Edwin Lunar Chapter 10: Beneath the Academy

Read chapter 10 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

Beneath the Academy The classroom remained restless long after Professor Raith left. Red warning lights continued flashing softly across the walls of the chamber while groups of students whispered nervously among themselves. Some tried accessing academy network feeds through their wrist devices, but every system returned the same message: RESTRICTED ACCESS. Carl leaned back dramatically in his seat. "Well," he muttered, "that's never a comforting sentence." Iris continued typing rapidly across her holographic tablet. Lines of code and academy security maps floated above the screen while her eyes moved quickly between windows. Edwin frowned slightly. "You're trying to hack the academy system?" "I'm trying to access public emergency data." "That sounds exactly like hacking." "It's only hacking if I get caught." Carl stared at her. "You say things like that way too calmly." Edwin looked toward the giant chamber doors again. Several instructors had already disappeared into the lower academy sectors alongside armed guards. The atmosphere felt wrong now. Heavy. Like the entire academy was holding its breath. Then the ring on Edwin's hand grew warm again. He immediately looked down. The silver-blue markings had returned faintly beneath his sleeve. Carl noticed first. "Uh…" Iris looked up from her tablet. Then both of them froze slightly. The ring was glowing brighter than before. Edwin quickly pulled his sleeve down. "Why does it keep doing that?" Before anyone answered, the chamber lights flickered once. Then twice. Every holographic display across the room distorted briefly with static. Students immediately reacted nervously. Not again. Edwin's chest tightened. For one brief second— He heard the whisper. "…below…" Very faint. Almost impossible to hear. But definitely there. Edwin slowly stood from his seat. Carl blinked. "Where are you going?" Edwin hesitated. He didn't fully know himself. But something deep inside him pulled toward the lower sectors of Lunar Dominion Academy. Like a distant signal calling him. "I think…" Edwin said slowly, "…something's happening beneath the academy." Carl stared at him. "Yes. The giant security alert already told us that." "No, I mean—" Edwin stopped. How exactly was he supposed to explain mysterious voices in his head? Iris studied him carefully. "You heard something again." It wasn't a question. Edwin looked toward her quietly. Carl's expression changed immediately. "Wait. Again?" Edwin exhaled slowly. "I think something's trying to communicate with me." Silence. Carl blinked twice. "That sentence should definitely concern me more than it already does." Iris stepped closer. "What did you hear?" "…Below." The moment he spoke the word, Iris's expression shifted slightly. Like she had connected something important. "The old sectors," she whispered. Carl frowned. "What old sectors?" Iris lowered her voice instinctively. "There are ancient sections of the academy beneath the current structure." Edwin looked toward her. "How do you know that?" "Because I read things." "That answer explains nothing." Iris ignored him. "Most of the lower levels were sealed after the Great War." Carl crossed his arms. "Sealed because they're dangerous?" "Yes." "Fantastic." Edwin looked toward the glowing ring again. The warmth was growing stronger now. Almost pulsing. And somewhere far below the academy… He could feel something waiting. A loud sound suddenly echoed outside the classroom. Metal doors sealing shut. Then the mechanical voice returned: "Partial lockdown initiated." Students began panicking more openly now. Carl stood immediately. "Okay, I officially dislike this day." Edwin barely noticed. Because suddenly— A vision slammed into his mind. Dark corridors. Ancient metal walls. Silver fire burning beneath enormous underground chambers. And a voice. Stronger this time. "Find me…" Edwin stumbled backward sharply. Carl caught his arm instantly. "Edwin!" The vision vanished. His breathing became uneven. Iris looke