Pursuit: Moonshadow Academy Year One Read online

  Pursuit

  Moonshadow Academy: Year One

  Finley Knight

  Copyright © 2020 by Finley Knight

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Scene breaks and chapter icons made by Freepik from Flaticon.com

  Cover Design by Camila Marques of Open World Cover Designs

  Editing by Tight n’ Tidy Editing

  Contents

  1. Acceptance Letter

  2. The Portal

  3. Welcome to Moonshadow Academy

  4. Ranks

  5. Desmond

  6. Demonology Secrets

  7. Elemental

  8. The Spider’s Web

  9. Hellix

  10. First Week Struggles

  11. Secrets at the Academy

  12. Danger Lurking the Halls

  13. Awaken the Lightning

  14. Year One vs Year Two

  15. Questions of Trust

  16. The Spider Crumbles

  17. The Calm Before the Storm

  18. When Wind and Lightning Collide

  19. Eriphius

  20. Class Four

  21. Pursuit

  Author’s Note

  Book 2: Curse

  About The Author

  Social Media Links

  Books by Finley Knight

  Chapter 1

  Acceptance Letter

  “You ready?” Uncle Mason asked as I pulled my midnight blue hair into a high ponytail.

  I scoured the empty streets, thankful no human stragglers remained. Any collateral damage from this initiation would’ve looked bad on me. Plus, there was the whole...you know...killing thing, which would’ve sucked. Either way, the area was cleared other than me and my uncle. And of course, the professor who looked down at us over the roof of a high tower. Even from up there, I knew his steely gaze was trained on me. Watching me. Getting ready to assess my abilities and determine if I was qualified for that acceptance letter.

  I inhaled a lungful then let it out slowly before responding. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Don’t be nervous, Ronnie. You’re ready for this.” Uncle Mason’s words of encouragement should’ve warmed me up, but I was too wound up to appreciate them. There was a lot on the line here.

  I stared down at the empty street, crouched over the edge of the roof Uncle Mason and I occupied, waiting for the demon to show up. My magic contained within the center of my core burned, anticipating the moment when I would beckon it to the surface. My fingers itched, and my impatience weighed heavily on me.

  “Where is it?” I asked through gritted teeth. “Shouldn’t he just summon the thing so we can get this over with?”

  Mason chuckled. “Calm down. He knows you’re expecting it, so he’s purposely waiting in hope of catching you when your guard is down. Part of being a licensed Nightwatcher is always being prepared to fight, no matter the time of night.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know all that.”

  And I did. I’d studied my butt off for this moment since I was a little girl learning the basics of casting spells. I wanted nothing more out of life than to be a Nightwatcher. Now, the opportunity was within my reach, and my nerves picked tonight of all nights to freak out. I wanted this. I wanted it so bad I could taste it. I looked up to the professor, who’s eyes never left my direction. I wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of catching me unprepared.

  Veronica Moon is going to be a Nightwatcher.

  Another five minutes passed, and there was still no summoning circle or demon in the vicinity. If I had known it would take all night, I would’ve brought a snack or something. I was about to ask Mason if he wanted to spar while we waited, but then a flash of red light from below caught my attention. I quickly looked down to see a summoning circle forming in the center of the street. The glowing crimson portal rotated clockwise while the pentagram star in the center moved in the opposite direction. A large, three-taloned claw stretched through the portal, slamming its palm on the cold road, the demon hoisting himself out and into the human realm.

  “Here it comes!” Mason called out.

  I nodded eagerly. Finally! Finally, I would get the chance to show what I was made of. To show that I deserved to be at the academy this coming fall.

  My smile beamed from ear to ear, but my sharp gaze never left the dark skeletal creature surfacing. Its reptile-like body was made of bones and rotting flesh hanging off in multiple areas. A long stretched-out jaw with arrow-tipped teeth and a long tail that wrapped from side to side. It was pretty gruesome to look at, but it was still a low-class demon. These guys were nothing but target practice for up and coming Nightwatchers. The beast lifted its head and let out an ear-splitting shriek that sounded like nails on a chalkboard and took one step forward. That was my cue.

  “You ready?” Mason asked again, and this time I truly was.

  “Time to play,” I called out, standing tall, then turned around.

  My back facing the demon, I stretched out both arms to the side and leaned back, allowing myself to fall. Just as my feet left the rooftop, I snapped my fingers and allowed my body to vanish with nothing but blue glittery dust of magic left behind. I teleported myself, landing three feet in front of the demon. As soon as it spotted me, it let out another eardrum-rupturing screech. It reeked of the woodsy scent of magic mixed with the grotesque stench of death, and I resisted the urge to gag.

  “Alright, you decomposed banshee, let’s see what you got,” I said then tugged at my magic, bringing it to the surface. A pair of daggers formed in both hands. The demon crouched low, giving off the signal it was going to pounce. I threw both daggers as it charged forward then teleported again before it could jump on me. Both blades stabbed right into its chest. I reappeared behind it and conjured up two more blades.

  “Over here, big boy!” I shouted.

  The demon turned its head to face me, even though I couldn’t tell where its eyes were. Its tail lifted, and I teleported again before it could strike. This time I appeared on top of its back, my legs wrapped tightly around its thin waist. Before the demon noticed, I jabbed both daggers through its shoulder blades then teleported when it arched back in surprise and pain. I appeared in front of the beast again, two more blades formed in my hands.

  Before it could try to make another move, I threw the two new ones forward. One pierced the center of its chest while the other went to its left thigh. Its cries became louder as it tried backing away, but I threw two more at its feet, pinning it to the ground. Now came the finishing blow. I made one more dagger, aiming it exactly where I needed. The demon kept whipping its head this way and that, so it was hard to get solid accuracy, but when I felt I had the shot, I swung the blade forward and watched as it struck right at the top of its head.

  The demon let out one final screech that had my bones and teeth rattling then dropped to the ground and didn’t move. Seconds after, the demon’s body glowed in a deep red light as the summoning circle formed underneath it. The demon’s body sank back into the unknown, and I was left standing in the middle of the road alone. The rush of excitement and adrenaline dimmed, and I welcomed the gentle night breeze cooling me off and bringing me back to myself. I exhaled, hunched over with my hands resting on my knees as I heard Uncle Mason’s shouts of victory from above.

  “Woooo! Way to go, Ronnie!”

  I chuckled at his cheering, but even I couldn’t force down the huge smile from my face. After all these years of t
raining—of reciting spells, mentally cataloging every known class of demon, and the endless hours of combat practice until my whole body ached with bruises, scrapes, and scratches—I was able to take down my first demon.

  I wonder if Dad was watching from above? The mental question had my heart sinking. He should’ve been here to watch my initiation. He should’ve been my coach preparing me for this moment, but he wasn’t. Still, I hoped I made him proud. Mason teleported beside me, and I stood up in time for him to embrace me in a tight hug.

  “I’m so proud of you!” he shouted as he hoisted me off my feet and twirled me around. I squeaked and chuckled until he set me back at my feet. “So? How did it feel? Was it everything you hoped it would be?”

  I nodded. “It was. It was such a rush facing one in battle for the first time. It was scary and amazing all at once!” My smile dimmed when I asked, “Do you think the professor will accept my application?”

  Before Mason could answer, another low, raspy voice spoke from behind me. “Excellent work, Ms. Moon.”

  I whipped my head around to face the man in question. It was hard to decipher his features since he was wearing a thick royal blue cloak with the hood draped over his head. The only thing I could see were his rough, calloused hands over the clipboard and the short beard he sported. His gaze on me was intense, as if he could see into my core and study the magic buried inside.

  “Thank you,” I muttered softly, wrapping my arms over myself, suddenly feeling vulnerable and cold despite the leather long coat I wore.

  “You’ve managed to defeat a low-class demon without sustaining a single injury, which is rather impressive. Most applicants would’ve at least acquired a scratch during their first fight.”

  “Does this mean Ronnie is accepted into the academy?” Mason asked the professor.

  The professor looked from me to Mason then frowned with a shake of his head. “I’m not sure yet.”

  My insides were like a car crash. “What do you mean you’re not sure?” I asked in a panic. “I defeated the demon, didn’t I? Doesn’t that mean I’m qualified to attend? You even said you thought my performance was impressive.”

  “While defeating the demon without taking any hits was impressive as I said, your overall performance leaves me skeptical as to whether or not you’re a fit to take the role as Nightwatcher seriously.”

  I gaped at the man, offended. “What is that supposed to mean? Of course, I take the role seriously! It’s all I’ve ever wanted since before my first magic lesson.”

  The professor eyed me warily, and I could see he was determining if my words rang true.

  “Sir, what part of Ronnie’s performance did you feel justifies her not taking it serious enough?” Mason asked as he rested a hand on my shoulder, offering me his support. Both as my uncle and as my coach.

  “You were treating the whole ordeal as if it were a game. You didn’t show much of what you were capable of in combat during that fight. You merely teleported back and forth, throwing magic daggers until the beast was terminated. The goal of being a Nightwatcher is to terminate wandering demons as quickly and effectively as possible to decrease the chances of humans discovering us. While taking no damage was a feat only you possessed of all applicants, you were unfortunately one of the slowest to terminate your low-class demon.”

  Every ounce of confidence I felt going into this initiation was washing away like the tides of the ocean. My eyes burned as the desire to cry overwhelmed my senses. Even though he hadn’t said so yet, I could feel my chances of enrolling in Moonshadow Academy burst into flames.

  This can’t be happening!

  “Sir.” Mason spoke up when my throat felt too dry to speak. “If I may interject, I do believe that Ronnie here has just as much a chance at being a licensed Nightwatcher as anyone. She’s incredibly bright and gifted. You’ll never find anyone as determined as she is.”

  “Is that so?” The professor sounded unconvinced but then turned his attention to me. “Ms. Moon, is what your coach saying true?”

  I turned to look at Mason then back to the hooded man. “It is,” I said in a soft voice.

  “Becoming a Nightwatcher isn’t child’s play, young lady. The demon you fought was one of the weakest you could ever face, and the fights will only get tougher. There are higher class demons that are a thousand times greater than that one. Teleporting in and out like that may have worked this time, but you’ll quickly learn that a strategy like that will not get you far. There’s a lot at stake, a lot to think about when on duty. Your life is not only on the line should you succeed or fail, but the lives of the humans who know not of these monster’s existence, as well as the lives of your comrades. Are you sure you have what it takes to one day call yourself a Nightwatcher? Can you face all the challenges that await you?”

  I let his words sink in before answering. I felt that whatever I said in response would either help reignite my chances of enrolling, or become the nail on the coffin that would conceal my dreams. What could I say that would make him understand how important this was to me? How could I show him that this was serious for me? I must’ve been quiet for too long, because Mason gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. When I looked up at him, Mason grinned and gave me an encouraging nod.

  He believes in me, so I need to believe in myself.

  I took a deep breath and addressed the professor with confidence I only half felt. “Sir, my father was a Nightwatcher before disappearing in battle. I constantly watched him go to work, and I always used to imagine what it would be like to fight side by side with him. I’ve trained for this day my whole life. There is nothing I wouldn’t do if it means becoming a Nightwatcher.” I swallowed the lump forming in my throat before continuing. “My uncle is right, I take this seriously, because there is nothing else I want to do with my life than this right here.”

  I took a step further towards the professor and spoke strongly. “Throw any obstacle at me, and I will face it with all my might. Put another demon in front of me, and I will fight it head on, if that’s what it takes to convince you. I’m more than capable of enduring anything Moonshadow Academy throws at me. I just need the opportunity to prove myself, sir.”

  If I wasn’t mistaken, I could’ve sworn I saw the professor giving me the smallest of grins. It was hard to see past the shadow cast by his hood. Either way, I said what I needed to, and it was all one hundred percent true. If he didn’t believe me, then I didn’t know what else to do.

  The long silence before the professor finally reacted was agonizing, but he finally nodded. “Very well, Ms. Moon. I will consult with my colleagues regarding your performance and your application, and you’ll receive a letter from the academy as soon as possible.”

  I nodded and watched as the professor turned around and started walking away. About three steps in, his body vanished in a flash of red light. My body visibly relaxed, and I undid my ponytail, allowing my wavy locks to fall inches past my shoulders.

  “You did good, honey,” Mason soothed as he rubbed circles along my upper back.

  I didn’t feel like I did good at all. I thought so in the beginning, but after what the professor said, I wasn’t sure anymore. “Do you think I’ll get in?” I asked in a broken voice.

  “I have no doubt in my mind. Now, let’s get you home.”

  Mason led me back to his car, a black Hyundai, and once we were in and buckled up, he drove us back home. I remained silent the entire ride home. Even when Mason turned the radio to the country music station, which he knew I hated with a fiery passion, I didn’t bother teasing him like I normally did. I didn’t have the energy.

  Mason frowned. “Cheer up, Ronnie. You’ll get in.”

  “And if I don’t? Then what?” I challenged.

  “Then you’ll get to do whatever you want. Attend any other college you want.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to do anything else; I want to be a Nightwatcher. I want to attend Moonshadow Academy, and train, and graduate, and get my lice
nse.” I paused then added in a softer tone, “Just like Dad.”

  It always hurt to talk about him. The worst part about his disappearance was that we never knew what happened. We never knew if he lived or died, but after the first year of no word, he was presumed dead. Mom died when I was born, and then I lost Dad. Add in the stress of trying to follow in his footsteps, and it was a lot for an eighteen year old to take in. Most human girls my age were getting ready for college, getting ready to get married, or getting ready to have a baby. I guess I fell into the college category, but instead of trying to be a doctor or a designer, I was hoping to train to fight demons like some vigilante. But that was the life I wanted for myself.

  “I know you do, sweetheart. I just don’t want this to destroy you if you can’t get in. Not even your dad would want you to obsess over this,” Mason said. “Just promise me that if you don’t get accepted, you don’t let it defeat you. You have your whole life ahead of you, Ronnie. Don’t let it go to waste just because one plan didn’t pan out.”

  I wanted to argue that I wouldn’t have a life worth living if I didn’t make it, but I knew he’d be expecting it. He was right about one thing; Dad wouldn’t have tolerated me beating myself up if I didn’t get accepted. I knew that as well as I knew the sun would rise in a couple of hours. Would it be so terrible to live my life without being a Nightwatcher? Probably not. But there would always be that ‘what if’ ringing in the back of my head. It would latch onto me like a parasite and suck the life out of me.

  “Ronnie?” Mason called out when I didn’t say anything.