The Chronicles of Soraya Thenayu: Darkwood Academy

Chapter 23: A Thousand Steps Beach

"That makes sense."

It had been the first time in days since Soraya had left the school grounds. She enjoyed walking down the long tunnel of overhanging trees with Rhys and thought back to when she first saw Darkwood Academy through the car windows.

"This is so peaceful," she breathed. The two friends enjoyed the calm stillness surrounding them.

"It really is," Rhys agreed, pulling out Amraphael's diary from his pants pocket. "I brought this for you too. I worked on translating the next chapter, but I'm not a good artist and wanted you to see the strange designs sketched into here since I can't do them justice."

Soraya's heart stopped. There are more symbols like the one I saw yesterday?

"Th-thank you, Rhys," she said in a shaky voice. "Let's look at that while we're on the beach."

"Absolutely," Rhys nodded, his crimson eyes glowing when he timidly touched her hand. She wrapped her fingers around his, and they walked hand in hand until they turned left onto a long paved street with houses built on both sides.

I just can't say the spells aloud if I don't know what power they'll give me. I can't let Rhys get hurt or killed!

"The entrance is on the right and is a little closed gate hidden under a lot of trees, so keep your eyes peeled," Rhys continued.

"Alright..." Soraya pushed her worries away and helped search for the entrance. She spotted it at the same time Rhys did. It was a small, white gate standing between two houses on a cliff overlooking the sea. As they approached, the girl noticed how far below them the Vatic Ocean was.

Rhys opened the gate and held it for her, and Soraya took a small step forward and looked down. There were many stone steps leading into the canopy of palm trees below, and she couldn't see the bottom of the stairs.

"This is why it's called a Thousand Steps," Rhys stated. "There are actually two hundred and fifty-three steps on this stairway, Ujuu and I counted."

"This is amazing," the girl breathed while taking in their surroundings. The sun was beginning to sink lower into the golden pink sky, and she wanted to be standing on the shore with Rhys while watching it disappear into the horizon.

"Vadamus!" Soraya exclaimed, starting forward and descending the many stone steps. They didn't go too fast in case they slipped and fell, but they both felt the pressure of making it to the beach in time increase with each step they took. They were now racing the setting sun and wanted to beat it.

Don't get too competitive... It's okay if we miss the beach sunset, Rhys getting hurt isn't worth it.

At long last, after several minutes of listening to the clacking of their shoes beneath them and their steady breathing, their feet finally hit the uneven surface of the shore. Soraya immediately took off her shoes and white stockings and placed them next to the stairs, so she could feel the soft warmth of the sand trickle over her feet and through her toes. Rhys laughed and joined her by also becoming bare foot. He carefully placed the book next to their belongings to keep it from getting wet.

"We have the entire beach to ourselves," the Shadelkin boy gave a smug smile and spread out his arms. Soraya looked around and realized the entire cove formed a crescent shape like the moon. A cave jutted out from the steep stone cliff, and carved into both the sides and top of the entrance of the gaping maw were the three Azakuin Gods.

A small building with restrooms built inside lay near the stone stairway, with a large golden clock resting over the entrance. To its left was a tall lit lamppost looming over a faded blue telephone booth.