MYSTERY OF SAINT HILLER DORMITORY

Since that morning, Brian knew that something had changed.

He walked through the corridors of Saint Hiller Castle with his head down, his steps light, trying to appear casual. But every movement felt like it was being watched, every whisper sounded louder than usual. Shadows in the corners of the hallway seemed to move on their own. Sometimes, when Brian glanced over his shoulder, he felt like he saw a silhouette out of the corner of his eye. But when he turned to look directly, the hallway was empty.

He gripped the pendant hidden beneath his jacket. The pendant pulsed softly—almost as if it were alive.

During the morning History of the Clans class, Professor Marr’s words drifted through his ears without truly registering.

"The Vindrae Clan..." Marr’s deep voice echoed. "...a clan whose blood is believed to carry the memories of the past. They are the guardians of forbidden knowledge, the binders of ancient oaths written in blood."

The word blood made Brian tense. His mind flashed back to the basement he had discovered the day before—the blood-covered floor, the sharp stench, the wolf-like guardian figure that had almost taken his life.

It was becoming harder to sit still. His eyes kept darting around. And there, across the room, Lucian Calder—the tall student with black hair and piercing eyes—stared directly at him. His gaze wasn’t just curious. It was the gaze of someone who knew.

When the class ended, Brian rushed out of the hall, his steps quick. He needed to breathe the fresh air. The back garden was the only place where he felt slightly freer.

He walked past the old trees, their silver-colored leaves glowing under the faint sunlight. A thin mist still hung in the air, cloaking the ground like an old, worn cloak.

Amid the foliage, suddenly, a woman appeared, standing beneath one of the ancient trees. Her hair was long, her dress seemed like an old Saint Hiller uniform, worn and torn in places.

Brian halted in his tracks. His heart raced.

"Brian Nicole..." her voice was faint, as if echoing from far away.

"Who are you?" Brian’s voice was hoarse.

"I am Ilaria Vindrae," the woman whispered. "Our blood is the same. You’ve seen that place, haven’t you?"

Brian fell silent. His hand unconsciously clutched the pendant at his chest.

Ilaria took a slow step forward. "That place is the Blood Rite. A place that not everyone can find. It opens only for those who are chosen. The castle has chosen you."

"Why me?" Brian whispered.

Ilaria gave him a faint smile. "Because your blood is not ordinary. That pendant has awakened something within you."

Before Brian could ask more, Ilaria disappeared, swallowed by the mist. The air around him suddenly grew colder.

---

That night, Brian lay in bed, his eyes wide open. The pendant around his neck pulsed, as if calling to something.

Outside, lightning flashed, casting red light on the stained glass windows. In the midst of the silent night, a soft tap-tap-tap came from his window.

Carefully, Brian approached. He opened the curtain—and outside stood Lucian Calder.

"We need to talk," he said quietly.

Brian opened the window. With a swift motion, Lucian jumped inside.

"You’ve been to that place, haven’t you?" he asked, skipping pleasantries.

Brian nodded. "You know about it?"

Lucian sighed. "I almost made it there. But Lycanthra—the blood wolf guardian—never lets anyone through. The fact that you walked out alive is enough to make everyone at the castle start watching you."

Brian frowned. "Everyone?"

Lucian’s gaze turned sharp. "At Saint Hiller, not all the teachers can be trusted. Not all the students are allies. There are old factions still hiding in the shadows. And the Blood Rite is the key to the power they crave."

He pulled out an old iron key from his pocket. "This is for you. It opens the old east hallway, a safe place. If you feel threatened, go there."

Brian took the key, his hand trembling slightly.

"And one more thing," Lucian continued. "The old spies in the castle have awakened. They will be watching your every move."

---

The next day, bad news spread among the students: a student was found unconscious in the old east hallway, his eyes wide open, mouth sealed, blood flowing from his ears. The cause was mysterious. The teachers tried to cover it up, but whispers among the students quickly spread.

Madame Liora now seemed to be moving around more often, her eyes hidden behind a shimmering golden veil. There was an uneasy tension in the air.

In his free time, Brian snuck into the old library. He was searching for information on the Blood Rite.

Among the dusty piles of books, he found an ancient tome titled "The Legacy of Blood: The History of the Vindrae Clan."

With trembling hands, he opened its pages.

"The Blood Rite," one of the chapters read, "is a place where the blood of the Vindrae clan is used to unlock past memories and summon ancient powers. Not all Vindrae descendants can bear the weight of these memories. Many lose their minds, and others become vessels for something far darker."

Brian swallowed hard. So, the place wasn’t just a relic of the past—it was a living trap.

On another page, he found an image of a symbol that made his blood run cold. The Pendant of the Closed Eye. Exactly like the pendant now pulsing at his neck.

"The Pendant of the Closed Eye is the final seal. When it opens, the vision of the hidden truth will be revealed—along with the darkness that lies within."

Brian quickly closed the book, cold sweat dripping down his temples.

---

As the afternoon approached, Brian tried to calm himself in the back garden. But from the corner of his eye, he saw a pair of red eyes watching him from behind the trees.

He turned quickly—and there was no one there.

However, as he walked back to the dormitory, behind one of the dark windows of the castle, another pair of eyes stared at him. This time, he knew: he was truly being watched.

---

The third night since the events in the basement, Brian dreamed again.

In his dream, he walked down a stone corridor, flanked by moss-covered walls. At the end of the hallway, Silvester Alexander stood, his back to him.

"Silvester! Papa!" Brian called out.

The figure slowly turned around. But the face that appeared was not that of an ordinary human. His eyes were empty, his mouth sealed shut as if sewn together. Yet, a voice echoed directly in Brian’s head.

"This place... has not finished choosing you."

Then, around Silvester, blood began to seep from the corridor walls. Ancient symbols glowed red, forming a network across the hallway.

"You must choose... before they choose for you."

Brian woke with a start, his body shaking, sweat soaking his back. The pendant on his chest now slightly opened, its eyelid slowly lifting—revealing a faint purple glow within.

---

And far behind the old walls of Saint Hiller, someone smiled in the darkness.

"The boy has begun his journey... now we shall see if he is strong enough to bear the Vindrae legacy."

Behind a sealed room, a pair of red eyes continued to watch the symbol of the open eye in the pendant, which was now awakening.