Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Clash of Forces (Part 1)

The atmosphere in the tunnel was suffocating. Fear clung to the air like a dense fog, wrapping around the soldiers, teachers, and students who stood in formation, waiting for the inevitable. The students, about 250 of them, huddled together in the middle, surrounded by their teachers and the soldiers. Their faces, once youthful and vibrant, were now pale and grim, etched with the horror of what was to come. Some clutched each other's hands, trembling. A few quietly whispered prayers, while others remained stone still, too frozen by fear to move.