The chamber was bathed in a sinister, flickering light as Kaito and Miyu scrambled to their feet. The portal before them pulsed violently, sending ripples of dark energy through the air. The air itself seemed to quiver, as if it were alive, resonating with a sound only Kaito could hear—a low, continuous hum that rattled his bones. He could feel it in his chest, in his blood. This wasn't just magic. It was something older, something that had been hidden for centuries, waiting for this very moment.
Kaito turned to Miyu, her face pale, her eyes wide with both fear and awe. She took a step back as the portal crackled again, its energy surging.
"We need to close it," Kaito said, his voice steady despite the anxiety clawing at his insides.
Miyu nodded, but she didn't move. "How do we close it, Kaito? We don't know anything about this. This isn't just a normal spell... this feels like something ancient."
Kaito clenched his fists. He knew Miyu was right. Whatever was happening, it was beyond anything they had encountered before. And from the way the portal pulsed, it seemed as if something—or someone—was on the other side, eager to break free.
His mind raced. He had studied many forms of magic in his time as the Holy Mage, but this felt different. There were no spells in his book, no incantations in his arsenal that could combat the power emanating from the portal. This was primal, a force of nature rather than a controlled spell.
He stepped forward, feeling the oppressive force of the portal trying to push him back. The temperature dropped around them, the air thick with coldness that seemed to seep into his skin, chilling him to the core.
"Whatever we do," Kaito said, "we can't let this thing open any wider."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, a low rumble echoing through the chamber. Kaito barely had time to react before the portal shot out a wave of dark energy, sending both him and Miyu sprawling to the ground. The force was like nothing they had felt before—an overwhelming tide that felt as if it were trying to swallow everything whole.
When Kaito opened his eyes, the portal had grown in size, the swirling darkness now taking shape—something was coming through.
A figure.
At first, it was only a silhouette, dark and indistinct, but as it drew closer to the surface, Kaito could see it more clearly. It was humanoid, tall and thin, with elongated limbs that stretched unnaturally. Its body seemed to be made of shifting shadows, its face an empty void, a mask of nothingness. The being's eyes—if they could be called eyes—glowed with an eerie, greenish light, like twin lanterns in the dark.
Kaito's heart pounded in his chest. "We've got to stop it now."
But Miyu, who had regained her footing, grabbed his arm, her grip firm. "Kaito, wait. Do you feel it? This… this is what's been calling to us. This is why we were drawn here."
Her words struck him like a cold wave. He had been so focused on stopping the portal, on keeping whatever was coming through locked away, that he had failed to realize what she meant. There was something familiar about the energy—the strange pull he'd felt ever since stepping onto the grounds of Crescent Academy.
The being began to take form more fully now, its features sharpening, revealing dark, jagged edges that twisted and warped in the dim light. It looked like a creature born from nightmares, its presence overwhelming.
Kaito staggered back, his mind racing. "No. We have to close it. Whatever it is, we can't let it through."
Miyu stepped forward, despite Kaito's protest. Her violin case was slung over her shoulder, and for a moment, she hesitated. Then, with a quick motion, she set the case down and unlatched it.
"What are you doing?" Kaito asked, his voice sharp. "Miyu, this isn't the time for—"
But she was already pulling out her violin, the instrument gleaming in the dim light. She placed it under her chin, the bow steady in her hand. Her fingers hovered over the strings for a brief moment before she played the first note—a single, clear note that rang out through the chamber.
The sound seemed to cut through the air, slicing through the thick darkness around them. It was gentle at first, a simple note that echoed in the chamber. But then it grew, layering over itself, building into something more complex. Each note seemed to vibrate with magic, the music curling around them like a protective barrier.
Kaito watched, awe-struck, as the energy in the room shifted. The creature from the portal faltered, its movements slowing as if the music were pressing against it. Miyu's playing became more intense, the notes cascading in a flurry of rapid motion. It was as if she were conducting an unseen orchestra, each note carrying with it an overwhelming surge of magic, each melody forcing the creature back.
But despite her strength, Kaito could feel the creature fighting against the music. The darkness within the portal clawed its way toward them, threatening to overtake the delicate barrier Miyu was creating.
"Miyu!" Kaito shouted, his voice strained. "It's not enough! It won't hold for long!"
Miyu's face was pale, her brow slick with sweat as she continued to play, her eyes locked onto the creature. She was pushing herself, every muscle in her body taut with concentration. "I know," she gasped. "But we can't just let it through. We have to weaken it."
Kaito closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his strength. He could feel the magic in the air—the same dark energy that was fighting against them. If he could just channel the magic through his own energy, he could help reinforce Miyu's barrier. Together, they might be able to push the creature back.
But then a sudden realization hit him like a wave. The creature wasn't just fighting the music—it was feeding off it. The more Miyu played, the stronger it became. It was adapting, evolving. The portal itself was a conduit for this energy, and the creature was drawing power from both the portal and Miyu's music.
Kaito's heart sank. "Miyu… stop playing!"
Miyu looked up, confusion in her eyes. "What? I can't! We're so close!"
"Stop!" Kaito repeated, louder this time. "It's feeding off the magic! You're giving it power!"
Miyu's eyes widened as she understood. She lowered the violin slowly, the final notes of her song hanging in the air like a fragile thread. The creature let out a low, mournful cry, its form flickering violently.
Kaito stepped forward, his body now fully charged with holy magic. He could feel the surge of energy rising inside him—pure, white light against the dark chaos around him. He reached out, extending his hand toward the portal.
The air crackled as he called upon his power, a surge of radiant energy blasting out from his palm. The magic collided with the dark force emanating from the portal, causing an explosion of light and shadow.
The creature screeched in agony, its form beginning to dissipate as the light pushed it back toward the portal. But even as it retreated, Kaito could feel its power lingering, its essence clinging to the very air around them.
"Now!" Kaito shouted to Miyu, his voice trembling with urgency. "We have to close the portal before it comes back!"
Miyu nodded, her face filled with determination despite the exhaustion that was starting to set in. She pulled her violin back to her chin, but instead of playing, she focused all her remaining energy into the strings. A high-pitched note rang out—sharp, clear, and unsettling. The ground beneath their feet trembled again, the entire chamber seeming to react to the vibration.
Kaito could feel the pressure building, the tension in the room becoming unbearable. He clenched his fists, calling upon his holy magic one last time. He didn't have much left, but this was the final push they needed.
With everything he had left, he channeled the last of his power. The combined forces of his light magic and Miyu's music crashed together, creating an explosion of pure energy. It collided with the portal in a blinding flash of light, sending waves of force through the chamber.
The creature screamed in agony, its form splitting apart as the portal began to shrink. But even then, Kaito could feel it. The being wasn't completely gone—its essence was still clinging to the space, waiting for another chance to break free.
"Do it, Miyu!" Kaito shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the deafening noise.
With a final, desperate effort, Miyu played the last note, a piercing sound that rang through the very heart of the portal. The air exploded with blinding light, and the dark energy of the portal twisted and shattered like glass, collapsing in on itself.
The chamber fell silent.
Kaito collapsed to his knees, exhausted, his energy drained. Miyu swayed beside him, equally spent but managing a weary smile.
"We did it," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Kaito nodded, though his heart was heavy with the weight of what had just occurred. "For now."
But the danger wasn't over. He could feel it. The creature may have been sealed away for the time being, but something much darker lurked beneath the surface. Something had awakened. And it was only a matter of time before it would rise again.