Edwin Lunar Chapter 11: Sector Zero

Read chapter 11 of Edwin Lunar by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

VOLUME 1: FINALE The roar echoed through the academy for several long seconds. Even after the sound faded, silence still clung heavily to the classroom chamber. The emergency red lights painted everything in dark crimson shadows while distant alarms continued somewhere across Lunar Dominion Academy. Carl looked completely frozen. "…Tell me that was some kind of machine malfunction." Nobody answered. Which was answer enough. Professor Kael stood near the sealed chamber doors, his expression colder than Edwin had ever seen before. The usual calm control surrounding him had vanished. Now he looked like a soldier preparing for war. Iris slowly lowered her tablet. "The sound came from beneath the academy," she said quietly. Kael nodded once. "Lower sectors confirmed." Carl swallowed hard. "Lower sectors meaning the horrifying forbidden ones?" "Yes." "Great." Edwin barely heard them. Because the ring on his hand was burning now. Not painfully. But intensely warm. The silver-blue markings across its surface glowed brightly enough to illuminate his sleeve. Kael noticed immediately. "It's reacting stronger." Edwin clenched his fist instinctively. "I can feel something." "What exactly?" Edwin hesitated. Then answered honestly. "…Anger." The room became silent again. Carl stared. "That's somehow worse." Kael stepped closer. "Edwin. Focus carefully." The professor's voice became calmer again. "What else do you feel?" Edwin closed his eyes briefly. At first there was only warmth from the ring. Then— Darkness. Ancient corridors beneath the academy. Broken machinery. Silver fire burning deep underground. And a presence. Watching him. Waiting. Edwin's eyes snapped open immediately. "There's something alive down there." Carl made a distressed noise somewhere behind him. "I officially want to leave this moon." Kael looked toward the emergency lights above the chamber. Then toward Edwin again. "You should not be able to sense Sector Zero." "Well apparently my life enjoys impossible things." Iris stepped forward carefully. "Professor… what exactly was Sector Zero?" Kael remained silent briefly. Then finally answered. "Groader's primary research facility." Even the air seemed colder after hearing the name. Carl frowned. "I thought his laboratories were destroyed after the war." "Most were." Most. Edwin noticed that word immediately. Kael continued quietly. "Sector Zero was sealed instead." "Why?" Iris asked. Kael's expression darkened slightly. "Because some technologies were too dangerous to destroy incorrectly." That sentence did not comfort anyone. Suddenly every screen inside the chamber activated at once. Static flooded the displays. Carl immediately backed away. "Oh no." A distorted image appeared across the monitors. Not Groader this time. A symbol. A silver eye surrounded by mechanical patterns. Kael's face hardened instantly. "What is that?" Edwin asked. Before Kael could answer, the chamber speakers crackled. Then a voice echoed softly through the room. "…Containment failing…" Static interrupted the message. "…Sector Zero breach probability increasing…" The voice sounded artificial. Old. Damaged. Then the system shut off again. Silence returned. Carl slowly looked toward Kael. "So… terrible news?" Kael turned immediately toward the exit. "Yes." That was definitely terrible news. The chamber doors opened. Outside, academy guards rushed through the hallways while security drones filled the air scanning students and instructors alike. Emergency barriers had already sealed multiple pathways throughout the tower. The academy no longer felt like a school. Now it felt like a fortress preparing for something dangerous. Kael motioned sharply toward Edwin, Carl, and Iris. "Come with me." Carl blinked. "Us?" "Yes." "Why us?" "Because Edwin is connected to whatever is happening." Carl looked deeply unhappy about that explanation. As they moved quickly through the academy corridors, Edwin noticed students being redirected toward secured dormitory sec