Impending Chaos

The tension in the air is thick enough to cut with a knife.

Dustin and I stand before the imposing dark brown desk of the Keeper Principal, a man whose mere presence seems to suck the life out of the room. His gigantic office houses many intimidating paintings and sculptures.

I swore a pair of eyes from one of the paintings were looking directly into my soul.

I look away before my nerves burst into oblivion.

We wait in silence for the Keeper Principal to speak. The silent atmosphere was nothing compared to the loud voices in my head telling me to run.

My heart pounds in my chest, but I force my face into a mask of calm. Dustin's body shakes, his eyes scanning the room for a way out. I can feel the heat of his anger and his fear mingling with the tight knot of dread in my stomach.

We were both trying to act strong in front of the Keeper Principal. We knew that the reason we were here was because we were in trouble. Though I was the one who cared less about it.

Goosebumps form on my arm as the principal starts to speak to us.

"I cannot stress enough the gravity of your actions." The principal's voice is cold and precise, each word like a punch to the gut.

"Fighting with magic, unsupervised and unchecked, violates the highest order at Keeper Academy. Our mandate is perfection and order. And you two," he pauses, his piercing gaze anchoring us to the ground, "have brought chaos."

He lets the words hang in the air, their weight pressing down on us. I want to say something to explain that I hadn't meant to unleash the forbidden magic within me, that it had just... happened. But the words stick in my throat.

I've seen the way the other Keepers looked at me after the brief fight with Dustin; their eyes were filled with fear and suspicion.

The fire magic they can understand, but the dark energy and purple flames? That is something they will never forget. Being a dark mage doesn't exactly win you any brownie points in this world. If anything, it puts a target on your back.

"You have both forced our hand," the principal continues, his tone shifting to something colder, more final. "One of you must be expelled. The rules demand it. There is only one way to determine who stays and who goes." He pauses, letting the silence stretch until it feels unbearable.

"You will duel. In front of the Keepers. And the loser will be banned from Keeper Academy for life."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Expelled. Banned for life. The stakes have just gone from low to our lives depending on it. I glance at Dustin, who looks as pale as a ghost. His magical prowess contrasts with his weak resolve.

His weak mindset is showing itself beneath his strong bully persona. I didn't want to be that kind of person, but I knew I could use his confidence against him. This next duel is more than just being banned or not from the academy.

"But know this," the principal's voice cuts through my thoughts like a razor, "there will be no holding back. If either of you fails to give your all, the consequences will be losing your life."

My blood runs cold. I know what he's implying. If I don't fight with everything I have—even the dark magic that I fear and loathe—I might as well say goodbye to life. Nobody can stop the Keepers in their own domain. But if I use it, what will that mean for me? What will that make me?

"Prepare yourselves," the principal says, dismissing us with a wave of his hand. "Your duel will be at dawn."

Dustin and I turn to leave, but before we reach the door, the principal speaks again, his voice low and menacing. "And Nico, remember what I said? Use your powers without permission again, and the government of Tarondar will have no choice but to treat you as a threat to civilian life. Dark mages are not allowed at Keeper Academy at all, though we have made an exception for you."

I nod, feeling the weight of his words settle like a stone in my gut.

As we step out of the office, the cold reality of what lies ahead hits me. Tomorrow, everything will change. Either I lose and die for not trying my hardest or I win and send Dustin back home. If I win, his life will be turned completely upside down.

The thought of accidentally killing him nags at my mind.

As the door to the principal's office closes behind me, the world outside seems distant and unreal. My knuckles turn white as I clench them into fists, trying to stop the thoughts racing through my mind. I can't afford to lose—not with everything at stake. Even if it means Dustin must be sent home, so be it.

It will be for the greater good so I can have another chance to send the Keeper Principal flying through a wall.

More thoughts burst into my mind.

What if this isn't just about Dustin and me? What if the principal has a deeper reason for forcing this duel? What if someone wants me to lose? Or what if this is an observational test of the extent of my personal powers?

What if they are trying to make me afraid of my powers enough that I won't use them ever again?

The thought lingers, dark and unsettling, as I make my way back to my room. Tomorrow, I will face Dustin again, but now I can't shake the feeling that someone—or something—is pulling the strings behind the scenes. And whatever it is, it's far more dangerous than anything I've faced before.

I have to win this duel to continue. I can't end the story here.

But even if I do, I know this is just the start of my personal hell.