Chapter 16

The echo of Eveline's magic still vibrated in the chamber air as she, Alaric, and Aria left the catacombs. Although Umbra's seal was reinforced for now, Eveline felt the danger was far from neutralized. The shadows, silent and subtle, continued to lurk around the academy, and the weight of darkness seemed to follow their every step.

That night, Eveline could hardly sleep. The confrontation in the catacombs had shaken her internal balance. The mixture of light and dark magic within her was in constant turmoil, as if a storm was about to form. As she closed her eyes, she heard the faint whisper she had heard in the chamber again, but this time it seemed clearer.

"You can't fight what you are..."

Eveline woke up with a start. The room was dark, but the whisper still echoed in her mind. She tried to shake off the thoughts, convincing herself that it was just the stress of what had happened in the past few hours, but something told her there was more to it. Getting out of bed, she walked to her window and looked out at the night sky. The moon was high, but a dense, dark cloud seemed to cover part of it, giving the sky an unsettling appearance.

Determined to get answers, Eveline grabbed her cloak and quietly left for the academy's gardens. She needed air, she needed to think. The environment was quiet, and the night breeze brought a sense of calm, but not enough to soothe her troubled thoughts.

She wandered through the trees, letting her mind drift over everything that had happened. How could Umbra have escaped the seal? And why did she, specifically, seem to be the key to containing him? There was something about her past that was still hidden. Something Alaric hadn't told her.

As she reflected, she heard a sound behind her—light, almost imperceptible footsteps. Eveline quickly turned, her hand already ready to cast magic, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Aria? What are you doing here?" Eveline asked, surprised.

Aria approached, a serious expression on her face. "I could ask you the same. I saw you leave your room and got worried."

Eveline sighed, lowering her guard. "I can't sleep. The situation with Umbra is troubling me... and I feel like there are things we're not understanding."

Aria nodded, stepping closer and standing beside Eveline. "I feel that way too. It seems like we're in the middle of something much bigger than we can imagine. But you're not alone, Eveline. We're in this together."

Aria's words brought unexpected comfort. For a moment, the weight on Eveline's shoulders seemed to lighten. But before she could respond, the air around them suddenly shifted. The wind became colder, and the shadows in the trees began to stretch, moving strangely, as if they had a life of their own.

Aria took a step back, her eyes wide. "Are you seeing this?"

Eveline tensed. "Yes... something's wrong."

Suddenly, a familiar, low whisper echoed through the air. This time, it wasn't just in her mind—it filled the space around them, hissing and threatening.

"Come to me... you know you cannot resist me."

A shiver ran down Eveline's spine. The whisper was unmistakable. It was Umbra.

Aria looked at Eveline, frightened. "What's happening? Why is he talking to you?"

"I... I don't know." Eveline tried to focus, but the presence of the surrounding shadows was growing, becoming more intense by the second. She prepared to cast a spell, but before she could act, the shadows took form, creating vaguely human shapes that surrounded the two of them.

One stood out, taller and cloaked in an almost tangible darkness. Its eyes glowed a deep, intense red, and the whisper turned into a clearer, yet still distorted voice.

"You cannot escape me, Eveline. I am a part of you."

"No!" Eveline shouted, conjuring a bright sphere of light that momentarily drove the shadows back. But even with her magic, she felt it was only temporary. Umbra's words were stirring something deep within her, something she didn't want to acknowledge.

Aria cast a protection spell around them, creating a magical barrier, but even then, the shadows seemed to seep through the cracks. "Eveline, we need to get out of here! We can't face him directly!"

"I know!" Eveline responded, her heart racing. She knew retreating was the best choice, but Umbra's words kept seeping into her mind. **Part of her wanted to stay. Wanted to understand.**

"You felt it, didn't you? The balance inside you is not natural. You belong to me, to the darkness..." the voice whispered again, this time with a seductive tone.

Eveline fought against the thoughts invading her mind, but the truth was painfully clear. From the very beginning, from the day she had woken up in this new world, she had felt that something was off. Her magic was different from the other students'. She had always felt a deep connection to both light and darkness, and now she was beginning to understand why.

"Let's go!" Aria shouted, pulling Eveline by the hand and running toward the academy. The shadows tried to follow, but Aria's barrier still held them at bay, at least for now.

When they reached the academy's entrance, Alaric was there, as if waiting for them. His face was somber, his eyes fixed on Eveline.

"You heard it, didn't you?" he asked, without preamble.

Eveline stopped, panting, still feeling Umbra's words echoing in her mind. "Yes... he... he's trying to lure me."

Alaric sighed, as if bearing the weight of a long-held secret. "I feared this would happen. What I didn't tell you before, Eveline, is that Umbra is not just an external entity. He is a part of you. He always has been."

The ground seemed to collapse beneath Eveline's feet. "What?"

"You were chosen because of the rare balance that exists within you. Light and darkness coexist in your being, and that's why you can control magic like no one else. But this balance also makes you a target for Umbra. He wants to use that power to free himself completely."

Eveline felt the world spinning. All the pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together. The reason why her magic was different, why Umbra was speaking directly to her. She was the key to his release.

"But it doesn't have to be this way," Alaric continued, his voice firm. "You still have a choice. You can resist Umbra, you can maintain control. But you must be prepared because he will keep trying to corrupt you."

Eveline took a deep breath, trying to absorb everything. The weight of what Alaric had revealed was overwhelming, but at the same time, something within her was awakening. If she was Umbra's target, it also meant she had the power to stop him.

"I will fight," she said, her voice steady. "No matter what he tries, I will not give in to the darkness."

Alaric smiled faintly. "That's the Eveline I know."

But deep in her mind, Umbra's words still whispered, faint yet constant, like a storm brewing on the horizon.