The next morning, the sky held a soft, cloudy gray as Lyra made her way up the familiar mountain path. Her mind buzzed with determination. She clutched her spell notes close to her chest, hoping today Selene would appear again.
Hidden behind the thick undergrowth, Auren crouched low with Kael, watching her intently.
"You're really going through with this?" Kael asked with mild annoyance. "You dragged me out of bed to spy on a girl's training?"
Auren ignored him. "There's something about this Selene… I feel like I've seen her before. Her presence—her aura—feels familiar."
Kael raised a brow but said nothing, letting his friend be consumed by curiosity.
A short while later, Lyra reached the plateau and began setting up her training circle. She waited, occasionally glancing behind her.
From the tree line, Celeste emerged—not as Selene. She had seen Auren following Lyra earlier, and her instincts warned her not to reveal too much.
"Celeste?" Lyra blinked in surprise. "Where's Selene?"
Celeste approached with a soft expression. "She couldn't come today. Something urgent came up. I offered to come in her place."
Lyra's shoulders dropped a little. "Oh. That's alright. I'll train on my own."
Celeste nodded and settled herself a distance away in the grass, gazing up at the sky with a blank expression. The breeze whispered through the trees, but tension lingered in the air.
From the bushes, Auren narrowed his eyes. "Why does it feel like she's hiding something?"
Kael scoffed. "You're overthinking it. You always do."
Suddenly, a deep rumble rolled through the sky, and within seconds, fat droplets of rain began to fall. The sky darkened as thunder cracked above them, and a heavy downpour ensued.
"Seriously?" Lyra groaned as she gathered her soaked belongings. "Even the weather's against me now?"
All four—Lyra, Celeste, Auren, and Kael—rushed for shelter.
A cave tucked in the mountainside became their refuge, the rocky interior echoing with the sound of rain. They gathered silently inside, catching their breath.
Lyra slumped against the wall, soaked. "Perfect. Just perfect."
Kael smirked. "Maybe this is the universe telling you to take a nap instead."
But as the banter subsided, Lyra's gaze shifted to Celeste—who was shivering uncontrollably, curled against the cave wall.
Her expression was distant. Her body trembled with more than just cold.
The thunder cracked again—and she flinched.
"Celeste?" Lyra's tone changed. Concern bloomed in her chest.
She rushed forward, kneeling beside her. Celeste's eyes were unfocused, her breath short. Her hands trembled in her lap.
"Celeste?" Lyra repeated, softer now. "Are you alright?"
Celeste's lips barely moved. "It's not… the rain… it's the thunder…"
Behind them, Auren and Kael exchanged looks—but for once, said nothing.
The storm outside roared on.
And inside the cave, silence pressed down—tense, heavy—with Celeste trembling like a shadow haunted by something long buried.