The dormitory was silent, the oppressive stillness only broken by the occasional creak of the wooden beams. Outside, the moon cast a pale, ghostly glow, barely cutting through the thick fog that clung to the village like a suffocating hand. Most of the students had already succumbed to exhaustion, their breaths slow and steady.
But then, it began.
A woman's voice, raw with grief and madness, echoed through the air.
"My baby… where is my baby?"
The sound wasn't distant. It was everywhere.
Not outside the dormitory. Not down the road.
It was as if she was inside the room, standing over their beds, breathing the words into their ears.
The crying wasn't just heard—it was felt.
A chilling sensation crawled beneath their skin, burrowing deep, settling in their bones. It wasn't just a sound; it was a presence. A sorrow so overwhelming, so inhuman, that it seeped into their very essence.
Cai rolled over in his bed, shivering violently. "What in the abyss is that?"
Marvin sat up with a start, gripping his blanket like a lifeline. His voice trembled. "It's her, isn't it? The spirit."
Theodore lay still, his crimson eyes flickering open. He didn't flinch, didn't tremble. Unlike the others, he listened.
The voice didn't sound entirely human. The words were broken, as if she had been screaming them for centuries, her throat shredded, her grief worn into something far more sinister.
He turned his gaze toward Cai and Marvin. They looked shaken. Afraid.
A slow, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You two are scared of some crying?" Theodore murmured, his voice deliberately calm.
Cai scoffed, trying—and failing—to look unfazed. "Shouldn't you be sleeping, kid? Leave the ghosts to the adults."
Despite his bravado, his hands trembled as he swung his legs over the bed. Marvin swallowed hard. "We should check it out."
They grabbed their cloaks and hurried outside, pretending they could handle it.
Theodore followed at a leisurely pace, his smirk widening.
The village square was bathed in a dim, eerie light. The fog curled along the ground like ghostly fingers, twisting between the cobblestones. The air was thick, pressing against their skin like unseen hands.
And then—
Something moved.
A tall, faceless entity stood at the edge of the square, its arms unnaturally long, its form shifting like a living shadow.
It raised a hand… and waved.
Cai's breath hitched in his throat.
"A-A monster!" he stammered, his body locking up in sheer terror.
Marvin stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet. "It's real—oh gods, it's real!"
Their fear was delicious.
Theodore bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He stood there calmly, watching them crumble.
This was too easy.
Cai grabbed Marvin's sleeve. "We—we have to wake the others! Now!"
The two bolted back toward the dormitory, their screams splitting the night.
As the doors slammed open, students poured out, half-dressed and groggy, weapons drawn.
"What's happening?!"
"Where's the monster?!"
Theodore, still standing at the edge of the square, gave the silent command.
(Shadow, return.)
The faceless entity melted into the darkness, vanishing like it had never existed.
The students squinted into the night, confusion spreading among them.
"There's… nothing here," one of them muttered, lowering his sword.
Cai and Marvin stood there, pale and shaking, looking like fools.
Theodore crossed his arms and smirked. "Are you two done embarrassing yourselves?"
Cai shot him a murderous glare, but his hands still trembled. Marvin wiped his sweaty face, swallowing hard.
In the distance, the woman's crying had stopped.
The air turned frigid, the cold biting through their suits like unseen daggers. Then—
A scream.
No, dozens of them.
The sound ripped through the night, shrill and bloodcurdling, echoing from the heart of the village. It wasn't just one voice—it was a chorus of agony, of terror.
The students clamped their hands over their ears, wincing at the sharpness of it.
"What—what is that noise?!"
"My ears—!"
"That's not normal!"
The villagers reacted immediately—doors slammed shut, windows bolted in frantic urgency. Shadows moved behind curtains, peering out with wide, fearful eyes.
Something was coming.
Vincent appeared suddenly, his expression grim. In one swift motion, he unsheathed two swords, his grip steady.
"Theo!" He grabbed Theodore's arm, shoving a blade into his hands. "Always keep a weapon close. Stay near me."
Theodore frowned but gripped the hilt, testing the weight. (Well, at least he's useful for something.)
Before he could respond, another hand landed gently on his shoulder.
He turned to see a girl—around fourteen or fifteen—with deep red hair woven in a cascade of braids that tumbled down her back. Her golden eyes held a quiet confidence.
"Don't worry, Your Highness," she said, offering a reassuring smile. "We're here for you."
Theodore blinked. (Who is this?)
Vincent cleared his throat awkwardly. "This is Faith Luther. She's the daughter of Baron Luther. And… my fiancée."
Theodore stared at her for a moment, completely unmoved.
"Lovely," he said dryly. "But now's not the time for family introductions. We have company."
Vincent and Faith stiffened at his words, gripping their weapons tighter.
Then—
The ground trembled.
A gust of unnatural wind swept through the area, carrying with it a stench so foul, so rotten, that it made the students gag.
"Something's here," Theodore muttered, his grip tightening around the sword.
The teachers arrived just then, their expressions serious.
"Prepare your equipment, students!" Mr. June barked. "Something unnatural is approaching!"
Miss Lidia unsheathed her greatsword, her aura flaring up like a beacon. "I feel it too," she said darkly. "Follow me!"
The students scrambled into position, their nerves fraying under the weight of the unknown. Then they saw them.
Glowing eyes.
Emerging from the darkness of the trees were creatures—twisted, humanoid things, their bodies resembling gnarled wood fused with flesh. Their green eyes gleamed with an unsettling light, locked onto their prey.
The first creature let out a shrill, inhuman screech—
And then they charged.
"STUDENTS, FIGHT!" Miss Lidia bellowed.
She was the first to move, rushing forward at blinding speed. Her blade flashed, cutting through two creatures in one clean swing. They collapsed instantly, their wooden bodies splintering like brittle twigs.
"THEY'RE FRAGILE!" she shouted. "HIT THEM HARD!"
The battle erupted into chaos.
Mr. June and the mage students stood at the back, hands glowing with power as they unleashed a storm of spells.
Fireballs roared through the air, scorching the twisted creatures upon impact. Blades of wind sliced through their limbs, sending splinters flying. Spears of ice impaled them, freezing their bodies solid before they shattered into pieces.
Meanwhile, the aura students charged forward, blades gleaming under the dim moonlight. They moved in perfect coordination, cutting down the creatures in a synchronized dance of destruction. Their footwork was sharp, their strikes lethal.
Despite the terror that had gripped them earlier, the students were now focused and ruthless.
Theodore, however, was bored.
One of the creatures lunged at him, its gnarled claws swiping for his throat. He dodged effortlessly, his small frame moving with an unnatural grace.
(So slow.)
He barely acknowledged the monster's attempts, his eyes instead scanning the battlefield, studying how the others fought.
The creature screeched and slashed again—
This time, it tore through the edge of his shirt.
Theodore stopped moving.
Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the creature, his crimson eyes darkening as a wave of pure, murderous killing intent washed over it.
The monster—once rabid and relentless—froze in place.
It took a hesitant step back.
"You ruined my shirt," Theodore said coldly, rolling his shoulders. "I didn't have time for you, but now…"
He cracked his knuckles.
"I'm going to beat you into the ground before I kill you."
Before the monster could react—
CRACK.
The first punch caved in its chest.
CRACK.
The second snapped its arm like a twig.
Theodore's fists blurred, raining down a merciless flurry of blows.
Flesh and wood cracked. Bones snapped. A pained, unearthly screech tore through the battlefield.
The other students stopped fighting to stare at the brutality unfolding before them.
"What… the hell…?" one of them whispered.
Even Mr. June flinched. "What is that noise?"
Miss Lidia, unfazed but slightly concerned, sighed. "Prince Theodore, just finish the creature. That's enough."
Theodore exhaled sharply, stepping back as the mangled creature twitched weakly beneath him.
"…Fine," he muttered.
Then, with a casual stomp, he crushed its head into the dirt.
The red substance splattered across the ground.
Silence.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
Theodore picked up his sword from where he had dropped it and turned toward the rest of the creatures.
His smirk returned. "Alright. Who's next?"
The remaining monsters hesitated.
But it was too late.
Theodore moved.
His sword flashed. His strikes were precise, efficient, merciless.
By the time the battle ended, not a single creature was left standing.
But the foul stench of death hung in the air, thick and suffocating.
The students cheered, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten as they celebrated their victory.
"We did it!"
"That was intense, but we won!"
However, Mr. June's sharp voice cut through the excitement like a blade.
"Don't celebrate yet. We haven't even seen the Night Weeper."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Murmurs of unease rippled through the group.
"Right…"
"We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves…"
The lingering fear returned, weighing down their spirits.
Miss Lidia, ever the meticulous one, was already counting the students. Her eyes flickered with concern before she froze in place.
"Wait—where's Marvin?" she asked, her voice unnervingly sharp.
The students stilled.
"What?" Mr. June turned to her, brows furrowing. "Marvin was just here. I saw him casting fire magic during the fight."
Before anyone could react further, the village chief, Mr. Smith, approached from the shadows.
"Oh, you've defeated the wooden creatures? How fortunate." His voice carried an eerie calmness, almost as if he already knew the outcome. "And no one got hurt?"
Miss Lidia's sharp gaze fixed on him. "Village Chief, one of our students is missing."
Mr. Smith's expression didn't change. "Impossible. That has never happened before."
"Then where is he?" Miss Lidia demanded.
Mr. Smith stroked his beard, his caterpillar-like eyebrows twitching. "Perhaps he… ran away in fear?" He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "This kind of mission can be overwhelming for young students."
Mr. June narrowed his eyes. "Marvin isn't the type to flee. We need to search for him immediately."
Mr. Smith sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "I understand your concern, but my villagers are already frightened enough as it is. I will dispatch some of my men to look for your student tomorrow."
Tomorrow?
A few students exchanged uneasy glances.
"We appreciate your offer," Mr. June said through clenched teeth, "but we're looking for him now." He turned to the students. "Spread out! Call his name! Find him!"
The students scattered across the village, calling out.
"Marvin!"
"Marvin, where are you?"
Yet the night remained silent.
No response.
Not even a rustling in the trees.
Cai was growing frustrated. "Damn it! Where the hell did that idiot go?"
Theodore, on the other hand, wasn't buying it.
A student vanished—just like that? Not a single trace? It didn't make sense. His gut told him something wasn't right.
After nearly an hour of searching, Mr. June sighed. "Enough. We can't find him in the dark. We'll continue in the morning."
Cai clenched his fists, reluctant but unable to argue.
As the students reluctantly returned, Theodore's eyes flickered toward the outskirts of the village.
There—standing at the edge of the forest—
Was the cursed man.
Unmoving. Watching.
His silhouette was barely visible against the trees, but Theodore could feel it.
A dark presence.
The man didn't react as Theodore stared at him. He simply turned his back and walked deeper into the forest.
Vanishing.
Theodore's blood ran cold.
(Was he watching the search? Was he… waiting for something?)
"Come on, students, back inside!" Mr. June called out. His voice was tense, but Theodore noticed something else.
Mr. Smith was still standing there, his back turned.
He wasn't looking for Marvin.
He wasn't worried about the missing student.
He was whispering to himself.
Or to someone else.
Theodore narrowed his eyes. (Something is very, very wrong with this village.)
He followed the others back to the dormitory, but his mind kept replaying one thought.
Did that man take Marvin?
Or did Marvin… walk into the forest on his own?