Chapter 66 Four new gates.

Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Four new gates.

Lamia held a hand over his mouth as he sat down, trying to process everything Oliver had just told him.

At every level, it was insane.

Someone who could rewrite fate around them?

Was that even possible?

Could the person be Noah’s crazy roommate, Philip? Or was there someone else lurking around the academy that none of them had noticed?

The doorknob to Oliver’s office suddenly turned, and without asking for permission, someone stepped inside.

Lamia looked over his shoulder to see who it was and immediately realized it was the Dean herself.

"Mrs. Danielle, good afternoon, ma."

He bowed politely and was about to excuse himself when the older woman gave him a suspicious look. Her eyes shifted from Lamia to Oliver before narrowing.

"What is going on here? I thought I declared a complete shutdown of the dormitories. So how exactly did you get in here?"

Lamia blinked.

Out of everything happening in the school, this was what she wanted to question?

He honestly didn’t see why he should even be explaining himself. The academy was dangerously close to collapsing into complete disaster, and here she was interrogating him.

"This is something personal, Mrs. Danielle. Besides, am I not still a teacher in this school? Why the questioning?"

His voice carried obvious irritation.

"Well... I should get going then. Bye, Mr. Oliver. See you later."

Without waiting for another word, Lamia turned and walked out.

Danielle’s eyes never left his back until the office door finally closed behind him.

Oliver frowned.

"What was that for, ma? No offense, but that was rude. We were discussing something important."

The woman didn’t acknowledge her mistake. Instead, she looked almost convinced she had done the right thing.

"What could possibly be more important than what I’m about to say? Didn’t I tell you that you, Susan, and Tabitha are in this with me? We are going to solve this together because the Emperor is coming to the academy next week to inspect the students’ training progress. If he sees the current state of this school, it will be disastrous."

Finally, Oliver understood.

This wasn’t about the students.

It wasn’t about the academy.

It was about her.

Everything always circled back to protecting her position.

"Good for you, ma."

He grabbed his coat.

"By the way... I’m leaving."

He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest before Danielle stopped him again.

"Be careful not to cross me. Have you forgotten that I’m the Dean of this academy? Or that you’re still new here? Why would you ignore my orders after everything I’ve said?"

Oliver slowly turned back.

"Am I not entitled to my own opinion?"

His voice remained calm, but the pressure behind it filled the room.

"As far as I’m concerned, my own life is in danger. So tell me... why exactly should I listen to you?"

Danielle stared at him in disbelief.

She couldn’t remember the last time someone had spoken to her that way.

"I can’t believe this is how you address me now."

Her breathing became uneven.

"Can’t you see what’s happening? I’m in trouble... a huge mess that could cost me everything. What am I supposed to tell the Emperor? That this academy has suffered one disaster after another while the trainees haven’t even completed their required education?"

She clenched her fists so tightly her nails nearly dug into her palms.

"My head is splitting. I worked so hard to keep the peace, but that stupid boy, Ashton... he caused all of this."

Oliver immediately raised a hand.

"Don’t."

His voice was sharp.

"Don’t even go there."

"Didn’t you hear what Susan said? Ashton is the Chosen One. He might be the only person capable of saving this empire."

His expression darkened.

"We’re finished, Danielle."

"We are completely finished."

"The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll understand what we’re truly dealing with."

Why wasn’t she getting the point?

Instead of preparing for what was coming, she was looking for someone to blame.

And somehow...

That person had become Ashton.

Danielle began pacing around the office, trembling.

Finally, her shoulders slumped.

"Help me..."

Her voice cracked.

"I don’t know what to do anymore."

She looked directly at Oliver.

"I know you’re the youngest among us... but you’re also the smartest."

"I don’t want to lose my job."

"Please..."

"Help me."

Seeing Danielle practically beg for help was something Oliver never thought he would witness.

He remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.

"The only help I can offer..."

He paused.

"...is for you to tell the truth."

His face became deadly serious.

"The Gate was only the beginning."

"More terror is coming."

"And when it does..."

"I don’t think the protective charms you’ve spent years reinforcing around this academy will be enough anymore."

He stepped closer.

"The world is changing."

"If these students don’t learn how to defend themselves against real danger..."

"...against the outside world..."

"...then none of them will survive."

"So instead of standing here crying..."

"Teach them."

"Teach them real combat."

"Teach them magic meant for survival."

Danielle fell silent.

She actually thought about it.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

He was right.

Perhaps it was time to abandon safe magic and begin teaching the kind of spells meant for war.

Because in the world they were entering...

Gentle magic would only get people killed.

She let out a slow breath before straightening herself.

"I’m still standing by what I said."

"There has to be another solution."

She walked toward the door.

"Come to the staff room."

"We still have a meeting to continue."

"And I don’t want to see students alone with staff members again."

"That’s my final warning."

Without waiting for a reply, Danielle walked out of the office.

Oliver stared at the closed door for a long moment before scoffing.

Nothing mattered more to him than finding the remaining Phoenix Witches.

And since Lamia was one of them...

He had to protect him.

At the same time...

He also had to protect Ashton.

Because whether everyone liked it or not...

The boy had become mankind’s greatest hope.

---

Noah stepped out of the room with Damian and Marcus practically glued to his sides.

The two Alphas held onto him so carefully that anyone would think he was made of glass.

Noah noticed the way they kept watching him every few seconds.

It was dramatic.

Very dramatic.

But he decided to ignore it.

"The rut is gone."

Marcus looked down at himself in disbelief.

"It’s like it never happened."

Damian glanced outside the window.

The sun was already beginning to disappear beneath the horizon, but the towering shadows stretching across the cemetery looked darker than before.

"You said something was released over there... didn’t you?"

Noah nodded slowly.

He still wasn’t sure what had happened.

One moment he had simply closed his eyes...

The next...

Some unknown force had erupted from him, shaking the academy’s very foundations before opening whatever was hidden beneath the cemetery.

"This is a terrible idea."

He sighed.

"I think we should just forget about it."

"We’re checking it out."

Killian’s voice came from behind.

"And is it just me... or when we hugged earlier, did anyone else feel like something passed between us?"

Eugene nodded almost immediately.

"I felt it too."

He frowned.

"But our powers still haven’t returned."

"I honestly don’t know what’s happening to us."

"And now you’re talking about walking into a cemetery."

"What if something attacks us?"

"What if we actually need our magic?"

"And then we realize we don’t have it?"

He folded his arms.

"What’s next?"

"Death?"

For once...

Eugene was the voice of reason.

His words immediately made everyone stop walking.

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck.

"He’s right."

"And Ashton will probably come with us too."

"We’d just be putting him in danger."

While everyone argued, Noah quietly turned toward the mirror.

Lysander’s offer echoed through his thoughts once again.

There was one easy solution.

Offer himself completely.

Accept the madman.

Recover every memory he had lost.

If he did...

Maybe everyone else would finally be safe.

But every time he considered it, one memory stopped him.

Lysander had killed Ashton...

Just to drag Noah into this world.

Even if Ashton didn’t remember any of it...

How could Noah ever accept the person responsible?

His thoughts drifted toward Killian’s lodge.

Then the woods behind it.

Then...

The cemetery.

Something had happened there.

He could feel it.

A dull ache settled deep inside his chest as blurry images flashed through his mind.

Almost instinctively, he looked through the window again.

There...

A lone shadow was digging into the earth.

"Is someone gardening at this time?"

The moment Noah spoke, the four Alphas crowded around the window.

They all stared at the figure.

"Are you sure... it’s alive?"

Eugene asked quietly.

Noah turned to him.

"You think it’s dead?"

Eugene shrugged.

"I gave birth to him, didn’t I?"

"So how the hell am I supposed to know?"

Marcus snorted while Noah couldn’t help staring at him.

Even Killian shook his head.

The brief laughter disappeared almost instantly.

The figure digging suddenly stopped.

Slowly...

It turned around.

Noah blinked.

"...Why is it walking this way?"

His heartbeat quickened.

"No..."

"I don’t want it to see me like this."

Killian immediately slapped a hand against his forehead before rushing toward them.

"Something happened."

His expression had completely changed.

"Guys..."

"Four new monster Gates have opened."

"And they’re all inside the academy."