Light and Shadow 5: Unveiling the Luminous Realm

Light and Shadow 5: Unveiling the Luminous Realm

Following dinner, the three of us headed to Mimi’s office. I had been feeling anxious since earlier, and I could barely eat, no matter how tasty the food was. I had been eagerly anticipating this moment and couldn’t wait to delve deeper to discover more.

“The Luminous Realm is the home of Elementalists, immortals who possess the eight elements: fire, water, wind, earth, and the divine element of light and the element of shadow,” Mimi began, settling into her office chair. “The element of light was a divine gift bestowed only upon the imperial family and rarely to their lineage. It served as a counterbalance to the growing power of shadow, the darkness that sought to corrupt the entire Luminous Realm.”

“Elementalists have nemeses called Shadowfells, who wield the element of shadow. These rebels defy the royal families, and their numbers have increased as they continue to corrupt some Elementalists using darkness. They also have the power to create monsters making them a formidable force, which is why they can almost rival the royal families,” Mimi continued, pushing the books toward me.

“To outmatch and surpass the royal family’s power, the Shadowfells aimed to find the summoners of the Supreme Guardians to corrupt them with the power of darkness,” Nana said, turning to me. “To ensure your safety, we decided to finally bring you to the Luminous Realm and enroll you in Lumina Academy.”

Hearing those words made my heart race with both enthusiasm and fear. I was eager to discover the world of the Luminous Realm and experience true magic. However, I was also scared about stepping into this new world.

But as long as Mimi and Nana were there for me, I knew I could overcome my fears. However, entering that world also meant embracing chaos. But I was determined to become stronger, not only to protect myself but also the people I cared about.

“We only taught you about controlling your power and the art of summoning and we regret not teaching you about the world of the Luminous Realm,” Mimi said again, sounding apologetic. I smiled, telling her I understood. “But you can use these books to learn about the things you wanted to know about our realm.”

I gazed at the three books on her table. They were thick with old, simple covers, yet they seemed magical. My enthusiasm ignited as I imagined reading these books and learning more about the Luminous Realm.

I had been eager to know more about that world, but neither Nana, Mimi nor my guardians had spoken about it to me. I couldn’t wait any longer to read these books, yet I masked my true feelings to avoid making them feel bad.

If they saw how enthusiastically I looked at these books, they might regret even further not teaching me about the Luminous Realm. They only focused on teaching me about controlling my formidable power and the art of summoning, but not about our realm.

It seemed as if Mimi and Nana truly wanted to live a normal life.

Mimi might have already explained the reason, but I had a feeling there was something deeper. My understanding of the realm was limited, and I knew that with the help of these books, Mimi and Nana’s guidance, and entering Lumina Academy, I could broaden my knowledge.

“Don’t hesitate to ask us anything if you have any questions that these books can’t answer,” Mimi said, giving me a comforting smile.

“That’s right,” Nana agreed. “Moreover, you’ll be attending a prestigious academy in the Luminous Realm, where you’ll learn even more than these books can teach you,” she continued with a gentle smile, turning to Mimi. “The school year has already begun, hasn’t it?” She asked.

“Yes,” Mimi replied, nodding. “That’s why Sapphire will have special classes to catch up on her lessons.”

As I listened to them, an idea popped into my head. “Uhm…” I got their attention, and they both looked at me expectantly. “Where will we stay once we’re in the Luminous Realm?” I asked, and I noticed them exchanging knowing looks.

“Hmmm… the academy mandates that its students remain on campus while the semester is still ongoing. This means the academy has dormitories where students can reside since they can’t leave the academy’s premises unless it’s permitted or required,” Nana explained, but I still had lingering questions.

“It only means I have a place to stay while studying at the academy, however…” I trailed off, looking at them. “Where will you stay then?” I asked carefully, stopping myself to bring up their families.

“Of course, at the academy!” They both answered, leaving me perplexed.

My eyebrow arched. “Huh? Parents… can stay at the academy too?” I asked again, still confused.

They both exchanged knowing glances, chuckling softly. “Sweetie… your Nana and I are the only ones permitted to stay at the academy because we’re important figures there,” Mimi answered mysteriously, which only confused me further.

“Tss! Cut the crap already,” Nana said, sounding impatient, which made Mimi chuckle softly. Nana faced me and what she said next left me speechless. “I’m one of the academy’s skilled professors, and your mother was none other than the headmistress chosen by the deities themselves to lead the academy,” she said which made me caught off guard.

That’s quite a mind-blowing revelation.

***

The next day, I had no classes, so I decided to visit Azriel. He couldn’t visit me last night because he said something came up, but he had texted me to let me know he was okay and that the lady was already in the capable hands of Headmistress Fe.

I hadn’t told him I would visit him today since it was an impromptu decision after I learned from Mimi and Nana that they would be visiting the place he was staying. That was Stanford Academy, an academy concealed from the eyes and knowledge of mortals.

It served as our sanctuary—the fortress of the immortals here in the Mortal Realm. That’s where the hospitals for immortals were located, too, as well as where we could unleash our powers and summon our guardians freely. Most importantly, it was where the portal to other realms was.

Stanford Academy wasn’t just a refuge for immortals living here in the Mortal Realm; it was also a school for young immortals to learn how to master their powers, even after choosing to live here. I also heard they needed to attend this academy.

It is to prevent losing control of their powers and possibly harming mortals and disrupting their peace. This academy was also built so immortals could safeguard mortals from those who wanted to harm them, like the hybris demons.

The immortals living here are essentially the protectors of mortals.

***