Flicck. Bzzz. Flizzz. The mana lights above the classroom buzzed weakly, its glow stuttering in and out. Each flicker cast the room into alternating moments of dark and sickly yellow light, like the world itself couldn’t decide whether to reveal the horror or let it hide in the dark. The classroom, once rows of clean desks, whiteboards, and laughter, was gone. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI[F]ire.net Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The sound cut through the silence, wet and deliberate, like bones being broken between teeth. The flickering light kept twitching above, buzzing in rhythm with it. Max’s body shook harder with each crunch. At the front of the room. A creature crouched over what had once been a girl. The monster’s gaping mouth stretched unnaturally wide, lined with sharp jagged teeth. It tore chunks from her lifeless body, chewing with a wet, sloppy hunger. Blood dripped freely down its chin, soaking the front of its body and spreading in a crimson pool across the cracked tiles. Her eyes were still open. Wide and empty. Max’s breath caught, his chest trembling as his hand clamped down harder over his mouth. His body was curled tight behind a desk at the back of the room, knees pressed against his chest. He was shaking so hard he thought the desk itself might rattle. Tears streamed down his cheeks, hot and endless, soaking his palms. His voice cracked, barely more than a broken whisper. The sound of his own voice almost sent him spiraling into panic. He pressed his hand harder against his mouth, muffling himself, forcing his breath down into ragged, uneven gulps. His girlfriend. His love. And now nothing but scraps of meat in the jaws of that... thing. And it was his fault. He squeezed his eyes shut. The images flashing over and over in his mind. The screams. The blood. The moment Emily tripped. — "M-max please don’t leave me... " He can still hear her voice. She had screamed for him. Reached for him. And he... he had run. His legs had moved before his brain. His body had screamed at him to live. He hadn’t even turned back until the sound of her scream cut off. A ragged sob forced itself out of his throat, shaking his entire body. He bit down on his lip, tasting blood, desperate to keep quiet. If only... if only he had stayed. If only he’d had the courage to fight. If only he’d been stronger. He had seen others stand against these monsters. Some of them had died, yes, but they hadn’t died like cowards. Why not him? Why didn’t he... tried to fight? If only... if only... he was strong. His mind spiraled, choking on guilt, drowning in grief. Part of him wanted it to end, wanted the monster to find him, to tear him apart so he wouldn’t have to carry this guilt. But the other part. The louder, uglier part, screamed to survive. To keep breathing. To live even if it meant others had to die. He hated himself for it. For the selfish pounding in his chest that begged for another minute, another second. Maybe that’s all people were, in the end. Not heroes. Not saints. Just selfish animals who wanted to live, no matter who they had to leave behind. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch The sound hadn’t stopped. The monster kept chewing. Max forced himself to peek over the edge of the desk. The monster’s mouth was smeared red, dripping chunks of flesh, but it didn’t have eyes. Its face was smooth, blank, only a gaping maw that stretched too wide. No eyes to see him. No way to find him, as long as he stayed quiet. He swallowed hard, lowering himself back down. His body shook violently, sweat pouring down his forehead. ’Y-Yes... c-calm down, Max... calm down...’ He said to himself in his head, repeating it over and over like a prayer. His arms squeezed tighter around his legs. His nails dug into his skin. His lungs burned, struggling to keep his breaths quiet. Where was he? What had happened to the Academy? Where were the Instructors, the other students, the police, anyone? The classroom seemed to shrink around him, every flicker of the light above pressing the walls closer, every beat of the vines and flesh louder in his ears. The sound came from above his head. A heavy weight pressing on the desk. His entire body went stiff, every muscle locked. Slowly, he tilted his head up. Long, black fingers curled over the edge of the desk. Thin and sharp, like bones stretched too far under skin. The nails scraped the wood, leaving deep grooves behind. His vision blurred with tears. His heart slammed against his ribs so hard he thought it might burst. No. No, no, no. It couldn’t see him. It didn’t have eyes. As long as he stayed quiet. As long as he stayed still. He pressed both hands over his mouth, shaking, forcing his sobs down into silence. ’Please... please...’ he begged inside his head. But then... warmth spread between his legs. His body betrayed him. A hot stream soaked through his pants, dripping quietly onto the floor beneath him. The sound was deafening in the silence. The monster’s head tilted. Slowly, its blank face turned toward him. Its mouth stretched open, wider and wider, until it was nothing but a cavern of teeth and red. Max’s breath hitched in his throat. His vision spun. A rush of air. The wet stench of blood. And then its mouth swallowed his head whole. His scream tore out, but it was cut short, strangled in the monster’s throat. His body convulsed once, his legs kicking weakly, then nothing. The light above flickered once more. Flicck. Bzzz. Flizzz. The sound of chewing filled the room again. "Stop screaming. You’re back now." The voice was calm, and faintly irritated. But Max didn’t stop. His throat strained, his chest heaved. And still the screams came, filled with panic and disbelief. His eyes darted wildly, as though he were still being hunted by that monster. The man in front of him. Professor Ray, stood straight-backed. A mana tab in one hand, a stylus tapping against it with practiced rhythm. His gaze was steady, if a little tired. With a flick of his fingers, a small spark of electricity leapt forward, snapping against Max’s arm. The current jolted through him, it was sharp enough to pull him back to the present. Max’s eyes blinked rapidly, his vision clearing. His breath came in ragged bursts as he finally registered the figure standing over him. "P-Professor Ray?" His voice cracked. "Did... did you die too?" The corner of Ray’s eye twitched. For a moment, he said nothing, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look around. You were inside a simulation of the Fracture Veil. More importantly, you were in the middle of your practical midterms." Max froze. His gaze drifted past the professor, finally taking in the hall around him. Rows upon rows of crystalline pods stretched across the chamber, each one slowly opening, releasing students back into reality. Some stumbled out on weak legs, collapsing to their knees with gasps of relief. Others wept openly, clutching their heads or pressing trembling hands against their chests as if to make sure their hearts still beat. A few sat in silence, their expressions blank, eyes unfocused, too shaken to speak. And then there were those who erupted in anger, lashing out at classmates nearby. — "You ran! You left me behind!" One boy shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of betrayal. — "I would’ve died if I hadn’t!" Another spat back, shaking with equal parts rage and fear. An ugly reflection of the battlefield they had just escaped. Max stood shakily, his legs barely holding. Then, all at once, he began to laugh. "I-It was... simulation." His laughter swelled, wild and broken, spilling out louder and louder. Tears streamed down his face. Professor Ray didn’t bother to respond. He simply turned, coat swaying behind him as he walked across the hall. His eyes scanned the other pods still glowing faintly, some students had yet to return, their minds trapped in the test. Beside the far wall stood Professor Brown, arms crossed, his expression a careful mask of composure. Ray came and stood beside him, exhaling another long sigh. Brown glanced at him. "That one screamed like a banshee." "That one thought I died too." For a moment, both men stood in silence, watching the chaos unfold before them. Students huddled in groups, some comforting each other, some pointing fingers. The atmosphere was thick, heavy with unspoken truths and shattered pride. Finally, Brown spoke, his tone low. "This... might be the hardest first year exam in Solvayne’s history. Some of them will break from this... some already have." "Good. Better they break here than on the frontlines." Brown’s lips tightened into a thin line. He didn’t like saying it out loud, but he knew Ray was right. "Principal Lucian and Vice Principal Seris... they designed this midterms personally, finding time in their busy schedule. No wonder it feels so brutal." "It was meant to be brutal" Ray said. His gaze followed a girl curled into a ball, whispering apologies over and over as if begging someone unseen for forgiveness. "The academy coddles them too much. They train with polished floors beneath their feet, safe walls around them, professors watching their every move. Out there, there won’t be any of that. Just the unknown and fear." "Exactly. The ones meant to stand will take this pain and turn it into strength. They’ll work harder, dig deeper. The rest?" Ray shrugged. "They’ll drop out. And honestly... maybe they should." Brown’s eyes softened as he watched another boy pounding his fists against the floor, muttering something. "They weren’t fighting monsters beyond their reach," Brown said. "The creatures weren’t especially strong. They could’ve handled them... if they worked together." Ray let out a humorless chuckle. "But they didn’t. They panicked. They feared the unknown. Fear is what kills more than claws or fangs ever will." Silence stretched between them again. The cries and murmurs of the hall filled the air. A chorus of despair, relief, and bitter anger. Brown finally exhaled, rubbing his jaw. "I wonder how many will walk away from this hall tonight deciding they’re done. That this life isn’t for them." "...And I wonder how many will walk away stronger." For all his irritation, for all his sharp words, there was something in his eyes, something almost like pride, or maybe hope. "Pain is a teacher," he murmured. "The best one they’ll ever have." Another pod cracked open near the center of the hall. The crystalline shell split apart, mist spilling out in a thin veil. Another scream ripped through the air as a boy stumbled forward, his hands clawing at his own chest as though the monsters were still upon him. His knees buckled, and he collapsed with a sob. Professor Brown pressed a hand against his forehead, groaning. "I don’t get paid enough for this." Author’s Note: Hey readers... As you may have noticed I changed my writing style a little trying to make it immersive and descriptive. Honestly I’m liking this writing style. But I’m curious, how does it read for you?