Scopophobia

As I opened my eyes, a flood of relief washed over me as I realized I had survived another day. It took me a moment to recall that I had allowed Rayne, Remi, and Leo to crash at my place the previous night. I gently shook them awake and watched as they stirred, groggy and disoriented from their slumber.

Leo rubbed his eyes, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings. "What the hell happened? Why are we in Sora's house?" he muttered, struggling to wake up.

I chuckled at his confusion. "We had a stalker last night, so we stayed here for safety," I explained.

"Oh...yeah," he replied, his memory starting to return.

Rayne, on the other hand, seemed lost in thought, her mind seemingly occupied by something she wanted to say. "Is there something you want to share, Rayne?" I inquired.

She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up. "I was just wondering...do you think that mystery man could have been Brown?" she asked, looking worried.

I shook my head. "It couldn't have been Brown. He's not the type to play the role of a stalker. He would have gladly come out and introduced himself," I reassured her.

My words seemed to put her at ease, but I could tell she was still troubled by the encounter. We decided to put the matter aside for the time being and headed to school.

As we made our way through the bustling hallways, I received a summons to the Headmaster's office, along with Remi and Zion. I wondered what Williams wanted with the three of us.

Williams led us to our seats and shuffled through some papers before beginning to speak. "Since you three will be turning thirteen soon, I've decided it's time for you to go on a mission together," he announced.

I was in disbelief. A mission with Zion? This was going to be a disaster.

"If that's what you want, Headmaster Williams, I will accept this honor with the utmost respect," Zion responded, clearly eager to please.

"You three are my most promising mages. I believe you have the potential to become great mages, and I want to see you reach that potential. Zion, I am pleased to see that you have learned from your suspension and reflected on your actions," Williams added, his voice ringing with pride.

Zion hung his head, seemingly contrite. "It has been a difficult week, Headmaster. I have done a lot of thinking and will make sure to become the mage you hope for me to be," he said.

I let out an exasperated sigh and rolled my eyes, feeling frustration wash over me like a wave crashing onto the shore. Zion was always more concerned with impressing the Headmaster than reflecting on his actions. As Remi inquired about the mission, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Williams cleared his throat once more and announced the mission: "You will be escorting a government official to the Kingdom of Khyuka, or should I say the Khyuka Empire."

The mention of a government official made my heart sink. Surely Williams must be joking. "I will not accept this mission," I declared, averting my eyes from him.

Williams sighed and stood up, disappointment etched on his face. "It's a shame, really," he said.

My gaze grew cold as I thought about what Brown had done to me. "You remember what Brown did to me, right?"

"YES, I KNOW WHAT HE HAS DONE," Williams retorted. "But that doesn't change anything. This man is a genuine government official. If you don't accept this mission, then I will replace you with Ezra."

I gave in, begrudgingly. "Fine. I will go. But if he tries anything on me, I'll kill him," I said, my tone laced with venom.

Williams breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sora. This makes things much easier,"

I scoffed and left the room, with Remi following close behind, her head bowed.

"Zion, don't you dare try anything on Sora during this mission. I am giving you one chance to redeem yourself. Please use this opportunity to give me a reason to keep you at this academy," Williams warned.

"I have changed, sir. I don't plan on trying anything anytime soon, unless I am provoked," Zion said, his smirk betraying his words.

As Zion left the room, Williams knew that he had to get rid of him from the academy if he did one more thing. Meanwhile, Remi and I continued our conversation as we walked out of the school building.

"I'm thinking we should learn a new spell after school," Remi said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

I let out a deep sigh, realizing that there comes a time when she must learn things on her own if she wants to become a great mage. "No, instead I have something that I want you to do in your free time," I said, holding out my hand and conjuring a sword made out of pure light magic. This weapon was essential for any battle, capable of dealing massive damage to an opponent.

"I want you to be able to conjure a sword like this," I explained, as the sword pulsated with a bright yellow color.

Remi nodded, her eyes filled with determination, and left to go train. Just as I was about to walk out of the building, Leo stopped me, wanting to talk.

"Sora, I was thinking, maybe it was one of Brown's minions who was watching us," Leo said, but his words were cut off by my wary movements.

That feeling was back again, the fear that someone was watching me. I can feel the weight of eyes upon me, as if a thousand gazes are fixated upon my every move. My heart races with every step, my mind convinced that someone is always lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. Even in the safety of my own school, I feel like a prisoner, unable to shake off the feeling of being watched. It's like an invisible force is suffocating me, wrapping me in a cocoon of fear that refuses to let go. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the leaves outside, sends shivers down my spine. I try to shake it off, to convince myself that it's just my imagination, but deep down, I know that something is watching me. And I fear that one day, it will come for me.

Leo's gentle tap on my shoulder jolted me out of my trance. I turned to face him, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. Sweat trickled down my forehead, stinging my eyes. I felt like I had just run a marathon, my heart pounding erratically in my chest.

"Sora, are you alright?" Leo's voice was laced with concern.

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse whisper. "Leo... yeah, I'm fine," I managed to say, my voice barely audible.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. It was as if someone had used a secret technique on me, leaving me shaken and vulnerable. My mind raced with possibilities, trying to find a reason for my current state. Was it the work of a mage? A sorcerer? Or something else entirely?

Regardless, I knew I needed to get some rest. My body was spent, my mind clouded with exhaustion. As I turned to leave, I could feel Leo's eyes on my back, his concern palpable. But for now, all I could do was go home and try to recover.