The cold stone corridors echoed with the echoes of their footsteps.
Zero, Lyria, and Kai carried Jin down the third floor of the Academy.
With each step, the darkness grew thicker, and the floating faces on the walls became more and more alive.
It was as if the Academy had decided to open the depths of its own souls.
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The Secret of the Map
At the end of the corridor stood an old and gigantic door.
In the middle of the door was a gilded map.
The map showed all the floors of the Academy and the secret passages leading to its center.
Kai lightly touched the map.
— "This is… the true heart. The center of the Academy."
— "But to get there… we must first pass through these cursed doors."
Lyria approached him.
— "Each door contains a cursed memory. If we cannot pass… we will be captured."
Zero closed his eyes.
The curse stirred inside him and whispered,
"If you are ready… I will open the door."
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The First Test of the Cursed Doors
The map showed them three doors.
Each one held a different curse.
Zero took a deep breath.
They headed towards the first door.
When the door opened, there was a dense energy inside.
The air was heavy and difficult to breathe.
As they stepped inside, the floor suddenly shifted and a deep void appeared beneath them.
But they did not fall. The floor gave way to a living, moving expansion of space.
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Field Expansion and Soul Bond
Zero used the control of the curse within him to open the field expansion.
Everything around him was warping, layers of reality shifting.
He took Lyria's hand, and the two formed an unbreakable bond in this changing space.
The curse within Zero strengthened his soul bond, shaping the space with his energy.
Enemies appeared.
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Battle with Cursed Shadows
Creatures made of shadows appeared in front of them.
Half human, half nightmare, these creatures fed on cursed energy.
The battle began.
Zero fought quickly, but he still could not fully control his curse.
He did not use magic, because he was trying to grasp the magic, but he fought with his body language.
Lyria supported him with defensive spells.
Kai used magic attacks to block the shadows.
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Zero's New Power
As the battle continued, Zero's soul bond activated.
When he touched a cursed shadow, old memories within the shadow emerged.
The shadow was the soul of a former princess.
Zero used his soul bond to communicate with her.
— "Help us... we need to get rid of this curse."
The princess's soul whispered the old Academy secrets to Zero.
The origin of spells and curses, why the Academy exists…
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Romantic Moment and Hope
After the battle, Zero and Lyria stood outside the door, out of breath.
Zero put his hand on Lyria's face.
There was fear and determination in his eyes.
— "With you… we will grow stronger together."
Lyria smiled slightly.
— "And together we will shatter this darkness."
________________________________________
END OF CHAPTER
The door to the heart of the Academy had been opened.
But the real danger…
Waited for them there.