Dorian stood in the center of the cafeteria, his Divine Element blazing around him like he'd swallowed the sun whole. Light and shadow split the room in a surreal glow, and for a second, even the corrupted monsters seemed to hesitate. Then Dorian let loose, a wave of purifying energy blasting toward the Higher-tier Corrupted like a punch to the universe itself. The creature convulsed under the assault, its skin blistering and tearing, yet somehow, it dug in, refusing to fall. Its guttural growl was less a sound and more a ripple of pure malice that rattled the air.
Dorian, though… Dorian was on fire, literally and figuratively, his expression strained but unbreakable. Though, if I looked close enough, I could see the cost already beginning to show. He was burning bright, but I had a feeling his reserves were running on fumes.
"Focus on the students first, Dorian!" I yelled, dodging a wild swing from a corrupted classmate who staggered toward me, eyes wide and unfocused. He looked as if he was fighting against invisible chains, every movement jerky and unnatural. "We can handle this reject from a horror flick—just get them free!"
Dorian shot me a quick nod, jaw clenched with a resolve that looked heroic, but maybe just a little unhinged. Without wasting a second, he re-channeled his power, letting a burst of golden energy wash over the corrupted students. I jumped in to cover him, sword at the ready, while Dorian's light poured out like a dam breaking, spreading through the room in waves.
With Instructor Seraphina guiding him, Dorian channels his Divine Element like a holy wave, letting it sweep over the corrupted students in rolling waves of light. The room practically hums with the energy, the radiant glow carving through the shadows like a beacon. One by one, the students' empty, vacant expressions flicker and shift—confusion, then fear, finally exhaustion. It's like they're surfacing from a nightmare, dazed and unsteady, like sleepwalkers waking up mid-step.
I tighten my grip on my sword, watching each of them blink back to life. Relief seeps into my bones, my eyes scanning the room. For a moment, it's almost quiet—almost safe.
But then… nothing. No triumphant "Mission Complete," no reward, no smug little system notification patting us on the back. Just dead silence, the kind that has you looking over your shoulder, waiting for something to pop out and say "gotcha."
That familiar, sick dread pools in my stomach, churning like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle. It's too quiet, too... unfinished.
The silence stretches, thick and unnerving. My gaze flicks to the empty system screen, still as blank as a newbie's spellbook. I try not to let my frustration show, but it's impossible not to feel a bit cheated. No fanfare, no reward notification, nothing. My gut churns uneasily. "Is… is that it? Really?" I mutter under my breath, the words barely audible. "Shouldn't there be some 'Mission Complete' alert or at least a decent pat on the back?"
Then a thought hits me, sharp as a knife. Wait. Does that mean this is still Episode 2? That there's something unfinished lurking in here? The idea slams into me, sending a chill straight down my spine. This isn't over.
I exchange a quick look with Seraphina. She's steadying a completely drained Dorian, but even she senses it—her eyes narrow, as if searching for something hiding in the room's shadows. The quiet presses in harder, as if the air itself knows something we don't. My instincts are practically screaming, and I take a careful step forward, every nerve on high alert.
And that's when I hear it: the faintest hum, a sickly sound vibrating low in the walls, sending a shiver through the floor. It's like some hidden mechanism is waking up, crawling out of the woodwork. The sound isn't just unnatural—it's wrong, like a bad note lingering after an already tense song. I grip my sword tighter, trying to place the source, but it feels as though the hum is coming from everywhere and nowhere, all at once.
A dark mark scorched into the ground where the corrupted creature fell catches my eye. I hadn't noticed it in the chaos, but now it pulses with a malevolent energy, like a heartbeat under the floorboards. Suddenly, it's clear as day: this wasn't just some random attack. This was planned. And something—or someone—is still here.
I swallow, giving the room one last sweep, hoping the system is just being late to the party. But no notification appears. My fingers tighten around the hilt of my sword, a bead of sweat rolling down my neck. "Alright, so Episode 2 isn't over yet…"
Just as I'm starting to feel like we've got a handle on things, a low snarl cuts through the room. I whip around, heart jumping into my throat. You've got to be kidding me. The Higher-tier Corrupted is still there, barely hanging on, but very much alive. I catch Seraphina's eye, and she looks equally unimpressed. "That thing again?" I mutter, and she just shrugs, rolling her eyes.
Seraphina summons her vines again, a flick of her wrist sending them lashing through the air. They wrap around the creature like iron chains, squeezing and binding its limbs until it's immobilized. "Alright, Dorian, time to clock in for overtime," I say, nudging him forward. Dorian's face shows every ounce of exhaustion he's feeling, but he manages to nod, his gaze steely.
He raises his hand, summoning every last drop of his Divine Element, and then lets it loose with a blazing strike. Light pours from him, flooding the room with a blinding flash as it hits the creature. The corrupted monster doesn't stand a chance this time—it dissolves in an instant, disintegrating into dust and ash, leaving only a charred symbol burned into the floor.
Dorian staggers, and Seraphina and I rush forward, catching him just before he collapses. "Nice work," I tell him, adjusting his weight as he leans on us. He tries to smile but just looks about two steps from passing out.
It should be over now. I should feel that sweet rush of relief, like when you finally close the boss fight screen. But instead, a prickle of unease runs down my spine as I stare at the blackened mark left on the ground. It's strange, sinister, and unsettlingly purposeful—a warning, or worse. A reminder that we might have won this round, but the game is far from over.
The strange symbol pulses ominously, like it's breathing—if breathing was somehow sinister and gave you that prickly feeling of "nope, not touching that." I crouch, peering closer, but the symbol flickers and fades, leaving only an uncomfortable chill behind. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't just some leftover magic residue. This was a warning—or maybe a taunt.
"Lucius?" Seraphina's voice pulls me back. She's looking around, brows knit, clearly picking up on the same unsettling vibe. Neither of us can pinpoint its source, though, and with students slowly coming to, the relief on their faces mixes with confusion. We start to help the instructors stabilize the scene, offering dazed students a hand and reassuring them that yes, the worst is over. Or so we hope.
That's when I notice it—a glint of sickly green light on the far wall, nearly camouflaged against the shadows. My pulse quickens. It's a rune spell. And not just any rune spell.
I force myself to stay calm as I approach, but the second I'm close enough to make out the rune, I feel dread tighten in my chest. This is no ordinary rune—it's a detonation spell, the kind that's downright illegal. Dark element magic might be standard here, but using it like this, with runes set to blow the place apart, crosses every line. Just then, a flicker of movement catches my eye near the rune—a figure cloaked in black, lurking in the shadows, their face obscured but their intent clear: Phantom Order.
My sword's in my hand before I know it. I look over at Seraphina and Dorian, dropping my voice low. "We've got a big problem," I say, barely keeping my voice steady. "Dorian, think you've got one more save in you?"
Exhausted but determined, Dorian straightens, a hint of defiance lighting up his face. He nods, and Seraphina, not missing a beat, moves beside him, her vines twisting and curling in readiness.
Then, out of nowhere, something strange happens—a tiny, sharp pulse under my glove. I glance down to see the raven glyph on my hand flicker, a faint shimmer that fades almost instantly. This… it happened before, back in the thick of that battle last month. The glyph shone for just a second, and I still have no clue what it means. Now, with this detonation rune and Phantom Order agent watching us like it's amateur hour, this is not the time for cryptic magic tattoos to start lighting up again.
The cloaked figure shifts, catching my eye just long enough to know they mean business. My sword gleams as I raise it, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Alright, buddy," I mutter under my breath, barely containing the thrill of the challenge. "You came to the wrong school."
Dorian, with Seraphina's vines curling protectively around us, takes a deep breath, drawing what's left of his energy. We may be down, but we're definitely not out. And if this Phantom Order operative wants a fight, they're about to get way more than they bargained for.
The Phantom Order member stands half-hidden in the shadows, face obscured by a hood but exuding a confidence that's infuriatingly smug. With a twisted grin, they begin muttering under their breath, the detonation rune flaring brighter as the countdown speeds up. I don't need to check the clock to feel the pressure—it's practically screaming at me to hurry.
Without hesitation, I spring forward, my sword gleaming as I slash at their direction. Dorian steps up beside me, gathering every last scrap of divine energy he has left, aiming it in a sharp burst to scramble the spell. The Phantom dodges, darting back just in time, but Seraphina's vines lash out like they've got a grudge, snapping around their arms and yanking them out of the shadows.
The Phantom lets out a low, dark laugh, dripping with malice and way too much enjoyment. "You're wasting your time," they sneer. "Arcadia's fate is already sealed."
My patience—and frankly, my tolerance for melodrama—shatters. "Hate to spoil your party," I say, my hand slipping into my satchel for one of my more precious backups. In a flash, I pull out a small vial of mana suppressant elixir—a little something I'd saved for emergencies, and this certainly counts. With a swift flick, I lob it directly at the rune, feeling a cold satisfaction as the dark magic hisses and splutters on contact. The rune's dangerous glow fades, sputtering out like a failed firework.
The Phantom's snarl fills the silence, livid.
The academy guards flood the room, securing the Phantom Order member and checking the cafeteria for any last traces of danger. The tension in the air fades, replaced by an exhausted kind of relief. Just as I'm exhaling, the familiar chime of the system finally rings through my mind, and I almost laugh from the pure sense of relief washing over me.
[Episode 2 Completed]
[Calculating rewards...]
I glance up at Dorian, Seraphina, and the others, who look just as drained but triumphant. It's finally over. Really, actually, over.
A murmur of voices reaches me as I look toward the entrance, and I spot a cluster of familiar faces—Fiona, Claire, Lucas, Leon, Kain, Princess Luna, and Adel—making their way inside. Everyone looks worn but relieved, and as soon as Fiona sees me, she rushes over, her usual air of indifference gone. "You're not dead!" she says, a mix of accusation and relief in her voice. "Honestly, you're like a magnet for trouble."
I give her a wry smile. "And yet you're the one who keeps following it."
Claire steps forward, her gaze sweeping over the scorch marks and broken tables. "Are you okay? We were holding off corrupted students down the hall when we saw the smoke. No one was giving us any details."
"Just another average day at Arcadia," I say, trying to keep the mood light. "But yeah, Dorian, Seraphina, and I managed to keep things from blowing up at the last second."
Kain raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "A higher-tier corrupted, a Phantom Order operative, and enough dark magic to fill a library. Not bad for a Tuesday, right?" Lucas stays quiet, as usual, but gives me a solid nod. That single look says plenty.
Leon grins, slapping me on the shoulder. "What's next? A dragon raid during midterms?"
Princess Luna and Adel hang back a little, their expressions more composed. Luna gives me an appreciative smile. "You've been through a lot, Lucius. We all fought hard, but… what you did at the end there was brave."
Adel, ever composed, inclines his head in respect. "Well handled."
I smile, feeling a strange blend of relief and pride as I look around at my friends, grateful we're all still standing.
Just as I start to relax, two more familiar faces join the crowd. Selene and Zephyr slip through the entrance, both looking slightly out of breath. Selene's eyes sweep the scene, taking in the scorch marks and broken tables, and she gives me a sharp nod. "Not bad. I heard you took down a higher-tier corrupted and stopped an explosion."
"One explosive afternoon at a time," I say with a grin. "Couldn't have done it without the team effort, though."
Zephyr crosses his arms, smirking slightly. "Guess this means you're officially the resident chaos magnet." He glances at the others, adding, "Though, really, what would you all do without him?"
Leon chuckles, giving me a friendly nudge. "Probably have a few less scars, but a lot less fun."
As everyone gathers closer, the camaraderie eases the tension of the last hour. For a moment, all the exhaustion fades, and I can't help but feel a weird kind of comfort in the chaos.
As the Academy guards lead the Phantom Order member out in shackles, they pause, turning their hooded head just slightly, and rasp in a low, bitter voice. "This is just the beginning. You'll never uncover the true purpose of the Phantom Order." Their voice slithers through the air, unsettling. I feel the triumph fade a little as a chill runs down my spine. Victory or not, they aren't done with us. Not by a long shot.
I glance around at the cafeteria's wreckage, my friends standing by me in varying states of shock, exhaustion, and pride. The reality of everything that just happened starts to settle in, and I'm left with more questions than answers. Why did the Phantom Order target the academy? What are they after? The shadows feel thicker than before, like there's a storm on the horizon, and I've just glimpsed the first flash of lightning.
I let out a tired but wry grin, looking at my friends. "So… who's up for a lot less sleep this year?"