The black glass broke into a spiderweb of cracks.
A thick stream of freezing, dark water shot through the largest crack. It hit the stone floor with a loud splash.
Behind the glass, the giant pale face pushed harder. Its empty eye sockets stared right at Lina. The water was coming in faster now.
"Run!" Lina screamed. She grabbed Mira's arm. Seren was already moving, her face pale and wet with tears.
The water was rising fast. It covered their shoes. It was so cold it made Lina's teeth chatter. It smelled like old mud and rotting fish.
They ran for the heavy iron door. The water chased them, swirling around their ankles, then their knees. It felt like cold, dead hands grabbing at them.
"Hurry!" Mira cried. She stumbled, but Lina pulled her up.
They reached the stairs. Lina pushed Mira and Seren up first. The black water flooded the bottom step. It hissed against the stone like acid.
Lina climbed after them. Her legs burned. The cold water soaked her clothes. She could hear the glass shattering completely behind her. A massive wave of dark water roared up the stairs.
They reached the top. Lina threw herself into the hallway and pulled the heavy iron door shut. She turned the lock just as the water slammed against the other side. The thick metal door bulged, but it held.
Lina collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. Mira and Seren huddled next to her, shaking and wet.
"We made it," Mira sobbed. "We made it."
"Did we?" a smooth voice asked.
Lina froze. Her blood turned to ice.
She looked up. Standing at the end of the dark hallway was the False Kai.
He was completely dry. His uniform was perfectly clean. His hair was not a single strand out of place. He looked like he had just stepped out of a perfect dream. The contrast between them was terrifying. They were soaked, dirty, and freezing. He was flawless.
He smiled his empty, wrong smile.
"That was very loud," he said softly. "The teachers will hear you."
Lina stood up. She pushed Mira and Seren behind her. "Move," she said. Her voice was shaking, but she tried to sound brave.
The False Kai did not move. He tilted his head. The movement was too smooth.
"I can help you," he said. His voice was gentle, like a doctor talking to a sick child. "The water is rising. The thing in the lake is waking up. The cage is broken. You cannot stop it."
"We do not need your help," Lina said.
"But you do," he replied. He took one slow step forward. "I can seal the glass. I can make the water go back to sleep. I can keep your friends safe from the deep thing."
Lina stared at him. Her heart hammered against her ribs. "What is the price?"
The False Kai's smile widened. It looked too big for his face.
"Just a name," he whispered. "You are marked for a rewrite, Lina. The Quill wants your name. Give it to me. Let me rewrite you. And I will save everyone you love."
The iron door behind them groaned loudly. The water was pushing harder. The metal was bending.
Lina looked at the bending door, then at her terrified friends, and finally at the empty eyes of the boy wearing her best friend's face.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2026
All rights reserved.
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Next Chapter Summary for Chapter 112: Lina refuses to give up her name, forcing the group to find a new way to stop the flooding, but Mira's memory gaps suddenly reveal a hidden weakness in the False Kai's perfect mask.