Enchanted University of Magemenos

Chapter 63:Locked!

"Okay, okay, enough!" I shout, stepping in before the argument spirals out of control. "Let me just tell you about myself before you two start a debate club right here!"

I take a deep breath and give them both a pointed look. "I'm Alysa Ferro. The last name's probably a big mystery to you, so there it is. I'm kind, sweet, and, for the record, I don't drink or smoke. I can cook a pretty decent meal, and—"

Keith cuts me off with a laugh. "Wow, are you auditioning for a family reunion or something? 'I don't drink, don't smoke'—what are you gonna say next, 'I make a mean lasagna and knit scarves on weekends'?"

I roll my eyes at him, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. "No, Keith, I'm just trying to share a little about myself without turning it into a cooking show!" I snap back.

Nathan smirks at the exchange but stays silent, watching us with that inscrutable look of his.

Keith isn't done. "Well, Alysa, you're making it sound like a school essay. What's next, your favorite hobbies? Stamp collecting and bird watching?"

I shoot him a glare. "Oh, I'm sorry, Keith. Should I have started with my dark, mysterious past and unresolved childhood trauma instead?"

He grins. "Now , that would make things interesting."

"Continue," Nathan says, his tone almost bored.

I turn away from Keith, fuming. "Why can't you be even 1 percent like Nathan?" I snap.

Keith rolls his eyes dramatically. "Oh, great. Now I'm being compared to a statue. Just what I needed."

"Anyway, let's talk about something casual. The clima—"

Keith interrupts, "Don't start with the climate."

I roll my eyes. "Obviously not. I was about to say... hmm, what's this button on the choker for?" I press the button, curiosity winning over caution.

"No, Alysa, don't—" Nathan's voice rises in alarm, but it's too late.

The choker's button clicks, and suddenly I freeze, unable to move or speak.

"Run, Keith! Hide!" Nathan shouts urgently.

"What do you mean—" Keith starts, but Nathan yanks him away.

"Alysa, we're here! Don't worry!" Nathan's voice cuts through my panic.

I hear the heavy footsteps approaching. The den, with its eerie joker mask, is only ten meters away. I want to run, but my legs feel like they're glued to the ground. It's as if an invisible force has paralyzed me.

"Keith, go swipe the key! She's locked!" Nathan yells, shoving Keith forward.

                                                    *********NARRATOR'S POV********

"Are you mad? Why would I sacrifice myself to save your girlfriend? And are you dumb enough to stay quiet while she pressed that?" Keith snaps.

"I'll repay you! I'll do whatever you tell me to," Nathan says.

"Whatever? Kneel in front of me and beg," Keith says, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Nathan hesitates for a moment, then drops to his knees, clasping his hands together. "Please."

Keith laughs, clearly amused. "I never thought I'd see this day."

Nathan's face flushes with anger. "Just do it already!"

"Nice! I would've done it anyway, even if you hadn't begged. Unlike you, I'm not a murderer. What's the point in saving someone now when you've already got two bodies on your hands?" Keith sneers.

Nathan's jaw clenches, but he doesn't reply. "I'll distract the den. You go and swipe the key," he says, and without another word, sprints toward the den, picking up a rock along the way. He hurls it at the den, yelling to catch its attention.

The den, with its creepy joker mask, snaps its head toward Nathan and charges at full speed, a blur of malevolent energy.

Keith wastes no time. He dashes over to me, grabbing a handful of my hair, causing me to wince. "Hold still," he mutters, quickly swiping the card over the choker around my neck.

                       **************back to Alysa's POV****************

The den, which had been barreling towards Nathan like a freight train, suddenly veers and charges straight at Keith.

"Oh, shit," Keith mutters, fumbling with the choker around his neck before locking himself in it with a click.

"What are you doing?!" I shout, trying to grab his hand to pull him along, but he's already locked himself in with some bizarre impulse. My heart races, and I realize that he is safe with being locked and I am at risk. Without a second thought, I turn and bolt, leaving him behind.

Nathan, hiding behind a nearby tree, waves his arms frantically. "Over here!" he calls out, signaling me. I sprint toward him as fast as I can, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

When I finally reach him, Nathan shakes his head in disbelief, muttering, "That guy has no brain."

With a frustrated sigh, Nathan glances at the key in his hand. "Huh," he mutters under his breath. Then, in one swift motion, he has the key with "Keith" written on it and darts off, moving with a burst of speed that catches me by surprise.