THE ROBE

They ventured into the restricted area, a place forbidden to most students and the air grew colder and the shadows deeper. They moved cautiously, their senses heightened.

Suddenly, a hooded figure passed them with an unnatural speed, a blur of dark robe and swift movement.

Lila and Ezra froze, their eyes widening as they turned to look at each other, trying to confirm if they had both seen the same thing.

"Did you see that?" Lila asked her voice barely a whisper, her heart racing.

Ezra nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, I saw it. Who or what was that?"

Without a word, they took off in the direction the figure had gone, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

They rounded a corner, but the figure was gone, vanished as if it had never been there.

Breathing heavily, they stopped and looked around, their eyes searching the shadows for any sign of movement. "Where did they go?" Lila asked, frustration edging her voice.

Ezra shook his head. "I don't know, but whoever that was, they don't want to be found."

They stood in the eerie silence, the weight of their mission pressing down on them.

The sight of the figure had only deepened the mystery, adding another layer of fear and uncertainty to their task.

"We're on the right track," Ezra said, trying to reassure both Lila and himself. "We'll find them. We just have to keep pushing harder."

Lila nodded, her resolve hardening. "You're right. Let's keep going. We can't let them get away."

Lila and Ezra stood there, trying to decide their next move, just in time Professor Hartwood appeared around the corner, wearing a long hooded robe that looked exactly like the one the cloaked figure had worn.

"Professor Hartwood!" Lila exclaimed, her voice a mix of surprise and suspicion. "Did you see someone just pass by here?"

Hartwood paused, his expression calm but unreadable. "No, I haven't seen anyone. Why do you ask?"

Ezra exchanged a glance with Lila, his mind racing. "We saw someone, something, moving incredibly fast. It was cloaked, with an item of long hooded clothing like yours."

Hartwood's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm out here securing the perimeters. With the Nexus gone, someone needs to guard and look for any weakening barriers around the academy."

Lila's suspicion grew, her heart pounding in her chest. "At this hour? Alone?"

"Yes," Hartwood replied, his tone firm. "It's crucial we keep the academy safe. If the barriers weaken, anything could get in."

Ezra took a step closer, his eyes fixed on the professor. "But why didn't you tell anyone?"

Hartwood sighed, his face softening. "I didn't want to cause any more panic than there already is. The students are already scared enough. I'm just trying to do my part to keep everyone safe."

Lila and Ezra exchanged another look, their doubts gnawing at them.

Hartwood's explanation made sense, but the timing and circumstances were too coincidental to ignore but at the same time, they trusted him.

"Alright, Professor," Lila said slowly. "But if you see anything, or anyone, suspicious, let us know."

Hartwood nodded. "Of course. You two be careful. The academy needs everyone alert and ready."

As Professor Hartwood walked away, disappearing into the shadows, Lila called out to him. "Wait, Professor!"

Professor Hartwood stopped and turned around, looking curious. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, besides you, who else wears this hooded long coat... dress... midi dress?" Lila asked, trying to sound casual.

Professor Hartwood looked down at his hooded long robe and then back at Lila. "All the faculty members," he replied.

"Okay, is it possible for a student to get one?" Lila asked, her heart pounding.

"No," Hartwood said firmly. "These robes are only for faculty members. Students can't get them."

Lila glanced at Ezra. "Thank you, Professor. We were just curious. Stay safe."

Hartwood nodded, his eyes lingering on them for a moment before he turned and continued on his way, disappearing into the shadows.

As soon as he was out of sight, Lila turned to Ezra. "Did you hear that? Only faculty members have those robes. And the figure we saw was wearing one. It has to be a teacher, a professor, or an instructor."

Ezra nodded, looking serious. "This means the traitor could be someone who knows a lot about the school and maybe about the prophecy. They also tried to scare you on the first day, but why did they stop after that? This just got a lot more complicated."

"We need to figure out which faculty member is behind this," Lila said, thinking quickly. "How many faculty members does the academy have?"

Ezra started counting on his fingers. "We have:

- 35 core subject teachers

- 28 special subjects teachers

- 10-15 support staff

- 10-20 extracurricular advisors

- 3-4 administrative leaders

So, a total estimate of 86-102 faculty members," Ezra replied casually.

Lila's eyes widened. This was impossible. She knew only a fraction of the professors, maybe 4 or maybe...5 by chance. This was starting to sound like mission impossible.

"You know what, forget I even asked about that," Lila said, walking back to the restricted area where they saw the hooded figure emerging from.

Ezra followed. "Well, we have first-year to seventh-year students, and we don't have the same abilities, so there are more teachers for that."

Lila stopped abruptly, causing Ezra to almost bump into her. "How do they all make a living?" Lila asked.

"Tuition fees, donations from parents, and expanded programs," Ezra explained, catching his balance. "The school has a lot of resources. They probably get funding from various sources, too, maybe even grants for special projects."

Lila nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. But it also means there are a lot of people with a vested interest in what happens here. More people who could be involved."

"Right," Ezra said. "So, we need to be careful. There could be more than one person behind this."

Lila resumed walking, more determined than ever. "Let's see if we can find any clues where the figure was. Maybe there's something they left behind."

Ezra nodded, staying close. "Yeah, if we can find anything, it might give us a lead on who we're dealing with."

They moved cautiously into the restricted area, their eyes scanning every corner for any sign of the hooded figure. The shadows seemed to close in around them, making the atmosphere even more tense.

"If we find anything, it might help us narrow down the suspects," Lila said quietly.

"Let's hope we find something soon," Ezra replied.