"Hello bitches! We're here to collect the moon girl! If you don't all want to die, I suggest you hand her over right now!"
The voice was followed by a garish laughter, one that sent chills down Oz's spine.
The class stirred.
"Nobody panic!" A teacher stood up. "Just follow the lockdown procedure everyone. It'll be alright."
The students began to shuffle around, a tense atmosphere starting to grow around them.
"Shadow children." Amar said through gritted teeth. "I can smell them."
"I feel them as well." Asmodeus responded.
They tensed up.
To his surprise, Oz could feel them as well. He didn't know what he felt exactly, but it felt like cold, dark, bloodlust. He knew it was them. Shadow children.
And they had come for him.
Oz had trained as hard as he could over the past month or so, but he had yet to face actual combat. He did not want these people to hurt his classmates, but as far as experience, he knew he was defenseless.
The shattering of glass could be heard throughout the halls. Laughter and the stomp of steel toed combat boots echoed. The students huddled in. the corner. The three teachers preset were discussing in hushed tones.
Suddenly, the room went black.
Amar whistled. "They're good too." He looked worried. The cocky grin of his was gone. Oz was worried because he had never seen Amar look worried.
The voices rung out again.
"Moon bitch? Where are you? Come on out and save your classmates. Or we kill them and get you anyways."
Oz stood. Asmodeus pulled him back down. "Where do you think you're going master? We need you here. They cannot get you."
"For once, I agree with the guy." Amar replied. "You can't plea into their hands. I know firsthand what they are capable of."
"But still." Oz stuttered. "The students. The teachers All of them can be guaranteed safety if I just go."
Amar scowled. "Shut up dummy. They're lying. They plan to kill witnesses anyways." "He's right master. Stay here please." Asmodeus pleaded.
Oz wanted to stay. He was scared. But the students, his own classmates. It didn't matter that he didn't like any of them. Their lives were in his hands.
"I have to let them take me. You better find a way to save me while I'm gone."
Asmodeus made one last desperate attempt to physically pull Oz back, but Oz had already gotten up to leave. "Just stay safe, ok?" Amar yelled after him. Oz smiled. It was nice to see Amar worry for him.
Oz had barely walked halfway across the room when the door flew open with a bang. Some students in the corners screamed, others pushed closer to the wall to feel safe. Oz stood in the middle of the room, staring down the assailants. He barely had time to process what they looked like when he heard, "Found ya!" above his head. He looked up into a pair of glowing eyes.
Then everything went dark.