Chapter 32: The War Yet to Come

Elias and his team walked through the Academy gates, the weight of what they had witnessed pressing heavily on their minds. The air felt different, heavier, as if the world itself recognized that something had changed. As they stepped inside, a familiar figure was already waiting for them—Professor Aldric, his expression unreadable, arms crossed.

"You survived," he said, his voice carrying an edge that made it clear he had expected otherwise.

Elias exhaled. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Aldric's gaze swept over them, scanning for injuries or anything out of place. His sharp eyes lingered on Elias's gauntlet, the faint hum of stored energy still radiating from within. "Come with me. Now."

They followed him through the Academy halls, their presence drawing attention. Students stopped mid-conversation, watching as House Null passed by under the escort of a senior professor. Whispers filled the air, the weight of speculation already spreading. House Null had gone beyond the Academy's barrier, and now they were being pulled into something bigger.

Aldric led them through a side corridor, past the main halls, to a door that Elias had never seen before. It was reinforced with layered enchantments, thick runes glowing faintly along the frame. The professor placed his palm against a sigil, and with a low hum, the door unlocked.

The room inside was dimly lit, lined with shelves packed with ancient scrolls and faded tomes. The air smelled of parchment, old ink, and something faintly metallic. Elias's gut told him that this was no ordinary study chamber.

Aldric shut the door behind them and turned sharply. "Tell me everything."

Elias exchanged a glance with Lira before stepping forward. "The rift outside the barrier wasn't just some random mana disturbance. It was something else. Something… alive."

Cecilia leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "The first ones through were bad enough. We fought them off, but they regenerated—fast. Too fast."

Marco adjusted his glasses. "And then there was the other one. The one that talked."

Aldric's expression darkened, the lines on his face tightening. "Describe it."

Ivy, usually quiet, was the first to respond. "It was humanoid, but not human. Taller than the others, its armor more refined. And it could control the mana field itself. It bent magic to its will like it was nothing."

Elias clenched his fists. "And it said something before it left." He met Aldric's gaze. "It called itself the first wave."

Silence stretched between them.

Aldric exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples before walking toward one of the bookshelves. He ran a finger across the spines before pulling out a thick, dust-covered tome. He placed it on the table and opened it carefully, flipping through brittle pages.

"What do you know about the demon war?" he asked without looking up.

Marco frowned. "It ended centuries ago. The Academy teaches that mages sealed them away, and the world has been safe ever since."

Aldric let out a dry chuckle. "That's what they want you to believe." He turned a page, revealing an illustration—an ancient battlefield littered with monstrous corpses, their eyes glowing eerily, much like the creatures they had fought.

Lira leaned in. "You're saying they weren't sealed away?"

Aldric's voice was quiet but firm. "I'm saying they were never defeated."

Elias felt something cold settle in his stomach. "Then why hasn't anyone been preparing for their return?"

Aldric looked up, his gaze heavy with something Elias couldn't quite place—anger, maybe, or regret. "Because the noble houses buried the truth."

Cecilia scoffed. "Of course they did."

Aldric shut the book. "You don't understand. The Academy was built on the lie that humanity had won. If the nobles admitted that the war never truly ended, it would destroy their power. People would panic. Kingdoms would collapse. And now…" He exhaled, shaking his head. "It may already be too late."

Elias flexed his fingers inside his gauntlet. "Then we don't have time for politics. If these things are coming back, we need to be ready."

Aldric studied him carefully before nodding. "Agreed. But you need to understand something—House Null is walking a dangerous path. The nobles already see you as a threat. If you start digging into things they want to keep buried, they will come after you."

Elias smirked. "They already are."

Aldric sighed. "Of course they are." He paced for a moment before stopping. "Listen to me, Elias. If you want to fight this war, you need more than just a handful of students and a few clever inventions. You need allies."

Elias crossed his arms. "You saying you're one of them?"

Aldric's lips quirked in something almost like a smile. "I'm saying I can help you survive long enough to find them." He gestured to the book. "But first, you need to know what you're dealing with."

Elias glanced at his team. He could see the exhaustion in their faces, the weight of what they had just fought. But there was something else too—determination.

They had just seen a glimpse of what was coming. And they weren't about to turn back.

Elias stepped forward and pulled up a chair. "Alright, professor. Tell me everything."