Two weeks into Elyriana's tenure at Willow High, the frequency and intensity of Remori encounters had only escalated.

Since the park incident, Elyriana had fought and defeated ten more Remori's. These relentless battles were exhausting her, leaving her constantly on edge.

In class, Aurora glanced at Elyriana's empty seat, untouched for three days. "She's absent again," she said, worry evident in her voice.

Remi frowned at the vacant desk. "Three days is a long time. Do you think she's okay?"

Aurora nodded, concern etched on her face. "We should check on her. Something feels off."

"Wait," Lyrius interrupted, puzzled. "How do you know where she lives?"

Remi chuckled. "Remember when we dropped her off? You were asleep in the front seat like a pig."

Aurora giggled. "It wasn't far. She's just a few blocks away."

Lyrius' eyes widened in realization. He was too exhausted with this thoughts that day, and had dozed off, right after sitting in the car. "Let's go, and check on her right now. "

The trio left the school grounds and walked to Elyriana's house. The quaint, old-fashioned home stood quietly, framed by a charming garden. Aurora knocked on the door, her heart pounding.

After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing Elyriana. She looked pale and exhausted, dark circles shadowing her eyes.

"Elyriana, are you okay?" Aurora asked, her voice heavy with concern.

Elyriana mustered a weak smile. "I'm fine. Just... feeling a bit off."

Remi stepped forward. "You've been absent for three days. We were worried."

Elyriana sighed, opening the door wider. "Thanks for checking in. It's been... a rough few days."

As they settled in her living room, Lyrius couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

"Are you sure it's just a cold? You look exhausted."

Aurora glanced around the cozy room, noting the stacks of books and papers. "If you need anything, just ask. We're here for you."

Elyriana smiled, touched by their concern. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

They chatted for a while, trying to lift Elyriana's spirits. But beneath her smiles, she was struggling with the weight of her secret battles against the Remori. She knew she had to stay vigilant, but the support of her new friends gave her a glimmer of hope.

Elyriana prepared for another night of patrolling, determined to keep her friends and Willowdale safe from the encroaching darkness. She knew the battles ahead would be tough, but she felt ready to face them, bolstered by the support of her new friends.

Elyriana returned to her small house after an intense patrol, utterly exhausted.

Though Elyriana was among the most powerful Luminari, the relentless battles and her adapting human form were exhausting her beyond her limits.

She walked into the living room and was surprised to see her grandfather, father, and Vesper sitting on the couch, engaged in a serious discussion.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked, shocked.

"We are here to take you back to Luminaria," her father said sternly.

"What? No. Who will protect Willowdale if I leave?"

"Exactly. Who will protect it when you're dead tomorrow?" her grandfather retorted.

"I-I..."

"You were sent here to guard Willowdale, but you must take care of yourself too. If you forget the most basic requirement, then forget guarding Willowdale. I will remove you from the post of Head General of the army," her father threatened. "We are leaving Vesper here to support you, as you clearly need help managing your responsibilities. If I see you neglecting yourself, then beware, Elyriana."

With that, both her grandfather and father disappeared.

Elyriana stood in the quiet room, the words of her father and grandfather echoing in her mind. She glanced at Vesper, who gave her a sympathetic smile.

"You know they're right." Vesper said gently, "You can't keep going at this pace without wearing yourself out."

Elyriana sighed and sank into the nearest chair. "I know, but I can't just stop. The Remori are getting stronger. I have to protect Willowdale."

"And you will," Vesper assured her, "But not alone. That's why I'm here. We'll face them together."

Elyriana managed a small smile. "Thanks, Vesper. I appreciate it."

The next morning, Elyriana awoke to find Vesper in the kitchen, already preparing breakfast. "You really are taking this seriously," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Vesper shrugged, handing her a plate. "We're in this together now. And besides, you need to eat to keep up your strength."

As they ate, Vesper shared more about how he had been sent to Willowdale. "Your father was really worried. When he saw how exhausted you were, he knew you needed help."

Elyriana nodded, appreciating the extra support. "I'm glad you're here, Vesper. This fight is getting tougher."

"So to get back your strength, you will have to rest the entire day. " Vesper said with a clap of his hands.

"But-" She protested, but he shushed her with a glare.

"I'm here to patrol the area. Take a day off, you're not the only one capable of protecting Willowdale. You have to let the Deputy Commander get his hands dirty too," he said, puffing out his chest.

"Not when the Deputy Commander is still wet behind the ears. It makes me take on all the heavy lifting." She teased, making him pout like a kid.

"Alright, I'll be off then." Vesper said, waving before slipping out through the living room window.

"Use the door, Vesper. Windows are for looking, not leaping. " She shouted, but he had already vanished.

The next day, Elyriana returned to school, trying to act as if everything was normal. Her friends were relieved to see her.

In the middle of class, a loud crash came from the hallway. Students exchanged worried glances as the teacher went to investigate.

Elyriana's senses went on high alert. She caught a whiff of that all-too-familiar stench—the scent of a Remori.

During the chaos, Elyriana slipped out of the classroom. She moved quickly, heading towards the source of the disturbance.

As she rounded the corner, they saw a Remori towering over a group of students. Without hesitation, Elyriana sprang into action.

Elyriana's powers flared to life as she prepared to confront the creature. Vesper, having arrived in time to support her, took position beside her, ready to assist in the fight.

"Get away from them!" Elyriana shouted, her voice filled with authority.

The Remori turned, its red eyes glowing with malice. "So, the little Luminari has brought a friend. How delightful."

Ignoring the taunt, Elyriana and Vesper launched their attack. Light and shadow clashed in a fierce battle, illuminating the hallway with bursts of energy.

Students watched in awe and fear as the battle raged on. Lyrius, who had followed Elyriana, stood frozen at the sight. 

With a final burst of light, Elyriana and Vesper overpowered the Remori, banishing it into nothingness. The hallway fell silent, the students staring at Elyriana and Vesper in shock.

Elyriana turned to Vesper, urgency in her voice. "We need to erase their memories. Quickly."

Vesper nodded, and together, they gathered the students into the school hall. Elyriana closed her eyes, summoning her powers to cast a memory-erasing spell. Vesper joined her, their combined magic weaving through the minds of the students.

One by one, the students' expressions became blank as their memories of the event were wiped clean. Elyriana and Vesper swiftly erased all traces of the battle, their combined magic seamlessly wiping the students' memories."

As the last student's memory was erased, Elyriana let out a sigh of relief. "It's done."

But what she didn't know was that Lyrius' memory hadn't been erased. He had felt the spell loom over him like an envelope, but not erasing his memories. He pretended to be affected like the others.

He turned towards his friends. Their eyes were glazed, like they were daydreaming.

Lyrius stood among his classmates, acting dazed. Inside, his mind raced with questions. What were Elyriana and the other guy? What was a Remori? What was all of this about? 

Moreover, why hadn't their magic worked on him?

He was determined to uncover the truth behind Elyriana's and Vesper's actions, but for now, he kept his newfound knowledge to himself.

The other guy with Elyriana, jumped out of the window, after exchanging a glance with her.

Elyriana turned to her classmates, who were starting to come back to their senses. "Alright, everyone, back to class. It seems it was just a false alarm."

The students murmured in confusion but complied, heading back to their classrooms.

As they walked back to class, Lyrius kept his eyes on Elyriana, his mind racing with questions about their mysterious actions and the unsettling events he had witnessed.

That night, Lyrius sat at his study table, surrounded by a clutter of history and mythology books, desperately searching for clues about the strange events he had witnessed. Despite his efforts, he found nothing that could explain what he had seen.

Frustrated, he slammed the book shut and moved to the window, gazing out at the moonlit sky in silent contemplation.

Overwhelmed by the multitude of unanswered questions swirling in his mind, Lyrius collapsed onto his bed, shutting his eyes in a desperate attempt to find the rest he so desperately needed.