IMPERIAL ACADEMY

Not over yet

The trophy of acceptance. Alex had finally won it. Word about how Alex defeated a witch quickly spread across the school, and by the next morning, Alex was receiving warm gestures of respect from other students.

"Look Alex, you're like a celebrity now," Bruno said to him while they walked down to class. Before Alex could respond, he had to smile at two female fire mages that smiled coyly at him. Bruno saw that and gasped.

"Even the chicks dig you now. I wish I was living your life," Bruno said and sighed. Alex chuckled at the remark.

"Relax Bruno. We did it together. Besides, we don't truly know whether it's all over, do we?" Alex said to Bruno while they took a turn to the corridor that led to the classrooms.

"What do you mean? We defeated Professor Dora, we saved Master Orion. The blood moon has passed. There's no danger lurking in the shadows. Everything is back to normal now," Bruno replied to Alex.

"It just doesn't feel that way," Alex said with a sigh. While they kept walking, a white dove flew toward Alex and landed on his shoulder. The dove had a message. Alex took out the paper and read it.

"Master Orion wants to see me. I'll be back in a jiffy," Alex told Bruno and headed for Master Orion's office. The newly found attention did not sit well with Alex, but he had to learn to deal with it. When Alex got to Master Orion's office, he knocked and entered.

"Ah, Alex. Come on. Sit," Master Orion said to him and gestured to a mahogany chair placed adjacent to his table. Alex sat down and exhaled. "How are you feeling, Alex?" Master Orion asked.

"I feel great," Alex replied. Master Orion arched his brow and sat down.

"You defeated a witch which could very well be your aunt, and you refused to release your trapped grandfather from his prison. Are you truly okay?" Master Orion asked Alex.

Alex's fingers danced nervously while he tried to focus on the stuff on the table. He then let out a sigh.

"I don't know how I'm feeling. It's like it's not over. Klaus Hodgkin told me disturbing things about my powers, about my so-called destiny. I don't know if he was telling the truth or just trying to manipulate me," Alex said to Master Orion, who nodded.

"I understand, Alex. Just know that whatever you need, you have people here that can help you. You do not have to do this all on your own," Master Orion told Alex and he nodded. "... And, as gratitude for saving my life, I want to give you this…" Master Orion proceeded to hand a crystal ball over to Alex.

Alex took it and gazed at it with intrigue. "What is it?" Alex asked.

"That is a real-life dragon's eye. With the right spell, it glows when there's an evil presence around you. It will keep you safe," Master Orion told Alex, who quickly nodded and stood to his feet.

"Thank you, Master Orion," Alex replied, and Master Orion nodded. But when Alex was about to leave the room, he stopped and turned around. "Master Orion, I was just curious. What happened to Klaus Hodgkin's painting?" Alex asked.

"I've sent sentries to bring it to me. I will take care of it. Now, go to class," Master Orion said, and Alex left. When he was gone, Master Orion exhaled, and took out a wand.

He placed the wand on the table and muttered some inaudible words. The wand glowed blue before ancient carvings appeared on it.

"You didn't tell him," a female voice said from within the wand. Master Orion exhaled.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it. The boy is going through so much as it is," Master Orion replied.

"It's his destiny, Orion. No matter how you try, you cannot shield him from it. It will manifest, one way or another,". The female voice replied as Master Orion stood at his feet. He let out a groan as he placed his hand on his forehead.

"How can I tell Alex that he will indeed destroy the world? He doesn't want anything to do with that destiny. I can see it. The boy is good. Perhaps it's best I shield him from ignorance," Master Orion replied to the voice.

"Oh, Orion. Yet again, you are being asked to do something unthinkable. But it is for the good of everyone. Alex Hale is The Dark Knight. His powers will exceed yours by a dozen fold, and he will lay waste to this world. Unless you kill him as soon as possible," the voice replied to Master Orion.

"No. I cannot do that. I've already killed him once. I cannot do it again," Master Orion replied to the voice.

"You are facing this difficult choice again because you killed the body instead of the entity. What you must destroy is The Dark Knight that resides within Alex's body, slowly twisting him from inside out. Although he and Alex are the same person, The Dark Knight is the primordial force in their symbiosis. He must be destroyed, and Alex must die for that to happen. You know I'm not wrong," the voice replied to Master Orion again.

Master Orion gently approached the wand, and touched it lightly. He shut his eyes as pain coursed through his body. "I wish you were here, Livia," he whispered.

"I am always with you, Orion. Always… " The voice slowly faded. Master Orion then placed the wand inside a drawer, gazed at his reflection in the mirror and took a sharp breath.

While his dove cooed, Master Orion stepped out of his office. Meanwhile, the sentries that were sent to retrieve Klaus' painting had gotten to the scene. One of the sentries stepped inside to get it while the other stood outside.

As the sentry approached the painting, he could hear a soft growl coming from the shadows, and his body tensed as if sensing danger. The sentry brushed the feeling off. As the sentry's fingers brushed the canvas, Klaus Hodgkin's malevolent force exploded forth, entwining itself with the guardian's very essence.

The sentry groaned and fell to his knees while Klaus' spirit twisted the sentry's essence from within, making it impossible for the sentry to cry out. Now, the sentry's eyes turned glassy and cold, and while he stood on his feet, he cracked his neck and let out a malignant smile.

"Everything good down there, Mark?" The other sentry standing outside called out to his colleague.

"Everything is great!" Mark, the possessed sentry, replied with a demonic tone in his voice.