Lisa tried to resist, but her body grew heavier, and her limbs even went numb. In just a few monts, the shadows wrapped around her like silk threads, binding her in place.
She gasped, but no sound escaped her lips as she felt like she was cocooned or sothing…
Her life force suddenly weakened, but it also condensed, forming a crimson shell around her body. In just a few monts, this aura hardened, until she was encased in a cocoon of blood and shadow as she had initially thought…
"This…"
As she guessed what was about to happen, she fell into unconsciousness.
Lisa wasn't sure of it yet, but the Tower had begun a tamorphosis-like process for her…
Her essence was being rewritten, and her bloodline was also being refined. The Dark Arts Tower itself was feeding her power, reshaping her into sothing greater.
Inside the cocoon, her heartbeat slowed, then pulsed with a rhythm that matched the Tower's own.
Lisa the Vampire Immortal was becoming sothing new, sothing born of the Tower's core.
***
anwhile, outside, the expelled students gathered in confusion.
"This isn't just a shutdown… the Tower forced us out!" one senior student exclaid, clutching his Staff.
"I've been here for years. The Tower never rejects anyone unless they fail. But we didn't fail!" another argued.
A younger apprentice looked terrified. "Does this an… soone inside triggered it? Maybe the Tower has consciousness?"
"No way… But if soone triggered it… It probably ans soone broke it." A First-Class Dark Mage muttered.
"Still, this should be impossible. I heard that even the Immortals can't destroy this tower..."
The crowd grew restless, voices overlapping.
But beneath the frustration was fear.
"Wait… what if sothing's wrong inside?"
"Could it be collapsing?"
"No… look at it. The aura's gone. It's like the Tower itself is asleep."
The crowd grew louder and just like that, panic started spreading.
"Call the professors!" soone shouted.
"Yes, get the Student Council too! They'll know what's happening."
"If the Tower is broken, we're all dood. It's the foundation of Dark Arts training!"
Soon, professors arrived, robes flowing as they approached the sealed Tower. They examined the Tower, tried to activate the entrance with the authority given to them, but nothing worked.
"This… this is unprecedented," Professor Dalton, who had arrived first, muttered.
"The Tower has never expelled all students at once," Professor Zeno said while frowning.
"Sothing inside has changed. Wait… How about Lady Lisa? She should've entered this tower a few days ago. I never heard anything about her getting out."
This ti, it was said by Professor Lenora of the Elentary Spirit Law class.
As expected, no one was able to answer.
It ans that perhaps Lisa was still inside the Tower, or she had already left without anyone noticing…
Nonetheless, the students pressed closer, demanding answers from the Professors.
"Professor, what's going on?"
"Why can't we go back in?"
"Is it dangerous?"
"How about the Academic Points we've used?"
"Yes! We haven't used all our ti yet!"
The professors exchanged uneasy glances.
"We don't know what's going on yet…" Professor Zeno admitted. "But whatever happened… it wasn't random. The Tower chose this mont…"
The crowd fell silent at those words.
"As for the points you've used. That will all be refunded. Do not worry about it. For now, have to get away from here in case sothing unexpected happens. The Shadow Pillars will guard this place." Professor Dalton said.
The Shadow Pillars were composed of Dark Arts Practitioners. It was an organization within the Shadow Domain created by Vale himself to protect his territory… They would normally act in the shadows away from the people, and would rarely act in the open.
Even right now, Professor Dalton and the others could feel their presence as they observe the Dark Arts tower.
Furthermore, they also heard about the existence of Shadow Sentinels. They were beings that ca from the Shadow Realm itself and had been imprisoned within the Dark Arts Tower. They should've been freed already and observing this situation from afar.
If there was really a problem, they should've reported this situation to Vale already. The only place that was out of their jurisdiction was the Academy, after all.
Just like that, everyone listened…
They could only stare at the Dark Arts Tower and its sealed doors…
Inside, Lisa remained in her cocoon, unaware of the chaos outside.
***
A few minutes later, when the students evacuated and only a few professors were left, one of Vale's Avatars had finally arrived. His presence silenced the crowd of professors instantly.
The Avatar's eyes scanned the sealed Tower, as if trying to see through it...
He had felt the disturbance from afar and rushed here, but even he did not know what had happened.
"The Tower… has shut itself. This is interesting…"
The professors bowed slightly, acknowledging his authority.
Professor Dalton stepped forward. "Lord Vale… we were expelled without warning. The Tower sealed itself, and none of our thods worked to reopen it."
The Avatar nodded slowly. He knew the truth that few others did. This Dark Arts Tower was introduced as a training ground but it was more than that. It was one of the sixteen Towers Vale had obtained from the Prison Realm, each with mysterious functions that even Vale himself had yet to fully uncover.
The Avatar's gaze lingered on the runes etched into the Tower's surface. "Perhaps… this is the first ti one has chosen to reveal its true nature."
Vale muttered, and the Professors heard it clearly.
They couldn't help but whisper nervously.
"Reveal its nature?"
"Does that an it's alive?"
"Or… is it choosing soone?"
Since it was ant for trial, they couldn't help but connect that soone managed to pass its test or sothing similar.
The Avatar did not answer. Since he was only guessing as well. However, it wouldn't be surprising if that really was the case.
Perhaps, the Tower had acknowledged one or so of the trial-takers inside…
"Wait… Lisa should've entered this tower a few days ago…"
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