Rae van Daleon – The Roots of the Storm

by Lea von Löwenstein

Chapter 55: A Shadowed Warning

The Scola was cloaked in silence as the evening bells rang, signaling the start of curfew. Rae and her team were gathered in the barracks, the day’s grueling training still fresh in their muscles. Marcus was tending to his hammer, Tyren was tweaking his cogitator, and Soren was quietly polishing his crossbow. Celestine, as always, was twirling one of her knives, the blade catching the dim light with every rotation.

But the tranquility of the moment was shattered when Celestine found a folded piece of paper tucked under her bunk’s mattress. The edge of the parchment stuck out just enough to catch her eye.

“What’s that?” Rae asked, noticing the sudden pause in Celestine’s movements.

Celestine frowned, pulling the note free and holding it up to the light. “It was under my bed,” she said, her tone sharp. She unfolded it, her eyes narrowing as she read the scrawled message.

Her voice dropped as she read it aloud:

        “Your speed won’t save you when the shadows come. Keep your distance, or the Emperor won’t be able to protect you.”

The room fell silent. The words were written in a jagged, hurried script, as if the author had been in a rush—or enraged. The crude drawing of a dagger, dripping with ink that resembled blood, marked the bottom of the page.

A Heavy Silence

Marcus broke the silence, his voice low and dangerous. “Who the hell left that?”

Tyren stood, his cogitator already buzzing as he scanned the parchment. “The ink is fresh,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Whoever wrote this wasn’t far away.”

Celestine crumpled the note in her fist, her expression a mix of anger and unease. “Cowards. If they have something to say, they can say it to my face.”

Soren crossed his arms, his gaze flicking to the barracks door. “This isn’t random. Someone’s targeting you. Any guesses?”

“No,” Celestine said, her voice sharp. “But whoever it is, they’re about to regret it.”

Rae stepped closer, her tone calm but firm. “We don’t know who’s behind this, or why. Until we do, we need to stay focused and not let this distract us.”

A Quiet Discussion

Later that night, when the others had settled into an uneasy sleep, Rae and Celestine sat near the dimly lit window, the crumpled note between them.

“You should tell someone,” Rae said quietly. “Commissar Varn. Sister Verena. Even Omnitek. They’ll take this seriously.”

Celestine shook her head. “And what will that do? They’ll interrogate half the novices, maybe expel a few, but it won’t stop whoever did this. If anything, it’ll make them more careful next time.”

Rae studied her friend, her eyes searching. “Then what do you want to do?”

Celestine’s expression hardened. “I want to find out who’s behind this myself. And when I do, I’ll make sure they never try this again.”

Rae frowned but nodded slowly. “Then we’ll keep our eyes open. But don’t do anything reckless.”

“Reckless is what I do best,” Celestine said, flashing a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

The Next Morning

By morning, the note was gone, burned to ash in the small brazier in the corner of the barracks. But the tension lingered. Celestine moved through the day with her usual confidence, but Rae could see the tightness in her jaw, the way her eyes darted toward every shadow.

At breakfast, Soren leaned closer to Rae, his voice low. “Do you think it’s Krenz?”

Rae shook her head. “Too obvious. He’s arrogant, but this doesn’t feel like his style.”

Tyren joined in, his voice barely above a whisper. “Whoever it is, they know Celestine. That note wasn’t just a threat—it was personal.”

Marcus slammed his fist lightly against the table. “If they come near her again, they’ll regret it.”

“They already will,” Celestine said, sliding into her seat with her tray. Her voice was calm, but her eyes burned with quiet fury. “And I don’t need anyone fighting my battles for me.”

Rae nodded. “We know. But we’re still watching your back.”

A Shadow in the Training Grounds

That afternoon, during a sparring session on the training grounds, Rae caught sight of a novice lingering at the edge of the yard. They were partially hidden behind a column, their posture stiff, their gaze fixed on Celestine as she moved through her drills.

Rae moved subtly toward the figure, pretending to adjust her gear. When she got closer, the novice noticed her and quickly slipped away, disappearing into the crowded corridors of the Scola.

“Someone watching?” Celestine asked when Rae returned.

“Maybe,” Rae said, her voice low. “But I lost them.”

Celestine smirked, flipping her knife in her hand. “Let them watch. They’ll slip up eventually.”

A Warning to the Shadows

That night, as the barracks quieted once more, Rae and Celestine sat together by the dim light of the brazier. Rae handed her friend a blade, slightly smaller than her usual pair but no less sharp.

“Keep it on you,” Rae said simply. “Just in case.”

Celestine took the blade, her smirk returning. “Whoever they are, they picked the wrong person to threaten.”

Rae’s expression softened, but her voice was firm. “And if they come for you, they’ll have to deal with all of us.”

“For Talia,” Celestine said, holding up the blade.

“For Talia,” Rae echoed, their bond unshaken as the shadows of the Scola closed in around them.