The hallway was moving.
At least, that's what Eryx felt.
The further they ran from the entrance, the more the school seemed to stretch behind them—like the building itself didn't want them to escape the sound of that bell.
Mira didn't slow down.
"Keep up," she said sharply.
"I am keeping up!" Eryx snapped back, breath already uneven.
Ahead, students were flooding into different corridors. Some calm. Some panicked. Some… disturbingly silent.
Like they already knew exactly where they were going.
That bothered him more than anything else.
They reached a junction.
Three hallways.
All identical.
Except for one thing.
A faint red glow pulsing at the far end of the middle corridor.
Mira stopped instantly.
"No…" she muttered.
Eryx frowned. "What?"
"That's not supposed to be open yet."
Before he could ask what she meant—
THUD.
The sound came from behind them.
Slow.
Heavy.
Like something had just placed its weight onto the floor… and decided it was allowed to exist here.
Eryx turned.
Nothing.
Just the empty corridor.
But the air had changed.
It felt thicker now. Harder to breathe.
Then—
A sound.
Not a scream.
Not a roar.
A dragging sound… like metal being pulled across concrete.
Mira grabbed his wrist again.
"This way," she said fast, pulling him toward the red-lit corridor.
Eryx resisted. "You just said it's not supposed to be open—"
"Exactly," she cut him off. "That means something broke it open."
That did not make him feel better.
They entered the corridor.
The walls were darker here.
Too clean.
Too smooth.
Like it hadn't been used in a long time… or had been cleaned too many times.
And then Eryx saw it.
The seats.
Not like the ones near the gate entrance.
These were different.
Taller.
Strapped into the floor like restraints.
Mira slowed down slightly.
"Combat access zone," she said.
Eryx looked at her. "Combat what?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed forward.
At a door.
Massive.
Metal.
Half-open.
And behind it—
Something moved.
A student stood frozen near the doorway.
Eryx recognized him.
One of the seniors.
Jaxon Vire.
But he wasn't acting like someone who was about to fight.
He was… listening.
Like he was waiting for instructions only he could hear.
Then Jaxon spoke without turning.
"Don't step in."
Mira stopped immediately.
Eryx didn't.
Because curiosity is a stupid thing when you're scared.
"What is it?" Eryx asked.
Jaxon finally looked at him.
His face was pale.
Not fear.
Something worse.
Understanding.
"You're new," Jaxon said quietly.
"Yeah."
"Then you don't know the first rule."
Mira whispered behind Eryx, almost like she didn't want to say it out loud.
"The bell doesn't call the monsters."
Eryx frowned. "Then what does it call?"
Jaxon raised his weapon slightly.
His voice dropped.
"It calls the ones already inside."
A sound came from behind the door.
A soft scrape.
Like nails tapping slowly against metal.
Once.
Twice.
Then silence.
Eryx felt his stomach tighten.
"That's… inside?" he whispered.
Jaxon nodded once.
And then said the words that made everything feel wrong:
"It's awake."
The metal door shifted.
Just slightly.
Not opening.
Breathing.
Then—
It moved again.
Harder this time.
A crack appeared in the gap.
And from inside the darkness…
Something looked out.
Not fully visible.
Not fully formed.
Just enough to understand one thing:
It wasn't rushing.
It was curious.
Eryx took a step back without thinking.
Mira grabbed his arm tightly.
"Don't move," she whispered again.
But it was too late.
The thing inside had already noticed him.
And the moment it did—
The corridor lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then turned red.
Jaxon exhaled slowly.
"Welcome to your first real round," he said.
The door opened wider.
And the thing stepped out.