NIGHT WATCH

*Chapter 14: Shadows at the Gate*

The days after the Secret Night Market felt strange and uncertain. At first, it was just a chill in the air—then, rumors grew. Some students whispered about distorted shadows flitting past enchanted windows after dark; others gossiped about mysterious runes appearing on the outer walls, glowing with a sickly green light before fading away. Teachers seemed tenser, pausing lessons to check the magical wards or calling mysterious meetings with the Headmaster.

One afternoon, Chen Xiulan's family talisman, usually dim and calm, started pulsing with light. She gripped it tightly as Bao Yu's plants recoiled from the windows, their leaves curling away from some invisible threat no one else could see. A message from Master Liu, a trusted guardian, arrived by flying paper crane: *Stay alert. Watch for strangers. Protect the barriers at all costs.*

That night, Mei Fen and Jin Ming stumbled upon a terrified first-year student weeping behind the greenhouses. The girl, white-faced, claimed to have seen "a shadow with red eyes, floating just outside the ward, mumbling ancient curses." Even Jin Ming couldn't muster a joke. He and Bao Yu escorted her back inside, promising she was safe—though in truth, neither felt sure.

The group gathered in the dorm under lamplight, tension thick in the air. "Something's coming," Chen Xiulan whispered, holding her talisman close. "The elders wouldn't warn us otherwise." Li Wei scanned the group—each friend's face flickering with doubt and determination. "We've always looked out for each other. Now we need to look out for everyone," he said, voice steady and calm. Jin Ming punched his palm, fire dancing at his fingertips. "Let them come. They'll learn not to mess with Jade Spirit."

Their pact was silent but strong: they would be the Academy's shield, even if it meant facing monsters, dark magic, or ancient enemies rumored to haunt the forest beyond. That night, as Li Wei gazed out at the rune-lit midnight, he felt something powerful shift—magic was alive, and their biggest challenge was only beginning.