The hallway dissolved into chaos.
Students sprinted in different directions, instructors shouted over one another, and the glowing crystal lamps flickered wildly as if struggling to stay alive. Lina's pulse raced in her ears, loud enough to drown out the noise around her.
Kai's grip stayed firm on her wrist, grounding her in the storm.
"Move," he said, his voice steady—too steady. He wasn't panicking. He wasn't even startled. He was focused, analyzing, already three steps ahead.
As usual.
They ran through the corridor, dodging sparks of unstable energy that snapped from the walls like lightning trying to claw free. Lina stumbled when the ground trembled again, but Kai pulled her forward, refusing to slow down.
"You know what's happening, don't you?" Lina said between breaths.
"I have suspicions," Kai answered, eyes scanning every corner.
"Can you share them—"
"No."
She shot him a glare. "Seriously? Now is not the time for your mysterious genius routine!"
Kai didn't look at her. "Sharing unconfirmed information only causes panic."
"Newsflash—we're already panicking!"
"You're panicking," he corrected calmly. "I'm thinking."
Lina almost tripped again—out of frustration this time.
Before she could argue, Mira burst from a side corridor and slammed into them.
"LINA!" she gasped, grabbing both of their arms. "Is this the part where we die? Please say no, because I haven't even had breakfast yet!"
"We are not dying," Kai said.
Mira blinked. "Oh good. The emotionally frozen one has spoken."
"Ignore her," Lina muttered.
"Mira, go to the east wing shelter and stay there," Kai ordered.
Mira raised a brow. "Since when do you get to give me orders?"
"Since the building is literally exploding."
"That does make sense…" Mira admitted and sprinted away.
Another shockwave rolled through the academy, stronger than before. The windows groaned, and cracks crawled across the marble tiles like spreading veins.
Lina grabbed Kai's sleeve. "If this keeps up, the building won't hold!"
"It won't," he said quietly.
"Then why aren't we outside already?!"
"We're not the ones they're targeting."
Lina froze. "…What?"
Kai stopped too—finally turning fully toward her. His eyes, normally calm and unreadable, had a sharp edge now.
"This attack," he said softly, "isn't random."
The floor trembled again, and somewhere deep in the academy, an alarm siren wailed.
Lina swallowed. "Kai… what do you mean 'not random'?"
But before he could answer, a voice echoed over the intercom—crackling, panicked.
"Emergency protocol! All students report to the central atrium immediately! The power core has been destabilized—repeat, destabilized!"
Kai's expression darkened.
Lina felt her stomach drop.
The academy's power core was the heart of the entire campus—its shield, its energy source, its protection. If it failed…
This wasn't just an explosion.
It was sabotage.
They broke into a run again. Lina's lungs burned, her legs shaking, but she kept pace beside him, refusing to fall behind.
They reached the atrium just as dozens of students streamed inside, forming a confused crowd. The massive crystalline core hovered at the center of the room—normally bright and humming softly like a living heart.
Now it flickered violently, unstable arcs of red and blue lightning snapping off its surface.
Instructors surrounded it, shouting incantations, trying to contain the damage.
Lina stared. "How does something like this even happen?"
Kai didn't answer. His gaze wasn't on the core—it was scanning the room.
Looking for something.
Or someone.
"Kai—"
A sudden burst of energy shot from the core like a cannon blast.
Instinctively, Kai grabbed Lina's waist and yanked her behind him as the shockwave roared past, shattering a row of floating lanterns above them.
Lina's breath hitched.
He had moved without thinking.
Without hesitation.
Protecting her.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, eyes sharp as he looked her over.
"N-No," she said, caught off guard by the raw concern in his voice. "You?"
"Fine."
But he didn't step away.
Not immediately.
Their closeness made her heart stumble, and for a brief second, the chaos around them blurred into nothing.
Then—
"Lina Veris!" a voice shouted from across the atrium.
Every head turned.
An instructor pointed directly at her.
Her.
"You were last logged near the core chamber this morning," he said loudly. "You may have seen something. You're coming with us."
The room fell silent.
Dozens of eyes landed on her.
Judging.
Questioning.
Kai shifted instantly, stepping closer, his expression tightening.
Lina felt the weight of the moment settle like ice in her chest.
She hadn't even been near the core.
Why were they singling her out?
Kai leaned toward her, voice low and steady.
"Do not go with them alone."
She looked up at him—startled, vulnerable, breathless.
"Kai… what's happening?"
His jaw clenched.
"This," he whispered, "is only the beginning."
To be Continued
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