The truth was finally close.
Closer than ever before.
The underground chamber trembled softly while cold wind moved through the cracked tunnels beneath the academy. The strange black stone in the center still glowed faintly, casting shadows across everyone's faces.
Daniel could still hear the voice in his head.
Vessel.
That single word echoed again and again.
Mary stood beside him, gripping the lantern tightly while David sat weakly against the wall. His condition had worsened badly after touching the lower chamber symbol. Dark marks had now spread halfway across his arm like black veins beneath his skin.
Mr. Stone watched him carefully.
The hidden boy sat silently in the corner, trembling every few seconds whenever the chamber shook.
Daniel stared at the opened vault.
Inside were dozens of old files.
Dust-covered.
Forgotten.
Secrets.
Finally.
Answers.
He stepped toward the vault slowly.
Mary immediately grabbed his sleeve.
"Daniel…"
He looked at her.
"We need to know."
She didn't disagree.
Because now all of them understood something terrifying—
Whatever was hidden here was connected to all of them.
Mr. Stone finally spoke.
"You deserve the truth."
Silence filled the underground chamber.
Daniel clenched his fists.
Then Mr. Stone walked toward the vault and pulled out one thick black file. Older than the others.
Much older.
Its cover had strange symbols burned into it.
Mary frowned.
"What is that?"
Mr. Stone stared at it for a long moment before answering.
"The first record."
Daniel's heartbeat quickened.
"The beginning?"
Mr. Stone nodded slowly.
Years ago…
Long before any of them were born…
The academy discovered the underground ruins beneath the school during construction.
At first it looked abandoned.
But workers began disappearing.
Some heard whispers.
Some became violent.
Then they found the chamber.
And inside the chamber—
Something sleeping.
Something sealed.
Nobody knew what it truly was.
But it could influence minds.
Especially children.
The academy panicked.
So secret research began.
Children who reacted strongly to the chamber's energy were observed.
Most failed.
Some lost control.
Some disappeared completely.
Then—
One child survived exposure perfectly.
Daniel.
Daniel's blood ran cold.
Mr. Stone looked directly at him.
"You were the only stable vessel."
The chamber shook again.
Mary looked horrified.
"Stable vessel for WHAT?"
Before Mr. Stone could answer—
A loud alarm suddenly echoed above them.
Everyone froze.
Then another.
Then screams.
Distant.
But real.
Daniel looked upward instantly.
"What was that?"
A teacher's voice echoed faintly through the academy above:
"ALL STUDENTS RETURN TO THEIR ROOMS IMMEDIATELY!"
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The entire underground chamber shook violently.
Dust exploded from the ceiling.
Mary almost dropped the lantern.
David winced in pain.
The hidden boy backed into the wall in fear.
"What's happening?!"
Mr. Stone's face suddenly went pale.
"No…"
Another explosion echoed.
Closer this time.
Then the lights above flickered violently.
Daniel's heart pounded.
The attack.
Someone had entered the academy.
Mr. Stone grabbed the file instantly.
"We're leaving. NOW."
They rushed toward the stairs.
The academy above had become chaos.
Students were running through corridors in panic.
Teachers shouted orders everywhere.
Broken glass covered the floors.
The night sky outside glowed red.
Daniel reached the main hall and froze.
Part of the academy barrier had been destroyed.
Completely shattered.
Black smoke moved through the air outside like living shadows.
Ghost-like creatures crawled across the academy walls while teachers fought desperately to hold them back.
Magic.
Fire.
Weapons.
Screams.
Everything had become war in seconds.
Mary whispered:
"What ARE those things?"
David grabbed the wall weakly.
His eyes widened.
"They're here for him."
Daniel turned sharply.
"What?"
Before David could answer—
A powerful shockwave exploded outside.
Students screamed.
A teacher crashed through the academy doors, badly injured.
Then—
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the ghost creatures suddenly stopped moving.
The academy courtyard became still.
Like everything was waiting.
Then footsteps echoed slowly through the destroyed entrance.
One.
Two.
Three.
A girl walked through the smoke calmly.
Long black coat.
Silver-white hair moving softly in the cold wind.
Her eyes glowed faintly pale blue.
Behind her stood dozens of shadow soldiers.
Students backed away in terror.
Teachers immediately moved protectively in front of everyone.
But the girl only smiled calmly.
Almost gently.
Daniel felt cold instantly.
Not because she looked violent.
Because she looked confident.
Like she already knew she would win.
Mr. Stone's expression darkened horribly.
"No…"
Mary looked at him.
"You know her?"
The girl's eyes slowly moved across the hall.
Watching.
Searching.
Then they stopped on Daniel.
Her smile widened slightly.
"So."
Her voice was soft.
"The Vessel finally awakened."
The entire hall froze.
Students looked at Daniel instantly.
Daniel stepped back unconsciously.
Mary moved beside him protectively.
"Who are you?"
The girl ignored her completely.
Instead she kept staring at Daniel.
Like he was the only person there.
Then she bowed slightly.
"My name is McLone."
The air suddenly felt colder.
Even teachers looked nervous hearing that name.
Mr. Stone stepped forward immediately.
"You shouldn't be here."
McLone smiled softly.
"And yet… here I am."
One of the teachers shouted angrily:
"ATTACK!"
Magic exploded through the hall.
Several teachers launched attacks toward McLone.
But before they could reach her—
The shadows behind her moved instantly.
Dark ghost soldiers intercepted every attack violently.
The academy shook again.
Battle erupted everywhere.
Students ran screaming.
Mary grabbed Daniel's wrist.
"We need to move!"
But Daniel couldn't stop staring at McLone.
Because she kept looking directly at him.
Calmly.
Like she had been waiting years for this moment.
David suddenly whispered painfully:
"She's connected to the chamber…"
McLone finally looked toward the others.
Her eyes landed on David.
Then the hidden boy.
Then Mr. Stone.
She laughed quietly.
"So many failed subjects."
Mr. Stone clenched his fists.
"You ruined these children."
McLone tilted her head.
"No."
Her eyes slowly returned to Daniel.
"The academy did."
Silence.
Daniel's chest tightened.
"What are you talking about?"
McLone stepped forward slowly.
The ghost soldiers behind her stopped moving completely.
Almost like bodyguards waiting for orders.
"You still don't know the truth, do you?"
Mary immediately interrupted.
"Don't listen to her."
But Daniel couldn't look away.
Because McLone's expression didn't look hateful.
It looked sad.
Almost pityin1g.
Then she said softly:
"You think the academy protected you?"
Daniel froze.
"The experiments."
"The chamber."
"The vessel project."
"All of it started here."
Mr. Stone shouted angrily:
"STOP TALKING!"
But McLone continued calmly.
"Daniel Williams."
Her voice echoed through the destroyed hall.
"You were never meant to survive."
The world suddenly felt silent.
Daniel's breathing stopped.
Mary stared at him.
David looked terrified.
McLone smiled faintly.
"But you did."
Then she lifted one hand slowly.
The shadows around the academy began moving violently again.
Ghost soldiers surrounded the hall instantly.
Teachers prepared to fight.
Students cried in fear.
And McLone whispered softly—
"Bring me the Vessel."
The entire army moved at once.
And the battle for the academy truly began.