"There! Lady Maya — this was the symbol I saw on her back!"
Shaun turned the parchment toward her. The moment Maya's eyes fell on it, her expression froze.
A faint shimmer of dread rippled through the room as Maya's hands trembled. Drops of sweat formed along her temple, and the confident composure of the Grandmaster fractured — if only for a second.
"This symbol…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"But… how is that possible?" Her pupils shrank, crimson flickering for an instant in her dark eyes.
The drawing revealed a menacing crest — a distorted, mask-like face enclosed within a glowing magical circle. Its upper half resembled an inverted crown or demonic sigil, while below, jagged fangs curved upward in a haunting grin.
Arcane lines and runic patterns radiated from its core-like veins of corrupted light, pulsing with unseen malice.
Seeing the sudden change in Lady Maya's expression, Shaun frowned in concern.
"Lady Maya… what's wrong? Did that symbol mean something?"
For a few heartbeats, she didn't answer. Her eyes were still locked on the parchment, thoughts racing somewhere far away — to memories she had buried long ago.
Then, as if realizing Shaun was still watching, Maya straightened and drew in a slow, steady breath. When she spoke again, her voice carried its usual composed strength.
"No… it's nothing," she said, forcing a faint smile, "You should head back to class. Instructor Lily's Mathamancy lecture must have already begun, and you can't afford to be late."
Shaun hesitated, still sensing something unspoken behind her calm tone. But Maya continued, her gaze softening.
"Listen, Shaun. The fate of Silver Heaven Academy now rests upon your young shoulders. I've staked my title — my very position — on your growth. To survive here, you must reach the Scholar Rank and pass your Progression Test. So study hard. Train harder. Do not miss even a single lesson. Understand?"
Her words, though wrapped in authority, carried warmth — encouragement that felt both heavy and sincere.
"I have complete trust in you… and in your potential," she said quietly, "Now go. Your destiny awaits you."
Shaun smiled, heart swelling with determination. He bowed deeply, "Yes, Lady Maya."
As he turned and exited the chamber, the echo of his footsteps faded down the corridor.
**********
The moment the doors closed, the gentle smile on Maya's lips vanished. Her eyes drifted back to the symbol — still glimmering faintly on the parchment — and for a brief moment, fear crossed her face once more.
So it has returned… after all these years.
Lady Maya leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. One hand covered her face while the other gripped the edge of the table. The faintest tremor ran through her fingers. Worry lines carved deep into her forehead — lines Edward noticed immediately. He frowned.
"Lady Maya… what's wrong? Why do you look so troubled? Is something about that symbol—?"
She didn't respond. Her gaze remained fixed on the parchment as if afraid that looking away might make the image come alive.
"No, it's nothing," she finally muttered, her voice barely steady.
But Edward wasn't convinced. Akshay rose from his seat, his sharp composure breaking for the first time.
"Lady Maya," he said firmly, "your reaction wasn't normal. That symbol — what is it? Why does it disturb you so much? If you know something, you need to tell us."
Still, Maya said nothing. Her silence stretched on — until the pressure of her thoughts became too much to contain. She pressed her temples, eyes squeezed shut. "No… it can't be. Not again…" she whispered under her breath.
"Maya." Sakura's voice was soft, filled with concern. She stood and walked to her old friend's side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Don't keep this bottled inside. You've carried enough weight alone already. If you tell us, maybe we can help. Please… don't let this eat at you."
Maya's hand slowly fell away from her face. The warmth in Sakura's voice seemed to steady her breathing. After a moment, she lifted the paper again and placed it flat on the desk for everyone to see. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on it — as if staring into a ghost from the past.
"Thank you, Sakura," she said quietly, her tone returning to calm — but it was a fragile calm, like glass ready to crack.
"It's just… this symbol. It isn't ordinary," Her next words came heavy and deliberate — every syllable soaked in dread, "This symbol… is a curse upon our region."
The room went still. Edward stepped closer, confusion etched on his face. "A curse? What do you mean by that, Lady Maya? What does this symbol stand for?"
Maya's gaze rose from the paper — her voice low, cold, and trembling slightly as she uttered the words none of them wished to hear.
"This mark…" She paused, the air thick with tension, "…belongs to The Dark Guild."
The moment Maya uttered the name Dark Guild, a chill swept through the room. Akshay, Edward, Sakura — even usually unshakable Master Kunochi — all froze.
Their faces drained of colour. A thin sheen of sweat glistened across their brows. It was as if the very mention of that name had pulled ghosts from their memories.
Akshay's breath hitched. "H–How is that possible?" he stammered.
"I thought they were banished from Silver Heaven Region decades ago. How could one of them suddenly appear here — and why inside our academy, of all places!?"
His voice trembled with disbelief and anger. Dozens of unanswered questions stormed through his mind like thunder. Kiara noticed his unease. Her usual composure cracked, curiosity mingled with concern.
"President Akshay," she asked hesitantly, "why are you suddenly so anxious? Who exactly is this… Dark Guild?"
Akshay turned toward her slowly — his expression grave, eyes shadowed with old fear.
"The Dark Guild," he began, voice low, "is not just a guild… it's a plague."
"They're a brotherhood of rogue magi — masters of the forbidden Assassination Arts. They abandoned honour, morality, and discipline. They kill for coin, for power, and sometimes… simply for pleasure."
"Assassination Arts?" Kiara repeated, her voice trembling.
Akshay nodded grimly. "Yes. It's a twisted branch of magic — one that turns life force into a weapon. Blood, shadows, fear… that's their mana source."
He clenched his fists, his words heavy with remembered history.
"They grew too powerful. Their influence spread like poison — assassinations, abductions, even royal conspiracies. So Emperor David himself took command. He formed an elite order of mages, led by Lord Robert Dragonblade, to hunt them down."
He paused, his tone darkening.
"The war between the Empire and the Dark Guild lasted for years. Entire villages were burned, and countless mages died on both sides. But eventually, the Emperor's army prevailed. The Dark Guild vanished — its remnants scattered, erased from the region."
He looked toward Lady Maya, voice tightening. "At least… that's what we thought."
Kiara swallowed hard. "Were they really that dangerous? That even the Emperor had to erase them from history?"
Akshay nodded slowly.
"Dangerous isn't the right word," he said. "They were monsters — the kind that even nightmares refuse to remember. If this mark truly belongs to them…"
He exhaled sharply, his composure slipping for just a moment. "…then something far worse than any of us can imagine is awakening again."
Akshay's words still hung in the air like a curse — monsters… awakening again. But instead of fear, a faint, ironic smile curved across Lady Maya's lips. Her eyes — dark yet strangely calm — shimmered with memories no one else could imagine.
"Monsters, huh?" she said softly. "I won't blame you for fearing them that much, Akshay. After all, you've only heard their stories. But I…" Her gaze drifted toward the ceiling, voice lowering, "I've seen far worse."
The chamber stilled.
"I was part of that same elite order of mages under Emperor David," she continued. "I fought beside Lord Robert Dragonblade. My hands are stained with the blood of those Dark Guild assassins. And yet…" She exhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing, "They were not the greatest evil I ever faced."
Everyone turned toward her in stunned silence — even Kunochi's eyes opened fully for the first time. Maya's voice dropped, grave and heavy.
"I wonder if any of you have ever heard the name… Shadow Force."
A ripple of confusion spread through the room.
Kurumi frowned, adjusting her glasses. "Shadow Force? I've never heard of such an organization. Who were they?"
Only Sakura's expression changed — her eyes darkened, lips pressed tight. She already knew. She remembered.
Maya noticed. "Ah, Sakura remembers," she said quietly. "Of course she would. She was there with me."
Her tone hardened. "Let's say this — if the Dark Guild is a curse upon our region, then Shadow Force is a nightmare that devoured entire nations. The Dark Guild may have terrorized the Silver Heaven Region…" She paused, eyes sharp as lightning. "…but Shadow Force was feared across the entire magus world." Her words hit like thunder.
"A cult of mages who practiced Dark Magic at its purest — twisted beyond human limits. They worshipped the Evil God Lucius… the being said to be born from the void itself."
The chamber went utterly silent. Even the flickering lamps seemed to dim.
"Me, Sakura, and Noelle faced them once… during the Second Magus War," Maya continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "That battle changed everything. If the Dark Guild was chaos, then Shadow Force was annihilation. They didn't fight for gold, or power… they fought for destruction — for their god."
A cold wind brushed past the windows.
"But," she exhaled, leaning back in her chair, "they vanished after the Second Magus War — wiped from existence. Or at least… that's what history claims."
For a long moment, no one spoke. Even Akshay and Edward stood frozen, unable to process the depth of what they'd just heard. Finally, Maya smiled faintly, though her tone carried a grim edge of relief.
"Well, at least we're lucky it's the Dark Guild this time," she said. "If it were Shadow Force…" Her gaze darkened again. "…not just this academy, but the entire Silver Heaven Region would already be ash."
**********