The moon hovered like a glowing coin in the sky, lighting up Starwhisper Academy with a cold silver shimmer. The stone towers looked even taller under moonlight, like they were reaching up to grab the stars. Harper, Nova, Asher, and Luna stepped out of Heartwood Forest, clothes torn, bruised, tired—but they were smiling.
Because they had it.
The Celestial Codex.
The book pulsed faintly in Harper's arms like it had a heartbeat of its own. It wasn't just any ancient text—it was their one shot at stopping the Shadowblight. The thing that had haunted Avaloria for generations.
They reached the common room and dropped into chairs like their bones had melted. The Codex landed on the big table with a soft thud, the cover shimmering like the night sky trapped under glass.
Asher leaned over it, arms crossed. "So… how do we crack it open? Whisper sweet nothings to it?"
Luna rolled her eyes. "It's sealed with ancient runes, not romance."
Nova was already halfway through unpacking her potions, lining them up like trophies. "Books like this usually need a trigger—spell, object, blood of your enemies—y'know, the usual."
Harper ran her fingers over the cover. The stars etched into it seemed to shift under her touch. "It's said to open only for those ready to understand it." She paused. "Guess we'll find out if we're worthy or not."
"No pressure," Asher muttered.
Luna suddenly pointed. "There—along the edge. That's an unlocking sequence. I've seen similar ones in rune studies."
Harper's eyes lit up. "Let's figure it out."
The four of them bent over the Codex. The room went quiet, except for the scratch of paper and soft muttering. The air was thick—like the book was watching them too.
Then Luna gasped. "Got it!"
Harper took a breath, placed her hands on the cover, and spoke the incantation. The ancient words slid off her tongue like they'd been waiting for her voice.
The Codex glowed.
The air thrummed. And then—with a soft click—it opened.
Pages flipped themselves, glowing faintly. Charts of constellations, creatures, and swirling magic danced across the parchment. But one page stopped Harper cold.
"There's a ritual here," she whispered. "To cleanse darkness. It could destroy the Shadowblight."
Nova peered over her shoulder. "We'll need rare ingredients. Some of these are near-impossible to find."
Harper didn't even blink. "Then we start now."
No one argued.
By dawn, while the rest of the Academy was dragging themselves to orientation week, Harper's team was already halfway to Mistwood Glade.
Mistwood was beautiful and terrifying. Fog rolled like smoke across the ground. The air smelled of flowers, moss, and magic. Even the trees seemed to breathe.
"I feel like I've walked into a dream," Luna whispered.
"A creepy dream," Asher added, eyes darting. "The kind where something's definitely watching us."
Nova led the way, flipping through the notes she'd scribbled from the Codex. "We're looking for Moonshade Blossoms. They only bloom under starlight."
They found them in a clearing—glowing like moonlight bottled into petals.
"We've got them," Harper said, bending down to gather the flowers.
Then—snap.
Everyone froze.
A figure emerged from the mist. Hooded. Silent.
Asher raised his wand. "Not another dark creature. I'm too tired for this."
The figure pulled back her hood—a weathered old woman with eyes like candlelight. "Relax, child. If I wanted to harm you, you'd already be cursed."
"Comforting," Harper said flatly. "Are you from here?"
"I'm Elara, guardian of these woods. I keep the balance."
Nova stepped forward. "We're gathering ingredients to stop the Shadowblight. Can you help us?"
Elara studied them, her expression unreadable. Then she said, "You're missing one thing: the Essence of Stardust. It lies in the Starlight Caverns, but the path is... dangerous."
Harper didn't hesitate. "We'll go."
Elara smiled faintly. "Then may the stars walk with you."
The entrance to the cavern was hidden behind a waterfall—because of course it was.
Inside, it felt like walking through space. Crystals lit up the walls like galaxies. Everything sparkled. Everything hummed.
"This place is insane," Asher whispered.
Near the center, they found it—a giant stardust crystal, glowing faintly like it was breathing.
But of course, nothing came easy.
The ground trembled. A golem made of stone and light rose from the shadows, eyes burning blue.
"Why is it always a golem?" Asher groaned.
The fight exploded.
Harper fired spells that lit up the cavern. Nova's potions burst with color, creating walls of fire and ice. Luna summoned glowing birds to distract it. Asher took the lead, dodging attacks and landing hit after hit.
Finally, the golem collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Harper ran to the crystal, filled a vial with the swirling Essence of Stardust, and held it close like it was gold.
Back at the Academy, they didn't stop to rest. No food. No naps. Just the ritual.
The Codex glowed brighter than ever.
Together, they followed every step—blending the ingredients, chanting the words. Light spun around them like wind made of stars.
Then, boom.
A wave of golden light exploded outward, rippling across the Academy like a shockwave. The darkness retreated. The Shadowblight groaned—and vanished.
Silence.
Then Nova whispered, "Did we just... win?"
Harper looked around at her friends. Tired. Scraped up. Smiling.
"We're not done yet," she said. "But we just changed everything."
Outside, the moon dipped below the horizon. A new day began.
And so did the next chapter of their story.