Ashfall Academy's bell rang through the campus like a metallic heartbeat, signaling the end of morning introductions and the beginning of chaos. Students spilled out of classrooms, hallways filling once again with a hundred different accents, perfumes, jokes, arguments, and the rustle of expensive uniforms and designer casual wear.
Fletcher stepped out of Class 1A with Eli by his side, still processing everything that had happened inside. His mind replayed Ji Ace's trembling voice over and over—We need to talk. We might be in trouble.
Trouble?
Already?
"This school year is already insane," Eli muttered, stretching his neck until it cracked. "Three princesses, two bullies, a celebrity, a mysterious hot teacher, and my idiot best friend attracting attention like he's some magnetic pole."
Fletcher didn't respond. His eyes drifted across the hall where Miss Verena Crowe was speaking politely to a group of teachers—except her smile never reached her eyes. There was something chillingly controlled about her. Too smooth. Too rehearsed.
He shook off the feeling.
"Oi. Fletcher," Eli nudged him. "You hearing me?"
"No," Fletcher replied honestly, still lost in thought. "Not even a little."
Eli rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Perfect. You're already becoming the main character in a disaster."
***********
A soft voice called from behind them.
"Fletcher."
He turned.
Ji Ace stood there, still expressionless on the surface, but her eyes—now that he was close enough—were stormy and uneasy. She kept her hoodie sleeves pulled down, hiding the tremor in her hands.
"Can we talk now?" she asked.
Eli raised a brow. "Oh? So the celebrity knows your name already? Damn, Fletcher—your luck is actually illegal."
"Shut up, Eli," Fletcher muttered under his breath.
He followed Ji Ace a few steps down a quieter corridor near the library—a dim, quiet place that smelled of old paper and polished wood. Students rarely came here on the first day.
Ji Ace leaned against the wall, arms crossed tightly.
"First," she said softly, "tell me exactly why you said her voice sounded familiar."
Fletcher shrugged. "I don't know. It just did. It felt like… deja vu. Like I've heard it somewhere before but can't recall."
Ji Ace's jaw clenched.
"That woman," she whispered, "sounds exactly like someone from my past. Someone extremely dangerous."
Fletcher frowned. "Like… dangerous dangerous?"
She didn't answer directly.
Instead, she asked carefully, "Have you ever met her before today?"
"No."
"Has she ever contacted you?"
"No."
"Looked at you strangely?"
"Well… yes. In the director's office."
Ji Ace inhaled sharply. "Exactly what I feared."
Fletcher raised a brow. "Okay, you're scaring me a bit. What's her deal?"
Ji Ace pressed a hand to her temple.
"I don't know who she is yet… but that voice—her tone, her rhythm—it's identical to someone involved in something horrific that happened years ago. Something I survived."
She glanced up at him, eyes ice cold.
"And if she is who I think she might be… none of us are safe."
A chill crawled up Fletcher's spine despite himself.
"And you?" he asked gently. "What's your role in all this?"
Her expression tightened, haunted.
"Someone is dead because of her. And someone else is still missing."
Fletcher's heart dropped. "Missing?"
Ji Ace nodded slowly.
"My brother."
Silence pressed the hallway shut.
Before Fletcher could say another word, a voice echoed from across the hall.
"There you are."
Both turned to see Briony Snowhart, arms folded, cheeks slightly pink with stubborn frustration—and maybe embarrassment—approaching with two maids chasing after her.
Ji Ace straightened immediately—celebrity mode switching back on, expression neutral.
Briony stopped in front of Fletcher, refusing to look at Ji Ace directly.
"You," she said stiffly, "I want a word."
Fletcher blinked. "With me?"
"Yes, you!"
Briony jabbed a finger at him, clearly still irritated by their earlier… collision.
Ji Ace stepped forward protectively, voice cold.
"He's busy."
Briony's eyes narrowed at her. "Who asked you, pop star?"
Ji Ace's smile was polite. Too polite. "It wasn't a question."
The air thickened.
Fletcher sighed loudly.
"Okay okay—calm down, both of you. Nobody is fighting on the first day, please."
Briony huffed, folding her arms.
"Fine. Later then," she muttered, flipping her hair before storming off, her royal poise slightly wobbling.
Ji Ace watched her go with an expression that said: this school is a circus.
"You attract strange people," she commented.
Fletcher groaned. "Yeah, I've been told."
**********
Down another hallway, a different tension stirred.
Hunter Brack shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked with Bam Bam trailing behind him.
"That new kid," Hunter muttered. "Fletcher. Whole class started watching him instead of me."
Bam Bam nodded. "He's funny-looking. And you know… the girls already like him."
Hunter's jaw tightened.
"No one outshines me in Class 1A."
Bam Bam snickered. "So what's the plan?"
Hunter grinned darkly.
"Simple. We observe him. We push him. And when he breaks, the whole class will remember who owns this place."
His eyes glowed with something violent.
"And if he doesn't break…"
Hunter's grin widened.
"…then things get interesting."
*********
Meanwhile, in a quiet faculty room, Miss Verena Crowe closed the blinds and locked the door behind her. The warm smile she'd used in class dissolved the moment she was alone.
Her eyes darkened.
Her expression sharpened.
She pressed her fingers lightly to her throat—right over a faint scar hidden beneath her collar.
"A familiar face…" she whispered to herself.
"Fletcher."
Her lips curled into an unreadable smile.
"And she's here too… little Ji Ace."
She traced her finger lazily across the desk's polished surface.
"This year," she murmured, "will be very… entertaining."
---
Later That Evening
Ashfall Academy's dormitory glowed with golden lamps as night settled over the campus. The fountain water glittered under moonlight. Groups of students chatted happily, first-day jitters replaced by curiosity and gossip.
But Fletcher lay awake in his bunk bed, staring at the ceiling while Eli snored softly below.
Ji Ace's voice echoed in his mind.
If she is who I think she is… none of us are safe.
He turned to the side, exhaling.
"This school," he whispered, "is hiding something."
His eyes slowly closed.
But just before sleep pulled him under, he heard it again—
A woman's voice.
Muffled.
Soft.
Floating through the dorm hallway.
"…I found you."
Fletcher sat up immediately, heart pounding.
He rushed to the door—
—but when he opened it, the hallway was empty.
Silent.
Still.
Only one thing remained:
A faint scent of perfume.
A scent he remembered from earlier today.
Miss Verena Crowe.
Fletcher swallowed hard.
"Something isn't right," he whispered.
He didn't know that on the other side of the dormitory—
Ji Ace sat awake too.
Tears running silently down her cheeks.
Hands gripping her bedsheets.
Nightmare replaying.
Blood.
Screams.
Her brother's face.
The black dragon tattoo.
And a single voice echoing in the darkness:
There you are.
Ji Ace closed her eyes tightly, trembling.
"Ashfall…" she whispered.
"…don't let history repeat itself."
---