Whispers of Worlds Beyond: A Series - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Roaming Students Chapter 46: Roaming Students Everything did in fact, go wrong.

It was deep into the night when Adrian, with his usual mischievous grin plastered across his face, walked towards the others’ bed and shook them up to wake them.

Aiden groaned, turning over in his bed, while Sevan muttered something incoherent from under his pillow.

“Boys,” Adrian whispered dramatically, “I have a plan.

And you’re going to love it.” Aiden propped himself up on one elbow, his hair tousled from sleep.

“What idiocy are you dragging us into this time?” “Not idiocy,” Adrian said, clutching his beloved prank book close to his chest.

“A mission.

A covert operation, if you will.” “Why do I feel like this will end poorly?” Sevan groaned as he reluctantly sat up.

“Because it probably will,” Aiden muttered.

“What’s the plan, Adrian?” “We’re going to… observe Emmeranne,” Adrian declared with a smug expression.

Aiden raised an eyebrow.

“You mean stalk?” “No, no,” Adrian said defensively, waving his hand.

“Stalking is such a harsh word.

Think of it as…

silently gathering data.” Sevan threw his pillow at Adrian, which the latter dodged with a laugh.

“You woke me up for this nonsense?

I’m not doing it.” “You are,” Adrian said with finality, pulling Sevan out of bed.

“And here’s the deal: We only use my shadow powers for sneaking, and we don’t leave the perimeter.

Simple, safe, fun.” “Simple, safe, fun?” Sevan said, exasperated.

“Do you even know Emmeranne?

If she catches us, we’re done for.

That girl doesn’t need powers to end us; she’s the first placer for a reason.” “That’s why,” Adrian said with a mischievous gleam, “I have this.” He held up a small, round karatula stone.

“Emergency prank weapon.

Foolproof.” Aiden rolled his eyes but swung his legs out of bed.

“Let’s get this over with before I change my mind.” The three boys snuck out of their dormitory, Adrian leading the way, his shadows wrapping around them like a protective cloak.

The halls were silent, save for the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards.

The moon hung low in the sky, its light spilling through the tall windows of the academy’s corridors.

Sevan groaned softly as he rubbed his bleary eyes, trudging behind Adrian and Aiden.

Adrian, ever the instigator, was practically bouncing on his feet, excitement gleaming in his eyes.

In his hand was thr worn book of pranks, the edges frayed from overuse.

“Why did I let you convince me to come?” Sevan muttered, his voice heavy with sleep.

“Because you’d miss all the fun otherwise,” Adrian said with a sly grin, throwing an arm over Sevan’s shoulder.

“Besides, this isn’t just fun.

This is research.” Aiden raised a skeptical brow.

“Spying is research now?” “It’s not spying, I told you that,” Adrian corrected, holding up a finger.

“It’s covert observation.” “Right.

Stalking.” “Words have power, Aiden,” Adrian shot back, wagging the prank book for emphasis.

“And I choose mine carefully.” Sevan let out a sigh.

“I can’t believe I’m awake at this hour for this.

We’re gonna get in trouble if anyone sees us.” The three crept down the corridor, their steps muffled against the stone floor.

Aiden kept glancing over his shoulder, his unease growing.

“Okay, so we’re clear on the rules?” he whispered.

Adrian nodded enthusiastically.

“Rule one: No powers other than mine- shadow stuff only so we won’t get detected.

Rule two: Stay within the perimeter.

Of course.

Rule three: If we get caught, Sevan’s the scapegoat.” “What?” Sevan hissed, glaring at Adrian.

“That’s not a rule!” “Quiet,” Adrian whispered back.

“You’re going to wake someone up.” Adrian ignored him, creeping forward with exaggerated caution.

“Besides, it’s foolproof.

I’ve got my prank book if things go south.

Worst-case scenario, we create some chaos and slip away in the confusion.” Aiden rolled his eyes.

“That’s your worst-case scenario?” “Exactly,” Adrian said, flashing his signature grin.

“Adrian, this is ridiculous,” Sevan whispered, his voice edged with irritation.

“Shh,” Adrian hissed.

“You’ll wake the ghosts.” “There are no ghosts here,” Sevan snapped.

“How do you know?” They rounded a corner, Adrian pressing himself flat against the wall as he peeked around the edge.

Aiden followed his gaze, his heart sinking slightly when he saw the faint glow of a lantern in the distance.

Someone was up ahead, moving through the halls.

But it wasn’t Emmeranne.

“That’s not her,” Aiden whispered.

“No,” Adrian said.

“That’s Shiloh.” “Great,” Sevan muttered.

“Even better.

Let’s go back to bed.” “No.” “Yes.” “No.” “Will you stop this!” Sevan hissed.

“We’re gonna get expelled!” Adrian turned to him, his grin returning.

“Are you kidding?

This is an upgrade.

Who knows what Shiloh’s doing out of bed at this hour?

We have to find out.” “No, we don’t,” Sevan said firmly.

“We absolutely don’t.” But Adrian was already moving, slipping into the shadows with practiced ease.

Aiden hesitated for a moment before following, his unease growing with every step.

Sevan sighed and reluctantly trailed behind them.

Shiloh walked with purpose, his tall frame cutting an imposing silhouette against the dim corridor.

The faint light from his lantern flickered as he moved, casting strange, dancing shadows.

Adrian, Aiden, and Sevan followed at a distance, their footsteps silent as they clung to the walls and darkened corners.

“Do we even have a plan?” Aiden whispered.

“Of course,” Adrian replied, his voice barely audible.

“Step one: Follow Shiloh.

Step two: Figure out what he’s up to.

Step three: Improvise.” “That’s not a plan,” Sevan hissed.

“It’s a framework.” “What was that word again you use when you accidentally hit your shin on the side of the table, Adrian?” “Uh…

fuck?” “Yes, thank you,” Sevan nodded before muttering to himself.

“We’re soooo fucked…” The three boys crept after Shiloh, their movements synchronised and quiet.

Adrian’s shadow powers cloaked them in darkness, making them almost invisible as they trailed their unsuspecting target.

But as they turned a corner, Shiloh abruptly stopped.

Aiden froze, his breath catching in his throat.

“He knows,” he whispered.

Shiloh stood still for a moment, his head tilted slightly as if listening for something.

Then, with a deliberate motion, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a glowing card.

The faint hum of magic filled the air, and Aiden’s stomach dropped.

“What’s he doing?” Sevan asked, his voice tight with unease.

“Something bad,” Adrian said, already fumbling in his pocket.

He pulled out a small karatula stone and held it up, grinning mischievously.

“Time for a little distraction.” Before either Aiden or Sevan could protest, Adrian hurled the stone down the corridor.

It landed with a faint ping, and a puff of glittery smoke erupted around Shiloh.

The boy recoiled, coughing and waving his hand to clear the air.

When the glitter settled, his hair had turned bright pink, and the words “Property of the Prank King” hovered above his head in glowing letters.

Aiden clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh, while Sevan groaned.

“You’re going to get us killed…” he muttered.

Shiloh wasted no time, hurling his revealing card toward them.

Aiden dodged and launched a jet of fire, which Shiloh countered with a shield-like spell card.

The flames dissipated harmlessly, but the heat lingered in the air.

Adrian darted into the shadows, reappearing behind Shiloh and attempting to grab his wrist.

Shiloh spun just in time, blocking with another card, which sent Adrian skidding back.

“You’re surprisingly good at this,” Adrian admitted, smirking as he ducked under another attack.

Shiloh threw his card straight at Adrian, the magic embedded within it lighting up the hallway with a sharp, golden glow.

Adrian dodged, melding into the shadows.

The card struck the wall and exploded into a shower of sparks.

Shiloh growled and unleashed another card, this one glowing with an eerie green hue.

It ricocheted off the shadows and narrowly missed Sevan, who retaliated by sending a surge of water barreling toward Shiloh.

Shiloh spun on his heel, raising a defensive card that shimmered like a shield.

The water splashed harmlessly against it, drenching the floor but leaving Shiloh unscathed.

Aiden seized the opportunity, launching a controlled burst of fire toward Shiloh’s feet.

The flames roared, forcing Shiloh to leap back.

Shiloh lunged forward, his movements sharp and precise as he aimed another card directly at Adrian’s chest.

But before it could hit its mark, Aiden stepped in, flames erupting in a defensive wall that incinerated the card mid-air.

“Not bad, fire boy,” Adrian said with a grin.

The fight escalated, the hallway filling with bursts of magic and the clash of elements.

Shadows danced with flames, water clashed with enchanted cards, and the three boys worked together to keep Shiloh at bay.

But just as Aiden prepared to launch another fiery attack, a voice cut through the chaos.

“Enough.”