"Mr. Deer Skull."
On a small hill in the western outskirts of Igwynt, facing the "man" taking form within the ritual array, Oswan and Goffrey bowed respectfully and spoke.
The gray-white figure, however, did not immediately respond. Instead, it began moving its limbs mechanically, as if adapting to something. The motions, initially stiff, gradually became smoother until they eventually resembled those of a normal person.
Then, it turned its eyes—completely devoid of whites or pupils—toward the brightly lit school in the distance and slowly spoke.
"You… found him?"
The one called Deer Skull said this in a dry, rasping voice, as if his vocal organs were extremely unnatural. The sound was harsh and grating, like sandpaper rubbing together.
"Yes. After days of investigation, we are certain that your greatest enemy is inside that school. He… should be disguising himself as the school’s principal and is there right now!"
Facing Deer Skull, Oswan declared with absolute certainty. Deer Skull glanced twice more at the distant school before opening his mouth.
Then, more than a dozen invisible wailing spirits burst forth from his mouth. They swirled chaotically in the air for a moment before returning, wrapping around Deer Skull and the two men beside him. The spirits lifted them from the ground and carried them into the sky, heading toward the school. Before being taken into the air, Oswan and Goffrey did not forget to bring their briefcases with them.
Flying through the night, the three finally arrived above the school. Just as they were about to stop and hover to observe below, something suddenly affected the spirits carrying them. The spirits let out agonized wails and began scattering chaotically. In an instant, the three lost control and started plummeting.Caught off guard, Oswan and Goffrey panicked. Deer Skull, however, simply waved a hand, forcibly regaining control over the spirits. The spirits steadied and gently lowered all three to the ground, landing them in the open area at the center of the campus.
Once on the ground, Goffrey and Oswan took in their surroundings. They found themselves amidst brightly lit corridors and buildings, with numerous exquisite stone sculptures adorning the area, giving the night-time campus a strong artistic atmosphere. Yet, amidst this artistic ambiance, there was an undeniable sense of eeriness.
Goffrey and Oswan were shocked to realize that sounds filled the air around them—voices chatting in the corridors, lectures echoing from classrooms, the sounds of children running and playing in the open space… Every sound typical of the school was present, yet there was not a single person in sight.
The corridors, the classrooms, the open spaces… Though the noises reverberated through the campus, it was utterly deserted. The stark contrast between the lively sounds and the empty school created an uncanny scene.
Stunned by the sight, Goffrey and Oswan were bewildered. They had assumed that since there were lights and voices, the school must be operating as usual. But why was it like this? This bizarre phenomenon sent a chill down their spines.
"Why… why are there no students? Shouldn’t they be in class right now? Why are there only voices?" Oswan murmured in shock.
At that moment, a slightly aged voice responded.
"I gave the children a night off—especially to welcome our guests. It’s only proper etiquette for an old friend."
Startled, Goffrey and Oswan turned their heads toward the source of the voice. Emerging slowly from the corridor was a figure with graying hair, wearing a janitor’s cap and sleeves, dressed in dusty work clothes. His face bore a genial smile, his eyes squinting slightly, and in his hand, he held a small music box—Aldrich.
As Goffrey and Oswan gaped in shock, Aldrich walked into the open space, then closed the music box in his hand. Instantly, the lively campus sounds ceased abruptly.
This music box was one of Aldrich’s mystical artifacts, classified under the attribute of Shadow. Aldrich had once used it to record the disguised voice of Dorothy during a mystic gathering, then played it back to confirm her presence when she enrolled at St. Amanda School.
Now, Aldrich had recorded the sounds of the school at night and replayed them in this empty campus, misleading Goffrey and Oswan’s perception.
"It’s been a long time, Grayhill. You still enjoy playing tricks like these, huh?"
At that moment, Deer Skull turned his gaze toward Aldrich, speaking in his harsh, unpleasant voice. Aldrich, however, responded with ease.
"And you’re the same, still unwilling to show your true body. Let me guess, which part of your bones is this? I’d say… pelvis." Aldrich chuckled with a hint of playfulness.
Deer Skull coldly replied, "Hmph. I have no time for your meaningless jokes. Hand over what I came for, and I might mercifully spare your soul from becoming fuel."
"Heh… Looks like you’re quite confident. Do you really think a single cursed bone avatar is enough to defeat me in my own workshop?" Aldrich said, his signature smile unfaltering.
Deer Skull scoffed.
"Just a failed Gold-rank ascendant who was backlashed by his own advancement—why wouldn’t it be enough? The spirituality remaining in your body probably isn’t even as much as a patch of Black Earth. What can you possibly fight me with?"
"Then let’s… find out."
Aldrich clasped his hands behind his back, his squinted eyes opening slightly, revealing a sharp glint.
Boom!
Suddenly, the ground beneath Deer Skull exploded as massive stone hands shot out, locking around his body. At the same time, the entire open space trembled, cracks forming as the surrounding land broke away from the school.
Then, this detached section of ground began descending rapidly like an elevator, carrying Aldrich, Deer Skull, and the others down with it.
"I’m the principal of this school now. If we destroy everything up here, that’d be troublesome. I’ve prepared a battleground for us down below. Let’s go there."
Standing on the sinking platform, Aldrich spoke calmly. As he did, the ground above began closing like a lid. Seeing this, Deer Skull remained silent, glancing at the panicked Goffrey and Oswan beside him.
Deer Skull commanded the spirits to lift the two men and hurl them back upward, sending them safely to the surface before the lid sealed completely. Aldrich and Deer Skull were now entirely isolated underground.
Back in the now eerily quiet campus, beneath the starry night sky, Goffrey and Oswan stood in stunned silence.
"Mr. Deer Skull… went underground with that old man? They’re going to fight there?"
Piecing together what had just happened, Oswan murmured. Suddenly, a tremor rumbled through the ground, making the buildings and their own bodies quiver slightly.
Then, the underground tremors came in waves, one after another, as if colossal forces were clashing beneath them.
"We can’t interfere in their battle… So Mr. Deer Skull sent us back up?"
Staring at the scene before him, Goffrey muttered. But at that moment, something strange happened.
With each tremor, a finely crafted bust in the nearby corridor developed tiny cracks before suddenly disintegrating into fine dust, scattering onto the ground.
Then, as if contagious, the same phenomenon began occurring at intervals—decorative statues crumbling into powder without warning.
Goffrey and Oswan watched in confusion.
What was happening? Why were these statues suddenly turning to dust?
Just then, a bald spirit emerged from the ground. It floated before them and spoke in Deer Skull’s voice.
"Quick… Destroy every statue you see before that bastard absorbs their spirituality!"