Moonlit Vows Of Vengeance-Chapter 65: Exhaustion

That night, exhaustion dragged me under the surface of consciousness, and I slipped into a dream that felt too real to be a mere dream.

I was standing in a sunlit courtyard, the scent of blooming jasmine thick in the air. The academy was alive with students laughing and training, their voices echoing softly around the marble columns. I was not alone.

Lucas stood before me, his sharp green eyes holding a warmth I hadn’t seen in ages. He smiled, the kind of smile that made my chest tighten and my heart race.

"Athena," he said softly, stepping closer. "You made it. I was starting to think you wouldn’t."

I blinked, searching his face as if trying to remember every detail etched into memory. "Lucas... is it really you?"

He laughed, low and genuine, and reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "In more ways than you know."

The world around us blurred as he pulled me into an embrace. Our lips met, gentle at first, then deeper, full of things left unsaid. I felt a rush of warmth and safety, a moment stolen from a time before the pain.

When we finally parted, breath mingling, I looked into his eyes. "I’ve missed you," I whispered.

"Me too," he said, voice thick. "But there’s something you need to understand—something I’ve been trying to tell you."

We walked slowly along the stone path, the sun casting dappled shadows on the ground. Lucas’s hand found mine, fingers intertwining naturally.

"You’re not just a werewolf, Athena," he said, voice dropping. "You carry a power that frightens even me. And that power... it’s tearing us apart."

Confusion tightened my chest. "What do you mean?"

Suddenly, his expression twisted, pain and rage flashing in his eyes. "It’s all your fault!" he screamed, voice cracking. "You brought this on us!"

Before I could react, his hand was a knife flashing in the sunlight, plunging into my side. I gasped, staggering back as hot pain exploded through me.

"Why?" I choked out, vision blurring.

Lucas’s face was a mask of fury and sorrow. "Because of you... everything’s broken."

The world tilted, darkness creeping in from the edges as I crumpled to the ground.

I jolted awake, heart hammering, sweat slick against my skin. The dream lingered like smoke, bitter and real.

I lay there, trembling, trying to shake off the vivid nightmare. But deep inside, a cold truth settled: some part of me feared it wasn’t just a dream at all.

My chest heaved as I sat up, the thin blanket slipping from my shoulders. The room was quiet—too quiet—yet my mind thundered with the echo of Lucas’s scream. It’s all your fault.

Cold fingers of doubt wrapped around me. My side ached faintly, like a ghost bruise. I pressed my palm against it, willing the pain away. But it lingered.

I swallowed hard. What did this make me? A monster? A curse? A goddess? Or just a broken girl chasing nothing? I need to leave here...

A heavy weight settled in my gut. The world I’d landed in—the academy, the magic, the whispers of power—it all felt suddenly fragile like glass ready to shatter.

But I had no choice but to keep moving forward. I had to find answers. And maybe, somewhere between nightmare and dawn, I’d discover the truth about who I really was.

I ran my hands through my hair, still trembling. For the first time since arriving, fear gnawed at me—not of the academy, the tests, or the jeers of other students. But of myself.

Because sometimes, the monsters weren’t outside. . They were inside.

The morning sun poured through the tall windows of the training hall, casting long shadows on the stone floor. I tightened the laces of my boots, trying to calm the nervous twist in my stomach. Today was another round of tests and more training with the others. They didn’t know what I was capable of, but I could feel their eyes on me, sizing me up.

Valeen was already there, pacing near the edge of the room with that same sharp look in his eyes. He nodded once when he saw me and gestured to a group of students practising elemental magic.

"Today, we’re focusing on control and precision," Valeen announced. "Pair up and cast basic enchantments on each other. Nothing harmful. The goal is finesse."

I moved toward the group, heart hammering. Lira was nearby, giving me a small encouraging smile. But Kaelin was watching from across the hall, her eyes cold, lips curled like she was ready to pounce.

My partner was a wiry boy named Renn, quick with fire spells. He grinned at me, eager to show off. "Let’s see what you got, ’Magic Dud.’"

I forced myself not to flinch. "Well, try not to burn your hair off."

We started slow, casting small sparks and gentle breezes at each other. When it came to my turn, I raised my hands, but nothing came out. No flame, no spark, not even a flicker.

Renn laughed. "Aw, come on. Nothing? Are you even trying?"

I bit my lip, swallowing my frustration. Their magic bent around me, refusing to stick or ignite.

Lira stepped up beside me and tried a simple shield spell. A soft blue glow enveloped her arm. She smiled at me, but when I tried the same, the magic simply slipped away, like water off the smooth stone.

Kaelin sauntered over, voice dripping with mockery. "Maybe you’re not ’Magic Dud,’ but ’Magic Void.’ Just empty space."

I clenched my fists but stayed quiet. Valeen’s sharp gaze flicked to her. "Enough."

The rest of the training passed in a blur of failed attempts and whispers behind my back. I felt invisible, powerless—but burning with something fierce inside that no one could see.

The training hall emptied, the chatter of students fading behind me as I trudged through the corridor, boots echoing too loudly against the stone. I didn’t even actually bother looking up.