Later, as the hour ran thin, Asher raised his hands and began weaving a portal back to the academy dorms. Blue sparks flickered, pulsed—and sputtered out.
He blinked, trying again. Nothing.
"Uh… that's not supposed to happen."
Zane frowned. "What do you mean that's not supposed to happen?"
Asher grimaced. "Something's blocking my powers."
Zane's stomach dropped. His eyes darted to the horizon where the moon sagged lower. "Shit. It's the teachers. We spent too much time out here."
Without another word, he yanked his hood over his head. His figure blurred, dimmed—vanished.
"What the—where'd he go?" Mira whispered.
Before they could speculate, the plaza filled with the sound of boots. From the alleys and rooftops, teachers surrounded them, cloaked in their authority and magical auras.
One sneered. "Students sneaking out of academy grounds. Bold. Very bold."
Another cracked his knuckles. "You'll explain yourselves… after detention."
The group stood back-to-back, trapped.
"Zane ran," Luna spat, her voice sharp with panic and fury. "He left us!"
One stepped forward—then vanished.
A female teacher spun, eyes wide. "Keller? Where'd you—" She didn't finish. She disappeared mid-word.
Gasps rippled through the squad of instructors as one by one, their ranks thinned. A shadow danced across the cobblestones, weaving in and out like smoke.
The last teacher standing barely had time to shout before Zane stepped out of the darkness behind him. His boot connected with the man's chest, sending him sprawling unconscious to the ground.
He turned to Asher. "Portal. Now."
Asher nodded and summoned a rift. Blue energy flared alive this time. Mira dashed inside first, Asher followed, and Zane was the last to step through.
[Warning: Shadow Essence Critically Low]
[System Suggestion: Feed Shadow Essence immediately or risk backlash]
"Tch…" Zane's voice came from nowhere. "Guess I don't have a choice."
He poured every ounce of Shadow Essence into the hungry void lurking at his feet. His shadow rippled, expanded, and surged like a living storm. With each strike, the Shadow Punch lashed out, connecting with unseen precision. Teachers collapsed one by one, their shadows flickering faintly before dimming as if drained.
When silence fell, Zane walked out of the darkness, expression flat.
"Come on now," he said casually, ignoring the groaning teachers on the ground. "I brought you here. Obviously, I'll take you back."
He dusted his hoodie. "Let's just hope none of them saw our faces."
A snap of his fingers at Asher, and a portal tore open. The five of them stepped through, spilling back into the safety of their dorm room.
Zane stretched and yawned. "You all can do what you want. I'm going to think about my life. By which I mean sleep."
But of course, the girls weren't finished.
"We're not leaving," Mira said, already dragging her bag closer.
"Yeah," Celeste added coolly.
"And me too," Luna murmured, quieter but firm.
Zane just gestured to the floor. "Have fun."
Mira immediately tried climbing his bed, only for Zane to shove her back down with a groan.
"I refuse to have back problems because of you. You hug like a death trap."
Asher, ever the "gentleman," sighed. "Fine. You ladies can take my bed." He flopped onto the floor dramatically, while the girls headed to the bathroom to change.
When they returned… Asher's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Mira, the tomboy-leaning beauty, wore soft lilac pajamas with short sleeves and her infamous bunny slippers. Somehow, she still radiated effortless charm, her loose ponytail brushing her shoulders.
Celeste, elegant even in relaxation, wore a silky midnight-blue nightgown with a loose robe draped around her arms. Her hair cascaded freely, giving her an almost noble, untouchable glow—even barefoot.
Luna, shy as ever, wore oversized pastel pajamas that looked a size too big, sleeves half-covering her hands. Her hair was a little messy, and she hugged a small pillow to her chest like a shield, eyes darting nervously.
Asher froze. His nose twitched. Then—bleed.
He turned away with a strangled noise. "I–I'm fine! Totally fine!"
Meanwhile, Zane rolled over on his bed, muttering.
"Pajamas. Nightgowns. Bunny slippers. Yawn. Still just bricks…"
And just like that, he pulled his blanket over his head, ignoring the chaos entirely.