I froze, just like Celeste.
"What?!"
There was no way I wouldn't recognise those eyes, I loved them way too much.
For a second I was convinced that my girlfriend's file had somehow found its way between the older students' ones. But when I looked more closely at the girl in the picture, I realised that wasn't the case. The resemblance was uncanny, but she definitely wasn't Sophia. Her features were softer and less sharp, her nose shorter and her lips fuller. Her dazzling smile exuded a carefree air that I had never seen on Sophia's face, not even in our happiest moments.
But then... who was she?
A terrible sense of foreboding began to dawn on me as my eyes moved to the text at the side of her picture. When I read the name written there, my heart skipped a beat.
Name: Alice Thornton.
"No... this can't be real..."
I looked desperately at the rest of the file, hoping that something would contradict the horrible idea that was raging in my mind.
Status: Noble (First Daughter of Baronets)
Rank: Candidate
Special Ability: Arcane Blade
Description: The subject is able to imbue weapons with multiple, extremely powerful enhancements that cannot be replicated by ordinary magic.
Evaluation: Aside from her special ability, the subject has incredible melee combat skills, along with a high mana capacity and excellent spellcasting prowess These aspects, combined with her great mental strength, make her an extremely capable duelist and an interesting prospect for the project.
«No way...» I heard Celeste murmur at my side.
She was covering her mouth with her hand, a look of dismay on her face. She, too, had realised what this page file meant.
I had always thought that the fact that the victims of this twisted game were forgotten was one of the worst things about it. Not only were people losing their lives, but they were also being robbed of the chance to be mourned. But never once did it occur to me that among all those forgotten souls there might be someone dear to me or to the people I cared about. Everything was so much easier to accept when it didn't affect you personally after all.
But now I had to face the truth.
An uncanny resemblance that could only be between close relatives. The fact that she was the first child of baronets. These were overwhelming clues, pointing in a clear direction: Alice Thornton was Sophia's older sister. A sister she had forgotten all about.
And the worst part was that it made so much sense.
I gripped the edge of the desk with such force that my fingers began to hurt, my mind racing between all the strange aspects of Sophia's past that could be explained by Alice's existence.
Sophia had always said that she didn't remember many aspects of her childhood. At first I had thought that trauma had caused her to block some of her most painful memories. But, thinking about it, that didn't really make sense. After all, she seemed to remember the worst events very well, like all the nasty things her parents had said to her. Instead, the pleasant memories were the ones she couldn't recall very well: the person who had taught her the relaxing melody she had hummed into my ears during our date, the person who had always brushed her hair when she was little, the reason she had become passionate about swordmanship despite being a sickly child.
She hadn't forgotten those memories. They had been stolen from her. And that wasn't the end of it.
Why had Sophia suddenly been shunned by her parents when, according to her, they had never minded the fact that she had no talent as a mage?
Now the answer was clear: the true heir of the Thornton family, a brilliant mage and fighter called Alice, had vanished into thin air, leaving everything on Sophia's shoulders.
I slammed my fist on the table as tears of angers started to flow from my eyes. The sound startled Celeste but, instead of scolding me, she passed a arm over my shoulders.
It was just too cruel and unfair. All the hardships Sophia had endured in her life were not the result of simple misfortune. No, the malevolent shadow of the Academy was to blame. Not only was it threatening to rob her of her future, but it had also sullied her past. It had deprived her of the happiness to which she was entitled.
«Liz... we should go. I don't think going through this stuff is going to help us,» Celeste whispered quietly.
«Have we run out of time?» I asked.
I had lost track of it. For all I knew, it could have been hours since we'd opened the book. Fortunately, Celeste pulled out a pocket watch.
«It's 4:35,» she said after opening it.
«Then we should have at least an hour,» I said, wiping away my tears.
«That's not the point... I can already tell that whatever we find here will only make us angrier and sadder.»
The fact that was someone as naturally curious as Celeste was saying those words really put into perspective how bad our situation was. This tiny file book had already crushed our spirits. What horrors awaited us in that huge folder on the side? Probably something worse than I could imagine.
I clenched my fist so tightly that my nails dug into the palms of my hands.
"But... I can't just look away. It will be painful, but I need to know the whole truth. I need to see the extent of the crimes Skylark and his allies have committed so that I can tell everyone if I get out of here alive. I owe it to their victims."
I took out my wand and pointed it at Alice Thornton's file.
«Duplicate.»
Copying an entire book with magic was impossible. The result would have been a volume of blank pages. But this single file... I had to take it with me, no matter what.
Celeste looked at me in surprise:
«Liz... are you planning to show it to Sophia?» she asked.
«Yes,» I replied dryly.
«But... why? You'll just make her suffer... it's better if she doesn't know."
Celeste and I really did think alike. But I'd promised myself, after what happened in the dungeon, to stop with lies and half-truths.
«She has the right to know.»
But that wasn't the only reason. That girl, Alice Thornton, I couldn't bear the thought of her being forgotten. I had no way of knowing for sure, of course, but part of me wanted to believe that she really did love Sophia. I had always found it strange how my girlfriend had managed to remain kind and not lose hope despite everything she had been through. The idea that some part of her still remembered that someone in the past had really cared for her was somewhat comforting.
Celeste seemed to understand I was not going to budge and sighed.
"Don't worry Alice, I'll take care of her from now on," I thought as I closed the book.
But after a second I opened it again.
"Wait a minute..."
Role: Candidate.
We had only saw students been classified as such. But were there really no other options? My experience suggested it was unlikely. I turned the pages we had quickly scanned before, paying more attention. And then I saw it:
Name: Robert Stilton
Status: Commoner
Rank: Fodder
Special Ability: None
Evaluation: Nothing of note.
Fodder. That was a word that should never have been associated with a human being.
«So that's it... some people are just brought here to be killed,» Celeste commented bitterly.
But the most important question still remained unanswered: why?
I closed the book and moved the huge folder of files in front of us. Something told me we'd find the answer in that huge collection of papers. I turned the cover and looked at the first document in the collection. I immediately recognised the elegant handwriting that had invited me to the Academy many months ago: Skylark's.
Duelcrest Project, Guidelines for Participants
The first part of the Duelcrest Project will last a total of 6 months. The entire future of the experiment depends on this crucial phase, as does the survival of our realm.
Extreme confidentiality will be required of each participant in the study. Each researcher will be required to live on the Academy premises for the duration of the first phase.
Wages, living expenses and equipment will be covered by the Royal Treasury and will be exempt from taxation.
Specimens will arrive daily at 8 am. As most of these individuals are dangerous criminals and other undesirables, great caution is advised during testing.
Testing begins at 10am and ends at 7pm with a lunch break in between.
A sleeping spell will be applied before each experiment to ensure the safety of the operators. Results should be clearly described in the following documentation.
Bodies will be disposed of by the Academy staff.
It was worse even than I thought. It seemed that this deadly game we'd been trapped in was just the tip of the iceberg after all. Something had happened before we had been locked inside the school.
"So they used convicted criminals for their experiments because nobody would care if they disappeared..."
If the ominous-looking table next to us wasn't enough of a clue, the part about 'disposal of bodies' left no room for imagination as to what such 'experiments' entailed.
«The survival of this realm... what does that mean?» I asked Celeste.
«Maybe it's about the Demon King. Aldric defeated him after all. Maybe all this crap started because of him.»
«That's true...»
But I wasn't convinced it was all. I could accept that answer for what had happened in the past, but what about now? The Demon King was long dead, so why were we trapped here? Why did they need another Aldric?
"Maybe they got news that he's coming back..."
I turned the page, lost in my own thoughts. The new file in front of me was lapidary.
Test n.1
Result: Failed
Observations: Subject died before valuable data could be collected.
As much as I had expected it, seeing those words describing a murder so coldly rekindled a deep, seething rage within me.
"Bastards."
I turned the page again and an identical document greeted me. My hands trembled. Would this huge binder be filled with identical-looking pages that dismissed the loss of a human life as if they were talking about the weather?
It took a while before I came across something new.
Test no. 32
Result: Failed
Observation: Subject died before valuable data could be collected.
Suggestion: Use healing spells to prolong the life of the test subject.
«Took them long enough to change their approach,» Celeste commented in a disgusted tone.
The pages began to repeat themselves again. When I finally stopped and read what had changed, a deep nausea began to rise in me, replacing the rage.
Test no. 85
Result: Failed
Observation: The subject woke up during the procedure. Before their almost immediate death, our instruments registered a spike in activity.
Suggestion: Perform the experiment while the subject is conscious.
This was no longer just evil, it was downright inhuman.
"But why....why subject people to this?! What were they measuring?"
These documents were very vague, almost as if they had expected us to sift through them. I continued to leaf through them, almost feverishly. I had to make sense of this unprecedented level of cruelty.
But I had no luck.
Test no. 125
Result: Failed
Observation: the subject quickly lost their senses due to pain. The spike of activity from the previous test was also recorded this time.
Suggestion: Keep the subject conscious by using stimulation and healing spells. Strike a balance between pain and relief.
So not only were they inflicting some kind of incredible pain on them, they were also trying to keep them alive and alert.
"This is like reading a torturer's diary."
I really, really wanted to stop. The words Skylark had said to me in the infirmary were now ringing in my ears.
"If you think that finding out the truth will help you, you are again sorely mistaken."
Was this what he meant? Had he allowed us to come up here and examine these documents, knowing that despair was the only thing we would find in them?
But I couldn't stop. A new page turned and I was confronted with a file longer than usual.
Test no. 173
Result: Failed
Observation: The subject broke the binding spell in the middle of the test. A strong light was emitted and two of the operators lost their lives. Their wounds indicate exposure to very high temperatures. The subject died shortly afterwards. An extremely high reading was taken by the instrumentation at the time. We believe that the near-death state combined with the unexpected freedom of movement was the cause of this development.
Suggestion: Switch to physical restraints to allow the subject limited movement. Equip the operators with defensive enhancements.
Skylark's words had now given way to a loud ringing in my ears. My breathing suddenly became labored.
"The thing they were testing, was it... mana release?"
There was no way around it. A bright light on the brink of death: this description perfectly fit what I had experienced inside the dungeon. I was about to turn another page when the binder slammed shut.
«Stop, that's enough, Liz,» exclaimed Celeste.
«Are we out of time?» I asked again, almost coming out of a trance.
«We still have half an hour until 5:30.»
«That should be enough time to check the other room,» I said as I made to open the volume again.
But before I could, Celeste grabbed my wrist and stopped me:
«You're shaking so much, Liz! Please stop, you are scaring me! You look like a ghost!»
«I... just want to know the truth,» I weakly complained.
"But...Do I really want to know?"
«Is this truth supposed to teleport us out of here? Liz, why did we come up here?! Can you remind me?!»
The only time I had seen Celeste so distraught was when she had discovered Aldric's grim fate. I must have looked really bad. It wasn't really a surprise, I felt like I could faint at any moment.
I let out a deep sigh.
"What the hell am I doing?"
Of course finding out the truth was important but there would've been time to discover it in the future. Right now there was something else I should've focused on.
«To find a way out of this hellhole!» I replied, giving Celeste an uncertain smile.
She struggled a bit before finally returning it.
«That's right, come on, let's check that last room and get the hell out of here. Something tells me we'll find something useful there.»
«Even reading through this horror novel hasn't dampened your optimism, has it?» I commented, making her chuckle a little.
But inside me I still just wanted to scream.
"Sophia... I can't wait to cry in her arms over all this stuff."
After putting the binder and the little book back inside the cabinet, we climbed the stairs with unsteady steps. As we entered the first small room, it was as if a deep fog had been lifted. Although I could not ignore the terrible truths I had learned, leaving that damned room was like the end of a nightmare. I leaned against the wall and breathed deeply as Celeste examined the last remaining door.
«It's all clear, Liz,» she said after a bit, turning the handle.
I followed her inside, praying that something good awaited us. The new environment was large, just like the dining room, but instead of tables it was filled with lockers and shelves of equipment and armour.
"This must be where the guards keep their stuff."
After checking with Celeste that it was safe, I used my wand to unlock one of the lockers. Inside I found what looked like a lab coat, a pile of books and other junk.
"This stuff... doesn't look like the personal belongings of a guard."
I was sure of it now. The guards and professors were not the only ones who lived in the Academy. Hidden from our sight and trapped like us, the numerous people that had assisted in the first phase of the project were still here, studying something. Something closely related to my newfound power.
"But that's not important now," I thought, shaking my head and closing the locker.
«Liz, come here!» I heard Celeste calling me.
I followed her voice through the labyrinth of lockers and racks to find her at the far end of the room. Where there was... nothing.
"No... please..."
A huge circular clearing with nothing on it. But... why was it there? A faint hope glimmered inside me.
«Celeste, is there a magic seal in here?» I asked, pointing to the floor.
«I... was waiting for you to check,» she said.
I could see she was trembling as well. The success of our expedition would be determined in this moment. Celeste pointed her wand at the ground and... it lit up in a pattern.
«YES!» I couldn't help shouting.
Strangely though, I didn't see any excitement on Celeste's face as she put her wand back in its holster.
«What's wrong?» I asked as fear crept in again, «is this an illusion or something?»
«It's not, but... it doesn't lead anywhere,» she said in a sombre tone.
«What? How is it possible?»
«I don't know... You see, these things work in pairs, with a mana stream running through them. Right now this one is not connected to anything...»
«I... see.» I said.
I could see tears streaming from Celeste's eyes. This was too much even for her, she was at her breaking point, I could tell.
"But... I... don't want to give up!"
I had sworn that I would not waver anymore. I owed it to Sophia. I would've fought till there was a glimmer of hope left. I hadn't come up here just to get served a lifetime dose of trauma.
I moved decisively towards Celeste and grabbed her shoulders:
«Stop crying, Celeste. I need your big damn brain now? Okay?» I said to her as I moved a hand to wipe away her tears.
«I... but...» she stammered, looking away.
«You said it's not connected to anything now... but that can't be true for the past, remember? The guards came down from here, so the teleport was active after the battle.»
A little colour returned to Celeste's face.
«T-That's true!»
«So there is another matching seal somewhere underground, they just cut the connection temporarily. So... would you be able to restore the flow of mana between them?»
«I... should be able to. But I'll need to know its exact location,» she said, nodding.
«Then it's set, we just need to find out where it is!»
«But... how? We can't go down without the teleport itself...» she objected. But I could see that her spirits had rose again. Celeste really was strong.
«We'll find a way, we have a wise and clever leader, don't we?»
And just like that, Celeste showed me her smile again.
"She's weak to compliments, eh?"
«You're right! Now we really have to get out of here... but we found something!»
«Yeah! Let's go, we have to tell the others!»
I grabbed her hand and together we started walking at a steady pace towards the exit.
«Liz...»
«Yes?»
«Thanks. I was really about to give up... but after what happened in that awful room, you kind of surprised me. I'll tell Sophia she's wrong to always call you a crybaby.»
«It's very nice to know that my girlfriend speak well of me...» I replied sarcastically as I opened the door, «but I guess it's all thanks to her. I just wouldn't be able to face her if I started moping around after all she's done for me.»
«I see... maybe I should really start believing in the power of love.»
«Shut up...»
As we descended the secret stairs, I couldn't help but think that despite the high we were feeling, things weren't looking too good. Not only had we discovered how vile the Academy's actions had been in the past, but our escape plan was looking as unlikely as ever.
"And I also need to talk to Sophia about her sister... I need to support her as much as I can."
But as Celeste had said before, my negative attitude would get me nowhere.
"I need to concentrate on getting out of her, first thing."
I half expected to find a welcoming party of guards waiting for us at the foot of the stairs. Fortunately, the classroom-like room was completely empty.
"I still can't believe how easy this was."
Covering up the traces of our visit proved to also be easy. With a touch of Celeste's wand on the tiny hidden seal, the stairs disappeared into the wall as if they had never existed. After casting the cloaking and muffling spell, my friend unlocked the door and we slowly stepped back into the corridors of the second floor. I could see light filtering through the doors. Morning had come, and with it the sound of early birds waking up. Luckily we were able to retrace our steps back to our point of entry before anyone could come out of their room.
«Go first, Liz,» Celeste said, pointing to a spot on the floor.
A small light shone from it.
«Is that...?»
«A seal, don't worry I'll erase it before we go. I just didn't want us trying to go through the wrong place.»
«Alright... please follow me immediately.»
«I will, don't worry.»
I closed my eyes and stepped onto the symbol. The second floor was becoming more animated, I had to hurry.
«Here goes nothing... Phase Shift.»
Thanks to gravity, I immediately went through the floor.
"Shit! I didn't think this through!" I thought, reaching out with my hand to slow my fall . But before I could, I felt someone catch me.
«Elizabeth!»
I opened my eyes to find myself in the tiny stall of a bathroom, being carried in Sophia's arms. Her beautiful face was distorted by the worry she had felt in anticipation of my return.
«Sophia...» I could feel the tears beginning to flow. I pressed my face into her chest, «Sophia!»
"I'm really not beating the crybaby allegations."
Sophia seemed to panic by seeing me cry.
«It's okay, I'm here, everything is fine. Where is Celes-»
Suddenly something heavy crashed down on me.
«OUCH!»
Sophia and I were now both on the floor. My coveted bridal carry had been ruined.
«Good thing I slowed my fall at the last second,» Celeste said, getting up while massaging her bum.
«You call that slowing your fall?!» complained Sophia as she helped me up from the floor.
«Well, I had to switch off my cloaking spell in mid-air, there was a geezer walking down the corridor, you know?»
«If only he'd trapped you upstairs so I wouldn't have to see your stupid face again!»
After a moment we all burst out laughing hysterically. All the nervousness, fear and pent-up emotions were washed away.
«I'm glad you're both ok,» Sophia said with a smile.
«I told you I would protect your girlfriend! I fought Skylark in a 1-on-1 duel to bring her down safely, you know?» replied Celeste.
«Of course you did...»
As always, these two were really something special when they were together. Unfortunately, this wasn't really the moment to have fun.
«We should go now,» I said, wanting nothing more than to get back to the safety of my room, so that I could process everything we had discovered.
«You're right. I'll leave first, hiding with my spell. I think, in your case, people won't suspect much if they see you coming out of the bathroom together early in the morning,» said Celeste
«Do you think we're a couple of perverts or something?» I complained.
But I had to stop because Celeste had opened the door. After a whispered "Let's meet later" and a wink, she disappeared.
«I assume you have some good news to share,» Sophia commented, looking at the now closed door.
At her words, everything came crashing down. I clenched the pocket where I had placed the file of who I was sure was her sister.
«What's wrong, Elizabeth?» asked Sophia, grabbing my hand.
«I... need to tell you something.»