The sound led us to a crumbling structure on the edge of the academy's grounds, a half-collapsed building I hadn't noticed before, its walls scorched and broken. The cries were coming from below, muffled but unmistakable, and as we skidded to a stop, I spotted a trapdoor in the ground, its edges glowing faintly with a shimmering blue light—a magical shield, but it was weak, flickering like a dying flame, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
"A basement," Ryoshi said, her voice tense, and I realized what the cries meant. "Students," I breathed, my chest tightening. "They must be from the academy—survivors!"Eran didn't hesitate.
He raised his blade, and I saw it glow with a strange, crackling energy—red lightning arcing along the edge, the air around it humming with power. I'd never seen magic like that before, and my eyes widened, a shiver running down my spine. What kind of magic was this? With a single, swift slash, Eran struck the shield, the red lightning exploding against it in a burst of sparks. The shield shattered like glass, the blue light fading, and the trapdoor groaned as Eran kicked it open, revealing a dark staircase descending into the basement.
We rushed down the steps, the air growing colder, thicker, the cries now mixed with snarls and the clash of steel. My heart pounded as we reached the bottom, and the sight before me made my blood run cold.
The basement was a scene of chaos—dozens of students, some my age, some younger, lay scattered across the stone floor, their bodies bloodied and broken, some still, their eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Others were alive but hurt, huddled in corners, their faces streaked with tears. In the center of the room, five students were still standing, fighting desperately against a pack of demons—smaller than the ones we'd faced in the courtyard, but vicious, their claws slashing, their eyes glowing a sickly yellow. The students wielded swords and makeshift weapons, but they were weak, their movements sluggish, their faces pale with exhaustion. They were losing—badly.
The moment they saw us, their eyes widened, and one of them—a boy with a gash across his cheek—lunged toward us, his sword raised, his face twisted with fear and desperation. "Stay back!" he shouted, his voice cracking, but Eran moved faster, his blade flashing as he blocked the strike with ease. "I'm with you," Eran said, his voice calm but firm, his eyes locking onto the boy's. "I'm Eran—I'm here to protect you." The boy hesitated, his sword trembling, and then he lowered it, tears welling in his eyes as he stumbled back, the other students gathering behind him, their weapons dropping in relief.There was no time to say more.
The demons turned on us, their snarls echoing off the stone walls, and Ryoshi stepped forward, her hands raised. "Stay close," she whispered, and I felt the air shift, a familiar shimmer spreading through the basement as her time bubble flared to life. Everything slowed— the demons' claws froze mid-swipe, the students' shaky breaths stretched into long, drawn-out gasps, and even my own movements felt sluggish, my paper magic humming slower in my veins.
But Ryoshi and Eran were unaffected, eran may be affected but his movement is still very fast ,their speed a blur as they moved through the slowed time, a deadly dance of steel and precision.Eran's blade glowed with that same red lightning, each strike a burst of light that cut through the demons like paper, black blood spraying across the stone. Ryoshi's daggers flashed, her movements a streak of silver as she darted between the demons, her time bubble giving her the edge to strike their weak spots—eyes, throats, hearts. In seconds, the basement was clear, the demons' bodies collapsing into piles of ash, the air thick with the stench of their blood.
Ryoshi released her bubble, and time snapped back to normal, my head spinning as I stumbled forward, Akriya catching my arm to steady me. "Show-off," he muttered, but his voice was tight, his eyes wide as he looked at the carnage.Eran sheathed his blade, his expression darkening as he turned to the five surviving students, their faces pale and bruised, their clothes torn.
"Who made the shield up there?" he asked, his voice low, urgent. "That type of shield—it's only used by the Kazuragi Clan." The boy with the gash on his cheek stepped forward, his voice trembling. "It was Teacher Tenzaki," he said, his eyes dropping to the floor. "But… when he died, the shield got weak. It broke in so many places—the demons got through." Eran's face went pale, his eyes widening, and he whispered, "Tenzaki… this isn't possible." I didn't understand why he looked so shaken, but the name sent a chill through me, and I saw Ryoshi and Akriya exchange a glance, their expressions uneasy.
Eran shook his head, his voice steadying as he spoke again. "Tenzaki told us to rescue any students who were still alive," he said, his tone firm. "Only five of you made it." He scanned the group, his gaze locking onto a boy in the corner, slumped against the wall, his body trembling.
The boy's skin was covered in black marks—unique patterns that glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat across his arms, his neck, his face. Eran pointed at him, his voice sharp.Now i understand why tenzaki separated his shield from body to this basement "Take him first—he's coming with us." I wanted to ask why, to demand answers about the marks, about Tenzaki, about everything.but situation stops me.
After rescuing all the students, we returned to our academy, the weight of the day pressing down on us. The students were too hurt to even speak properly, their voices weak and broken, their eyes dull with pain. Offlia treated them, her hands gentle but her face tight with worry, while the boy with the glowing patterns on his body was kept in a separate room, tended to by Eran himself.
Hours passed before Eran emerged, his expression unreadable, his cloak stained with sweat. Ryoshi stepped forward, her silver hair catching the dim light, her voice sharp with curiosity. "Who is this boy, Eran? You're treating him like he's someone special." Eran's eyes flicked to her, but he shook his head, his tone clipped. "I'm in a hurry right now. I'll tell you about him tomorrow." With that, he walked away, leaving us in tense silence.
The day passed, and night fell, the moon hanging high overhead, its pale light casting long shadows. I felt awkward, a heavy ache in my chest, like I might cry any second. I couldn't stay inside, so I slipped away to the terrace, sitting between the moon and stars, their cold light washing over me. My thoughts spiraled, dark and heavy, circling around death.
In just a few months, I'd seen so much blood, so much brutality—first my parents, now the students at Sunshine Academy. What happens after death? Why are demons our enemies? I hugged my knees, my neck mark tingling, the questions swirling in my mind like a storm.A soft voice broke through my thoughts, gentle but firm.
"What are you thinking, Vitrit? You look sad—your eyes are wet." I turned, startled, to see Eran standing there, his cloak fluttering in the night breeze. He sat beside me, his presence steady, and I swallowed hard, my voice trembling. "I'm thinking about my parents' death.
They didn't cry when they died. I didn't see their whole fight—I was unconscious. But when I woke up, they were living their last few seconds, and they were smiling, like they'd gotten everything they wanted." I wiped my eyes, the memory burning. "After seeing that, I try to be happy, but… after seeing the students die today, I feel unwell.
What happens after death, Eran? Where do they go?"Eran sighed, his voice soft.
"Death…" Eran exhaled, his gaze fixed on the distant stars. "It's different for everyone. But for those who die protecting their loved ones? It's not an end—it's the happiest moment of their life."
I frowned, my voice small. "Then why do people run from death?" Eran's gaze turned distant, his tone thoughtful. "Mortals want to defeat death for many reasons. First, their loved ones. Second, they don't know what happens after death. Third, and most important, our ego. If we defeat death, we become stronger than before—we feel proud of ourselves." I opened my mouth to reply, my voice barely a whisper. "But I want to … but after
—" Before I could finish, Offlia's voice cut through the night, urgent. "Eran, the boy's conscious!" Eran disappeared in a flash, leaving me alone on the terrace. I sat there, the ache in my chest lighter now, feeling a strange sense of calm after our talk.
But now, my thoughts drifted to that boy—why was he so important to Eran? Lost in these questions, I eventually fell asleep on the terrace, beneath the stars