There was only darkness in that place.
An endless, suffocating darkness stretching across a boundless void. No light, no form—only the distant echoes of voices… voices of those who once existed.
— Wake up, useless.
A sharp удар cracked against my head.
I turned abruptly.
Kim stood there, notebook in hand, glaring at me.
— "Why did you hit me?!"
She sat casually on my desk, crossing her legs.
— "You were talking in your sleep. You wouldn't wake up no matter what I did, so I had to improvise."
I let out a long sigh.
— "Right… thanks, I guess. Now sit down, class is about to start."
At that moment, she entered.
Eclipse.
She walked in calmly, placing her bag beside the desk.
— "Good morning, dear students. Today will be a special day. We're going on a field trip… to a place none of you have ever seen before."
The class erupted in murmurs of curiosity and excitement.
— "Pack your things. We leave now."
The Journey
The bus ride lasted four long hours.
By the time we arrived at the mountain, exhaustion had already settled in.
— "This trip better be worth it…" Kimberly groaned.
Eclipse smiled faintly.
— "Don't worry. We only need to walk… two more hours."
Kim dropped to the ground dramatically.
— "Just carry me."
Laughter broke out.
Minho and Won ho exchanged a glance… and grinned.
— "Perfect. Let's test our throwing strength using this creature that weighs more than ten elementary students combined."
Kim's expression twisted into pure fury.
— "DON'T YOU DARE—"
Too late.
— "One… two…"
— "YOU IDIOTS—!"
— "Three."
They launched her.
Kim flew through the air, screaming threats of vengeance before crashing into a tree.
— "YOU'RE DEAD WHEN I GET DOWN!"
Moments later, she was chasing them through the forest.
The Forest
Eventually, we gathered in front of Eclipse.
Well… everyone except Kim, who lay defeated on the ground after tripping mid-revenge.
— "This forest is ancient," Eclipse said calmly. "Thousands of years old. Observe everything carefully. You'll write an essay about the beauty of ancient places."
Everyone scattered to explore.
I stayed behind… until she gestured for me.
Subtly.
Silently.
I followed.
The Mansion
We walked for hours.
The deeper we went, the darker the forest became—until sunlight itself felt like a distant memory.
Then… we found it.
An old mansion.
Decayed. Silent. Watching.
We circled it until we reached a hidden garden behind it.
— "They say," Eclipse began, "that in this garden, a legend was born. A being created from a wish… a wish to unite two worlds… and destroy the one who would close the breach."
She looked at me.
— "But those are just stories, don't you think?"
I nodded.
— "Yeah… just stories. I like it though. Could you tell me more?"
She smiled faintly.
— "Perhaps… if we search inside."
But then—
A whisper.
Soft.
Unnatural.
"Vör'is ünvar."
(She lies.)
I froze.
The sound came from the plants.
From the flowers.
Runes began carving themselves into their petals—written in blood.
"𖤥𖦊 𖤱𖥾𖦆"
— "Professor… what are those?"
She turned sharply.
For the first time—
She looked surprised.
— "Luminari runes."
The moment she said it—
She ripped the flower out.
A scream erupted.
Not from her.
From the flower.
A human scream.
Raw. Agonizing.
It pierced my ears.
— "Are you okay, Dark?"
— "Y-Yeah… just… that scream…"
She examined the flower calmly.
— "Strange. That's why I removed it. I'll study it later."
But the whispers grew louder.
"Vör'is ünvar."
(She lies.)
I ignored them.
Or tried to.
The Truth Beneath the Garden
Unseen by me…
They had followed us.
Xia. Airi. Won ho.
— "Are we sure this was a good idea?" Won ho whispered.
— "We need to know what she wants with Dark," Xia replied. "There's something deeply wrong with her."
Then—
Won ho froze.
He began digging.
— "What the hell is this…?"
Buried beneath the roots were—
Human fingernails.
Broken mirrors reflecting a moonless night.
Airi started recording.
The flowers… moved.
They formed lips.
Kissing a blood-stained knife.
Blood dripping endlessly.
A shadow fell over the garden.
Heavy.
Crushing.
— "I… can't… breathe…" Airi choked.
She collapsed, vomiting.
Xia struggled to stand.
Won ho lost consciousness.
The Witch's Smile
Inside the mansion…
I noticed nothing.
Eclipse, however…
Did.
She pulled a shard of broken mirror from her sleeve.
And smiled.
A quiet, satisfied smile.
— "You should never interfere… in a witch's affairs."
Snap.
A violent gust of wind erupted.
Far away—
My friends were thrown like broken dolls into a river.
The Mirror
Inside the mansion, I wandered among ancient relics.
— "These books are… incredibly old…"
I opened one.
Written in blood.
I closed it immediately.
— "Whose house is this?"
Eclipse pointed at a massive portrait.
— "Some say it belonged to a witch… perhaps the oldest of them all."
Then—
A mirror cracked.
Not shattered.
Cracked.
And from the fracture…
Veins spread.
Blood flowed through it.
— "Professor…?"
She stepped behind me.
Wrapped an arm around my waist.
Guided my hand.
— "Look."
In the mirror…
I saw myself.
Crowned.
A black crown of spikes piercing my skull.
Blood streaming from my eyes.
My mouth.
My soul.
Wings.
Massive.
Black.
Endless.
— "My dear Lord of Darkness…"
Her voice softened.
— "It's time to seal your destiny."
I couldn't move.
Couldn't think.
Only watch.
She cut my arm.
My blood fell.
She wrote on the mirror.
"Fili Þanir'n umbrä'n sellür…"
The runes burned into reality.
She tasted my blood.
Smiling.
— "Just touch the mirror…"
My hand moved.
Closer.
Closer—
Pain exploded inside my head.
Blood poured from every opening.
And then—
Darkness.
Aftermath
— "What… happened?"
I was on the floor.
Still in the mansion.
Eclipse knelt beside me.
— "You fainted. The mirror shattered and cut your arm. I sedated you so you wouldn't feel pain while I treated you."
I smiled.
Relieved.
— "Thank you… I don't know what I'd do without you."
She smiled back.
Warm.
Gentle.
Fake.
The Lie
As we left the mansion, I asked:
— "Will we come back here someday?"
— "Perhaps," she replied. "Maybe then… you'll remember more about today."
I nodded.
But she was wrong.
I hadn't forgotten everything.
Not completely.
Because I remembered one thing.
That portrait.
That mansion.
That presence.
It all belonged to her.
Ereos Aether Eclipse.