Shadowy Shenanigans: When Your Dorm Turns Into a Low-Budget Horror Flick!

… 

The sun had been comparably bright and warm that day, its rays filling the academy's room with a golden glow. Birds chirped outside, their melodic songs creating a harmonious atmosphere that seemed to mock the chaos within.

A man with long black hair, tied back with a red string, could be seen sitting in a classroom, gazing out of the window in a daze. His right hand propped up his face, lost in thought, as if he were contemplating the mysteries of the universe or – perhaps just wondering what to have for lunch.

He had fair skin, and a black string necklace was visible around his neck, adding a touch of flair to his otherwise mundane outfit. Dressed in a white shirt and dark red pants, he wore a pair of old black shoes that were frayed and stitched in multiple places, looking like they had survived a battle with a particularly aggressive lawnmower.

Outside, a few students enthusiastically played football, while others trained their punches under the watchful eye of their instructor, who stood at the front, looking like a drill sergeant in a martial arts movie.

The rest of the students wandered about, heading to their intended destinations, but Arion's gaze was not focused on any of these activities; instead, he stared blankly into space, particularly at nothing, as if he were trying to communicate with the cosmos.

Suddenly, an eraser flew through the air and, with a loud *bam*, made contact with the top of his head.

"Arion!" the teacher shouted, his voice cutting through the classroom like a hot knife through butter as he noticed that Arion was not paying attention.

Startled awake by the unexpected impact and the teacher's booming voice, Arion subconsciously stood up from his chair, stammering, "Yes, sir."

The class erupted into laughter, the sound filling the room like popcorn popping in a microwave as amused and ridiculing gazes were directed at Arion. A group of students in the back row wore condescending and arrogant expressions, their eyes gleaming with mockery as they looked at him as if they were watching a reality show unfold.

Meanwhile, a few girls sitting at the front remained silent, listening to the jeering. They had once admired Arion, the student who consistently scored the highest in school and excelled in martial arts.

Guilt mixed with their admiration, creating a complex swirl of emotions that could only be described as "confused admiration" or perhaps "admiration with a side of guilt."

One girl among them, with olive skin and charming white hazel eyes, finally spoke up with derision.

"Aren't you all always pawns over him before? Why now? Cat got your tongue? Heh."

Her name was Nesa, and although she was not one of Arion's admirers, she always respected him, nonetheless. Seeing the other girls turn on Arion simply because of that event filled her with anger, distaste, and revulsion, like a bad burrito. The other girls bristled at Nesa's bluntness – their faces flushed with indignation as if they had just bitten into a lemon.

However, they knew better than to confront her.

Despite her average test scores, Nesa consistently ranked first in combat among the girls, often defeating even those in higher classes.

They understood that challenging her would be unwise; one wrong word could lead to a duel, a practice fully supported by the academy's teachers, including their mysterious headmaster, who was rumored to have once defeated a dragon with a single glare.

Even though the teacher at the front was visibly angry with Arion, he understood the reasons behind the boy's current state. Once the pride of the school, Arion had changed since the annual event when people from all walks of life gathered in a designated plaza in each major city.

This event was crucial for those reaching the age of sixteen, as it determined whether they were attuned to Ether or not. It was a common occurrence for those on the brink of adulthood, a day filled with hope and excitement as they discovered if they would be among the chosen few.

After all, not everyone managed to become a Weaver. Some would end up as "Weavers of Disappointment," which was a title no one wanted.

And our MC, unfortunately, was one of such cases.

Arion sighed and lamented to himself, wishing he could just fast-forward to the part where he became a legendary Weaver or at least the part where he didn't have to dodge flying erasers. Instead, he was stuck in this episode of "As the Classroom Turns," where the plot was thin, and the humor was even thinner.

...

After the day had gone by and the ringing of the bell in the school had sounded, all of the students hurriedly walked outside the classrooms, eager to return to their homes or to the dormitory specifically designated for those less fortunate – those who were poor or whose homes were too far away.

Arion, too, walked outside of the classroom, but as he did, he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he found Nesa standing there, her height a head shorter than his.

"Hey, don't listen to them, alright?" she said, her voice firm yet comforting.

"Even without being attuned, there are still a lot of professions out there that are important. You can become professional at something too…"

Knowing she intended to comfort him, Arion felt a warmth spread through him, even though he and Nesa were not really familiar with each other.

With the corners of his lips slightly raised, he responded with a hint of tease. "Oh really? Like what? Professional potato peeler?"

"Huh… I think it's more like, uh… like a chef or an administrator or something. Or maybe, ummmh… Anyway. I'm off! Bye!!"

Nesa stumbled over her words, caught off guard by her own lack of an answer. She had never really thought much about it, especially since she had only wanted to comfort him. Embarrassment washed over her as she realized she didn't know what to say.

Feeling the awkward silence closing in on her, she turned and ran away, leaving Arion smiling to himself. For the first time, he saw Nesa – the one whom most people in the school called unladylike, evil, rude, and brute – as someone truly kind at heart. No one else had come to comfort him after the events of that day, except for her.

'Knew it. You can't really trust the rumors that fly around,' he thought, shaking his head as he walked away, his mind still preoccupied with something deeper.

Most people believed he was a goner for sure, that his future was bleak, and that nothing would go well for him from that point on.

But the truth was, during the ceremony where everyone had formed a line to be tested, his heart had felt heavy. He had sensed a premonition of sorts.

When it was finally his turn to stand in the designated circle, marked with various symbols drawn on the floor by the appointed Weavers, he had watched as those who were attuned found themselves surrounded by glowing orbs of Ether, each one radiating color based on their elements.

And he…

Found nothing.

So yes, he was basically doomed for life.

'Sigh, guess she's right. After graduating, I'll apply to a restaurant nearby. Hope it's still hiring by then,' he mused to himself, imagining himself in a chef's hat, flipping pancakes with the grace of a lumberjack.

Upon arriving at his dorm, for reasons he couldn't quite understand, he suddenly felt incredibly sleepy. He headed straight into his room, ignoring the pitying looks from his fellow roommates.

He didn't want pity; in fact, he disliked it the most. But who could blame them? The room he was in had been specially arranged for the smartest or most accomplished students, but still kinda poor regardless.

And what luck!

Among the four of them, only he lacked any attunement with the Ether. Not even an orb had shown up for him as if it were too shy to confront him, or perhaps he simply had the worst luck imaginable.

Just as he set his bag down, he subconsciously threw himself onto the bed, feeling the weight of the day crash over him. His roommates watched him with a mix of concern and pity, but he was too exhausted to care.

"Hey, Arion," one of them called out, "You, okay? You look like you just lost a battle with a grumpy rock."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled, "just trying to figure out how to become a professional potato peeler."

Within moments, he drifted into the dream world, where he discovered only darkness.

"…Well, at least it's not a kitchen," he thought as he sank deeper into sleep, hoping for a dream that involved more than just being surrounded by unpeeled potatoes.

…

*Boom*

*Boom*

"Arggghhh."

Suddenly, he found himself roused awake by the loud commotion echoing outside his room.

"What's happening?" he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he quickly got up.

Peeking under the window's curtain, he was met with a scene straight out of a horror movie. Chaos reigned outside, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that the dorm he was in was under attack by a horde of shadowy entities.

They were enormous, their forms shifting and writhing in the dim light like a bad CGI effect.

Some resembled beasts that walked on all fours, gnashing their teeth and clawing at anything in their path, while others moved like humans but sported claws that looked like they had just come from a particularly aggressive nail salon.

A few floated eerily in the air, resembling ghosts that had skipped their morning coffee, and others soared above, snatching unfortunate students with their talons as if they were playing a twisted game of catch.

In the next moment, he witnessed a horrifying scene: a claw tore through a student's back, and what was reflected in his eyes was a gruesome display of blood splattering everywhere.

He flinched at the sight, his heart racing from the grisly, bloody scenes unfolding before him.

"Why can't I just sleep through this?" he thought, wishing he had invested in noise-canceling headphones.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an object flew directly at his face. Without much time to think, he swiftly retreated, throwing himself back to the ground.

*Boom*

There it was – the shadowy flying creature, its pair of glowing red eyes locking onto him like a cat spotting a laser pointer.

"Holy crap," he exclaimed, adrenaline surging through him like he had just chugged a gallon of energy drink.

Finding himself in a rush of adrenaline, he grabbed a broom that lay beside him.

He stood up, making a stance that he knew would be futile. "As long as I dodge the claw. Yes. That's it. Just like dodgeball, but with more teeth!"

The creature launched a full assault, swinging its right claw with terrifying speed. In that moment, Arion felt the weight of those who had been attacked, the sheer helplessness they must have experienced. It was too fast – much too fast for an ordinary person like him.

An ordinary human had no chance of surviving against this thing, let alone fighting back. "Why couldn't I have just stayed in bed?" he lamented.

In that split second, countless memories rushed through his mind. He recalled the time he spent in the orphanage, the nights spent gazing at the stars, wondering if he had ever had parents or if he was simply born out of nothing, like the heroes from the legends of old.

If he did have parents, why had they left him in the orphanage? "Maybe they were just really bad at directions," he mused, trying to lighten the mood in his head.

And then, the claws pierced through Arion's side, puncturing his head, heart, and stomach. Yet, in that moment of despair, the necklace he wore – a simple black string made of an unknown material with a dull green gem at its center – became soaked with his blood. Suddenly, from that green gem, a bright white light began to bloom, spreading outward with him at its center. It blinded everyone inside the dorm with its comforting luminescence, like a really intense flashlight at a sleepover.

Unbeknownst to Arion, the necklace itself melted like some kind of wax, then absorbed by his body.

The shadow, which had initially opened its mouth to reveal rows of sharp teeth, attempting to take a bite of its prey, found itself burning from the inside out due to the white light. In less than a second, the shadow was reduced to nothing but ash, while the white light continued to spread, covering a quarter of the academy, especially the dorms filled with countless male students who were now wide-eyed and confused, wondering if they had accidentally walked into a rave.

The light managed to obliterate all the shadows within its reach, turning them into cinders that floated through the air like confetti at a really morbid party.

Even those shadows outside the immediate vicinity of the light found themselves scorched. The closest ones ended up severely injured, parts of their limbs or bodies missing, as they roared in agony.

Amidst all this chaos, Arion, who had once possessed a pair of brown eyes, opened them again, only to find out later that they had transformed into a brilliant emerald green for reasons unknown.

…