The figures didn't move. One of them slowly raised a gloved hand, pointing not at Elias, but at the ground beneath his feet.
Shaken, he made it to class and whispered the encounter to his professor, an elderly man who had taught at Duke for forty years. The professor’s face went pale. blue devils
"In 1923, when they were choosing the mascot," the professor whispered, "it wasn't just about the bravery of the French soldiers. There was a local legend about the 'Blue Shadows'—spirits that supposedly guarded the pines long before the stone was laid. They say they only appear when the university is about to face a change it isn't ready for." Elias laughed nervously. "It’s just a mascot, right?" The figures didn't move
The professor didn't answer. Instead, he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out an old, black-and-white photograph from the university archives. It showed the 1924 football team, but standing in the dark archway behind them were three caped figures, identical to the ones Elias had seen. The professor’s face went pale
"They aren't just a mascot, Elias," the professor said, his eyes fixed on the photo. "They’re the keepers. And if you saw them, it means the gate is open."
