บท 18: Chapter 18: The Missing Girl
The next morning, news of another missing student spread across the academy like wildfire. By the time Rian, Dante, and Lyria met up, the entire campus was buzzing with speculation and fear. Whispers echoed down every corridor, filled with half-truths and wild guesses about what was happening.
"She was seen near the western woods," Dante muttered as they walked toward the courtyard. "Same as the others."
Rian's fists clenched at his sides. The missing student, a girl named Alissa, was known for her advanced elemental magic. She was powerful, skilled, and now—like the others—gone.
Lyria's green eyes scanned their surroundings, as though she expected something dark to rise out of the shadows at any moment. "We don't have much time. If the disappearances are part of a ritual, then whoever is behind this is getting close to finishing it. Alissa wasn't just any student."
"What do you mean?" Rian asked, his voice tense.
"She was skilled with magic," Lyria explained. "Whoever is doing this isn't just targeting random students. They're choosing the most powerful ones. The ones whose magic can be harnessed for something greater."
Rian's mind raced. How had no one at the academy figured this out yet? Surely the professors or the headmaster should have noticed a pattern. But then again, the academy had always been secretive, and the thought of ancient magic and rituals might have been too much for them to accept.
"We need to find the source of this," Rian said, determination hardening his voice. "And we need to find it fast. The headmaster's not going to help, and the professors are too scared or too distracted."
Dante smirked, his usual reckless grin in place despite the gravity of the situation. "So, what's the plan?"
Lyria glanced between the two boys, her expression serious. "We're going into the woods. Tonight."
Rian's heart skipped a beat. The woods—especially at night—were dangerous enough on their own. With dark magic swirling around and whatever force was behind the disappearances lurking there, it was a death sentence. But they didn't have any other options.
"Alright," Rian said, nodding. "We go tonight. We need to be prepared."
Lyria reached into her satchel and pulled out several vials filled with shimmering liquid. "I've been working on these," she said, handing them to Rian and Dante. "They'll help us see through the wards in the woods. Without them, we'll walk right into traps set by whoever's controlling the spirits."
Rian took one of the vials and held it up to the light. The liquid inside glowed faintly, like captured moonlight. He uncorked it and sniffed cautiously—there was a sharp, metallic scent to it, mixed with something earthy.
Dante eyed his own vial suspiciously. "You sure this stuff won't turn us into frogs or something?"
Lyria smirked slightly. "Only if you drink too much."
Dante groaned, but pocketed the vial anyway.
As the sun began to set that evening, the three of them gathered at the edge of the western woods. The trees loomed over them like silent sentinels, their branches swaying in the evening breeze. The air was thick with the scent of pine and moss, but underneath it, Rian could sense something darker. The same heavy presence that had filled the air the night they fought the dark spirit.
"Ready?" Lyria asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rian nodded, feeling the weight of the situation settle over him. His heart pounded, and his hands itched with the need to channel his magic—just in case. Dante looked less nervous, but Rian knew him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders.
Lyria led the way, moving silently through the underbrush with the ease of someone who had spent her life navigating dangerous terrain. Rian followed closely, keeping his senses alert. The further they ventured into the woods, the darker and more oppressive the atmosphere became. The trees seemed to close in around them, their shadows stretching long and menacing in the fading light.
They hadn't gone far before Rian felt it—an unnatural pull, like a current of energy sweeping through the forest. It was subtle at first, but it grew stronger with every step, tugging at his magic, urging him deeper into the woods.
"Do you feel that?" Rian whispered.
Lyria nodded, her expression grim. "It's the wards. They're reacting to us."
Dante glanced around nervously. "So, what happens if we trigger one of these wards?"
Lyria didn't answer, but her silence spoke volumes.
They continued on, moving cautiously, until they reached a small clearing. The moon had risen by then, casting an eerie glow over the landscape. In the center of the clearing stood a stone altar—ancient and weathered, covered in strange, glowing runes.
Rian's breath caught in his throat. The altar was surrounded by a ring of blackened earth, as if the life had been drained from the ground itself. The air hummed with dark energy.
"This is it," Lyria said softly, her eyes fixed on the altar. "This is where they're performing the ritual."
Rian stepped closer, his heart pounding. He could feel the magic pulsing through the air, thick and heavy, pressing down on him like a weight. The runes on the altar glowed faintly, but he couldn't read them—they were in an ancient language, one that he didn't recognize.
"We need to stop this," Rian said, his voice shaking slightly.
Before anyone could respond, a sudden rustling sound came from the trees. Rian whirled around, his magic surging to the surface, ready to defend himself. But it wasn't a spirit or a dark creature that stepped out of the shadows.
It was Alissa.
Her face was pale, her eyes wide with terror, but she was very much alive.
"Alissa!" Rian exclaimed, rushing toward her. "We thought you were—"
She shook her head frantically, her voice trembling as she spoke. "No. I— I escaped. I don't know how, but I—"
Her words were cut off by a low, menacing growl that echoed through the clearing. Rian froze, his eyes darting toward the trees. A figure stepped out of the shadows, tall and shrouded in darkness. Its features were hidden beneath a hood, but its eyes gleamed with a malevolent light.
Lyria cursed under her breath. "It's him."
Rian didn't need to ask who "him" was. The figure radiated power, the same dark energy that had been swirling around the academy for weeks. This was the one behind the disappearances. The one controlling the spirits.
The figure raised a hand, and the ground beneath Alissa's feet began to tremble. Rian's heart leapt into his throat as he watched her stagger backward, struggling to maintain her balance.
"Run!" Rian shouted, but it was too late.
With a sudden, violent motion, the figure gestured toward Alissa. The air around her rippled, and a deafening crack split the night. Rian watched in horror as Alissa's body was pulled upward, her scream echoing through the clearing.
"No!" Rian cried, reaching out with his magic, trying to stop whatever was happening. But the dark magic surrounding her was too strong, too overwhelming.
Dante lunged forward, his own magic flaring to life, but he was knocked back by an invisible force. Lyria moved swiftly, hurling a vial of shimmering liquid toward the figure, but it evaporated in midair, leaving only a faint glow in its wake.
Rian's vision blurred with panic and fury as Alissa's body was consumed by the dark magic. In an instant, she was gone—disappeared into the same void that had taken the others.
The figure turned toward them, its eyes burning with cold malice.
"You're too late," it said, its voice a chilling whisper that sent shivers down Rian's spine. "The ritual is almost complete. Soon, you will all know the true meaning of power."
Rian's heart raced as he watched the figure vanish into the shadows, leaving only the faint glow of the runes behind.
The ritual wasn't over. But they were running out of time.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง