Lumiel's sword shimmered through the dark hallway as he charged straight for the rat monster. Beside him, Nishia darted in and out, slashing and dodging with precision.
"Nishia, move out of the way!" Lumiel shouted.
Nishia leaped back just as Lumiel's blade darkened, shifting into its Earthen Affinity. The monster roared, raising its grotesque flesh trident, aiming to hurl it straight at Nishia.
"No you don't!" Lumiel growled. He swung his sword, sending a purple arc slicing through the monster's arm.
The beast screeched in pain, then grabbed Lumiel with its remaining arm and flung him down the corridor like a ragdoll.
"Lumiel!" Nishia yelled.
"I'll catch you, Lumiel!" Skye shouted, arms wide open as he squeezed his eyes shut—only for nothing to happen. He peeked one eye open. "…What happened?"
Before Lumiel could hit the ground, Ms. Viera sprang up and caught him mid-air.
"Are you alright, Lumiel?" she asked as they landed.
"Yeah… thanks, ma'am," Lumiel panted.
"Is it ready, Claud?!" Ms. Viera barked over her shoulder.
"Almost there, ma'am!" Mister Claud called back, crouched behind a massive, humming Tesla cannon. "Just need a couple more seconds to aim this beauty."
"Hold the monster down!" Nishia ordered, stepping forward.
Lumiel slammed his palms together, and earthen walls erupted from the ground, crushing in on the monster and pinning it in place. The beast roared and thrashed, straining against the walls.
"Is it done yet?!" Lumiel yelled, holding his hands firmly together, sweat running down his brow.
"Kaboom!" Mister Claud whooped. A searing light-blue beam erupted from the Tesla cannon, tearing down the hallway. The ray devoured everything in its path—monster, debris, and stone alike.
Behind him, Mister Claud cackled like a madman as the cannon's glow faded. Lumiel and Skye stared at him in stunned silence.
> "Is this really the same Claud we knew…"
When the blast finally ceased, the monster was nowhere to be found—only two legs remained, smoldering before crumbling into ash.
Mister Claud turned to them, grinning ear to ear. "What is it? Why're you looking at me like that?"
Lumiel and Skye answered in perfect unison. "Nothing."
Ms. Viera scanned the room. "Is everyone safe?!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the students chorused.
"Good. We're moving out. We don't have time to waste—keep moving!"
Lumiel and Nishia rushed back to Bianca. Lylia hovered beside her, a faint gold glow around her hands.
"Mother, Bianca—are you both alright?" Lumiel asked.
Bianca nodded weakly, still clutching her chest. "Yeah… don't worry, Lumiel. We're safe."
"Thank God…" Lumiel sighed in relief. Nishia eyed Bianca's hand pressed over her heart, her brows furrowing.
"Bianca… are you really okay? Is it hurting again?"
Bianca didn't answer right away. She only shook her head slightly, trying to mask the pain beneath her heavy breathing.
"Hey! We need to move—what are you all standing around for?!" Ms. Viera snapped.
Nishia's eyes narrowed. Her voice dropped low and sharp. "Ms. Viera…"
"What is it?" Ms. Viera shot back. "You do realize every second we waste puts our lives in danger?"
"I know that," Nishia hissed, "but stop pretending like Bianca's dying heart doesn't matter just because you're so focused on escaping."
Ms. Viera turned away, her lips pressed into a tight line. She said nothing.
Nishia clicked her tongue and turned her back on her teacher.
"Nishia…" Lumiel began. "Ms. Viera's probably thinking about Bianca too. There's just… too much happening now. Please… just bear with it."
Nishia took a breath through her nose, her rage only smothered, not gone. "Fine. I'll let it go—for now."
The team regrouped and climbed the next staircase together. But as they neared the top step, an oppressive heat began to wrap around them.
Skye tugged at his collar. "Hey, guys… is it just me or is it getting hotter?"
Sweat beaded down every face. Even Mister Claud shifted uncomfortably atop his mobile sentry—until the metal seared his seat.
"Gah!" he yelped, leaping up and grabbing his backside. "It is getting hot!"
When they reached the final step, the group froze. The hallway before them shimmered with waves of heat. Broken floors cracked open, revealing streams of molten magma that snaked through abandoned classrooms and melted the once-familiar walls.
"…Are we still in the same place?" Lumiel whispered, his voice drowned by the hiss of bubbling lava.