Invitation

Rachel sat cross-legged on her bed, her thoughts swirling around the mysterious Divine Eye of the Void and the cryptic responses from the Veil Interface. She sighed, running a hand through her hair, when a sudden knock on the door broke her train of thought.

Before Rachel could even respond, the door burst open, and in walked Elena. She was grinning from ear to ear, her vibrant energy immediately filling the room. In her hands was an envelope—neatly sealed and official-looking.

"Well, good morning, your royal grumpiness!" Elena said, her voice teasing as she stepped into the room. "Guess what? You got a letter!"

Rachel raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback. She couldn't remember the last time someone had sent her a letter. Who even wrote letters anymore? "A letter? From who?"

Elena didn't answer right away. Instead, she walked over to Rachel's bed with exaggerated steps, as if she were delivering a royal proclamation. She dangled the envelope in front of Rachel with a mischievous smile.

"Come on, guess!" Elena said, her tone sing-song.

Rachel gave her a deadpan look. "I don't have time for your games, Elena. Just tell me."

Elena smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "Where's the fun in that? I'll give you a hint—it's not from some secret admirer."

Rachel rolled her eyes, already feeling her patience slipping. "Elena, I swear, if you don't—"

"Fine, fine," Elena cut her off, laughing as she handed over the envelope. "It's from the director of Titanfall Academy, Sir Verone."

Rachel froze for a moment, the name ringing in her ears. "Sir Verone?" she repeated, her tone laced with disbelief. She turned the envelope over in her hands, noting the official seal of the prestigious academy.

Elena flopped onto the bed beside her, grinning like she had just delivered earth-shattering news. "Yep. The Sir Verone. You know, the guy who runs one of the most famous academies in the entire world. No big deal."

Rachel glanced at her, trying to mask her surprise. "Why would the director of Titanfall Academy send me a letter?"

Rachel sat still for a moment, her fingers lightly tracing the edges of the envelope as Elena's words echoed in her mind. Sir Verone, the name of one of the most respected figures in the world of awakening, the head of Titanfall Academy. It wasn't just any academy—it was a breeding ground for the most powerful and influential awakeners, with students coming from all corners of the globe. The thought of receiving an invitation from him sent a chill down her spine. Why would he be interested in me?

Her fingers tightened around the envelope for a brief moment as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place. The mention of her awakening, her unusual display of power, was the most obvious explanation. The director might have seen something—something abnormal—that caught his attention. But it wasn't just her awakening itself that could have triggered this. The Veil Interface, her status window, had acted strangely during her trial. For a split second, it had vanished entirely, leaving only an eerie emptiness that felt unnatural, even for her. Only someone with an eye for detail—someone with significant power—would have noticed that anomaly.

Rachel's mind raced as she considered the implications. Could he have suspected something? She wasn't naive. Titanfall Academy had its share of brilliant minds, people who were skilled not only in combat and magic but in strategy and observation. The director, Sir Verone, was known for his calculating nature, never allowing anything to slip through his grasp. If he noticed that momentary glitch in the Veil Interface, he might have connected it to something more sinister. Or more significant.

Her gaze flicked to Elena, who was still grinning on the bed beside her. Rachel couldn't help but wonder if Elena had any inkling of what was really going on. She'd always been the cheerful and carefree one, rarely taking things seriously, but Rachel knew better than to underestimate her. Elena had her own sharp instincts, though she tended to mask them behind a veil of humor.

Rachel sighed, leaning back against her pillows. This could be a trap. She had no doubts about it. The more she thought about it, the more the pieces fell into place. The director might be using this invitation to draw her out, to observe her under the guise of offering a scholarship or opportunity. It would be typical of someone like Sir Verone to want to keep his enemies—or potential threats—close. And if he suspected her involvement with the Veil Interface, he'd want to know everything about her before anyone else did.

But the more Rachel considered it, the more she realized that she didn't have a choice. Rejecting the invitation outright could raise suspicions, or worse, make her a target. There were too many unknowns at play—too many risks she couldn't afford to take. If she played along, she might learn something valuable. Maybe even find out just how much Verone knew about her, and what he intended to do with that knowledge.

Rachel's gaze lingered on the intricate seal of the envelope, her fingers lightly tracing the edges of the wax. The seal itself seemed almost too refined for a mere letter—a work of artistry in itself. It was a reminder of just how important this correspondence was, a communication from someone who didn't deal in trivialities. Sir Verone, she thought again, the name feeling heavier now, as the weight of her thoughts settled in.

The Veil Interface's warning flashed briefly in her mind. Beings of mighty power and the cosmos. The reminder of forces far beyond her comprehension lingered uneasily at the back of her thoughts. It was a constant presence, a quiet tension in her life that she couldn't escape no matter how far she tried to distance herself from it. The world, in its endless complexity, was shifting in ways she could no longer ignore. The barrier—the veil—had always been there, a thin but powerful layer that separated her from the horrors lurking beyond it. It was a reminder that things far greater than the gods, beings of unimaginable power, were out there. And no matter how careful she was, those entities, those forces, would eventually find their way into her life if they hadn't already. There was only so long she could remain hidden from their gaze.

Rachel's eyes narrowed slightly as her thoughts turned back to the academy. Titanfall Academy, she considered. While it was, in many ways, a place for the gifted to cultivate their abilities, it was also a hub for information—an institution that attracted the brightest minds and the most dangerous individuals. If there were any answers about the strange occurrence with the Veil Interface, or the nature of the power stirring within her, Titanfall Academy was the place to find them. The academy was home to the highest-ranking awakener scholars, and its director, Sir Verone, was no ordinary man. He was a tactician, a manipulator, and a master at reading people. For him to be watching her, for him to have noticed the anomaly, was a sign that he was more observant and more dangerous than she had initially thought.

Elena, still watching her with that playful grin, clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation. She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You seem a bit... off. Not what I expected after I gave you such big news."

Rachel glanced up at her, her usual cold composure returning. "I'm thinking, Elena. I'm trying to figure out why he's interested in me."

Elena shrugged dramatically, her teasing smile never wavering. "I don't know, Rachel. Maybe he heard about your sparkling personality and decided you'd be a great addition to the school?"

Rachel gave her a flat look. "Very funny."

"I'm serious! Maybe he thinks you're super cool. Or maybe he's secretly a fan of yours and—"

"Elena," Rachel interrupted, her voice dry. "You're not helping."

Elena laughed, leaning back on the bed and crossing her arms behind her head. "Okay, okay, Open it already," Elena said, nudging her.

Rachel hesitated, then broke the seal with a quick motion. As she unfolded the letter, Elena leaned in closer, trying to read over her shoulder.

"Hey, personal space," Rachel muttered, holding the letter away.

"Oh, come on," Elena whined. "I'm invested in this now. What's it say? Is he inviting you to some super-secret awakener event? Or maybe you've been selected as the chosen one?"

"Do you ever stop talking?" Rachel shot back, though there was no real heat in her words.

"Nope," Elena said with a grin. "Now spill!"

Rachel sighed, shaking her head at her friend's antics. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"And yet, you'd be lost without me," Elena replied, smirking.

Despite herself, Rachel couldn't help but smile a little. As much as Elena's teasing could get on her nerves, her friend's energy was contagious. With a deep breath, Rachel turned her attention back to the letter. Whatever was inside, she had a feeling it was going to change everything.