Heroes of Veridia

Chapter 19

Evelyn emerged from the portal into Phantom Edge, immediately greeted by the sight of students and guards crowding the hallway. The buzz of voices filled the air, but it was clear that everyone's attention was focused on a single dorm room. She pushed her way toward the scene, her heart pounding with an ominous sense of urgency.

"What's going on?" she asked one of the students standing nearby.

"She's dead," the student replied without turning, eyes fixed on the dorm ahead.

Evelyn's stomach churned. "Who?"

The student ignored her, too caught up in the morbid spectacle to respond. Refusing to be brushed off, Evelyn elbowed her way through the throng of onlookers. When she finally reached the front, she caught a glimpse of the Manager and several guards inspecting a body sprawled on the floor. Her breath hitched as she recognized the face.

"She's one of Vanessa's friends," Evelyn thought, her mind racing.

A guard stood tall, his voice rising above the crowd. "Everyone, clear out and wait in the gym. This is a murder investigation."

The murmurings of the students grew louder as the crowd slowly began to disperse.

"Do you think it was one of us?"

"There's no way... right?"

"I heard she had enemies."

Vivian's voice suddenly cut through the chatter. "Evelyn!"

Evelyn scanned the sea of students, searching for her sister's face. "Where is she?" she thought, the tension in the air making it hard to focus.

Vivian finally appeared, squeezing through the cluster of bodies and grabbing Evelyn's hand. "Stay with us," she urged, pulling her away from the chaotic scene. Logan and Selene followed close behind, their faces set with grim determination.

As they made their way to the gym, the hallway became even more packed with students, all heading in the same direction. The air was thick with unease, the whispers of fear and confusion surrounding them.

Once inside the gym, the four of them found a spot near the dumbbells. The atmosphere was suffocating, not just from the crowded room, but from the weight of the news they had just heard.

Logan, who had been unusually silent, suddenly spoke, his voice laced with venom. "The fool that committed the murder should hope I don't find them."

The trio's attention snapped toward him, his words charged with a seething anger.

Selene, ever composed, raised an eyebrow, her voice cold and measured. "What has this got to do with you?"

Vivian, sensing the growing tension, tried to intervene. "The instructors will handle it."

But Logan wasn't listening. His fists clenched, and a dangerous edge entered his voice. "They better hope the instructors find them before I do."

Vivian, still confused by his intensity, asked, "Do you know her?"

Logan's eyes seemed to darken as he stared into the distance. "She was my classmate," he muttered, his voice hollow. The pressure around him started to shift. It was like the air had become heavier, pressing down on everyone near him.

Evelyn felt it—an invisible force, like gravity pulling harder with every second. She had learned to control her emotions from a young age, never allowing them to surface, so she wasn't affected. But she watched as the pressure around Logan grew stronger. Vivian seemed unaffected too, her expression cold as usual, while Selene was trying to keep her calm exterior.