The night was calm, almost surreal in its stillness. It seemed as though the entire world had fallen into a deep slumber under the cloudless sky. However, the peace was short-lived.
A group of masked intruders—awakened beings—suddenly breached the school grounds. Explosions shattered the silence, and alarms blared, rousing students from their deep sleep. Chaos engulfed the corridors as frightened students fled their rooms, trying to grasp what was happening. Teachers and security staff swiftly organized a defense, attempting to counter the attackers.
On the school tower stood Philip, the headmaster, observing the chaotic scenes below. His eyes gleamed with a yellow light, and his face bore an expression of intense focus. He saw the attackers breaking through the first lines of defense and sighed deeply.
“It’s time for a change,” he murmured, and his eyes lit up with a deep blue glow.
At that moment, a shield made of spiritual energy appeared in his hands, enveloping the school grounds. The bright barrier illuminated the night, halting further intrusion. Those who had managed to enter earlier were immediately engaged by the teachers and security forces.
Sabrina, the math teacher, wielded her spiritual weapon—a long ruler—and struck down the intruders from the window of her math classroom. Bob Zulu, the history teacher, fought hand-to-hand with a grin on his face, while Barbara tended to the injured in a makeshift medical station in one of the corridors. Jian, meanwhile, sprinted through the building at full speed, heading toward the room of Lucy, Tim, and Matt.
When he arrived, he came to an abrupt halt. The room was empty. The beds were neatly made, as if no one had slept in them. Jian frowned, feeling anger and worry rise in his chest.
“I hope you know what you’re doing…” he muttered, clenching his fists.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from behind him. Isaac burst into the room, his face set with determination.
“What’s going on? Where are they?” he asked, looking around nervously.
“They’ve disappeared,” Jian replied, his voice sharp and cold. “This isn’t a coincidence. This attack is a distraction. They wanted to divert Philip to keep him occupied.”
Isaac clenched his fists, his face hardening with resolve.
“I’m going to find them,” he declared, heading for the door.
“Stop!” Jian called, grabbing his arm. “I know you won’t listen to me, but at least promise me one thing: don’t risk your life. If you find them, contact me immediately.”
Isaac looked at him, his face tense, but eventually nodded.
“I promise,” he said quietly.
Jian turned his gaze toward the doorway, where Cornelius leaned against the frame with an indifferent expression.
“The same goes for you, Cornelius,” Jian said sharply.
“I don’t intend to risk my life,” Cornelius replied calmly. “Once we find her, I’ll back off.”
Isaac glanced at him but said nothing. Instead, he nodded, and the two of them ran out of the building together.
One Hour Earlier
Lucy slept peacefully, unaware of the chaos about to unfold. Suddenly, she woke up with a scream, feeling a searing pain at the nape of her neck, where the symbols were etched. Images from her past began to flash through her mind at a dizzying speed. Memories she had lost three years ago came flooding back with full force. She saw the children from the House of Roses, the shared moments, and the woman called “Mother.”
She jumped out of bed and ran into the hallway. There, she encountered Tim and Mark, who also appeared disoriented but with a strange certainty in their eyes.
“Mother is calling us,” she said quietly, almost emotionlessly.
The boys nodded, as if they understood everything. Silently, they left the building and headed for the school gates. Thanks to the symbols on their necks, they knew exactly where to go. Their destination was an abandoned site far beyond the school grounds.
When they reached a stadium on the outskirts of the city, they saw other children—47 in total, all rescued from the House of Roses. At the center stood the woman they called “Mother.” Her posture was proud, and her face stern.
“Welcome, my children,” she said, spreading her arms wide. “At last, I’ve reclaimed you. After so many years of waiting, we’re together again.”
All the children gazed at her with adoration, as if hypnotized. All except Lucy. Although her memories had returned, she felt she no longer belonged to this world. She had come here only to stop “Mother.”
Isaac and Cornelius navigated the dark streets of the school town, illuminated only by sporadic streetlights. Raindrops began to fall from the sky, creating glistening reflections on the asphalt. Cornelius, running just behind Isaac, suddenly stopped abruptly. His expression shifted to one of concentration, his brow furrowing deeply.
“She’s not on school grounds,” he stated firmly, catching his breath. “This place is too well-guarded. If they wanted to take them, they had to lead them beyond the walls.”
Isaac looked at him in frustration, his breath quickened from running.
“Then where do we look?” he asked, clenching his fists. His voice trembled with tension.
Cornelius raised a hand, signaling him to calm down. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused on spiritual energy. Around him, it seemed as though time momentarily slowed, and the rain ceased to exist. After a moment, he opened his eyes, which now glowed with a soft violet light.
“The stadium,” he said, pointing toward the city’s outskirts. “Lucy is there.”
“Are you sure?” Isaac pressed, though his voice carried no doubt, only hope.
“I feel her energy. She’s there,” Cornelius replied with confidence.
Without wasting time, they set off again, this time moving even faster. Thanks to their abilities, they traversed the city in just a few minutes. When they reached the outskirts, Cornelius abruptly stopped again, raising a hand to halt Isaac.
“Her energy is growing stronger,” he whispered, his voice almost inaudible. Cornelius pointed to the large, desolate stadium looming in the darkness. “She’s there.”
Isaac looked at him, his eyes filled with determination.
“We should call for backup,” Cornelius said, pulling out his phone.
But before he could act, Isaac dashed toward the entrance. His footsteps echoed in the rain.
“Idiot…” Cornelius muttered, watching him in disbelief. He pulled out his phone, calling Jian.
“We found her,” he said quickly, trying to keep his voice steady. “The stadium on the city outskirts. Isaac’s already inside, so we’re out of time.”
Jian replied with something along the lines of “I’m tied up here, not sure when I can come,” but Cornelius didn’t wait for details. He hung up, shoving the phone into his pocket with irritation.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
“Damn it,” he muttered, then ran after Isaac. Raindrops streamed down his face as he entered the stadium grounds, bracing himself for what lay ahead.
Meanwhile, at the school. Jian, noticing that Isaac and Cornelius had set off to search for Lucy, quickly ran toward the tower where Philip was still maintaining the protective barrier around the school. The headmaster stood motionless, his blue eyes glowing intensely as spiritual energy pulsed around him.
Jian stopped next to him, tossing aside one of the attackers who was still trying to fight.
“Philip, you know they went after her, don’t you?” Ian asked, his voice slightly raised in concern.
Philip didn’t turn his head, still focusing on sustaining the barrier.
“I know,” he replied calmly.
Jian frowned, his hands clenching into fists.
“Why did you order me to do nothing when Lucy, Mark, and Timothy escaped? And why did you tell me not to stop Isaac?”
Philip sighed, but his voice remained composed.
“It’s part of their growth. Isaac needs to understand how his curse works. If he doesn’t find the strength to fight it, he’ll never overcome it,” he explained. “And that trio… Lucy, Cornelius, and Isaac… they need to strengthen their bonds. What they go through together will unite them more than any training could.”
Jian stared at him in disbelief.
“And if they fail? If someone dies?”
Philip finally turned his head, looking at the teacher with determination.
“They won’t fail. I know they’ll manage. Your task is to be ready when they need you.”
Jian wanted to respond, but at that moment, another wave of attackers focused on Philip’s barrier. The headmaster returned to maintaining the defense, and Ian, with no other choice, stepped into the fray to protect him from the assailants.
“Damn it, if only the protective barrier worked on humans and not just mutants, you wouldn’t have to stand here creating your own,” Jian added, just as his phone rang.
4:32 AM. Stadium on the city outskirts.
Isaac burst into the stadium, ignoring the rain dripping down his face. His breathing was heavy, and his gaze was filled with determination. Cornelius, trailing slightly behind, caught sight of Isaac dashing onto the field, paying no heed to his surroundings.
At the center of the stadium, "Mother" was speaking in a calm yet firm tone, her voice echoing in the rain. Her figure was still, but every gesture emanated authority. The children surrounding her listened intently, their eyes fixed on her with reverence.
“My dear ones, the time has come to reclaim what was taken from us,” she said, spreading her arms as if embracing the entire group. “We were forgotten, abandoned, but I never forgot you. Your pain, your souls… all of it is part of our great family.”
The children, as if on command, lifted their heads, their posture becoming even more focused.
“Now we’ll show the world that we cannot be ignored!” she continued, her voice gaining strength. “Anyone who stands in our way will pay for their sins. And you… you are my swords and shields.”
Suddenly, one of the boys standing closest turned toward Isaac, who had entered the field, and pointed at him.
“Intruder,” he said flatly, his voice sounding unnaturally detached, as if in a trance.
“Mother” turned her gaze toward Isaac, raising an eyebrow with interest.
“Stop him,” she instructed the children, her tone almost gentle, as though issuing a routine command. “We cannot allow him to disrupt our work.”
“Lucy!” Isaac shouted upon seeing her in the crowd. He started running toward them, ignoring everything else.
The children moved without hesitation, one of them outpacing the others and attacking Isaac with astonishing speed.
From the stands, Cornelius raised his spiritual sniper rifle. His target was the attacking child, poised to deliver another blow. Cornelius squinted, waiting for the perfect moment. He fired, and the spiritual projectile tore through the air at blistering speed, aimed to end the fight with a single strike.
However, instead of hitting its mark, the projectile deflected off something gleaming. Cornelius frowned, realizing that Lucy had stepped in front of Isaac. Her eyes were calm but resolute, and in her hands, she held two glimmering daggers—her spiritual weapons.
“What are you doing?!” Cornelius shouted, his voice echoing through the empty stands.
Lucy didn’t reply. Instead, she dashed toward Cornelius with incredible speed, dodging the successive projectiles he fired at her. When she got too close, Cornelius abandoned his weapon and raised his hands defensively, ready to counter her attack.
“Are you being controlled?!” he shouted, barely managing to block one of her strikes.
“I’m not under ‘Mother’s’ control!” she snapped, stopping just short of him. Her voice was firm, but her eyes revealed a mix of anger and pain.
Cornelius stared at her in disbelief, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
“What?”
Lucy lowered her weapons slightly, though her stance remained tense.
“I came here because I need to stop her,” she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes. “I deliberately left traces of my spiritual energy so someone would find us. I didn’t expect it to be you, though.”
Cornelius, still confused, kept his guard up.
“Why should I trust you?” he asked through gritted teeth. “You’re an assassin from the House of Roses!”
Lucy exhaled deeply, as if his words pained her more than another fight.
“Oh, so you know a lot about me,” she said with a trace of irony. “If you could sense my energy, it means you’re familiar with assassin techniques. You must’ve known who I was from the start. I bet you have ties to the House of Roses, don’t you?”
Cornelius fell silent, his face betraying that her words had struck a nerve. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but before he could, one of the children appeared behind him, moving too fast for him to react.
Seeing the danger, Lucy leapt forward. Her daggers sliced through the air with ease, forcing the child to retreat. Cornelius, shaken, looked at her with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty.
“Why?” he asked quietly.
“Because I’m not like them,” Lucy replied, tightening her grip on her weapons. “I have nothing to do with ‘Mother’ anymore. This is my life, and I’ll decide how to live it.”
Lucy, seeing more children attacking, raised her daggers, but her stance was full of hesitation. Instead of charging into the fight, she turned to Cornelius.
"I don’t want to kill them," she said firmly, though a note of sadness echoed in her voice. "They deserve a chance too. We just need to stop 'Mother.'"
Cornelius glanced at her skeptically but raised his weapon, keeping a watchful eye on the encroaching children.
"And how do you know that all of them, once they remember who they were, will want to live normal lives?" he asked, his voice tinged with both suspicion and curiosity.
Lucy lowered her weapons slightly, looking toward the group of children who still appeared hypnotized.
"I don’t know," she admitted quietly. "But three years ago, when we were rescued, they wanted to interrogate us, but no one said anything because that’s how we were trained. We couldn’t live normal lives. That’s why the authorities tasked one of the awakened ones to erase the memories of all the rescued children—to give us a chance to start over."
Cornelius furrowed his brow at her words.
"So, you’re proposing a repeat of what happened three years ago?" he asked slowly.
Lucy looked at him, her eyes shining with determination.
"Yes. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but for some of us, it was the only way to have a normal life. If there are children who don’t want to let go of their past, we can do the same for them."
Cornelius sighed, raising his weapon again and aiming at one of the children that was beginning to approach them.
"Well, let’s hope you’re right. But that doesn’t change the fact that we need to survive this first and stop this ‘Mother’ of theirs," he said, pulling the trigger.
Lucy nodded, raising her daggers again.
"First, we stop her," she said resolutely. "Then we deal with the children."
They knew it would be difficult, but each of them was ready to do whatever it took to end this nightmare before it was too late.
Meanwhile, Isaac, surrounded by a group of children, fought with increasing desperation. Each of his strikes grew less precise, his movements slower. His enemies seemed tireless, their attacks becoming more synchronized.
One of the children, seemingly stronger than the rest, landed a powerful blow to his stomach. The force of the impact hurled Isaac into the air before he crashed heavily to the ground. For a moment, he lay motionless, feeling the pain radiate through his body. His breathing was shallow, and blood oozed from his wounds, soaking into the damp grass.
Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, and his mind began to blur. He closed his eyes, trying to gather his thoughts, but instead of finding peace, he heard something that made his heart race faster.
A deep, mocking voice, full of disdain and cold determination, echoed in his mind:
"You're pathetic, brat... But I can’t let you die just yet. You haven’t suffered enough."
Isaac's eyes widened, his breath quickening. The voice was unlike any thought he’d ever had. It was foreign, yet strangely familiar, as though it had always been there, waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.
"Who... who’s talking?" he mumbled, but his words were drowned out by the sound of rain and the chaos of the battle around him.
In his chest, he felt a sudden surge of heat, as if something deep within him was awakening. The sensation was overwhelming, almost painful, as though his body was struggling to adjust to something new, something foreign, yet inherently part of him.