Alicia: You must be new here.
Iriel: Why do you ask?
Alicia: I can tell. You're not used to the devouring gazes of the boys here.
Iriel: You're right.
Alicia: Don't worry. You'll get used to it, Iriel.
Iriel: How did you know my name?
Alicia: It was in your book. I saw it when it fell.
Iriel: Oh. What's your name?
Alicia: Alicia Taylor.
Iriel: Nice name.
Alicia: Yours is better.
They chuckled as Alicia led Iriel toward their classroom.
Meanwhile, Ryan was still searching for his classroom.
Ryan: I'm really dumb. I should've asked Ely... or even that girl.
Though he could have asked someone for directions, his introverted nature held him back. Instead, he studied the signs above each corridor.
After a while, he finally found his class.
With hesitation, he stepped inside.
The first person he saw was Mr. Tony.
Mr. Tony: You must be Ryan Vins.
Ryan: Yes, sir.
Mr. Tony was six feet tall, with a bushy moustache and sharp glasses that he slid down his nose whenever he sensed a rulebreaker.
Mr. Tony: Your uncle told me about you. Come in, kid.
Ryan stepped further into the classroom.
Twenty-two students were seated neatly, but the bullying aura radiating from some of them made his stomach churn.
Ryan: How do low-level students survive in this place?
He sighed.
Ryan: But it's a pity I'm not one of them.
He looked around the classroom.
Ryan: So this is why Ely...
His thoughts were cut short by Mr. Tony's voice.
Mr. Tony: I'm your homeroom teacher, Tony, but you may call me Mr. Tony. I love respect.
He smirked while stroking his moustache.
Mr. Tony: Now, introductions. You two. Ladies first, as the saying goes.
Ryan noticed the girl standing beside Mr. Tony.
It was Iriel.
She was a freshman too.
Iriel: I'm Iriel Les.
Some of the students began whispering.
Student: Your beauty compensates for your name.
Iriel swallowed her disgust.
Iriel: How do I ever get used to this?
Mr. Tony: Now, our gentleman.
Ryan tried to steady himself, but the atmosphere was overwhelming.
His voice betrayed him.
Ryan: I'm... Ryan Vins.
Student: Wow! That's really a bad bedtime story.
Ryan stared at the student.
Mr. Tony quickly moved on.
Mr. Tony: Ely, show Ryan around the school.
Ely: Sure, sir.
Mr. Tony: Alicia, you can show Iriel around.
Alicia: Okay, sir.
Tony: leave me to take good care of this porcupines
It almost seemed as if fate itself was playing a game.
Not long after, Ryan and Ely found themselves in the library.
Ely was telling Ryan about one of the strangest mysteries in the history of Degriss High School.
Ely: There's a door in this library that has never been opened.
Ryan: Why?(Expression less)
Ely: There are rumors that the room behind it is haunted. They say something happened here ten years ago, and the room was sealed afterward.
Ryan looked toward the door.
Ryan: What the fuck?
Ely nodded.
Ely: You're right. And now I would be the only one who knows about it.
He paused.
Ely: Wait. It's both of us. That's great.
Ely tried to persuade Ryan to follow him.
Ryan: You're going in there?
Ely: Yeah. Don't you understand? You and I could unravel this mystery.
Ely's expression became dramatic, almost like a sorcerer preparing to cast a spell.
Ely: How about it?
Ryan stared at the door.
Ryan: You must be kidding.
Ely: I'll take that as a yes.
He grabbed Ryan and dragged him toward the door.
Meanwhile, Alicia was showing Iriel the books on the shelves.
As they approached the mysterious door, Alicia was holding an archive book she had been studying.
Then she noticed something strange.
The door was slightly open.
Alicia walked toward it.
She gently tapped the door.
It gave a long, eerie screech as it moved.
Alicia: Why is this place open?
Iriel noticed her reaction.
Iriel: Why?
Alicia: Yeah. It has been rumored that ghosts haunt this place and that they were locked up ten years ago.
Iriel chuckled.
Iriel: And you believe that?
Alicia: I don't know. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. There's no proof that it's true, but there's also no evidence to prove it wrong.
Iriel: You could get proof yourself.
Alicia: How?
Her voice was filled with curiosity.
Iriel pointed toward the door.
Iriel: By going in there.
Alicia stared at her in shock.
Alicia: You must be crazy! Why would I go there? Am I dumb?
Iriel: That shows you believe.
Alicia: I don't.
Iriel: Then prove that you don't by getting evidence that it's all just a rumor.
Alicia: What?!
Iriel: Come on, Alicia. Follow your instincts.
Alicia: I should?
Iriel nodded.
Alicia: So, that means what?
Iriel: I'll take that as a yes.
Alicia: I don't know.
Iriel grabbed her hand.
Iriel: Come on.
She dragged Alicia through the doorway.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Ely walked through the darkness of the mysterious room.
Their nervous snickers were the only thing breaking the silence.
The atmosphere was heavy with fear.
Ely: This place is really creepy.
Ryan: Speaking of creepy, this was your idea.
Ely: Come on, Ryan. Don't you want to be a hero?
Ryan: Hero? My foot.
They continued through the dark room, guided by the weak light from Ryan's cellphone.
Suddenly, they saw a figure standing in front of them.
Fear gripped their bodies.
Both: Ah! Ah! Ah!
They stumbled backward.
After regaining their senses, they realized it was only a statue.
Ryan: What is this? It almost killed us.
He touched his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.
Ely: I think I know.
Ely looked around using the cellphone's light.
They saw numerous statues and shelves filled with strange archaeological materials.
Ely: Wow.
He began inspecting the objects as he moved forward.
Ryan followed him like a disciple behind his master.
Ely: Why would the school be surrounded by rumors like this?
Ryan: Ask the people who started them. We're getting out of this place right now.
Suddenly, Ely stopped.
Something was floating in the darkness.
It was an orb-like object glowing red.
Its light pulsed softly, as if something was alive inside it.
Ely stared at it.
His expression changed.
He became completely hypnotized by the sight.
Slowly, he began walking toward it.
Ryan noticed.
Ryan: Where are you going, Ely?
Ely didn't respond.
He continued walking.
Ryan: Ely, are you crazy? You're going toward it!
Ely continued forward as though he couldn't hear him.
Ryan rushed after him.
But Ely didn't stop.
Meanwhile, Alicia and Iriel walked through the darkness on the other side of the room.
Their hearts were filled with fear, and their bodies trembled with every step.
Alicia: I told you this was a bad idea.
Iriel: I admit that.
They continued through the endless darkness.
Then they saw it.
The same glowing orb was hanging in the air.
It was the only source of light in the room.
Iriel: What the hell is that?
Alicia: Why ask me? I don't know.
As Alicia spoke, her eyes slowly turned reddish.
The same color as the orb.
She stared at it.
Then, without saying another word, she began walking toward it.
She was hypnotized.
Iriel immediately sensed danger.
Iriel: What are you doing?
Alicia didn't answer.
Iriel: Alicia, don't move near that thing. I think the rumors are true. We need to leave now!
Fear was evident in her voice.
But Alicia didn't listen.
Suddenly, she started running toward the orb.
Iriel ran after her.
At the same time, Ryan was desperately trying to stop Ely.
But their efforts were useless.
The hypnotized pair reached the orb.
Ely and Alicia stretched out their hands.
Their fingers touched it.
The moment they did, their eyes returned to normal.
They regained control of themselves.
But it was too late.
The orb exploded.
A powerful blue circular aura burst from it and spread throughout the room.
The force lifted Ryan, Ely, Alicia, and Iriel into the air, defying gravity.
Their bodies floated helplessly as the strange energy surrounded them.
Then something struck their minds.
Sharp memories.
A strange world.
A place they had never seen before.
A place that somehow felt familiar.
Pain surged through their heads.
Their eyes widened.
Then voices echoed inside their minds.
Voices: Marthadon...
Voices: Marthadon...
Voices: Marthadon...