Leaving the cafe just some time later, Steven had finally calmed down and tipped the waitress a good amount from his own money.
As he finally returned to his dorm in the light of the early night. It was finally quiet in the house as Lucy’s rules seemed to have worked to some part at least.
Laying himself down in the bed, he felt something hard below the pillow. June again? He spoke to himself as he threw the pillow away to find a flawless, simple steel box below.
’’This doesn’t look like it’s from June.’’ He continued his suspicion kept raising, as he checked the box for any traces of man but finding none, as if it had been crafted by hand.
Reading his barrier, he slowly touched the cold steel top and lifted it up. As it snapped open, it revealed a sealed letter in it.
Picking it up, he found a small magical trace bound to it, not dangerous, barely enough to even start a small flame.
Ripping it open, there were only a few words written on it with bad handwriting. Dear Mr Bright, I heard from some of my subordinates that you wanted to schedule a meeting with us. Meet me behind the main gate on the first day of the year just before midnight.
Monday? So two more days until he can finally get closer to his goal. In just a moment the letter ignited itself, leaving no trace behind.
Lying back, Steven didn’t know how to feel; it wasn’t the danger that was worrying him, but instead his inability to act. If he were to join them, he could simply attack them afterwards without knowing everything he needed to.
So as long as he’s with them, everyone is in much more danger. And he wasn’t sure if Lucy was powerful enough to protect everyone at the same time until help arrives.
The only person he thought was safe was Edward, as this man seemed to be the only one to know how to survive.
As he slowly drifted to sleep, his worries finally stopping. He just had to be fast and everything would be alright.
He slept dreamless until a sudden, powerful quake threw him awake. Jumping up, he instantly ran towards the door, not wearing much more than some pants and a shirt.
Irose was holding himself against one of the doors. ’’What happened?’’ He yelled at the old man.
’’I don’t know, but it came from one of the higher floors.’’ Steven had already heard enough as he was already on his way up the stairs, skipping six stairs at once.
On his way up every single dorm master was already at their doors too until the fifth floor, where both were the only ones missing, and even their guards had disappeared.
Edward and June were just behind him. As the three of them stopped in front of the two great doors. Edward spoke. ’’We’ll check number ten; you stay here, June.’’ He wasn’t asking; it sounded more like a command.
’’He’s right; you stay here and guard.’’ Steven added as he broke open the door forcefully, stepping inside and searching for anyone.
As he forced one door after another open, only to find different kinds of baths, living rooms and even a bedroom with a guard lying in it, stepping instantly towards him, Steven shook him awake.
’’Wake up, why are there no other guards?’’ Steven spoke to the barely awake man.
’’What... No. My replacement arrived not too long ago.’’ The guy answered, seemingly not understanding what was going on.
’’Replacement? Who was your replacement?’’ Steven continued asking, still hearing Edward open doors through the corridor.
’’I... I didn’t see his face...’’ The guard answered truthfully. ’’He just told me to go to sleep, and I felt so tired and... and...’’’ As realisation hit the guard like a lightning bolt.
As Steven saw him jump up from the bed. ’’Intruder, we have an intruder.’’ He yelled towards Steven. ’’My master, is he fine?’’
’’We don’t know, where should he be?’’
’’Door with two gold dragons on it.’’’ Steven didn’t waste any time after hearing his answer.
Running through the corridor, Steven found the only door with two gold dragons drawn on it, instantly crashing through it only to find some boy relaxing on his bed.
’’Number ten is here. Did you find anything, Edward?’’ Steven asked, giving the kid, who seemed completely confused, a death glare.
’’Nothing in the other rooms.’’ Edward answered, his voice in a slight panic.
’’Kid, did you not hear what just happened?’’ As Steven grabbed him by his shoulders.
’’No, I have sleep problems. I sleep with a sound barrier on.’’ The shaking kid answered.
But before Steven could ask him another thing a loud scream echoed from outside sounding like June.
Letting go of the kid, Steven sprinted towards the sound, Edward just slightly ahead. As they both entered the dorm of number nine at the same time, they only found June standing in the middle of the hallway, slowly collapsing towards the ground.
Dashing forward, he barely caught her before she fell. ’’What happened June? Are you fine?’’ But she didn’t answer; instead, she moved her trembling hand forward, pointing towards a bedroom.
Following it, the sight nearly paralysed him too. The whole room was destroyed as if a tornado blew through it; lying just next to the door was the guard, completely unconscious as if nothing happened. But behind him was something way worse.
A human or what remained of one was lying in the center of the room.
His arms and legs had been severed and pinned against the wall with strange cards. Blood still poured from the wounds, staining the floor beneath him.
Steven stared silently.
He had been too slow.
Maybe if he had checked this room first, he could have saved him.