Whispers of Worlds Beyond: A Series - Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Ace of Spades
Breakfast had been lively enough with all the duel challenges being thrown around, but the sudden, eerie hum that filled the air sent an unsettling chill through the Great Hall and quieted some of the students

It was a soft sound at first, like a distant bell ringing from somewhere unseen, before growing into a low, thrumming resonance that made the very walls seem to vibrate.

Then, out of nowhere, figures began to materialize.

They emerged from threads of golden light, forming from the air itself. Their bodies were humanoid, draped in armor that shimmered between solid and translucent. Each figure had distinct markings on their armor- some had elaborate engravings while others bore ancient sigils or faded battle scars.

One of them appeared directly behind Adrian.

Adrian, sensing something behind him, turned his head and nearly fell out of his seat.

“What the—!” He shot up so fast that his knee hit the table, rattling the plates and cups, spilling Amihan with orange juice.

He apologized and Amihan assured him it’s okay. “It’s alright! Good thing I brought a cleaning karatula stone. Comes in handy when wearing the uniform.”

Aiden had already tensed at the sight of the strange figures, his eyes narrowing as his hand instinctively flickered with fire. But Sevan, who had been drinking his tea, nearly dropped his cup as he gasped in realization.

“The Sentinels of Light,” he breathed, almost like in awe.

Aiden shot him a look. “The what?”

Sevan straightened, his eyes flickering between the ghostly figures now spread across the hall. “They’re in The Eternal Flame: A History of Soleil page 342- a book on our country’s past duels and traditions. These are the Sentinels of Light. They’re remnants of past duelists or heroes of Soleil. Or at least that’s what the legends say.”

Adrian, still catching his breath, glared at Sevan. “You couldn’t have explained that before one of them nearly scared me to death?”

Sevan ignored him and continued, his voice laced with fascination. “They don’t speak, but sometimes, if you listen closely, you can hear whispers. No one knows if they’re illusions of the past or like ghosts that are actually from real people.”

Aiden eyed the nearest Sentinel warily, who was actually behind him. “And they show up… when?”

Sevan looked around, nodding as if confirming his own thoughts.

“When there are a lot of duel invitations being issued at once. It’s said they materialize to witness the battles, carrying on the legacy of warriors before us.”

As if on cue, the whispers began.

Faint, distant murmurs drifted through the hall- soft, indistinct voices speaking in a language long forgotten. The Sentinels stood motionless, their presence unnerving yet oddly solemn, like silent judges watching over the students who had so eagerly thrown themselves into duels.

“Well, if they’re ghosts. At least they’re dead,” Adrian muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he eyed the Sentinel still standing behind him.

Peter, who had been quietly eating nearby, glanced at the figures and simply shrugged. “Eh. As long as they’re not attacking us, I don’t care.” He popped another piece of bread into his mouth.

Aiden didn’t share his indifference. His gaze lingered on the Sentinels, watching as they stood perfectly still, their armor shimmering under the enchanted ceiling’s light.

As the whispers faded, the Sentinels of Light began to move. Each spectral figure extended a hand to the person they are closest with, and in an instant, a small object materialized within their grasp. One by one, they stepped forward and placed the objects in front of each student who had accepted or issued a duel challenge.

Adrian hesitated when the Sentinel behind him moved. He barely resisted the urge to flinch as the ghostly figure lowered its hand, setting something down on the table in front of him. He stared at it.

A small hourglass.

The glass was delicate, but the golden sand inside shimmered with an almost ethereal glow. The stand holding it bore the Genvah Academy logo, an intricate crest carved into the gold base.

It wasn’t just given to him- it was given to every student involved in a duel. The Sentinels were distributing them one by one, their movements methodical, almost ceremonial.

Aiden picked up his own hourglass and turned it over, watching the sand slip through. “What is this supposed to mean?”

Sevan, still engrossed in his thoughts, answered without looking away from his own. “The book mentioned something about these. The hourglasses are supposed to symbolize the time leading up to a duel.”

Adrian frowned. “Time for what?”

Sevan glanced at him. “Preparation, strategy… or reconsideration.”

A moment of silence followed, each student staring at their hourglasses.

Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the Sentinels vanished.

No fade-out, no lingering presence. Just gone, as if they had never been there at all. The only evidence of their existence was the hourglasses left behind, gleaming under the enchanted lights of the Great Hall.

Jarek leaned forward, who was also given an hourglass of his own. “Well, that was weird.”

Across the hall, students were murmuring, some flipping their hourglasses over, others staring at them as if expecting them to change. The energy in the Great Hall had shifted- not just excitement anymore, but something heavier.

Aiden furrowed his brows as he noticed movement inside his hourglass. The once-empty glass was suddenly filling with golden sand, flowing in from seemingly nowhere. He glanced at Adrian’s, only to find the same thing happening.

Adrian stared at it, lifting his hourglass and shaking it slightly. “It just started filling on its own.”

Sevan leaned closer.

“May I?” He asked Aiden.

Aiden nodded and opened his palm to offer his hourglass. “Go ahead.”

He took Aiden’s hourglass from his hands and examined it with sharp eyes. Then, turning it over, he waited for the sand to shift.

It fell but unnaturally slow.

A smile smile appeared from Sevan and, flipping it again, watching the grains slip downward at the same sluggish pace. He picked up Adrian’s and did the same.

“The flow isn’t normal.”

Aiden raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

Sevan turned the hourglass upside down again, watching the sand trickle. “No matter which way you turn it, the sand still falls slowly. And look. Aiden’s had more sand than yours do.”

Adrian huffed. “Great. I was planning on having the last duel as a finale.”

Sevan didn’t respond, his mind already working through the possible implications. “This isn’t just a countdown. It’s enchanted.” He paused, then added, “I think it’s meant to last until your duel.”

“So once the sand runs out…”

Sevan nodded. “The duel begins.”

After breakfast, they stepped out of the Great Hall, making their way toward the Botanical Garden for their Mystical Botany class, when Sevan suddenly slowed his pace.

“You two go ahead. I need to stop by the restroom first,” he said casually.

Aiden and Adrian both stopped in their tracks, exchanging a glance.

“We can wait,” Aiden offered. “There’s still a few minutes left. We could just run.”

“No need,” Sevan waved a hand. “If I’m late, at least one of you can tell Professor Ylang-Ylang the reason.”

Adrian grinned, an all-too-familiar mischievous glint in his eyes. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll tell her you were busy taking a massive dump.”

Sevan rolled his eyes. “And this is why no one trusts you to deliver messages properly.”

“Come on, it’s a valid excuse.”

“It’s a stupid excuse.”

Aiden, already used to their banter, sighed. “Are you actually going to the restroom or are you up to something?”

Sevan scoffed, crossing his arms. “I am going to the restroom. You’re both acting like I said I was running off to commit crimes. Admit it, I’m the least likely person to do it, anyways.”

Adrian raised a brow. “Well, considering the people you hang out with, it’s not exactly impossible.”

Sevan sighed dramatically. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll tell Professor Ylang-Ylang that you two got lost on the way to class because you were too busy acting like idiots.”

Adrian gasped, pressing a hand to his chest in mock offense. “How dare you.”

Aiden, now tired of this exchange, grabbed Adrian’s sleeve. “Let’s just go before we end up late.”

After a few more back-and-forth remarks, the three finally parted ways, withAiden and Adrian heading toward the Botanical Garden, while Sevan turned in the direction of the restrooms.

At least, that’s what he said he was doing.

Because as the two turned their backs on Sevan, he breathed a sigh and pulled out the card that Lochan slipped at his pocket during the confrontation at the Great Hall.

He was too subtle that even Aiden who was the most observant, hadn’t noticed when Lochan had gotten closer to Sevan.

Sevan turned the card, and noticing the symbol, smirked at himself before going the opposite direction, slipping the card back in his pocket.

“Tsk. I wonder why…”

In the sunlight, the red-and-gold embroidered card glinted, showing just the subtlest of an image that represented a specific family that holds the highest position in the Court of Soleil.

Ace of Spades.