The library smelled faintly of burnt chalk and sorrow. Sarah clutched the cube, knuckles white.
Jonah's glow was faint. "We survived… but at a terrible cost. Emily and Tyler… they sacrificed themselves to save the rest of us."
Mira hovered nearby. "We honor them by learning from their sacrifice. Every mistake we avoid, every shadow we trap—it's for them."
Lara dramatically flopped in her chair. "Step one: heroic mourning! Step two: comedic despair! Step three: snacks… maybe after we kill the faceless creature?"
Felix muttered, "Step four: sanity… optional, but grief is mandatory."
Sarah paced. "We can't let Noorwood High break us. They were brilliant… and we need to be smarter, faster, and coordinated."
Chloe whispered, "We also need to exploit what we learned from the attack. The faceless creature can overextend. That's our advantage."
Kai nodded, chalk lines already marking new trap points. "Energy flows are unstable in the east wing. We can lure shadows into permanent zones."
Jonah clenched his fists. "I… I can't replace them. But I can lead us to victory… for Emily and Tyler."
Lara spun dramatically. "Step five: accidental inspiration! Step six: comedic resolve! Step seven: snacks… later, obviously!"
The team wiped away tears and refocused. Noorwood High had taken its toll—but the fight wasn't over.