The hallway stayed silent even after everything stopped
No one moved for a few seconds
The girl was still shaking on the floor, staring at her missing arm like her mind refused to accept it
Lyra stayed beside her, trying to calm her down
"You're safe now" she said softly "It's gone"
But even she didn't fully believe that
Kael looked around, still tense
"I don't get it" he said "Why her Why not anyone else"
Zareth was quiet
His eyes stayed on the girl
Then slowly, he stepped closer
"Show me your other arm" he said
The girl hesitated but lifted it slowly
At first, nothing looked wrong
Then Zareth narrowed his eyes
"There" he said
Lyra leaned closer
At first she saw nothing
Then she noticed it
A faint mark near the wrist
Not glowing
Not moving
Just there
Like something had been placed on her
"…What is that" Lyra asked
"A mark" Zareth replied
Kael frowned
"A mark for what"
Zareth didn't answer immediately
He looked back at the empty space in the hallway
Then at the girl again
"It chose her" he said
The words made the air feel heavier again
Lyra shook her head slightly
"No that doesn't make sense Why would it choose someone random"
Zareth's voice stayed calm
"It's not random"
Kael crossed his arms
"Then what is it based on"
Zareth looked at him
"Something we don't understand yet"
That answer didn't help anyone
The teacher who arrived earlier finally stepped in properly and ordered everyone to clear the area
Students slowly started moving away but the fear didn't leave their faces
Word was already spreading
People disappearing
Body parts erased
Something invisible inside the academy
Panic was growing fast
Zareth turned away
"We're going back"
Lyra stood up
"To the gate"
"Yes"
Kael sighed but followed
"I hate that place already"
When they reached the underground chamber again
The situation had clearly gotten worse
The cracks were no longer thin
They were spreading across the entire surface
Like something inside was pushing against it constantly
The moment Zareth stepped in
The gate reacted
It pulsed once
Hard
"You returned" the voice said
Zareth didn't waste time
"You marked someone"
Silence for a second
"Yes"
Lyra stepped forward
"Why her"
The answer came calmly
"She is incomplete"
Kael blinked
"What does that even mean"
Zareth's eyes narrowed
"Explain"
A short pause followed
"Your world is not stable" the voice said "There are flaws"
Lyra frowned
"Flaws like what"
The gate pulsed again
"Existences that should not remain"
Kael shook his head
"So you're just deciding who stays and who disappears"
"No"
That answer was immediate
"I am correcting what is already broken"
Zareth stepped closer
"And the mark"
"It identifies them"
Lyra's expression changed
"You're going to erase everyone with that mark"
"Yes"
The honesty in that answer made it worse
Kael ran a hand through his hair
"This is insane"
Zareth didn't argue
He was thinking
"If the mark appears first" he said slowly "then the erasure follows later"
"Yes"
Zareth turned slightly
"Then there's a delay"
Lyra understood immediately
"That means we have time to find them"
Kael added
"And stop it somehow"
Zareth didn't confirm that
But he didn't deny it either
He looked back at the gate
"Can the mark be removed"
Silence
Longer this time
"…No"
That answer hit harder than expected
Lyra's hands tightened
"There has to be a way"
"If there was" the voice replied "they would not be marked"
Kael let out a frustrated breath
"So once you're chosen that's it"
"Yes"
Zareth's expression darkened slightly
"No" he said quietly
The chamber went still
Lyra looked at him
"You have something in mind"
Zareth didn't look at her
"If it's marking based on flaws" he said "then we change the condition"
Kael blinked
"You're talking like we can rewrite whatever it's judging"
Zareth finally turned
"That's exactly what I'm saying"
Lyra stared at him
"That's not normal magic"
Zareth's answer was simple
"I know"
Above the academy
students gathered in groups
checking each other
looking for marks
fear spreading faster than any attack
Some found nothing
some thought they saw something
no one felt safe
And somewhere in the crowd
another student looked down at their hand
A faint mark had just appeared
They didn't notice it yet
But it was already there
Back in the chamber
the gate pulsed again
stronger than before
"You resist the correction" the voice said
Zareth stood still
"Yes"
A pause
Then the voice spoke one more time
"…Then you will be corrected as well"
For the first time
the threat wasn't distant
It was direct
Zareth's eyes didn't change
"Try"
The chamber shook violently
And the cracks spread further
The next phase had already begun