The Vault had been silent for hours.Too silent.
They walked carefully through the glowing corridors, Lumi trotting ahead, tail flicking nervously. The air shimmered faintly — the same way it had before every strange event.
Draven's hand tightened on his blade.
Draven: "It's watching again."Lyra: "The shadow?"Draven: "Something worse."
Suddenly, the light along the walls snapped — flickered — and vanished.The darkness that followed wasn't empty. It moved.
A whisper slid through the silence, deep and distorted.
"Six lights… one will fade."
Then the creature appeared.
The Shadow Beast
It crawled out of the mist — a shape of pure darkness, shifting like smoke with claws that sparked black lightning. Its body looked torn from nightmares, yet its eyes shimmered faint violet — the same shade that haunted the Vault.
Lumi growled, fur blazing gold. The others formed a circle instinctively.
Seren: "Magic on my mark—!"Lyra: "Draven, right side!"Vale: "Wait, it's splitting—"
The monster fractured, becoming three shadows at once, moving too fast to follow.Energy blasts struck, but each only dispersed into smoke before reforming.
Then — one lunged for Vale.
She barely had time to raise her shield before being thrown backward into a column. The impact cracked the crystal behind her.
Lyra: "Vale!"
The others rushed to her, but the beast moved again — too quick.
Vale blinked through the haze, dazed — and saw something glowing behind her.A faint blue light pulsed inside the cracked crystal.
The moment her hand touched it, it shattered.
From inside, a tiny creature tumbled out — soft fur like starlight, long ears, eyes glowing sky-blue. It chirped once — a sound so pure that the shadows froze.
Nyra: "W-what are you—?"
The creature leapt forward, floating midair, and suddenly released a burst of blue energy — a wave that froze the shadow monster mid-attack.The room filled with icy mist, and cracks of light spread across the creature's dark form before it shattered into smoke.
The silence that followed was electric.
Lumi trotted up, chirping in approval.The new pat — trembling slightly — landed on Vale's shoulder, curling around her neck like a scarf.
Draven exhaled.
Draven: "Guess Lumi's not the only one anymore."
Lyra smiled faintly, brushing snow-like dust from her hair.
Lyra: "Seems like the Vault's giving us allies… one by one."
Vale looked at the small creature, who blinked up at her and made a soft, cooing sound.
Nyra: "You saved me… didn't you?"
It nodded.
And for just a moment, the Vault's cold light brightened — as if it, too, approved.
The Naming
Back in their dorm that night, Vale placed the tiny creature on her lap.It purred softly, tail glowing faint blue.
Seren: "So… what are you gonna name it?"Nyra: (smiling) "Frost."
Lumi hopped onto the table beside Frost, chirping cheerfully — as if welcoming a new friend.
For the first time, the group laughed freely — the tension finally breaking.Even Draven cracked a small smile.
Lyra: "One by one, huh? Maybe… we're not alone anymore."
Outside, the moonlight passed through the academy's glass towers — and far below, deep inside the Vault, a faint violet shimmer stirred once again.