The artifacts were heavy in our hands as we ran, their ancient surfaces slick with sweat. The air was thick with tension, every sound amplified by our pounding hearts. The zombies were relentless, their growls and snarls growing louder as they closed in on us.
We burst into the main hall, slamming the doors shut behind us and using whatever we could find to barricade them. The pounding of the undead against the doors echoed through the large, empty space, a constant reminder that time was running out.
"Quick, over here!" Mr. Alex called, leading us to a corner of the hall where he had spread out the artifacts on a table.
Kaori, Ayan, Miu, and I gathered around, our breaths ragged and our bodies trembling with exhaustion and fear. Mr. Alex flipped through the dusty tomes, his eyes scanning the ancient text for any clue on how to use the artifacts.
"We need to find out how to activate these," Mr. Alex said, his voice urgent. "There has to be something here, some kind of ritual or spell."
"Can you read any of it?" Kaori asked, her eyes wide with fear.
"I'm trying," Mr. Alex replied, his fingers trembling as he turned the pages. "It's in an old language, but I think I can make out some of it."
Outside, the pounding grew more frantic, the door beginning to splinter under the force of the zombies' attack. We exchanged worried glances, knowing we didn't have much time.
"Here, this looks like something," Mr. Alex said, pointing to a passage in one of the books. "It talks about a ritual to activate the artifacts. We need to arrange them in a circle and recite this chant."
We quickly set to work, arranging the artifacts as Mr. Alex directed. The tension was palpable, every second feeling like an eternity as the sound of the door breaking down grew louder and louder.
"Alright, everyone gather around," Mr. Alex said. "We need to do this together."
We formed a circle around the artifacts, our hands clasped together. Mr. Alex began to chant, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. We repeated the words after him, our voices growing stronger with each repetition.
As we chanted, the artifacts began to glow, a soft light emanating from their surfaces. The air around us seemed to hum with energy, and for a moment, I felt a glimmer of hope.
But then, with a deafening crash, the doors burst open, and the zombies poured into the hall. Their eyes glowed with hunger, their twisted forms illuminated by the glow of the artifacts.
"Keep chanting!" Mr. Alex shouted, his voice barely audible over the din. "Don't stop!"
We continued the chant, our voices rising in unison as the zombies closed in. The light from the artifacts grew brighter, enveloping us in a protective shield. But the zombies were relentless, their claws and teeth gnashing against the barrier.
Just as it seemed like all hope was lost, the artifacts flared with a blinding light. The zombies recoiled, their twisted forms disintegrating in the glow. The air was filled with the sound of their anguished screams as they were consumed by the light.
When the light finally faded, the hall was silent. The zombies were gone, their remains reduced to ash. We stood there, breathing heavily, our bodies trembling with exhaustion and relief.
"We did it," Kaori whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"For now," Mr. Alex replied, his voice heavy with worry. "But we need to find out more about these artifacts. There might be more to this than we realize."
As we gathered our breath and tended to our wounds, the sense of victory was tempered by the knowledge that our fight was far from over. We had unlocked the power of the artifacts, but the true source of the school's dark secrets still lay hidden. And with Ellis's betrayal still fresh in our minds, we knew that trust was a fragile thing in this new, terrifying world.
With the artifacts in hand, we prepared to delve deeper into the mysteries of the school, determined to uncover the truth and protect each other from the horrors that awaited us. The battle was far from over, but with the power of the artifacts and our unyielding resolve, we knew we had a fighting chance.