The girls made their way to their final class of the day, but the journey felt much longer than any they'd taken before. 

The group began ascending a seemingly endless flight of stairs, the climb proving far steeper than Cleo or Kiki had expected. 

While the others seemed unfazed, Cleo's legs wobbled, and Kiki visibly lagged behind, her tail twitching in frustration.

Lily glanced back, her concern evident as she slowed her pace to scoop Kiki into her arms.

"I'm sorry, Kiki. You must be tired after all those stairs, huh? You can take a break," Lily said softly, running a soothing hand down Kiki’s back.

Kiki let out a small sigh, her ears relaxing as she nestled into Lily’s arms.

Celeste, noticing Cleo’s struggle, paused briefly and turned back. Cleo, with her best attempt at puppy dog eyes, looked up pleadingly.

Celeste sighed, her voice tinged with regret. "Sorry, Cleo. I can’t possibly carry you, and we’re not allowed to use magic outside of class." 

Her pained expression revealed how much it hurt her to leave Cleo to struggle, but she wasn't about to get in trouble a second time.

Cleo’s head drooped as the group pressed on. The stairs felt like a cruel punishment, but finally, they arrived at the top of the isolated spire. 

The classroom door creaked open, revealing a space that looked nothing like Cleo had imagined.

The room was blanketed in darkness despite the bright afternoon sun outside. The only light came from large, blue flames flickering in metal torches and the glowing spheres at the center of each round table. 

The atmosphere was eerie yet oddly captivating. Cleo's gaze darted around nervously until her eyes fell on a cheery young woman with long lime-green hair and bright brown eyes who approached the girls.

"Welcome, cuties! How has your day been?" the woman chirped. Her bubbly energy felt completely out of place in the shadowy room. Cleo blinked, tilting her head.

‘Is this their teacher? She looks way too young! She can’t be more than a few years older than the girls!’ Cleo thought, her curiosity bubbling over.

Celeste groaned as she gently patted Cleo’s head. "You don’t even wanna know, Professor Croft," she replied, exhaustion clear in her voice.

Professor Croft smiled knowingly, as if she’d heard it all before. 

"Don’t worry too much, little Celeste. Things will start to look up for you and Cleo here soon enough," she said with a wink before turning her attention to tidying her table.

Cleo’s head tilted further, her thoughts racing as the girls sat at their tables. 

‘How did she know my name? What does she mean by things looking up? Can she actually see the future or something?’

Suddenly, Kiki jumped on Lily’s table to hiss at Cleo, startling her and breaking her train of thought. The girls jumped in surprise, their attention snapping to the agitated cat.

‘Stop with the questions, dog!’ Kiki snapped, her fur puffed up and claws extended. 

‘She’s the youngest member of the faculty, Professor Tavira Croft, and she teaches Divination and Scrying. She can see the future and the past as well. Now, please, for the love of Thalvaris, BE QUIET!’ 

With that, Kiki hopped back into Lily’s lap, determined to nap away her irritation.

Celeste raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "What was that about, Lily?"

Lily frowned, gently stroking Kiki’s back. "She seems agitated with Cleo, but she won’t tell me why."

Celeste turned to Cleo, her brow furrowing. "Were you asking too many questions again?"

Cleo whimpered, her tail curling tightly around her body as she avoided Celeste’s gaze.

"Well, that explains it," Celeste muttered, letting out a small sigh. "I’d like to apologize for her, Kiki. It’s not her fault we don’t share knowledge through our master-familiar bond."

Kiki cracked one eye open, seeming to consider the apology, but closed it again with a dismissive huff.

Before the tension could grow, a sharp clap echoed through the room. Professor Croft stood at the center, her hands clasped together, a bright smile on her face.

"Now that everyone has finally arrived, shall we begin today’s lesson?" she asked, her enthusiasm causing the blue flames to flare dramatically.

A small wolf spider suddenly crawled onto her shoulder, eliciting a giggle. "Oh! There you are, Mist. Were you playing hide-and-seek with me again?" she said, stroking the spider affectionately before settling at her table.

"Today, we’ll try some Divination with the crystal balls before each of you. I’ll demonstrate first, and then you’ll all take turns attempting to replicate it," Professor Croft explained.

She raised her hands over the crystal ball at her table, her expression turning serious. "Previdia," she whispered.

A sudden gust of wind swirled around her, lifting her lime-green hair dramatically as her eyes glowed a pure, unsettling white. 

The crystal ball pulsed with vibrant colors, and her voice shifted to a rasping, otherworldly tone. She then began to move her right arm almost robotically in Celeste's direction, pointing a finger directly at her.

"In halls where magic and fate converge, a wolf with golden eyes will emerge. The Mad Emperor calls a god of despair, to shatter the world beyond his care. But together you’ll rise, a fiery tide, to face the darkness and turn its stride."

As suddenly as it began, the display ended. Professor Croft’s bubbly demeanor returned as she sat back, clearing her throat.

Celeste sat frozen, her eyes wide with panic. "The Mad Emperor?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Cleo whined, sensing Celeste’s distress, and nuzzled against her leg for comfort.

"Oh dear… Did I say something worrisome? Don’t mind me, my cuties! Sometimes my prophecies don’t come true, so don’t sweat it!" Professor Croft said cheerfully.

But as she turned back to the class, Cleo couldn’t shake the feeling that the prophecy wasn’t just empty words. Her mind swirled with questions, though this time, she kept them to herself.

To be continued…