The council room was dim, the only light coming from the flickering crystals embedded into the walls. Five of the Purge Unit elites sat around the polished oak table, with several government officials observing from the side. Commander Kyle, the head of the unit, rose to address the group.
"There's a shift in the atmosphere," he began, his tone serious. "Every Aetheryte we deployed across Elton has detected anomalous activity. The stones are dipping black in certain areas. I'm not exaggerating when I say it—it's more than magic; it's… dense, unrelenting."
One of the officials leaned forward. "How do we trace this? We can't just walk around town randomly."
Kyle nodded. "We'll divide into teams. Each operative carries an Aetheryte. Wherever it turns black, that will be our starting point. We proceed cautiously. Remember, we're looking for the source, not just the manifestation."
Another elite spoke, frowning. "And if it's a shadow-type anomaly? If it slips past our detection?"
Kyle's eyes narrowed. "Then we adapt. Keep the stones in constant proximity. If the magic is strong, the stone will remain black. If it flickers…" He let the word hang in the air. "…then it's either moving fast, or clever enough to avoid full detection."
The room fell silent. Everyone understood the stakes. Magic had always been feared, and to the Purge Units, any magic was a threat.
----
We all sat in the common room after breakfast.
The silence wasn't heavy — just still, almost breathable.
Everyone seemed lost in thought, deeply analyzing our next step.
I, on the other hand, couldn't get my mind off Master's strange behavior.
Things couldn't be this simple — a group of teens with magic from predecessors, dragons, and a Master guiding us? No. There was more to this story, and the sooner I found out, the better.
Cody sat at the table, a newspaper unfolded in front of him, steam curling from his cup of tea. His eyes scanned the headlines lazily—until he suddenly froze.
The paper slipped from his fingers. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.
"What's wrong, brother?" Zayn was the first to notice.
Cody looked pale, like he'd just seen a ghost.
"Cody?" Tyra called out again. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
What could have frightened him this much?
Jace was already on his feet. He picked up the newspaper, eyes narrowing as he read aloud:
> "PURGE UNITS DEPLOYED ACROSS ELTON — UNKNOWN MAGICAL ACTIVITY DETECTED."
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed at once.
"Tell me you're kidding," Annabeth said, snatching the paper from Jace.
She scanned it quickly, then whispered, "You're not kidding."
They all gathered around, staring at the paper as if the words might somehow change if everyone looked long enough.
I just sat there, stunned.
Unknown magic detected?
Did we make a mistake somewhere?
"Where did I go wrong?" Cody slumped back into his chair, frustration and anger etched across his face.
It wasn't like Cody to lose control of his spells. He was one of the most skilled among us.
"I don't think it's your fault, Cody," I said softly, trying to keep him from blaming himself.
"Quite frankly, I doubt Zaren doesn't have a hand in this. He's trying to corner us every way possible."
I lowered my head, remembering his words—
'Find me... if you survive what comes next.'
Of course this was his doing.
"Well, we have to do something about this," Iris said, her voice tight with panic. "The Purge Units are relentless."
"What are you suggesting? Running? That'll only draw more attention," Katara countered.
"I mean—it's not like we're famous around town. Cody could just teleport us to another dimension until things calm down," Rhea argued back.
Tyra shook her head. "That's exactly what Zarin wants. For us to run."
Cody nodded. "Besides, the townsfolk know this house exists. They know people live here, even if we don't go out often. If we suddenly disappear, it'll look suspicious."
My thoughts drifted for a moment.
What if this wasn't even about us?
We weren't the only ones with magic in town. What if someone else had used theirs… someone like Amanda's father?
"Guys," I said finally, cutting through the chatter. "Whatever we're planning to do, we have to do it quickly. We're not the only ones in danger. Amanda and her father… they need to be considered too."
The room fell silent again—
But this time, it wasn't calm.
It was the kind of silence that comes right before the storm.
Tyra suddenly stood. "I have to inform Master. He might know a way out of this—after all, he knows the Purge Units better than we do."
Without waiting for a response, she hurried down the hall toward her father's room.
"We need to clean up," Zayn said, rising to his feet. "Hide every book on magic, every artifact—anything that could trace back to us."
No one argued.
We scattered instantly, gathering scrolls, charms, and relics, shoving them into secret compartments beneath the floorboards and behind false panels in the shelves.
If the Purge Units were using Aetherytes, our house might be the first to react.
Every trace of magic had to disappear.
Even our auras had to be erased.
Amanda…
I wondered if the news had reached her yet.
I grabbed my jacket and slung it over my shoulders.
"I'm heading to Amanda's shop," I said quickly, heading for the door before anyone could protest.
Outside, the streets were quieter than usual.
Whispers lingered in the air—fearful, uncertain.
If the Purge Units were already investigating, some of them could be undercover.
I couldn't afford to be careless.
I suppressed my aura as best I could, masking the faint hum of energy that might give me away.
Keep calm. Breathe normal. Walk steady. Don't look suspicious.
The faint ring of the morning bells carried across the district as I approached the familiar storefront. Amanda's shop stood at the corner, the painted sign swaying gently in the breeze.
I reached the door, hand hesitating for a second before pushing it open.
The small bell above the door chimed—its cheerful sound somehow wrong in the stillness that followed.
No greeting. No soft laugh. Just silence.
Then—whispers.
I stepped inside carefully, eyes sweeping across the room.
The air was suddenly different—stale, tense.
And then I saw him.
Someone stood near the counter, a dark cloak drawn over his head. From his slender frame, I could tell immediately—it wasn't her father.
My pulse quickened.
Who was that?
Did they find her first?