The game night had ended on an ominous note, with Lead’s discovery of the strange energy emanating from the school grounds. As the moonlight entered through the dorm room windows, the group of friends, each with their unique elemental powers, found themselves unable to shake off the eerie feeling. The school grounds, a place of familiarity and routine, now held an air of mystery and uncertainty.
“Are we really doing this?” Selena asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The others nodded, their faces reflecting a mix of anticipation and fear. They knew they were about to embark on an exploration that could potentially change everything they knew about their school and themselves.
With a deep breath, Aurelia stepped forward, her deep blue eyes shining with determination. “Let’s uncover the secrets that our school holds,” she declared, her voice echoing in the silent room. And with that, they set off, ready to face whatever awaited them on their exploration of the school grounds.
And what they faced was not at all what one would expect. They noticed a faint glow emanating from the main building. The sight that met their eyes, however was unexpected. Their professors, led by Dr. Aurelius, were already there, their faces illuminated by the strange energy.
Dr. Aurelius, a man of stern demeanor and sharp intellect, was known for his deep knowledge of elemental sciences. He stood at the forefront, his eyes reflecting the same determination that his daughter had shown earlier. It was clear that the teachers were aware of the strange energy and were investigating it.
The friends exchanged glances, their initial shock giving way to a sense of intrigue. They realized that their teachers, who they had always seen in the confines of classrooms and laboratories, held secrets of their own.
He turned around, and noticed the six friends, with Aurelia’s hand emitting a faint glow, allowing the group to see clearly. “What are you all doing here?” he asked. “Shouldn’t you be off gaming?”
“Professor,” Gallus said, his eyes weary and sleep-deprived. “It’s nearly midnight, so we were wrapping things up for the night. Just then, Lead spotted this, so we all decided to go explore, instead of sleeping like normal students.”
“I see,” Dr. Aurelius nodded, looking just as tired as Gallus. “Why don’t you kids go to sleep now?”
“We’re legally adults now, Dad…” Aurelia complained, rolling her eyes. “And besides, we helped with the last major element problem, didn’t we?”
“She has a point,” Thalia added, nodding her head.
Suddenly, they heard a voice from behind them shake them from their thoughts. “Thalia?! What are you doing here?”
Thalia recognized the voice anywhere. She turned around to face Dean Vanadium himself, who was not too happy with the fact that his daughter was this close to danger. A sheepish smile spread on her face. “Hey dad, we just came to see what was going on.”
“Well, you’re not supposed to be here, though. Go back to your rooms, kids. We’ll sort this out.” he answered, a stern tone in his voice.
Despite the stern warning from Dean Vanadium, the group of friends couldn’t shake off their curiosity. They watched as their teachers continued their investigation, the strange energy casting an ethereal glow on their faces.
“Let’s hide and watch,” whispered Selena, her eyes wide with curiosity. The others nodded, and they quietly retreated to a safe distance, hidden behind a large statue.
From their hiding spot, they watched as Dr. Aurelius and the other professors moved around the grounds, their actions methodical and specific. It was clear that they were trying to understand the source and nature of the strange energy.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them started to tremble. The friends held onto each other as they watched the main building shake violently. The strange energy seemed to pulse, growing brighter with each passing second.
Then, as quickly as it had started, the trembling stopped. The energy around the main building faded, leaving the school grounds in darkness once again. The friends, still hidden behind the statue, exchanged glances, their hearts pounding in their chests.
“What just happened?” Aurelia whispered, her voice shaky. Before anyone could answer, they heard footsteps approaching. They held their breaths as Dean Vanadium and Dr. Aurelius walked past their hiding spot, deep in conversation.
“We need to find out what’s going on,” Gallus said once the coast was clear. “We can’t just sit back and do nothing.”
“How am I just hearing about this? One of your Mathematics minor first-years is radioactive?!” Dean Vanadium exclaimed.
All eyes fell on Gallus, who paid no attention to his friends’ gazes. “However, he has been stabilized, so he’s all right.” Dr. Aurelius answered, his voice calm and collected.
“Fair enough, but how did you find out?”
“It’s a long story, but one you will be quite interested to hear. You see, it started on the very first day of college…” Dr. Aurelius began to narrate, as Gallus, unbeknownst to the professors, began to cringe each time his episodes were mentioned.
His friends gazes kept shifting subtly from Gallus to the professors, and vice versa, as they listened to the narration. Dr. Aurelius’ voice was still amidst the chaos around them.
“… and that’s pretty much it. Gallus, the elemental storm, all of it is settled. Now, I really think that he might be linked in all this chaos, because of his own radioactivity, though I’m not too sure exactly what.” he ended, waiting for a response.
“I see,” Dean Vanadium nodded. “Well, it’s time to call it a night for us as well. I think we should probably declare a college holiday.”
“I, for one, would like that very much. Tomorrow is Friday, after all. The students can have a long weekend to go visit their families, or just enjoy the weekend. I needed time to calculate the grades from the last assessment.”
As professors and students alike returned to their rooms, their minds were filled with questions and theories. The night had indeed ended on an ominous note, but it had also marked the beginning of an adventure. Little did anyone know, the real challenge was yet to come.
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The next day, as the campus residents — thrilled by the thought of a holiday — stirred to life, Dr. Aurelius stood in front of Aurelia’s dorm room. He knocked on the door, a small smile playing on his lips.
A few passers-by were wondering what a professor was doing near one of the students’ rooms, but others knew that it wasn’t just teacher and student, but a father, having news for his daughter. Even so, seeing one’s professor near the dorms wasn’t a common occasion.
Aurelia, who was curled up with a book, with nothing dragged herself out of bed and opened the door. “Dad? What are you doing here? It’s too early for element nonsense.”
Dr. Aurelius chuckled. “Not this time. We’re heading for a weekend out in the suburbs. A mini family vacation, you can say.”
Aurelia gasped in excitement. “WHAT?!”
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