Darkness swallowed the train whole.
Nyra couldn’t breathe.
The sudden silence felt wrong.
Heavy.
Alive.
The shattered lanterns still crackled faintly on the floor, their dying sparks briefly illuminating the old train compartment before fading again into blackness.
Outside—
The wolves were growling.
Low.
Aggressive.
Warning growls.
Nyra’s heart pounded painfully against her ribs.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow footsteps echoed somewhere outside the train.
CRACK.
Another sound followed.
Like bones twisting.
Nyra grabbed the edge of her seat tightly.
“Hello?” she called shakily.
No answer.
Only the storm outside.
And then—
A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder.
Nyra screamed and turned sharply.
The conductor quickly covered her mouth.
“Quiet,” he whispered harshly.
For the first time since meeting him—
Nyra saw genuine terror in the old man’s eyes.
“What’s happening?” she whispered once he released her.
The conductor looked toward the dark train windows nervously.
“It woke up.”
A chill crawled down Nyra’s spine.
“What woke up?”
The old man did not answer immediately.
Instead, he carefully pulled a silver dagger from inside his coat.
Nyra stared.
The blade was covered in glowing symbols.
“You need to stay inside the train,” he whispered.
“Do not open the doors. No matter what you hear.”
Nyra frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Another scream echoed from outside.
Closer this time.
A student’s scream.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
The conductor’s grip tightened around the dagger.
“…Too late.”
Before Nyra could speak again—
BANG.
Something slammed violently against the train roof.
The entire compartment shook.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Nyra nearly fell from her seat.
Another loud impact followed.
Then scratching.
Long claws dragged slowly across the metal roof above them.
Nyra’s blood ran cold.
Something was crawling on top of the train.
The conductor slowly stepped backward toward the door.
“Lock it after me.”
“What?! Wait—”
But the old man had already opened the compartment door.
Cold air exploded inside instantly.
Nyra caught a glimpse of the academy courtyard outside.
Students were running across the rain-soaked grounds in panic.
Teachers shouted orders.
Silver wolves surrounded the train aggressively.
And standing at the very top of the academy gates—
Was a creature made entirely of darkness.
Its body twisted unnaturally like living smoke.
Its face had no eyes.
No nose.
Only a massive smiling mouth stretching across its entire head.
The moment Nyra saw it—
Pain exploded inside her skull.
A voice screamed through her mind.
“THE VEIL HUNGER.”
Nyra gasped, collapsing onto her knees.
Images flashed violently inside her head.
Blood-covered hallways.
A burning forest.
Children screaming.
And that same creature standing beneath a red moon devouring someone’s soul.
The visions vanished instantly.
Nyra’s breathing became uneven.
What was that thing?
The conductor looked back at her one final time.
“If it enters the train…”
His voice lowered.
“…do not let it touch your shadow.”
Then he slammed the door shut behind him.
Nyra locked it immediately.
Her hands were shaking badly now.
Outside the windows, chaos unfolded across the academy grounds.
Students wearing black uniforms ran through the storm while silver wolves chased something moving between the shadows.
Screams echoed constantly.
Then suddenly—
Every wolf stopped moving.
All at once.
They turned toward the forest behind the academy.
Nyra slowly followed their gaze.
Something was coming.
The trees were shaking violently.
Branches snapped apart.
Even the storm itself seemed to grow quieter.
Afraid.
A tall figure emerged slowly from the darkness of the woods.
Black smoke curled around its body.
Silver eyes glowed beneath the rain.
The ghost.
The wolves immediately lowered themselves.
Not in fear.
In respect.
The ghost walked calmly toward the academy gates.
And the smiling creature standing above them began screaming.
A horrible, animalistic scream.
It sounded terrified.
The ghost tilted its head slightly.
Then disappeared.
BOOM.
The academy gates exploded apart.
Students screamed again.
Nyra rushed toward the train window in horror.
Black smoke tore across the courtyard violently.
The smiling creature tried to escape—
But shadowy hands burst from the ground and dragged it downward.
Its screams became unbearable.
The ghost stood silently in the middle of the courtyard now.
Watching.
The creature clawed desperately against the stone floor as shadows consumed its body piece by piece.
Then silence.
The thing vanished completely.
The rain slowly weakened.
Nobody moved.
Not the students.
Not the teachers.
Not even the wolves.
Everyone stared at the ghost.
Fear covered every face.
Nyra pressed closer to the glass unconsciously.
The ghost slowly lifted its head.
Silver eyes locked onto her instantly.
And for one impossible moment—
Nyra felt safe.
Not afraid.
Not hunted.
Safe.
The ghost stared at her silently through the rain.
Like it had searched for her forever.
Then—
A girl’s scream shattered the silence again.
Nyra looked toward the academy courtyard.
One of the students collapsed suddenly onto the stone ground.
Her body began turning gray.
Like life itself was draining out of her.
Another student shouted in horror.
“IT TOOK HER SOUL!”
Panic exploded again instantly.
Teachers rushed toward the dying girl.
The conductor cursed under his breath nearby.
Nyra looked back toward the ghost sharply.
But it hadn’t moved.
Then who—
A cold breath touched Nyra’s neck.
Right behind her.
Every muscle in her body froze.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
Nyra turned around.
Someone stood inside the train compartment.
A girl.
Pale skin.
Long wet black hair covering her face.
Water dripped onto the floor beneath her bare feet.
And when she slowly lifted her head—
Nyra saw there were no eyes inside her empty sockets.
Only darkness.
The girl smiled unnaturally wide.
Then whispered:
“You came back.”