' The Lockdown '.

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Aria’s eyes scanned the crowded hallway, her mind racing with the strange occurrences of the past few days. She had tried to brush them off as mere coincidences, but the eerie feeling refused to fade.

"Aria, wait up!" Emily called, hurrying to catch up.

Aria slowed her pace, allowing Emily to fall into step beside her. "What’s up?"

Emily’s face was pale. "I've been having these weird dreams," she murmured, barely above a whisper. "Dark, twisted stuff. Shadows chasing me, voices whispering in my ear… It’s terrifying."

Aria’s heart skipped a beat. She turned to Emily, their eyes locking. "I’ve been having similar dreams," she admitted.

Before Emily could respond, the school's intercom crackled to life.

"Attention, students and faculty," the principal’s voice rang out. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the school is going into lockdown. Please proceed to the nearest classroom and remain there until further notice."

The hallway erupted into chaos. Students scrambled, shoving past one another in a frantic attempt to find shelter.

Emily clutched Aria’s arm. "What’s going on?"

Aria shook her head. "I don’t know, but I don’t like it."

As they were swept up in the panicked crowd, Aria’s gaze landed on Luna. The girl stood still amidst the chaos, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity. Every instinct in Aria screamed at her to stay away, but before she could react, Luna seized her wrist and yanked her toward an empty classroom.

"Come on!" Luna hissed.

Emily followed close behind, scanning the room for any sign of danger. The classroom was eerily silent, the only sound the creaking of the old building.

Luna’s grip tightened. "We need to get out of here," she whispered urgently.

Aria wrenched her arm away. "What’s going on, Luna?" she demanded.

Luna smiled—a slow, unnervingly sweet expression. "Just a little… diversion."

Before Aria could press further, the lights flickered and died, plunging the room into darkness.

Emily let out a small gasp.

A soft click echoed from the hallway—footsteps.

"It’s coming," Luna whispered, her voice dripping with malice.

The door burst open.

Xavier strode in, his piercing gaze locked onto Luna. "You’re not welcome here, witch," he growled.

Luna sneered. "And you think you can stop me, vampire?" Her voice was thick with venom. "I have the power of the Ancient Ones at my command."

Xavier smirked, his confidence unwavering. "I’ve dealt with your kind before. You’re no match for me."

Luna raised her hand, summoning a swirling mass of dark energy, then hurled it at Xavier.

He moved in a blur, dodging with ease. In retaliation, he launched a counterattack—an invisible force that sent the classroom into disarray. Desks overturned, chairs shattered, and the walls cracked under the pressure.

Luna conjured a shield of swirling darkness, deflecting Xavier’s attacks. Their battle intensified, the room becoming a war zone.

Aria and Emily barely managed to dodge flying debris.

Xavier’s movements were sharp, precise, and relentless. Luna, however, was beginning to falter—her defenses weakening, her attacks becoming erratic.

Sensing victory, Xavier pressed forward. With a powerful kick, he sent Luna crashing to the floor.

Luna gasped, struggling to push herself up.

Xavier towered over her, his eyes burning with triumph. "It’s over," he said, his voice cold. "You’ve lost."

Luna’s expression twisted with rage, but she knew the truth. With a final, furious glare, she vanished into thin air.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Aria and Emily stood frozen, their minds struggling to process what they had just witnessed.

"Xavier, what… what just happened?" Aria stammered.

Xavier turned to them, his intense gaze unwavering. "That was a witch," he said. "A powerful one."

Emily swallowed hard. "And you’re a vampire." It wasn’t a question.

Xavier nodded. "Yes. And I’ve been drawn to this town for a reason—just like Luna."

Aria frowned. "Drawn here? Why?"

Xavier hesitated before answering. "In the supernatural world, only a few possess abilities as strong as mine. And among them, there are three who match my power."

Emily’s eyes widened. "Who?"

Xavier’s expression darkened. "Their names are Hunter, Scarlet, and Freya. And they’re not people to be trifled with. And asides from them, those people who lengthening up to me are considered mysteries of the underworld. And that is exactly what you two are, because i sense my type of power in you. So creatures drawn by your strength will make futile efforts to have your head's."

Emily exhaled shakily. "What do we do now?"

Xavier’s gaze locked onto hers. "I’ll protect you," he promised. "But we need to be prepared. There are others who want to harm us, and they won’t stop until they do."

Aria straightened, determination flaring in her chest. "Then we’ll face them together."

Xavier held her gaze for a moment before turning and striding out of the classroom.

Aria and Emily exchanged glances, then followed.

As they stepped outside the school, Aria couldn’t shake the unease settling over her. This was only the beginning.

But with Xavier at their side, maybe—just maybe—they had a chance.

And as she walked, one thought lingered in her mind.

Who were Hunter, Scarlet, and Freya? What kind of power did they hold?

And what role would they play in the storm that was gathering?

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