. But at what cost? That question haunted me as I drifted into a restless sleep, the shadows of my past creeping into my dreams.

What if you can’t control it? What if you hurt him, too? 

The voice in my head screamed at me while I saw flashing images of Dustin’s burned body in my mind. Waking up suddenly in bed, I was sweating profusely. I got out of bed to grab myself a glass of water. I shook my head and turned to look out of my bedroom window. 

The night sky was so beautiful, and the moon shone so brightly. It would have almost been a beautiful moment if it had not been for the nightmare-ish thoughts I was having. I thought back to when I was a child and read the letter my mother left for me. I hardly remembered it, but I vividly remembered all the important points. 

I remember that my mother said that darkness can be not only a weapon but also a shield to protect the things that you love. With darkness, I can create stars. I stared at my hands while I thought to myself, Can I create something beautiful with this power I hold? Can I go from being born into nothing, into being something noble, powerful, and important to create a paradise?