058 CASE OF THE MISSING STUDENTS
Damen turned—and froze.
Of all people, she was the last he expected to see here.
"Eryn Veyran?" he asked, his voice dropping instinctively before he added bluntly, "This is the second time we've met in Black Owl."
"Right… I came for Zairgid's party," Eryn said, brushing her hair aside with practiced composure. "Our families have business ties. Ignoring the heir of the Aukuoma family would be rude."
She spoke as if this were their first encounter here, deliberately glossing over the last time—when she had stormed into Black Owl demanding justice for her cousins, the same cousins Damen had beaten senseless.
She was clearly trying to reset the slate, to bury her family's grudge under polite civility.
Her gaze flicked toward the roaring crowd before she reached out and tugged lightly at his sleeve. "Come on. The noise is unbearable."
They slipped through a side corridor and emerged into an inner garden, where the thudding music dulled into a distant pulse. Cool air washed over them, carrying the scent of damp soil and freshly bloomed flowers.
The chaos outside felt worlds away.
Damen folded his arms, studying her carefully. "What happened to you after Mount Death?"
"Well," Eryn said with a weary sigh, "my father sent me home immediately. They ran every test imaginable on me—as if I were carrying some kind of plague."
"He was afraid you caught the curse," Damen said flatly.
"Yeah… about the curse." She glanced around quickly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You can't tell anyone. No one can know my mother got it."
The weight of her words hung heavy between them.
"Of course," Damen said simply. His eyes softened. "You have my word."
Eryn nodded, visibly relaxing. "I heard you got a medal," she said with a teasing smile.
"Zairgid's father probably bribed half the fortress for it," Damen replied dryly. "I just happened to be there during the mission, so they couldn't just skip me."
"That's not true. You deserve every bit of it," Eryn said, her voice sincere now. "You were the one who saved me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here. If it wasn't for those stubborn people in my family, we'd be piling you with rewards."
Damen gave a short laugh, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Try to convince your family not to bother me again. I won't be kind to them, even for your sake."
"You don't have to do anything for my sake," she said softly. "Those people are idiots anyway."
"Real idiots," Damen replied, smirking.
For a brief moment, both of them laughed — a small, genuine sound that cut through the tension hanging between them.
Then Eryn hesitated.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she looked down, tracing circles on the marble bench beside her.
"What is it?" Damen asked, sensing her nerves. "Something you want to say?"
"Well…" she murmured, fumbling with her fingers. "Would you— would you be my partner for Prom later this year?"
"High School Prom?" Damen raised an eyebrow. "But you're not even in my school."
"This year, several high schools are hosting a joint Prom night," she explained, her eyes bright. "Yours and mine included."
Damen paused, unsure how to respond.
The thought of attending a social event felt foreign to him yet he couldn't help but think of the rumors back inside the party.
'Damen Dark couldn't get a prom partner,' they said.
He smiled faintly. "Alright. I guess I can go. But I'm boring — I don't socialize much."
"It doesn't matter," Eryn said, her expression soft and certain.
"All you need to do is talk to me." She extended her hand slightly, almost like sealing a pact. "So, we have a deal?"
"Yes," Damen said, shaking her hand.
The garden lights shimmered in her eyes like twin stars, and for a brief moment, Damen felt the world grow strangely quiet.
They returned to the party, and they didn't have another chance to speak again. Eryn was extremely popular, people were crowding her like fans looking for signatures.
After a while, Damen left the party. There was nothing new to learn.
-----
"So, what do you mean there are students getting stronger? That's got nothing to do with our case," Dorin asked, raising an eyebrow at Damen.
"Think about it," Damen replied. "Students don't suddenly grow stronger for no reason." He paused, realizing how that sounded implicating himself. "Well, I might have a legitimate reason—but I can't say the same for everyone else."
"He's got a point," Lander said. "Every outlier is a potential clue."
He quickly pulled out his datapad, his fingers dancing across the screen. Within moments, a holographic projection filled the wall — rows of student photos and names appearing one by one.
"These," Lander said, "are students whose meta scores skyrocketed abnormally over the last month. No records of special training, no prescriptions, no enhancement drugs. Nothing that explains the surge."
Dorin folded her arms. "Are you suggesting getting stronger is somehow connected to the missing students?"
Lander glanced at Damen. "What do you think?"
Damen leaned forward, studying the projection. "We should cross-check every detail about these students — their classes, habits, schedules. If there's a pattern, we'll find it. There has to be a common factor."
Lander's lips curved into a thin smile. "Already ahead of you."
With a tap, another image appeared — a woman with auburn hair and sharp, confident eyes.
"This is Miss Gallum," Lander said. "She joined the school about a month ago — the same week the disappearances started. She also happens to be the homeroom or subject teacher for every student whose meta levels spiked unnaturally."
Dorin frowned. "That's it? One teacher in common? The connection feels too thin."
"Maybe," Damen said. "But it's still a lead — and right now, it's the only one we've got."
Lander nodded in agreement. "Then let's check her out — quietly. If she's clean, we move on. If not…"
"We're back to square one", Dorin added.
------
Damen slipped quietly into one of Miss Gallum's classes and settled near the back. None of the students here recognized him. But classes weren't mandatory in Meta High so most students don't recognize everybody in their class.
He slouched low in his seat, his arms folded, pretending to nap.
Moments later, the classroom door slid open.
Miss Gallum entered with a calm, graceful confidence that immediately commanded the room. She didn't take attendance — attendance wasn't mandatory in Meta High.
She simply began to teach.
"Today," she said, her voice smooth but firm, "we'll discuss advanced methods of Meta development — the difference between organic growth and artificial meta amplification."
Her lecture flowed easily, practiced and precise. Damen only half-listened, scanning her tone, gestures, and presence for anything unusual.
There was none.
Then Miss Gallum's eyes swept the room and stopped.
"Do we have a new face here?" she asked, looking straight at Damen.
Damen blinked, feigning grogginess. "Huh? Did you call me?"
"Yes," she said, frowning slightly. "I've never seen you in my class before. Who are you, and why are you here?"
Damen's mind raced. "Damn it. Should've planned an excuse for this. Think fast, Damen."