EPISODE 3: SECRETS OF THE PENDANT
1002 Words
Back in her room after the Maze of Echoes, Eliana Rivers sat on the edge of her bed, her heart still racing from the night’s trial. The shadows of the twisting labyrinth still lingered in her mind, but it wasn’t the memory of the maze that held her captive—it was the pendant.
She had found it nestled inside a crumbling stone pillar deep in the maze, its chain tangled around an ancient glyph that only glowed when she touched it. The pendant was unlike anything she had seen—circular, engraved with strange runes, and pulsing softly with a gentle golden light.
Now, hours later, it still pulsed, responding to her presence like it knew her.
She held it up, watching it cast faint glimmers onto the walls of her dorm room. As she waved it slowly near her desk, something unexpected happened: the mirror above the desk shimmered briefly, its reflection warping before returning to normal. Eliana blinked. Was she imagining things?
Curious, she brought the pendant closer to the wooden drawer built into her desk. Instantly, a click echoed. A hidden compartment slid open from underneath the drawer — one she’d never seen before. Inside was a small, folded parchment, yellowed with age.
Hands trembling, she opened it. The writing was elegant and slanted, signed with initials she didn’t recognize: "A.V."
“To the one who finds this: the Academy is layered with truths long buried. Seek the Archives. Trust only what reacts to the light. The pendant will guide you.”
The pendant glowed brighter as she read.
Eliana’s thoughts churned. Why her? Who was A.V.? And what truths were buried?
She needed help—but not from Mira or Jasper. Not this time.
---
Later that evening, she made her way to the Alchemy Wing, where she found Nia Reyes hunched over a steaming cauldron, scribbling notes in a language Eliana didn’t recognize Nia was quiet, sharp-eyed, and always asking questions no one else dared to ask.
Eliana hesitated before stepping forward.
“I need to show you something,” she whispered.
When she held out the pendant, Nia's expression changed immediately. She set her tools down carefully and leaned closer.
“That’s not just jewellery,” Nia murmured. “That’s a Tracker Relic.”
“A what?”
“They’re rare. Forbidden, even. They were created during the early days of the Academy. Rumour is, they respond to ancient magic… or to truth.”
“Truth?”
Nia nodded slowly. “Which means… if it’s glowing around you, Eliana, either you’re close to something powerful—” her eyes flicked to Eliana’s face— “or you are.”
---
That night, under the cover of shadows, the two girls made their way to the North Tower—where the Archives were said to be.
The entrance was always locked. But when Eliana held the pendant up to the iron door, the runes on the surface flickered—and the lock clicked open.
Inside, the archives were nothing like a normal library. There were no orderly rows of books or card catalogues. Instead, ancient tomes floated in mid-air, whispering in forgotten languages. The air smelled of ink, dust, and old secrets. The floor was covered in shifting symbols that responded to their steps.
“It’s… alive,” Eliana whispered.
“The Academy remembers everything,” Nia said softly, eyes scanning the floating books.
As they explored deeper into the Archives, the pendant began to pulse more intensely, drawing them toward the back wall. There, behind rows of untouched scrolls, they found a cracked stone wall. The pendant glowed hot in Eliana’s palm.
“Try it here,” Nia whispered.
Eliana pressed the pendant against the stone—and the wall groaned open, revealing a hidden passage.
What lay beyond was a forgotten study, cloaked in dust. Shelves lined with preserved notes, faded portraits, and scrolls no longer recognized by the Academy's official history. At the centre stood a pedestal. Upon it lay a single, unmarked journal—its pages aged, but preserved by protective enchantments.
Eliana opened it slowly.
The entries were handwritten in the same elegant script as the note in her drawer. The name at the bottom of the first page made her heart stop:
“Headmistress Althea Valen.”
“She was the first Headmistress,” Nia said in awe. “She disappeared over a century ago…" Some say she was overthrown.”
Entry after entry revealed Althea’s story—how the Academy had once been a sanctuary for magical truth, a place of harmony between realms. But something had changed. A council had betrayed her. One among them—Calvina—had seized control.
“She rewrote history. Banished those who stood with me. If you’re reading this, you must awaken the truth. The Academy must choose its Guardian again.”
Eliana’s hand trembled.
> “If she returns… she will awaken the Academy’s true purpose. Calvina’s reign will crumble.”
“Eliana,” Nia whispered. “What if this is about you?”
The pendant pulsed violently. Suddenly, the entrance behind them slammed shut with a loud bang. The air thickened. The torches flickered out.
Then, a low voice echoed through the chamber—cold, familiar.
“You should not be here.”
Eliana’s heart leapt into her throat.
From the shadows beyond the pedestal, a silhouette emerged—tall, cloaked, and unmistakably powerful.
“Run!” Nia shouted, grabbing Eliana’s hand.
But the door wouldn’t budge.
The pendant began to glow brighter than ever, casting a golden light that shielded them as the figure raised a hand.
A blast of magic hit the light barrier—but bounced off.
“She is the one,” the figure hissed.
Eliana’s eyes blazed with new determination.
She didn’t understand everything yet—but one thing was now clear:
She was part of this Academy’s past.
And she might just be the key to its future.
---
to be continued
🆔️ Zeeworld.
- Writer
