The electric fan hummed lazily at the corner of the classroom, doing little to ease the afternoon
heat. Students slouched in their chairs, notebooks half-filled, their attention scattered.
Xerxes sat at the very back, tall enough that even when he slouched, he still stood out. His sharp
features and quiet demeanor made him look unapproachable, though some of his classmates often
sneaked glances at him. He didn't speak much—he didn't need to.
His gaze lingered on the chalkboard, but his mind drifted. Another ordinary day. Another long
lecture. He tapped his pen softly against the desk, wondering if life would ever give him something
different. Something more.
The sound of laughter and shouting broke the monotony. It came from outside, echoing through the
open windows. "What's that in the sky?!" someone cried. More voices followed, louder, panicked.
The entire class stirred. Murmurs spread like fire. A boy near the front stood up to peek outside. "Sit
down," the teacher snapped, holding up a hand. "I'll check."
Uneasy silence filled the room. Xerxes leaned back, his sharp eyes narrowing. Strange… it doesn't
sound like the usual playground noise.
The floor trembled. A deep rumble shook the classroom, rattling the windows. Screams erupted
from nearby rooms.
"An earthquake?!" a girl shrieked.
The bell rang suddenly, its shrill tone urgent and unending. Not the usual dismissal bell—this one
was an alarm.
The teacher rushed back in, his face pale, hands trembling. "Everyone, out! Now! Stay together and
follow me!"
Chairs scraped loudly as the students scrambled to their feet. Xerxes rose calmly, grabbing his bag
with practiced ease, his heartbeat steady despite the panic around him.
They hurried through the hall and spilled into the courtyard. The moment they stepped outside, the
world turned into a nightmare.
Bodies lay scattered across the ground. Students, teachers, even a security guard—their lifeless
eyes stared blankly at the sky. Blood pooled on the concrete, the metallic stench clogging the air.
Several students screamed. One boy gagged and vomited. A girl fainted, collapsing in sobs.
Rafael, a classmate close to Xerxes, clenched his fists, his lips quivering. "W-what the… hell is
happening?"
Before anyone could answer, the air itself split open.
A jagged crack tore through space near the school gates, glowing with an unnatural, pulsating light.
The sound it made was like glass shattering and thunder colliding.
From the fissure crawled small, twisted figures—green-skinned, hunched, with yellow eyes and
jagged teeth. They gripped crude wooden clubs and screeched as they spotted the students.
"Goblins?!" one boy shouted, his voice cracking with disbelief.