The group fell into silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.
They had known—of course they had. Somewhere deep down, they all understood how dire things were. But hearing it out loud, in Kealix's voice, made the weight settle differently. Heavier. More real.
It was Joshua who finally broke the stillness.
"…We already knew that," he said, his voice low and filled with dread.
Nox turned to Kealix, uncertainty darkening his features. "What are you trying to say, Kealix?" His tone was cautious, but doubt curled around the edges of every word.
Kealix hesitated, the words caught somewhere between instinct and dread. There was no graceful way to say it. No comfort to wrap around the truth. Just like Hero had told him—sometimes, you simply had to say what needed to be said. Nothing more. Nothing less.
"If some people stay behind… to distract whatever that thing is, the others might actually survive."
His voice didn't waver. It couldn't. This wasn't a moment to show weakness.
And just like that, the silence returned—but this time it was deafening. It screamed without sound, roared without echo. The implication sank in slowly, like lead in water, crashing down on the shoulders of his friends.
Nox was the one to speak, voice tighter now. "What are you saying, Kealix?"
There was fear there. Not panic, not yet—but fear, like a splinter working deeper into the skin.
Joshua's jaw clenched. He didn't look up—he didn't need to. He already knew. Kealix could see it in the way his shoulders tensed, the way his hands curled slowly into fists.
"I…" Kealix paused. Just long enough to feel the weight of his decision one last time. "I'll stay behind. To distract it."
Nox took a full step back, the shock hitting him physically. A moment ago, his expression had been unreadable, calm—now it cracked wide open. Confusion. Hurt. Panic.
"Why?" he asked, voice cracking at the edges. "You don't even know most of these people, and—"
Joshua cut himself off, swallowed hard, then asked the question that truly mattered.
"…Doesn't death scare you?"
Kealix met his gaze without flinching. "Of course it does. Death terrifies me. But right now… I'm the closest thing these people have to a leader. And a leader," he continued, repeating Hero's words as if trying to convince himself just as much as them, "can't abandon the people who've placed their faith in him."
He forced strength into his tone, lacing each word with a calm he didn't fully feel. His hands were trembling slightly—but only inside.
Nox gritted his teeth. The hurt gave way to anger. For a moment, Kealix thought he might lash out. But instead, Nox took a deep breath, grounding himself. Then he spoke—quiet, firm, and heavy with emotion.
"Then I'm staying too."
He hesitated, eyes burning with determination beneath the fear. "You're my best friend, Kealix. I'm not letting you face that alone."
A pause.
"I'll double the time you buy them."
His voice shook—but the conviction in it didn't.
Kealix let out a slow breath, the weight in his chest easing just slightly. Having one more person by his side—just one—already felt like a blessing. He turned to Joshua.
"What about you, Joshua? Will you join us?" he asked gently, searching his friend's face.
Joshua didn't answer right away. His lips pressed into a thin line, his whole body trembling. Even though the creature hadn't revealed itself yet, the fear in him was obvious. Raw. Real.
"I…"
The pause was heavy. It settled between them like fog, thick and suffocating.
"I'm sorry," Joshua whispered. "I'm too scared… I'd only get in the way."
His voice cracked on the last word.
He couldn't look at them—at either of them. His gaze dropped to the floor as if the shame had physically pulled it down. It wasn't cowardice, not really. Kealix could see that. This was someone confronting their fear and speaking the truth—even when it hurt.
At least he's being honest.
If he lied to protect his pride… I don't think I could've handled that.
The thought flickered through Kealix's mind, followed by a strange relief.
He stepped closer and placed a firm hand on Joshua's shoulder.
"I understand," he said softly. "But if you're not coming… then live. Survive in our place."
Joshua didn't speak, didn't nod, but Kealix felt the slightest tremor beneath his palm—acknowledgment, however quiet.
"He's right," Nox added, his voice low and steady. "There's no shame in not being able to face fear. Shame only comes from pretending you don't feel it."
For a moment, the three of them stood there, surrounded not by despair—but something else. A silence that wasn't crushing for once. Something warmer. Softer. The first real comfort any of them had felt since the nightmare began.
Kealix saw it then—just the smallest twitch at the corner of Nox's lips. A faint smile. Faint, but alive. Like the first flicker of a newborn ember, struggling to catch flame.
"We should head back," Nox said, finally breaking the silence. "We need to tell the others about our plan."
Kealix nodded. Joshua said nothing, still holding his head low. Guilt clung to him like a shadow, as if this burden—this impossible choice—was his to carry alone.
When they reached the cafeteria, Nox stepped forward and raised his voice just enough to draw everyone's attention. The moment all eyes fell on Kealix, he stepped up.
He didn't let himself falter.
"Alright, everyone," he began, his voice clear and loud enough to carry through the tension-choked room. "Some of you have probably figured it out already, but… we might not all survive what's coming."
A ripple of unease spread through the students like a tremor.
"But that doesn't mean we can't increase your chances. Nox and I will distract whatever came through that rift. We'll draw its attention long enough for the rest of you to escape."
He paused, scanning their faces. The fear was palpable. Heads lowered, shoulders hunched, eyes fixed on the floor. No one moved.
Kealix swallowed hard.
"If there's anyone who wants to join us…" He hesitated, just for a second. "Step forward."
Nothing.
Kealix's gaze swept the room again. Silence. Stillness. A crowd paralyzed by terror.
No one…
Not a single one?
His heart sank.
But then—just as his hope began to slip—a voice rose from the quiet. Soft. Gentle. Shaking, but resolute.
"We'll join you."
Kealix's head snapped up.
Alora. She stood tall despite the tremor in her legs, her voice barely above a whisper. And beside her, the boy from their group. The one who had stayed quiet through most of this… but had never once looked afraid.
Kealix's eyes narrowed slightly, studying him.
He's too calm.
Even now.
Something about that boy didn't sit right. His composure wasn't bravery. It was something else—colder. More deliberate. Calculated.
But now wasn't the time to question it. They had stepped forward. That was enough.
Kealix stepped forward and extended his hand to the boy who had joined them.
"I never asked your name," he said. "I'm Kealix. Good to be working with you."
The boy took his hand without hesitation, his grip firm but not forceful.
"Lucius," he replied simply.
No warmth. No expression. Just the name, as if it were a fact that needed no elaboration.
As their hands met, something shifted.
It wasn't just Kealix who felt it—everyone in the cafeteria suddenly tensed, as if the air had thickened. Pressure, unseen but undeniable, settled over the room like a storm warning. His breath caught. That feeling... the fracture. It was close now. Maybe already complete.
Kealix turned toward Alora. "I hope you don't mind, but… we should move. Now."
She gave a small nod, lips pressed into a brave but clearly forced smile.
The group gathered quickly, and without another word, they left the cafeteria and retraced their steps through the darkened halls. This time, they could see more clearly, guided by the torch Joshua had made earlier—its flickering light casting shadows that danced like ghosts on the walls.
As they walked, Kealix found himself glancing at Nox more than once. There was something weighing on his mind. Something he couldn't shake. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Nox," he said carefully, "can I ask you something?"
Nox gave him a sidelong glance. "Shoot."
"Why did you agree to help me?" Kealix kept his voice steady. "You didn't have to. You don't owe me anything. And this... this could very well get you killed."
Nox was quiet for a moment. His expression didn't change right away—just a slight shift in his eyes, like the question had pulled something from deep inside. Then, he spoke.
"That's where you're wrong," he said. "I do owe you something. Everything, really."
Kealix blinked, surprised.
"When I was adopted," Nox continued, "I didn't fit in. The neighborhood was rough, and I was angry all the time. Got into fights constantly. No one knew what to do with me. Then one day… you showed up."
A smile began to form on his face as the memory surfaced.
"You saw me beat up some bullies—jerks who totally deserved it—and instead of backing off, you challenged me. Said it was your job to teach them a lesson, not mine."
Kealix let out a quiet breath of amusement. He vaguely remembered that day.
"We fought. Hard. Took forever, and we were both a mess by the end. But I won, just barely," Nox said, voice soft with nostalgia. "And instead of being pissed or holding a grudge… you looked up at me with that stupid grin and asked if I wanted to be friends."
Kealix smiled quietly to himself.
"I thought you were crazy," Nox chuckled. "But the more I hung out with you, the more I realized… you weren't like anyone else. You were the first real friend I ever had. Someone I could lean on. Trust. You were there for me—just like my parents were. Just like Joshua was, later."
His tone changed, quieter now, more resolute.
"So I made myself a promise," Nox said, looking ahead. "That I'd be someone you could rely on too. No matter what."
He finished the sentence like it was a vow. And maybe it was.
Kealix felt the silence settle again between them, but this time, it wasn't uncomfortable. It was solid. Grounding. A silent bond spoken not just in words, but in action.
Kealix fell silent, letting Nox's words sink in.
He hadn't realized his friendship had meant that much. Not really. To him, it had just been natural—instinctive. But hearing it out loud, in that raw, vulnerable honesty, it hit deeper than he expected.
What do you even say to that?
He searched for something—anything—that could carry the weight of what he felt. But words were hard to grasp in moments like these, slippery and insufficient. In the end, he spoke the truth in its simplest form.
"I'm glad," Kealix said quietly, his voice full of quiet gratitude. "You really are a great friend, Nox."
Another silence settled between them. But it wasn't uncomfortable—it was reflective. Kealix let it wrap around him like a blanket, absorbing it all.
Then Lucius broke the stillness.
"We're close," he said, his voice calm but alert.
Kealix glanced up. They were nearing the cluster of classrooms—the ones that had been twisted, malformed by the fracture. The air felt colder now, heavier.
Inside his mind, Hero's voice rang sharp and sudden, like a blade drawn in warning.
[Young master, do not let your guard down. That mistake could easily be fatal.]
I won't. Kealix's response was firm, inwardly braced. I'll stay sharp. As much as I can.
His gaze moved to the others walking beside him. Their colors—once uncertain and faint—had deepened. Saturated with tension, fear, and determination. They weren't awakened, not like Joshua, but their auras pulsed with raw potential. They had chosen to be here. That meant something.
As they reached the final door, an oppressive weight pressed down on all of them. No one spoke, but Kealix felt it in his bones—the silent anticipation, the fear cloaked as resolve. Like the entire hallway was holding its breath.
He turned, looking at them one last time.
"This is it," he said, voice low but steady. "If you want to turn back, do it now. Once this door opens… there's no going back."
No one moved.
Kealix gave a slow nod.
Then Nox stepped forward, placing his hand on the door.
Everyone else shifted into position, backs against the wall, hearts pounding, waiting for whatever nightmare had crawled out of the fracture.