Aethercrest // FayeYoko, LingOrm, MilkLove

Chapter 13

Master Kaito’s POV

The silence inside Shin’en was unnerving. The usual faint hum of the light barrier was absent, replaced by an eerie stillness that made the air feel heavier.

Hoshi and I were tasked with uncovering the truth about the mysterious death of the student spy, yet every lead we pursued vanished into thin air. It was as if the darkness itself had swallowed every clue. Frustration gnawed at me as I sifted through reports of missing papers, suspicious movements, and unexplained shadows within Aethercrest.

Beside me, Master Hoshi scanned the scrolls spread out on the table before us, each one detailing suspicious activity from the past months. "No leads. No traces," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "We’ve questioned everyone, combed through the records, and still, nothing!"

I leaned against the edge of the desk, crossing my arms. "There’s a piece we’re missing. If that spy infiltrated the Aethercrest, someone had to help them. Inside support, maybe even multiple accomplices. There’s no way this student operated alone. They’re careful, whoever they are. Every move they make is calculated. They’ve buried their tracks so well."

Hoshi sighed, leaning against the cold stone wall. "If this accomplice is still inside Aethercrest, then we’re sitting on a ticking time bomb. The longer we delay, the closer we get to disaster. We need to strengthen the academy’s defenses. Hindi p’wedeng maging kampante tayo dito. This is bigger than we thought. Kung nagawa nilang pasukin ang Aethercrest, mas madaling ulitin ‘yon."

Before I could respond, a deafening explosion ripped through the air, shaking the ground beneath us, knocking over books and sending papers flying.

"What was that?!" Hoshi exclaimed, rushing toward the door.

I followed, but before we could step out, a second explosion roared from within the chamber itself. The force threw me to the ground, and shards of stone and debris rained down. Smoke and dust clouded the room, choking the air.

I hit the ground hard, my ears rang, and the acrid scent of smoke filled my lungs.

"Hoshi!" I called out, struggling to my feet. "Hoshi, are you okay!?" I called out, coughing as I tried to push myself up.

"Y–yup, are you okay?" Hoshi’s voice came through, strained and raspy. He stumbled into view, propped up against a broken pillar, clutching his side, blood trickling from a wound, coughing but alive.

Before I could answer, the air grew heavy. A thick black fog seeped into the room, coiling around us like a living entity. It swirled around us, thick and menacing, consuming the light until we were plunged into darkness.

"T–this doesn’t make sense," I muttered, my heart pounding.

"The light barrier…" I whispered, dread washing over me. "I–It’s supposed to repel all forms of darkness. How is this happening?" The Shin’en was protected by a light barrier—no dark magic should be able to penetrate it.

Hoshi’s expression mirrored my own shock and confusion. "Hindi lang ito basta-bastang dark magic.. it's a strong dark magic."

The fog grew denser, blotting out the faint light from the ceiling. My limbs felt heavy, and my head swam. My vision blurred as the fog grew heavier, its oppressive weight pressing down on my chest.

Then, through the haze, I saw them—shadowy figures moving toward us, their outlines barely discernible through the thick fog.

"Kaito…" Hoshi’s voice was faint, almost drowned by the oppressive silence. I squinted, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. I tried to stand, to fight, but my strength was fading fast.