"Next time."
The words echoed faintly in the air. Before anyone could respond, the mysterious figure turned away and melted into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.
Then slowly, the students began to move. Some cautiously raised their weapons, ready in case danger returned. Others glanced around, their faces tense and uncertain, not sure if the threat was truly gone.
"Who were they…?" one student finally asked in a quiet voice, breaking the silence.
"I… I don't know who they were," another replied, their voice filled with confusion.
Alina said nothing. Her lips were pressed into a tight line as her eyes stayed fixed on the darkness of the tunnel—the place where the figure had disappeared.
She felt something in her chest. A twisting feeling.
Those things they had encountered…
They weren't beasts.
Somehow, she just knew.
Group Two – Where Kael Is
Kael stood over the tied-up assassin. Ropes dug tightly into the man's arms and legs, leaving no room for escape.
