Chapter 22: do you think we are failing
The magical field trip to the floating ruins of *Ecliptora Sanctum* was supposed to be educational. Emphasis on *supposed*. Instead, it turned into a disaster before the first floating platform even docked.
Kaito, still recovering from his accidental confession to a *talking plant*, was paired with none other than White Louise for the ruins tour. Her glare could incinerate ghosts.
"Try not to trip on your own shadow, Princess," she sneered.
"I'm not a princess," Kaito muttered.
"Right. You're the entire *drama department*," she said, flipping her hair.
Meanwhile, David and Alexander were assigned to "supervise" the students during the excursion, something neither took seriously.
David was too busy shooting glares at any spirit that looked too long at Jin.
Alexander was…well. Brooding beautifully, mostly.
---
Inside the ruins, chaos bloomed.
Kaito accidentally triggered a pressure plate, unleashing a horde of ancient squeaky poltergeist ducks.
They were *terrifying*.
Jin screamed. Kaito screamed louder. Alexander sighed so hard the spirits stopped mid-quack.
In a moment of panic, Kaito grabbed Jin's hand and bolted—pulling them both into a secret chamber.
Alone.
Dark.
Echoing.
Kaito panted. "Okay...not dead. Yet."
Jin looked down at their still-clasped hands and softly said, "You always hold me like I'm gonna vanish."
"I'm scared you will," Kaito whispered, before realizing what he said. "I mean—because of poltergeists!"
But neither of them pulled away.
---
Meanwhile, David had cornered a smug spirit flirt who had just called Jin "cute."
David: "Say 'cute' one more time, Casper. I dare you."
The ghost: "Cute—"
*POOF*. The ghost vanished.
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Overkill?"
David dusted his hands. "Justified."
---
Back in the secret chamber, a glowing memory glyph activated on the wall. Images flickered—Kaito in another life, wearing warrior robes…facing Alexander. They weren't just rivals. They were *lovers* once.
Kaito blinked. "What…was that?"
Jin stepped back, his expression unreadable.
"You and Alexander…"
"I—I didn't remember that. I swear."
Jin forced a smile. "It's okay."
But it wasn't.
---
As they rejoined the group, White Louise narrowed her eyes at Kaito. "You think you're the center of all this. But you're just the key. Keys get *used*."
Kaito opened his mouth to respond—but just then, the floating ruins trembled.
A hidden vault had been unlocked.
And something ancient…was waking up.
The floating ruins of *Ecliptora Sanctum* thrummed with ancient magic. Aether High's elite group of chaos magnets—Kaito, Jin, Alexander, David, and a slightly reluctant White Louise—stood before a slowly unlocking vault door. Faint symbols glowed across the stone like veins of light.
Kaito took a cautious step back.
"Okay, I officially vote we leave. Like, right now."
"You don't get to vote," Alexander said flatly, already approaching the glowing threshold.
"I wasn't really offering," Kaito muttered.
Just then, Kaito tripped—on absolutely nothing—and flew forward with a yelp, crashing *face-first* into the vault room. A loud *CLANG* echoed as he knocked over a pedestal.
A low growl answered from the shadows.
"Oh no," Kaito whispered. "I just opened the afterlife version of a cursed cereal box."
The entire ruin began to shake.
Spectral wind howled through the corridor, flinging parchment and dust into the air. Magical torches blinked out. Jin screamed. David grabbed him and ducked as a slab of ceiling crashed down nearby.
"Kaito!" Alexander shouted.
Alexander dashed into the room, grabbed a coughing, dusty Kaito by the collar, and yanked him back—just as the vault slammed shut behind them with a ghostly *clang*.
"You're a menace," Alexander hissed.
"I know," Kaito wheezed. "But like, a *cute* menace?"
Alexander didn't dignify that with a reply.
—
*Later that evening – Aether High Infirmary*
Kaito lay bundled in sheets, sneezing violently.
"I think I inhaled a phantom," he groaned.
"You inhaled *three*," Jin replied, holding a jar that was faintly glowing. "We had to extract them with a reverse-banishing sneeze spell."
David stood near the doorway, arms folded, watching Jin hover protectively near Kaito's bedside.
"You care too much," he said suddenly.
Jin looked up. "Excuse me?"
"You panic when he's hurt. You don't do that for everyone."
Jin hesitated. "He reminds me of someone. Maybe from a past life… or just someone I failed."
David's voice dropped. "Don't fail him again."
Jin didn't respond. But he reached for Kaito's hand and held it gently.
Kaito, still half-asleep, mumbled, "You smell like lavender and anxiety…"
David glared. Jin blushed. The tension thickened.
—
*Elsewhere on Campus – Louise's Dorm Room*
White Louise stared at the cursed symbol glowing faintly in her mirror.
Behind her, the Gold Twins stood like statues.
"You felt it too?" she asked.
Clare nodded. "The seal's weakening."
"And they're part of it," Mara added, voice cold. "Especially *him*."
They all turned to the mirror.
Kaito's reflection stared back.
—
*The Next Morning – Aether High Mess Hall*
The cafeteria was buzzing with rumors. Students whispered about the ruins. Ghost pigeons stole croissants. A blob of ectoplasm rolled across the floor.
Kaito entered, trying to look composed.
He stepped forward—and instantly slipped on ghost slime.
*CRASH!*
He flew into a tray of floating soup. It splashed across the room and hit a banshee cheerleader.
"AGH! THIS IS DRY CLEAN ONLY!"
Everyone turned and howled with laughter.
"Oh spirits," Kaito groaned.
Jin rushed to help—only to trip and fall beside him. Now they were both soaked in soup, pudding, and ghost jello.
David choked on his drink. Alexander didn't even blink.
"I hate it here," Kaito whispered, sliding off his soup tray like a soggy noodle.
—
*That Night – Rooftop of Dorm Building*
Kaito sat wrapped in a blanket, hair still damp from ghost pudding, staring at the stars.
"Do you think we're failing at this whole afterlife thing?" he asked.
Jin joined him, sitting close. "I think we're doing better than expected."
Kaito sighed. "Why does it feel like everything we touch explodes? Or gets cursed?"
Jin smiled softly. "Because it does."
They both laughed.
Far below, in the shadows, Alexander stood watching them from the edge of the courtyard.
His expression unreadable.
His hand curled slightly at his side.
And just like that—lightning crackled above the school once again.
The seal was breaking.
—
*End of Chapter 22*