Chapter 129: The unknown beyond the metal wall
Mr. Hammond led Tessa, Adrian, and Nyala to a secluded part of the school. There, they encountered a massive, round metal door fitted with magnetic bars and lined with an array of heavy-duty locks. It was an imposing structure, almost a fortress in itself, and it left the group wondering what lay beyond that door to warrant such intense security.
Mr. Hammond cleared his throat, his tone shifting as he began. "This is one of the reasons I requested your presence." He glanced at the door with a slight frown. "We don't know exactly what's beyond this door."
He went on to explain, "A few years ago, we noticed a troubling pattern—some of our workers went missing whenever they ventured too close to this area. To avoid further risk, we sealed it off. However, with graduation approaching, students will soon be exploring every corner of the campus. If they come across this place, putting up a 'Danger Zone' or 'Do Not Enter' sign will only heighten their curiosity. And I can't be here at all times to stop them."
He paused, watching Tessa intently. "This is why I need you to investigate it."
Tessa nodded, her expression serious. She focused her super-hearing on the other side of the door, filtering through layers of silence until she caught the faintest sound. Something was moving beyond that door, its movements echoing in a slow, ominous rhythm. It was faint but unmistakable.
Adrian, though his hearing wasn't quite as sharp as Tessa's, could also sense the faint, shuffling noise. Thanks to his Kaelrian roots and his unique legacy as the only son of Solaris, his senses were finely tuned to threats and energies. He exchanged a glance with Tessa, his expression shifting to match her own focused gaze.
Without a word, they understood the task ahead. Whatever was beyond that door wasn't just locked away; it was waiting, and they were the only ones capable of facing it.
""Open it..." Tessa commanded firmly. By now, nearly every security guard of the underground school had gathered, forming a tense crowd around the imposing door. Their faces told the story—a mix of dread and reluctance that hinted at the eerie mysteries this sealed section held.
Proprietor Hammond nodded, his face set but uncertain. "Open it," he echoed, giving his own signal of approval.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances but stepped forward, their movements cautious and deliberate. Unsealing this door wasn't a simple task; it took multiple hands to work the complicated locks and bars. Each twist and turn seemed to echo through the hallway, and the whole scene began to feel like the prelude to something monumental.
Meanwhile, Tessa leaned over to Nyala, her voice low but reassuring. "You'll stay here. Once Adrian and I deal with whatever is beyond that door, we'll return."
Nyala nodded without hesitation. She understood her strengths and limits, and this was one line she didn't mind respecting. She offered a quick nod, her gaze calm but alert.
It took nearly two hours to unseal every lock, twist every bolt, and deactivate the magnetic bars holding the door in place. Everyone watched with bated breath, each second stretching with the weight of their anticipation. The last lock clicked open with a sharp sound, and then... silence.
The door loomed larger than before, and hearts raced around the room, the pulse of collective anxiety hanging thick in the air. But for Tessa and Adrian, their faces remained composed, undisturbed by the tension around them. They'd faced horrors far greater—humans with dark agendas, Rhemon's merciless forces, Ikehara's crazy scheming, and even the ruthless Ashley Duve. Whatever lay behind that door, it felt more like a stepping stone than a challenge.
The heavy, round metal door groaned as it creaked open, a sound that reverberated through the sealed corridor, and a sharp stench rushed to greet them-an overpowering mix of decay, stale air, and an unsettling blend of unfamiliar smells.
Everyone outside flinched, faces wrinkling, but Tessa and Adrian stepped forward undeterred.
Once inside, Tessa braced herself against the door, and with a single, effortless push, she closed it, sealing off their connection to the others.
A task that would have required thirty guards was handled by her alone, a testament to her Kaelrian strength. The metallic clink echoed ominously as the door locked, sealing them within this eerie, abandoned section of the underground school.
They pressed on, their footsteps echoing in the hollow space. The sight echoing in the hollow space. The sight before them was one of neglect and desolation; patches of wild, unruly weeds sprouted between cracked tiles, reclaiming corners where light hadn't reached in years.
Rusted metal pipes ran along the walls, dripping murky water that pooled beneath them,
staining the floor in eerie streaks. As they ventured deeper, the silence grew thick, broken only by the sound of water dripping and the occasional scurrying of hidden creatures.
Strewn across the floor, small bones scattered about, remnants of rats and other small animals. But as they moved forward, these bones became larger, longer-and unmistakably more ominous.
First, fragments of ribcages and skulls that hinted at something larger, more complex. And then, there it was: the unmistakable rib of a human, lying disturbingly out of place amidst the decay.
Tessa halted, her eyes sharp as she took in the unsettling sight. Every instinct screamed alert as her gaze drifted up, scanning the shadows that lingered above and around them.
Turning to Adrian, she murmured, her voice low and steady. "Whatever is here... it's watching us. This isn't random -it's intelligent, and I can feel it,
hiding somewhere close."
They moved forward with calculated caution, every step deliberate, as though the floor itself could betray them at any moment. Tessa's senses sharpened, her ears straining to detect any whisper of movement in the thick silence.
Suddenly, she stepped on something soft. Glancing down, she saw a frayed, dirt-streaked orange vest—the type worn by the workers who had once labored on the construction and renovation of this underground section. Its fabric was worn, and it looked as though it had been left in a hurry, a silent testament to a worker's tragic, unfinished task.
Adrian knelt, inspecting the vest with a somber expression. "This poor soul… just trying to make a living, only to be met with whatever horror lies in these shadows." His voice was quiet, tinged with regret. He looked up at Tessa, their eyes meeting in a mutual understanding: they needed to be ready for whatever lay ahead.
Tessa shook off the clothes and stepped forward, her senses once more honed on the strange energy that seemed to lurk just out of sight.
She could feel it, a presence hiding within the dense shadows, and not just passively watching—they were being studied, scrutinized. It was as if the creature, or entity, was waiting, gauging the threat of these new intruders before deciding on its next move.
The air grew colder, thickening with a tension that was almost tangible. Tessa's eyes flicked toward a particularly dark recess of the corridor, where the presence was strongest.
Though she couldn't see it, her senses could almost paint an outline of its hidden shape, its watchful eyes unblinking and aware.
But it stayed there, biding its time, hidden in the darkness. Tessa whispered to Adrian, her voice barely above a breath. "Whatever's there... it knows we're here. And it's waiting."