The classroom lights flickered violently.
Students looked around in confusion as the room suddenly felt colder.
Adrian's heart pounded against his ribs.
He could see them clearly now.
Shadows stretched across the ceiling like living creatures, twisting and crawling along the walls. From within them, several pairs of glowing eyes stared down hungrily.
The Wraiths had found him again.
Kai stood up slowly from his chair.
His movements were calm, controlled—too calm for the situation.
"Stay behind me," he murmured quietly.
Adrian swallowed hard. "Kai… we're in a classroom full of people!"
Kai's glowing blue eyes flickered toward him.
"That's exactly why this is a problem."
Another pair of glowing eyes opened in the darkness.
Then another.
Adrian felt his stomach drop.
There were at least four Wraiths lurking above them.
The creatures slithered along the ceiling, their long limbs bending unnaturally as they crawled closer.
A girl sitting near the window shivered.
"Why is it so cold suddenly…?"
The teacher frowned and tapped the light switch.
The lights flickered again.
But they didn't stabilize.
Instead, the room grew darker.
Only Adrian and Kai seemed to notice what was truly happening.
Kai clenched his hand slowly.
Shadows around his feet began to swirl like black smoke.
"Adrian," he whispered, "listen carefully."
Adrian nodded nervously.
"No matter what happens, don't panic."
"Easy for you to say!"
One of the Wraiths suddenly dropped from the ceiling.
It landed silently behind the teacher, its long claws scraping across the floor.
Adrian gasped.
"KAI!"
Kai moved instantly.
In one swift motion, he raised his hand.
Dark shadow energy burst outward like a wave.
The Wraith shrieked as the shadow magic wrapped around its body, crushing it.
The creature dissolved into black smoke.
But the attack didn't go unnoticed.
The remaining Wraiths screeched angrily and lunged from the ceiling.
Three of them descended at once.
Adrian felt pure terror rush through his body.
"They're attacking!"
Kai stepped forward, placing himself directly in front of Adrian.
"Stay back."
His voice had changed.
It carried a dangerous edge now.
The shadows in the room began responding to him.
Dark tendrils crawled across the floor and walls, gathering around Kai like loyal servants.
The first Wraith lunged at him.
Kai didn't move.
Just before the creature's claws reached him, a wall of shadows erupted upward.
The Wraith slammed into the barrier and screamed as the shadow magic tore it apart.
Another Wraith jumped from the side.
Kai spun quickly and slashed his hand through the air.
A blade of pure darkness shot forward.
The creature split apart instantly and vanished into smoke.
Students gasped in confusion.
Some of them felt the cold wind.
Others saw chairs move slightly.
But none of them could see the monsters.
Except Adrian.
And Adrian was frozen in shock.
Kai looked completely different during battle.
His eyes glowed brighter.
The shadows obeyed him like soldiers.
The final Wraith crawled along the wall toward Adrian.
Its glowing eyes locked onto him.
Adrian felt his legs freeze.
"Kai—!"
But Kai was still dealing with the other creatures.
The Wraith lunged.
Time seemed to slow.
Adrian raised his hand instinctively.
Fear surged through him.
And suddenly—
Dark energy exploded from his palm.
A burst of shadow power shot forward and slammed into the Wraith.
The creature screamed as the energy pierced through its body.
Then it disappeared.
Silence filled the room.
Adrian stared at his hand in shock.
"I… did that?"
Kai turned toward him slowly.
For the first time, his calm expression cracked.
He looked genuinely surprised.
The classroom lights suddenly stabilized.
The cold air disappeared.
Everything returned to normal.
Students looked around in confusion.
"Did anyone else feel that weird wind?"
"Yeah…"
Kai quickly sat back down like nothing had happened.
Adrian followed slowly, still stunned.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Finally Kai leaned closer and whispered quietly.
You just used shadow magic.
Adrian blinked.
"I did?"
Kai studied him carefully.
His eyes were intense now.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Adrian swallowed nervously.
"What do you mean?"
Kai leaned back in his chair.
His voice was calm again—but there was something deeper beneath it.
"Only shadow guardians can use that power."
Adrian's heart skipped a beat.
"And you," Kai said quietly,
"might be something far more dangerous than I thought."
Adrian stared at him.
"…Dangerous?"
Kai's lips curved slightly.
But it wasn't a smile.
It was the expression of someone realizing something unexpected.
"Yes."
He leaned closer again and whispered one last sentence.
"And now the Wraiths will want you even more."
Adrian felt a chill run down his spine.
But strangely…
Part of him also felt excited.
Because one thing was becoming very clear.
His life had just changed forever.
And somehow—
Kai was at the center of it all.