I wandered through the library aisles, running my fingers across rows of aging spines.
The scent of old paper filled the air, mixing with the distant murmur of turning pages and the occasional creak of wooden shelves. Normally, I found libraries comforting. Quiet places where the world couldn't reach me for a while.
Today wasn't one of those days.
My mind refused to settle.
Ever since we discovered the prophecy, questions had been multiplying inside my head like cracks spreading through glass.
The Primordials.
The Child of Twilight.
The impossible reaction Eclipse had shown upon seeing those documents.
And above all...
Them.
The mysterious individuals responsible for what had happened to the boy.
Eclipse had promised answers.
Yet she hadn't said a word.
I stopped in front of a shelf dedicated to Sixth Age history.
During my time within Methuselah's Infinite Library, I had read fragments about a knight from that era. His story had been incomplete, almost erased from history, which naturally made me curious.
Unfortunately, curiosity wasn't being rewarded today.
After nearly ten minutes of searching, I still hadn't found anything useful.
I sighed.
"Either history hates me, or somebody keeps hiding the interesting books."
Knowing my luck, it was probably both.
I pulled one last volume from the shelf.
Nothing.
Another disappointment.
With a defeated groan, I slid it back into place and started walking toward the table where the others were gathered.
The moment I arrived, Xia suddenly slammed her fist against the table.
The sharp impact echoed through the library.
Several students looked in our direction before quickly returning to their books.
I nearly jumped.
Everyone else looked equally startled.
Xia remained standing.
Determined.
Focused.
Dangerously focused.
Which usually meant she had been thinking too much.
And that was rarely good news for the rest of us.
"We need to talk," she declared.
Her voice was calm but carried the confidence of someone who had already decided she was right.
A familiar feeling of concern settled over me.
Whenever Xia sounded like that, something complicated followed.
"We need to learn more about our powers."
She glanced at each of us before continuing.
"And about the people who attacked that boy."
Nobody interrupted her.
The atmosphere around the table grew noticeably heavier.
Finally, she crossed her arms.
"I think we should join the Day Moths."
Silence.
A very long silence.
The kind of silence that appears when everyone collectively wonders whether they heard correctly.
I blinked.
Minho blinked.
Kim blinked.
Even Professor Adermat looked mildly confused.
Won Ho was the first to respond.
"No."
His answer came immediately.
Cold.
Absolute.
He didn't even look up from his phone.
Xia frowned.
"No?"
"No."
The certainty in his voice almost sounded insulting.
Finally, he slipped his phone into his pocket and looked directly at her.
"First problem."
He raised a finger.
"We're teenagers."
A second finger.
"One teacher."
A third.
"And Kim's sister."
A fourth.
"That's two actual adults at best."
His gaze swept across the group.
"The Day Moths aren't going to recruit a bunch of high school students."
Xia opened her mouth.
Won Ho didn't let her speak.
"And even if they did..."
His eyes shifted toward me.
I immediately knew where this was going.
"What exactly are we supposed to tell them about Dark?"
The table fell silent again.
I looked away.
He wasn't wrong.
Not even a little.
If the government discovered my existence...
That was bad.
If the Church discovered my existence...
That was worse.
If both discovered I possessed powers tied to darkness...
I didn't even want to imagine it.
Best-case scenario?
Interrogation.
Worst-case scenario?
A laboratory.
Or an execution.
Depending on how dramatic the day was.
Won Ho leaned back in his chair.
"We can't tell them he's an Awakened tied to the Dark LC."
He paused.
"We also can't explain how he knew about Illuminated people before becoming one himself."
Another pause.
"Joining them is a terrible idea."
To my surprise, a strange warmth spread through my chest.
Won Ho wasn't exactly known for expressing concern.
Usually, his version of friendship involved insults and property damage.
But he was trying to protect me.
In his own weird way.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Xia rested her elbows on the table.
"Fine."
Her eyes narrowed.
"What do you suggest?"
A grin slowly spread across Won Ho's face.
The kind of grin that usually preceded disasters.
"Oh, that's easy."
His confidence immediately worried me.
Very few good ideas began with those words.
Won Ho crossed his arms proudly.
"We create our own secret organization."
The entire table froze.
Then, one by one, everyone's eyes widened.
I stared at him.
Minho stared at him.
Kim stared at him.
Even Professor Adermat lowered his book.
For several seconds, nobody said anything.
Because as ridiculous as it sounded...
It wasn't actually a bad idea.
And somehow...
That was even more terrifying.
The silence that followed Won Ho's suggestion lasted several seconds.
Not because it was a bad idea.
Quite the opposite.
That was the problem.
For once, Won Ho had accidentally said something intelligent.
A rare and terrifying event.
I leaned back in my chair.
A secret organization.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
If the Day Moths, the government, and the Church couldn't be trusted with information about me, then creating our own group would allow us to investigate without drawing attention.
At least in theory.
In practice?
It sounded like the beginning of a disaster.
Which, unfortunately, described most of our lives lately.
Kim was the first to nod.
"I actually like that idea."
"So do I," Minho agreed.
Xia folded her arms.
For a moment, she looked as though she wanted to argue.
Then she sighed.
"Fine."
She pointed at Won Ho.
"I hate admitting it, but that's probably the smartest thing you've said this year."
Won Ho placed a hand over his chest.
"You wound me."
"You'll survive."
"Emotionally, perhaps not."
Nobody paid attention to him.
The decision had already been made.
A strange excitement began spreading through the group.
For the first time since discovering the existence of Illuminated, prophecies, Primordials, ancient gods, secret organizations, and whatever horrifying thing was lurking behind the recent attacks...
We had something of our own.
A goal.
A direction.
Even if it was completely insane.
Kim suddenly snapped her fingers.
"Then we need a name."
I immediately groaned.
Of course.
The most difficult part.
Naming things.
Entire kingdoms had probably fallen because people couldn't agree on names.
Minho raised his hand before anyone else could speak.
A terrible sign.
"I have one."
Miriam's eyes narrowed instantly.
"That was fast."
Minho smiled proudly.
"The Amazing Minho Organization."
The entire table stared at him.
Nobody spoke.
Not because we were considering it.
Because we were trying to process how someone could say something so horrifying with complete confidence.
Miriam slowly turned toward him.
Her expression contained enough disappointment to destroy civilizations.
"If you suggest something like that again," she said calmly, "I will personally throw you out a window."
Minho visibly shrank.
"...Noted."
"Good."
The conversation continued.
Unfortunately.
Kim raised her hand next.
"The Flame Team."
Professor Adermat lowered the book he had been reading.
His expression remained perfectly serious.
Which somehow made his response even funnier.
"Kimberly."
"Yes?"
"You're the only person here with fire powers."
"Oh."
"It would be like me naming us The Time Team because I'm the only one with temporal abilities."
Kim thought about that.
Then slowly nodded.
"Fair point."
The professor adjusted his glasses.
"If you're determined to use a theme, perhaps an animal."
Everyone looked at him.
He actually seemed invested in the discussion.
"A dragon?" Minho suggested.
"No."
"A wolf?"
"No."
"A phoenix?"
"No."
Professor Adermat sighed.
"I was thinking something less dramatic."
"What then?" Kim asked.
"An owl."
The room became silent.
"A what?"
"An owl."
"Why?"
"They're nocturnal."
Won Ho immediately raised a finger.
"I have one."
Nobody wanted to hear it.
Unfortunately, he spoke anyway.
"The Night Club."
A book struck him in the head before he could continue.
The impact echoed through the library.
Won Ho rubbed his forehead.
"Ouch."
Xia lowered her arm.
"Deserved."
"That's censorship."
"That's self-defense."
The naming process continued.
And somehow became worse.
Far worse.
"Wind Blades."
"No."
"Hunters League."
"No."
"Shadow Squadron."
"Absolutely not."
"Guardians of—"
"Stop."
Every suggestion sounded like something written by a twelve-year-old who had watched too many fantasy movies.
Even Xia, whose intelligence usually bordered on frightening, was producing names that somehow managed to be worse than Minho's.
I eventually gave up.
Resting my head against my hand, I simply watched the chaos unfold.
Alya had joined us through a video call on Kim's phone.
Unlike everyone else, she hadn't suggested anything.
Neither had I.
Partly because I had no ideas.
Mostly because all the ideas were terrible.
Then Alya suddenly smiled.
The kind of smile that meant she had thought of something.
"Oh."
Everyone looked toward the phone.
"I have a few suggestions."
The arguments stopped immediately.
"Let's hear them," Miriam said.
Alya nodded.
"The Illuminated Club."
Nobody reacted.
"The Dark Company."
I frowned.
Something about the way she looked at me made me suspicious.
Then she continued.
"Or..."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"The Night Club."
The room fell silent.
Again.
This time for a different reason.
Slowly, every head turned toward me.
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
Why was everyone looking at me?
The answer arrived a second later.
Dark.
Night.
My surname.
My name.
The connection was painfully obvious.
Alya's smile widened.
Traitor.
Xia suddenly stood up.
Her eyes shone with excitement.
"I like it."
Minho nodded.
"So do I."
Kim raised her hand.
"Me too."
Won Ho shrugged.
"Better than The Amazing Minho Organization."
"It absolutely is not," Minho muttered.
Nobody listened.
The vote was effectively unanimous.
Xia raised her fist triumphantly.
"Then it's settled."
A strange energy filled the table.
The excitement of creating something new.
Something that belonged to us.
Something separate from the Church.
The government.
The Day Moths.
And every hidden force moving behind the shadows of Aethra.
A small organization.
A foolish organization.
A dangerous organization.
But ours.
Xia's smile widened.
"From today onward..."
She looked around the table.
"...we are the Night Club."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Kim cheered.
Minho celebrated.
Won Ho looked pleased with himself for reasons nobody understood.
Even Professor Adermat allowed himself a small smile.
And despite everything that had happened recently...
Despite prophecies.
Despite ancient horrors.
Despite the growing darkness surrounding our lives...
I found myself smiling too.
Because for the first time in a while...
It felt like we weren't facing it alone.
Classes ended eventually.
I couldn't tell you what any of the teachers talked about.
My mind was somewhere else.
Somewhere between an ancient prophecy, a secret organization we had somehow created during lunch, and a mysterious criminal group that seemed determined to make everyone's lives miserable.
The afternoon sun painted long shadows across the academy grounds as I wandered through the gardens.
Students passed by in groups, laughing and talking about exams, sports, and weekend plans.
Normal things.
The kind of things I used to worry about.
Now I was trying to avoid being involved in divine prophecies and cosmic horrors.
Life changed quickly.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and looked toward the sky.
The clouds drifted lazily overhead.
For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then the world twisted.
A whirlwind of black roses exploded around me.
I barely had time to react.
Dark feathers filled my vision.
The cawing of countless crows echoed from every direction.
The ground vanished beneath my feet.
My stomach lurched.
The wind rushed past my face.
Then—
Silence.
The roses disappeared.
The feathers dissolved.
The crows were gone.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
And discovered that I was no longer standing in the garden.
I was sitting on the roof of the school.
"...Again?"
A familiar voice answered.
"Again."
I turned my head.
Professor Eclipse sat beside me.
One leg crossed over the other.
A cigarette rested between her fingers.
Thin strands of smoke drifted upward, vanishing into the evening sky.
Her black hair swayed gently in the breeze.
For several moments neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
It never was with her.
Strange.
Considering every instinct I possessed told me she should terrify me.
She was dangerous.
I knew that.
Everyone knew that.
A witch.
A manipulator.
A woman surrounded by mysteries older than nations.
And yet...
I felt safe around her.
Safer than I probably should.
The realization bothered me.
Professor Eclipse took a slow drag from her cigarette.
"You've been thinking too much."
I laughed weakly.
"That's not exactly new."
"No."
A small smile touched her lips.
"It isn't."
The wind moved through the rooftop.
Far below us, students crossed the campus like tiny figures moving through a painted landscape.
For a while, neither of us said anything.
I found myself simply enjoying the moment.
The quiet.
The sky.
Her presence.
It was oddly comforting.
Like sitting beside a fireplace during a storm.
Warm.
Safe.
Yet fully aware that the fire could burn down the entire house if it wanted to.
Eclipse suddenly looked toward me.
Without warning, she reached into her handbag.
For a split second I wondered if she was about to produce some ancient cursed artifact.
Instead, she pulled out a book.
A very normal book.
At least by comparison.
She extended it toward me.
I accepted it carefully.
The cover was beautiful.
A deep midnight-blue sky stretched across the artwork.
Countless stars shimmered above three moons hanging over the horizon.
Golden letters gleamed beneath the fading sunlight.
Eternal Nights Beside You.
The newest novel from EAE.
My eyes widened.
"You remembered?"
"Of course."
Her answer came so naturally that I almost forgot who I was talking to.
I ran a thumb across the cover.
EAE was one of my favorite authors.
Most of her books focused on horror and fantasy, though recently she had begun writing romance novels as well.
Which explained why I had started reading them.
Alya claimed relationships required communication.
Books seemed easier.
Books couldn't judge me.
Usually.
"I was planning to buy this."
Eclipse exhaled a stream of smoke.
"Now you don't have to."
I stared at the book.
For reasons I couldn't explain, a warmth settled inside my chest.
It wasn't because of the gift.
Not entirely.
It was the fact that she had remembered.
That she had thought about me at all.
The feeling was unfamiliar.
Dangerously unfamiliar.
Professor Eclipse watched me quietly.
Then her expression softened.
Not much.
Just enough to be noticeable.
"It's a gift, dear Dark."
The elegance in her voice was different from the cold tone she used with everyone else.
Softer.
Warmer.
Almost...
Affectionate.
"I hope you enjoy it."
For a moment I simply nodded.
Unable to find the right words.
The wind carried another wave of cigarette smoke across the rooftop.
The sun was beginning its slow descent toward the horizon.
Everything felt peaceful.
Too peaceful.
As though the world itself was holding its breath.
Waiting.
For something.
The silence lingered between us.
Not awkward.
Not uncomfortable.
Just quiet.
The kind of silence that exists when words aren't necessary.
I lowered my gaze to the novel resting in my lap.
The golden letters reflected the dying sunlight.
For some reason, I couldn't stop smiling.
Maybe because someone had remembered something I liked.
Maybe because that someone was Professor Eclipse.
Or maybe because part of me desperately wanted to believe she was exactly what she appeared to be in moments like these.
Someone kind.
Someone who cared.
Someone I could trust.
Unfortunately, another part of me remembered everything else.
The warnings.
The secrets.
The fear people showed whenever her name was mentioned.
The stories surrounding the Witch of Greed.
Professor Eclipse suddenly broke the silence.
"Dark."
I looked up.
Her crimson eyes were studying me carefully.
Not as a teacher.
Not even as a guardian.
She looked at me like someone examining a fragile object.
Something valuable.
Something that could easily shatter.
Her fingers moved gently through my hair.
The gesture caught me off guard.
I froze.
Not because I disliked it.
Quite the opposite.
That was the problem.
A dangerous warmth spread through my chest.
The kind of warmth I hadn't felt often in my life.
A feeling that made me want to remain there forever.
Under the evening sky.
Beside her.
Safe.
Protected.
Her hand moved from my hair to my cheek.
Her touch was soft.
Almost impossibly gentle.
Then she spoke.
"You need to be careful."
The warmth in her voice vanished.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough to remind me who she truly was.
"The power you've inherited is dangerous."
A cold breeze swept across the rooftop.
For a brief moment, the atmosphere changed.
The world seemed heavier.
Older.
The shadows around us stretched longer.
I swallowed.
"...I know."
"No."
Her answer came immediately.
"You don't."
The certainty in her voice sent a chill through me.
Professor Eclipse looked toward the horizon.
The sun was beginning to disappear beyond the distant mountains.
Orange light painted the clouds crimson and gold.
Beautiful.
And somehow ominous.
She took another drag from her cigarette.
"The darkness inside you is not something that can be controlled through determination alone."
Smoke drifted from her lips.
"It isn't a weapon."
"It isn't a tool."
Her gaze returned to me.
"It is a living inheritance."
Something stirred deep inside me.
The same feeling I had experienced inside Matusalen's sanctuary.
The same feeling that appeared whenever people spoke about my powers.
As though something hidden beneath my skin was listening.
Waiting.
Watching.
Professor Eclipse noticed my reaction.
Of course she did.
She noticed everything.
"You felt it."
It wasn't a question.
I slowly nodded.
The sensation faded.
Leaving only unease behind.
Eclipse sighed.
A rare expression of exhaustion crossed her face.
For the first time since meeting her, she looked tired.
Not physically.
Spiritually.
Like someone carrying a burden too heavy to share.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
"I must protect you from it."
The words hung in the air.
Simple.
Direct.
Terrifying.
I frowned.
"Protect me from my powers?"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
A sad smile.
"No."
The wind carried away the last traces of smoke.
She leaned slightly closer.
Close enough for me to hear every word clearly.
"I must protect you from your destiny."
The world seemed to stop.
My heartbeat echoed loudly inside my chest.
The prophecy.
The sanctuary.
The Primordials.
The strange visions.
Everything rushed through my mind at once.
Before I could ask anything, she continued.
"And more importantly..."
For the first time since I had met her...
I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
Not concern.
Not caution.
Fear.
"...I must protect you from yourself."
A shiver ran down my spine.
Something about those words felt wrong.
Not because I doubted her sincerity.
Because a part of me believed she meant them completely.
That was what scared me.
The wind blew again.
Stronger this time.
For a moment, the shadows around the rooftop seemed to twist unnaturally.
My instincts screamed.
Run.
Stay away from her.
Leave now.
Don't trust her.
She's dangerous.
She's hiding things.
She's manipulating you.
Every warning I had ever heard about Professor Eclipse rose to the surface.
The Witch of Greed.
A monster wearing a human face.
A woman feared by governments, churches, and Illuminated alike.
Someone who always had an agenda.
Someone who never acted without purpose.
Someone who knew far more than she admitted.
And yet...
I remained seated beside her.
Because another voice existed inside me.
A quieter voice.
One that spoke not from fear...
But from trust.
It told me something different.
It told me that behind the terrifying reputation...
Behind the secrets...
Behind the cold smile and endless mysteries...
There was someone genuinely trying to protect me.
Someone who cared.
Someone lonely.
Someone carrying wounds she never allowed anyone else to see.
For several long seconds, those two instincts fought inside me.
Distrust.
Trust.
Fear.
Comfort.
Reason.
Emotion.
In the end...
I made my choice.
I leaned slightly against her shoulder.
The movement was small.
Almost insignificant.
But it was an answer.
A declaration.
I chose to trust her.
At least for now.
Professor Eclipse froze.
Only for an instant.
Then her expression softened.
A sadness flickered through her eyes.
Gone almost immediately.
She gently rested a hand on my head.
Neither of us spoke.
The sky darkened above us.
And for a little while...
The Witch of Greed and the boy carrying the power of darkness simply sat together beneath the evening stars.
Neither realizing how quickly the peace was about to end.
I don't know how long we remained there.
A few minutes.
An hour.
Maybe somewhere in between.
Time felt different on that rooftop.
Slower.
As if the rest of the world had drifted far away.
Eventually, Professor Eclipse stood.
The motion was graceful and effortless.
She adjusted her coat and looked toward the horizon.
The last traces of sunlight were disappearing.
Night was approaching.
"The day is almost over."
I nodded.
Neither of us mentioned what had happened.
The conversation.
Her warning.
The strange feeling that had settled between us.
Some things didn't need words.
At least not yet.
Professor Eclipse took one final drag from her cigarette.
Then the cigarette vanished into a swirl of black petals.
I still had no idea how she kept doing that.
The laws of reality seemed more like suggestions whenever she was involved.
She looked down at me.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Enjoy the book, dear Dark."
"I will."
"I'm expecting a review."
I blinked.
"A review?"
"Naturally."
She sounded completely serious.
"I bought it specifically for you."
I laughed softly.
"I didn't realize there would be homework."
"There is always homework."
That sounded exactly like something a teacher would say.
Before I could respond, the wind stirred again.
Black roses emerged from nowhere.
Crows appeared among them.
Their dark wings filled the air.
Professor Eclipse stepped backward into the storm of feathers.
For an instant she seemed less like a person and more like a fragment of the night itself.
Then she was gone.
The rooftop fell silent.
Only the wind remained.
I stared at the place where she had vanished.
Part of me wanted to understand her.
Another part wasn't sure I wanted the answers.
I lowered my gaze to the novel in my hands.
Then sighed.
Life had become strange.
Very strange.
One moment I was discussing secret organizations with my friends.
The next I was receiving life advice and romance novels from one of the most terrifying women on the continent.
Somehow that didn't even make the top five strangest things that had happened this month.
I stood from the rooftop ledge.
The book disappeared into my backpack.
My legs swung lazily for a moment before I pushed myself forward.
The stairwell door waited nearby.
Just as I began walking toward it—
Bzzzt.
My phone vibrated.
I stopped.
For a second I considered ignoring it.
That decision lasted approximately half a second.
Whenever someone in our group sent a message, it usually meant one of two things.
Something important had happened.
Or something terrible had happened.
Unfortunately, those categories often overlapped.
I pulled out my phone.
A single notification waited on the screen.
Kimberly.
Of course.
I opened the message.
Three words greeted me.
Come to the theater.
That was all.
No explanation.
No context.
No details.
Just an order.
I stared at the screen.
"...That's not ominous at all."
Kim had many talents.
Providing useful information was not one of them.
I typed a response.
Why?
A reply arrived instantly.
Just come.
I sighed.
Typical.
Whenever Kim said "just come," it usually meant she had either discovered something incredible or accidentally caused a disaster.
The odds were roughly fifty-fifty.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket.
The evening air felt cooler now.
The academy grounds below were gradually emptying as students headed home.
Meanwhile, I was apparently heading toward another mystery.
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
I opened the rooftop door and entered the stairwell.
The sounds of the school returned immediately.
Distant conversations.
Footsteps.
Doors opening and closing.
Normal noises.
Comforting noises.
I descended the stairs slowly.
The exhaustion from the previous days still lingered in my body.
Not enough to stop me.
Just enough to remind me it was there.
My hand slid along the railing.
The prophecy resurfaced in my thoughts.
Then the criminal organization.
Then Eira.
Then the boy from yesterday.
Then Professor Eclipse's warning.
Then Matusalen.
Then the darkness inside me.
One thought after another.
A never-ending chain.
I groaned.
Thinking too much was becoming a serious health hazard.
By the time I reached the ground floor, I had successfully made myself anxious for reasons I couldn't even identify.
An achievement, really.
The academy's main corridor stretched before me.
The theater was located on the far side of campus.
A large building used for performances, ceremonies, and various artistic activities.
As I walked, the halls grew quieter.
Most students had already left.
The setting sun painted golden streaks across the windows.
Everything seemed peaceful.
Too peaceful.
A strange feeling settled in my stomach.
Not fear.
Anticipation.
The kind that appears right before something important happens.
I hated that feeling.
Mostly because it was usually right.
After several minutes of walking, I finally reached the theater building.
The massive doors stood ahead.
Partially open.
Waiting.
Someone was standing near the entrance.
Kim.
She noticed me immediately.
Relief crossed her face.
"Finally."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't aware this was an emergency."
"It might be."
That wasn't reassuring.
Not even slightly.
I approached.
Only then did I notice the others.
Professor Adermat.
Miriam.
Xia.
Minho.
Won Ho.
Airi.
The entire group was gathered outside the theater.
Nobody looked relaxed.
Nobody looked happy.
In fact, everyone seemed focused on whatever waited beyond those doors.
My unease immediately intensified.
Kim stepped aside.
"Good."
She placed a hand on one of the doors.
"Now that everyone's here..."
A strange excitement flashed across her face.
"...let's begin our first official Night Club meeting."
And then she pushed the theater doors open.
The theater doors swung open.
Darkness greeted us.
Not complete darkness.
Just enough to make the interior feel abandoned.
Silent.
Waiting.
The vast auditorium stretched before us, row after row of empty seats disappearing into shadows.
No students.
No teachers.
No rehearsals.
No voices.
Only silence.
Then I noticed something strange.
The stage lights were on.
Not all of them.
Just the central spotlights.
Their pale glow illuminated the center of the stage as though a performance were about to begin.
Everyone stopped walking.
A strange tension settled over the group.
"Was there supposed to be a rehearsal today?" I asked.
"No," Miriam answered immediately.
"There wasn't."
"Then why are the lights on?"
Nobody replied.
Because nobody knew.
A chill crawled up my spine.
Instinctively, I took a step forward.
The old wooden floor creaked beneath my shoes.
The sound echoed through the empty theater.
Louder than it should have been.
As though the building itself was listening.
Beside me, Xia narrowed her eyes.
Kim unconsciously ignited a tiny blue flame at her fingertips.
Minho and Won Ho exchanged glances.
Even Professor Adermat looked uneasy.
Something was wrong.
We all felt it.
Then movement appeared on the stage.
A figure stepped into the spotlight.
Everyone froze.
A girl.
Second-year student.
Long silver-blonde hair.
Slender build.
Practice attire.
Ballet shoes.
Recognition hit me instantly.
"Eira."
One of the most famous students in the academy.
Eira Valen.
Daughter of two high-ranking government officials.
Winner of multiple national dance competitions.
The pride of the academy's performing arts department.
A prodigy.
A star.
Someone who was supposed to be at home by now.
Yet there she stood.
Alone.
In silence.
At first glance, nothing seemed wrong.
Then she moved.
And every instinct in my body screamed.
Her posture snapped upright.
Not gracefully.
Not naturally.
Violently.
Like a puppet whose strings had suddenly been pulled.
A collective shiver ran through our group.
Eira's back bent backward.
Farther.
Farther.
Farther.
Past the limits of comfort.
Past what should have been possible.
The movement wasn't fluid.
There was no elegance.
No artistic transition.
Just a sudden, mechanical pull.
A marionette responding to invisible commands.
"What the hell..."
Won Ho's voice was barely a whisper.
Eira's arms rose.
Not by her own choice.
Not with a dancer's control.
They jerked upward in small increments.
Like a broken machine struggling to obey.
Her fingers trembled.
Every joint seemed locked under unnatural tension.
Then she rose onto pointe.
Perfectly.
But something was horribly wrong.
Ballet dancers moved with grace.
With emotion.
With life.
Eira moved with none of those things.
Her ascent came in sharp, unnatural motions.
A sequence of tiny jerks.
A body being manipulated.
Not performing.
Controlled.
The spotlight illuminated her face.
And my stomach dropped.
Her eyes were open.
Wide open.
Terrified.
But empty.
There was awareness there.
Fear.
Panic.
Yet no control.
No freedom.
She couldn't stop.
She couldn't resist.
She could only watch.
My hands clenched.
Something about that expression made my skin crawl.
Then the dance truly began.
Eira spun.
A perfect fouetté.
Then another.
Then another.
Each rotation executed flawlessly.
Yet every movement felt wrong.
Because there was no rhythm.
No music.
No soul.
Only commands.
Invisible commands.
Somewhere.
Someone was moving her.
I didn't know how.
I didn't know from where.
But I knew it.
Every instinct screamed the same answer.
This wasn't a performance.
It was torture.
Far away from the academy...
Miles beyond our sight...
Another figure stood alone.
Hands extended.
Fingers weaving through empty air.
Pulling.
Guiding.
Controlling.
No physical strings existed.
At least none that we could see.
But whoever controlled Eira could clearly see them.
Could feel them.
Each tiny movement of their fingers translated into a command.
A forced action.
A stolen motion.
A violation of another person's body.
The realization made me feel sick.
On stage, Eira's head suddenly snapped sideways.
A sharp movement.
Too sharp.
Too fast.
As though someone had grabbed her skull and twisted it.
A gasp escaped Airi.
Xia's expression darkened.
Kim's flames flickered angrily.
Eira leaped.
A magnificent grand jeté carried her across nearly a quarter of the stage.
For an instant she seemed beautiful.
Weightless.
Like a true dancer.
Then the illusion shattered.
Her body froze midair.
Perfectly rigid.
Not like a person flying.
Like an object being positioned.
Her arms extended outward.
Not in a classical ballet pose.
Not in elegance.
Not in beauty.
They formed a cross.
An inverted cross.
A symbol.
A statement.
A warning.
When she landed, her knees buckled violently.
The impact thundered through the stage.
The sound echoed across the theater.
Too heavy.
Too brutal.
No trained dancer would land like that.
Not willingly.
I realized something else.
Something horrifying.
"Eira isn't breathing."
Everyone turned toward me.
I pointed toward the stage.
Her chest wasn't moving.
Not once.
Not a single breath.
Yet she continued dancing.
Spinning.
Leaping.
Moving.
Like a corpse animated by invisible hands.
A silence filled the theater.
A dreadful silence.
Then the controller decided to make things worse.
Eira's face began to move.
Not naturally.
Not voluntarily.
Her lips stretched upward.
Slowly.
Painfully.
A smile appeared.
A bright smile.
A cheerful smile.
A happy smile.
And it was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen.
Because her eyes were still screaming.
Fear above.
Happiness below.
A mask placed over a prisoner.
My pulse quickened.
Something deep inside me stirred.
Anger.
Pure anger.
Whoever was doing this...
Whoever was forcing her to suffer like this...
I already hated them.
The dance accelerated.
Faster.
More violent.
More impossible.
Eira spun through a series of pirouettes.
One.
Three.
Five.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
Far beyond human limits.
The invisible puppeteer demanded perfection.
And Eira's body obeyed.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Until—
The strings were released.
Suddenly.
Abruptly.
Cruelly.
Eira collapsed.
Her body hit the stage like discarded clothing.
Lifeless.
Motionless.
Silence returned.
The spotlight remained fixed upon her fallen form.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The theater felt colder than before.
Then a familiar scent drifted through the darkness.
Black roses.
My eyes widened.
A moment later, a voice emerged from the shadows.
Elegant.
Cold.
Dangerous.
"She's being controlled."
Professor Eclipse stepped into the light.
And every eye in the theater turned toward her.
Professor Eclipse emerged from the darkness as if she had always been there.
One moment the stage was empty except for Eira's unconscious body.
The next, she stood beneath the dim theater lights.
A cigarette rested between her fingers.
Thin trails of smoke curled upward into the shadows above.
None of us had seen her enter.
Which, unfortunately, was becoming a recurring theme.
I was beginning to suspect she simply materialized wherever she wanted.
The scent of black roses drifted through the auditorium.
Her crimson eyes studied Eira's collapsed form.
Then she spoke.
"She's being controlled."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that usually appeared right before terrible news.
Everyone immediately looked back at Eira.
She hadn't moved.
Not even slightly.
Kim took a step forward.
"Controlled?"
Professor Eclipse nodded.
"The Puppeteer's Path."
Silence.
Nobody recognized the name.
At least not completely.
I knew it was an LC Path.
But beyond that?
Nothing.
Professor Eclipse inhaled slowly before continuing.
"The Puppeteer's Path is a specialized Luminary Core Path centered around domination and manipulation."
The atmosphere immediately became heavier.
"The users of this Path create invisible threads."
She raised one hand.
Thin black mist briefly curled around her fingertips.
"A normal person cannot see them."
The mist vanished.
"But those threads are very real."
Her gaze returned to Eira.
"They connect directly to strategic points throughout the victim's nervous system and muscular structure."
I felt a chill.
Professor Eclipse continued.
"Once attached, the target gradually loses control of their body."
Airi visibly paled.
"What do you mean by loses control?"
Professor Eclipse glanced toward her.
"I mean exactly what it sounds like."
The answer was mercilessly direct.
"The victim remains conscious."
My stomach tightened.
"They can think."
A pause.
"They can feel."
Another pause.
"They can experience fear."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"But they cannot move unless permitted."
The silence that followed was horrifying.
Because we all understood what that meant.
Eira had experienced everything.
Every forced movement.
Every twisted joint.
Every unnatural pose.
Every second of terror.
She had been awake for all of it.
Kim's flames ignited instantly.
Blue fire danced around her fists.
"That's disgusting."
For once, nobody disagreed.
Even Won Ho looked genuinely disturbed.
Professor Eclipse exhaled smoke.
"The Path becomes more dangerous as the user advances through its levels."
She began walking slowly around Eira's unconscious form.
"The invisible threads can eventually control multiple targets simultaneously."
"How many?" Minho asked.
Professor Eclipse shrugged.
"Depends on the user's level, talent, and compatibility."
Not reassuring.
At all.
She stopped beside Eira.
"The threads are not limited to living beings."
Miriam frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"It means Puppeteers can control objects."
The professor pointed toward a nearby chair.
"They can animate wood."
Then toward a stage prop.
"Metal."
Toward a curtain.
"Fabric."
She lowered her hand.
"Eventually they can create artificial servants."
"Dolls?" Xia asked.
"Dolls."
The word echoed strangely through the theater.
Professor Eclipse nodded.
"They can construct combat puppets from nearly any available material."
My imagination immediately supplied several horrifying possibilities.
Wooden soldiers.
Metal monsters.
Human-sized dolls.
None of them pleasant.
Professor Eclipse seemed to notice everyone's expressions.
"Those are not the most dangerous applications."
Of course they weren't.
Why would they be?
"The true danger comes from precision."
She pointed toward Eira's hand.
"A skilled Puppeteer can manipulate individual fingers."
Then her eyes shifted upward.
"Individual muscles."
A pause.
"Individual nerves."
The entire group went silent again.
I suddenly understood why the government and Daylight Moths considered them dangerous.
A Puppeteer wasn't merely controlling bodies.
They were hijacking them.
Turning people into living tools.
Living weapons.
Living prisoners.
Professor Eclipse crouched beside Eira.
A black rose appeared between her fingers.
She gently placed it on the stage near the unconscious dancer.
Then she stood again.
"The boy from yesterday suffered the same thing."
That immediately got our attention.
"The student in the garden?" Miriam asked.
Professor Eclipse nodded.
"His memories were tampered with after contact."
My eyes widened.
"The men on the rooftop."
"Correct."
The professor's expression darkened.
"The same organization."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Everyone straightened.
Now we were talking about something bigger.
Much bigger.
Professor Eclipse looked toward us.
"The church."
"The government."
"The Daylight Moths."
She named each faction separately.
"All three have been investigating this group."
"And?" Xia asked.
Professor Eclipse's eyes narrowed.
"And they know almost nothing."
That answer somehow felt worse.
The strongest organizations on the continent were investigating these people.
And they still knew almost nothing.
Professor Eclipse continued.
"The organization first appeared only a few months ago."
She tapped ash onto the stage floor.
"At least officially."
"How many members?" Won Ho asked.
"More than two hundred confirmed."
The number immediately stunned everyone.
Two hundred Luminaries.
Not civilians.
Not ordinary criminals.
Luminaries.
That was an army.
Professor Eclipse folded her arms.
"They operate across multiple nations."
"No leader identified."
"No headquarters discovered."
"No confirmed objective."
"No known sponsors."
Minho blinked.
"You're saying nobody knows what they want?"
"Correct."
The professor's answer was immediate.
"They leave almost no evidence behind."
I suddenly remembered the men described by the student.
The old-fashioned suits.
The strange appearance.
The rooftop.
"Eclipse."
Her eyes shifted toward me.
"Their clothing."
She nodded before I even finished.
"Seventh Age attire."
Exactly as I thought.
"Their masks?" I asked.
A faint expression crossed her face.
Something between annoyance and curiosity.
"Theater masks."
The word felt strangely appropriate given our location.
She continued.
"Every known witness describes elaborate theatrical masks."
A chill ran through me.
Actors.
Puppeteers.
Theater masks.
Nothing about that symbolism felt accidental.
Professor Eclipse turned toward the stage.
"The girl."
She glanced at Eira.
"And the boy yesterday."
Her gaze hardened.
"Were attacked by Puppeteers."
No one spoke.
The implications were obvious.
The attacks were getting closer.
Much closer.
Not random victims.
Not distant incidents.
Students.
At our school.
People we knew.
Professor Eclipse took one final drag from her cigarette.
The ember glowed briefly.
Then died.
She crushed it beneath her heel.
"The situation is escalating."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Escalating.
Not ending.
Not slowing down.
Escalating.
Meaning there would be more attacks.
More victims.
More incidents.
More questions.
And probably far fewer answers.
I looked around the theater.
At my friends.
At Eira.
At Professor Eclipse.
At the dark stage.
Our newly created Night Club had existed for less than a day.
Less than a day.
And somehow we had already stumbled into a conflict involving secret organizations, high-level Luminaries, government investigations, church affairs, and a criminal network with over two hundred members.
I released a long sigh.
Honestly...
At this point, I wasn't even surprised anymore.
And somehow that realization worried me the most.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
The theater remained silent except for the faint hum of the overhead lights.
Eira still lay unconscious on the stage.
Professor Eclipse stood nearby, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
The information she had given us was enough to leave anyone unsettled.
More than two hundred active Luminaries.
A secret organization.
Unknown goals.
Unknown leadership.
Unknown methods.
And now they were operating near our school.
Near us.
I glanced toward my friends.
Nobody looked comfortable.
Even Kim's usual confidence had faded.
Won Ho had finally put away his phone.
Minho was unusually quiet.
Xia seemed lost in thought.
Airi looked genuinely frightened.
Honestly?
I couldn't blame her.
Yesterday it had been a random student.
Today it was Eira.
Tomorrow it could be anyone.
Including us.
Professor Eclipse eventually broke the silence.
"The church has increased surveillance."
Her voice echoed softly through the auditorium.
"The government has done the same."
She paused.
"The Daylight Moths have begun mobilizing additional agents."
That immediately caught my attention.
If all three organizations were increasing their activity, then the threat was probably far worse than we realized.
Miriam raised a hand.
"Do they think another attack is coming?"
Professor Eclipse looked toward her.
"No."
The answer surprised everyone.
Then her eyes narrowed.
"They know another attack is coming."
The distinction sent a chill through the room.
Not speculation.
Not theory.
Certainty.
Somewhere, somehow, those organizations had already reached the conclusion that this was only the beginning.
A distant uneasiness settled inside my chest.
Professor Eclipse slowly approached the stage.
Her heels clicked against the wooden floor.
"The attackers are testing responses."
She glanced toward Eira.
"They strike."
A pause.
"They observe."
Another pause.
"They disappear."
Kim folded her arms.
"So they're gathering information?"
"Correct."
Professor Eclipse nodded.
"The same way a hunter studies prey before committing to the kill."
Nobody liked that comparison.
Especially because it made perfect sense.
I looked toward Eira.
The image of her forced dance still lingered in my mind.
Her empty eyes.
That horrible smile.
The complete loss of control.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Professor Eclipse stopped walking.
"Until we understand their objective, assume every incident is intentional."
The implication was obvious.
Nothing was random.
Every victim had been chosen.
Every attack had a purpose.
Every appearance carried a message.
The problem was that nobody could read it yet.
Professor Eclipse turned toward us.
Particularly toward our group.
For a brief moment, her gaze lingered on me.
A strange sensation passed through me.
The same sensation I always felt around her.
Comfort.
And danger.
Protection.
And warning.
Trust.
And fear.
Then her expression returned to normal.
"If any of you witness unusual behavior."
Her voice became noticeably sharper.
"Report it immediately."
Kim frowned.
"To who?"
"The Daylight Moths."
No hesitation.
No alternatives.
No discussion.
Professor Eclipse's answer was absolute.
Won Ho immediately crossed his arms.
"And if we don't trust them?"
The professor looked directly at him.
"You don't have to trust them."
Her crimson eyes seemed colder than before.
"You only have to understand that they're currently the only organization capable of responding quickly."
Nobody argued.
Not because we fully agreed.
Because we understood the logic.
The silence returned once more.
Eventually, Professor Eclipse looked toward Eira.
A vortex of black roses briefly appeared around her.
Dark mist gathered near her hand.
Then slowly faded.
"Eira will wake up."
Relief immediately appeared on several faces.
"But."
The word erased that relief instantly.
"There may be consequences."
Of course there would be.
There were always consequences.
"What kind?" Airi asked softly.
Professor Eclipse looked away.
"Memory loss."
A pause.
"Psychological trauma."
Another pause.
"Neurological damage."
Nobody spoke after that.
There was nothing to say.
The reality of the situation was becoming harder to ignore.
These weren't games.
They weren't adventures.
They weren't fantasy stories.
People could be hurt.
People could suffer.
People could die.
Professor Eclipse began walking toward the exit.
The conversation was apparently over.
But just before reaching the doors, she stopped.
Without turning around, she spoke one final time.
"Be careful."
Her voice sounded quieter than usual.
More human.
More genuine.
"The next time they appear..."
A long silence followed.
Then she finished.
"They may not leave survivors."
The doors opened.
A rush of cold evening air entered the theater.
Then Professor Eclipse disappeared into the darkness beyond.
The doors slowly closed behind her.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The weight of her warning remained hanging over us.
Finally, Professor Adermat cleared his throat.
"Well."
Nobody looked at him.
"That could have gone better."
For some reason, that made Kim laugh.
A short laugh.
Then Minho laughed too.
Airi smiled weakly.
Even Xia let out an exhausted sigh.
The tension didn't disappear.
But it loosened slightly.
Just enough for us to breathe again.
I looked around at everyone.
The members of our newly formed Night Club.
Students.
A teacher.
A nurse.
A group that hadn't even existed twenty-four hours ago.
And somehow we had already found ourselves standing at the edge of something much larger than any of us.
A hidden war.
A dangerous prophecy.
Ancient powers.
Secret organizations.
And now...
A mysterious enemy that moved people like puppets.
I released a tired sigh.
The sun had already begun to set outside.
Its orange light filtered through the theater's upper windows.
The day was ending.
But I had a feeling that our real problems were only beginning.
And somewhere beyond the city...
Hidden behind masks and shadows...
The Puppeteers were already preparing their next performance.