Chương 30: The Third Knock

The next morning, the academy changed its rules. Not officially. There was no announcement. No warning posted on the walls. But Leo noticed the differences immediately. Two guards stood outside the eastern corridor. The door leading toward the lower levels had been sealed with three layers of magic. And Professor Gareth had not entered the classroom once. That last detail bothered Leo more than the others. Gareth was rarely absent. Especially after yesterday.

Leo sat by the window, resting his cheek against one hand while the rest of the class continued around him. Amon was whispering about the underground chamber. Masha was pretending not to listen. Alice was doing neither. She was watching Leo. Again. He ignored her. Outside, rain crawled down the glass. Three layers. Leo's eyes shifted toward the eastern wing. Too much protection for an empty room. Something had happened during the night. He was certain of it. The question was what.

After classes ended, the students were ordered to return directly to their dormitories. Leo did not. He took the long route through the old library. The academy library had existed longer than the current academy building. Its oldest section was rarely used. Dust covered the shelves. Several books had lost their covers. The windows were narrow, allowing only thin strips of afternoon light to enter. Leo walked between the shelves until he reached the section concerning academy architecture. He pulled out a book.

Then another. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Nothing. He continued. Twenty minutes passed. Then he found it. A faded architectural record. The Original Foundation of Asteria Academy. Leo opened it. The first pages described the towers. The classrooms. The training grounds. The underground storage rooms. Then— a page was missing. Leo's fingers stopped. Not torn. Removed carefully. Someone had deliberately taken it.

He turned the remaining pages. A diagram appeared near the end. Most of it had been crossed out with black ink. But one symbol remained visible. A circle. Three vertical lines. The same symbol from Gareth's box. Leo stared at it. For several seconds, he said nothing. Then he closed the book.

"Interesting." A voice answered from behind him.

"You're not supposed to be here." Leo turned. A librarian stood at the end of the aisle. An old woman. Gray hair. Round glasses. A key ring hanging from her belt. Leo smiled politely.

"I was looking for a book."

"You found one."

"Yes."

"You're not going to tell me which one?" Leo glanced at the book beneath his arm.

"No." The librarian stared at him. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.

"Good." Leo's expression changed slightly. She walked past him.

"Most students lie badly." She stopped beside the shelf.

"You lie very well." Leo remained silent. The old woman pointed toward the door.

"Go." He started walking.

"Before you leave." Leo stopped.

"Don't open the door beneath the academy." His eyes narrowed.

"You know about it?"

"I know enough."

"What's behind it?" The librarian looked toward the old book.

"Something that was sealed before this academy had a name." Leo waited. She continued.

"And something that has been knocking for a very long time." A silence settled between them.

"How long?" The old woman looked at him.

"Three hundred years." Leo's eyes hardened.

"Then why did it knock yesterday?" The librarian's smile vanished.

"I don't know." That answer was far more disturbing than anything else she could have said. Night fell. Leo returned to his dormitory. He changed his clothes. Waited. Then opened the window. The academy roofs were empty. Perfect. He stepped outside. His foot touched the stone ledge. His body lowered. His breathing changed. The world seemed to slow around him. Veiled Step. One movement. Then another. His silhouette crossed the rooftop without making a sound. He reached the eastern wing. The guards were still there.

Leo didn't approach them. Instead, he placed two fingers against the wall. His perception expanded. He could sense the magic embedded in the stone. One barrier. Two. Three. The third was different. It wasn't designed to prevent someone from entering. It was designed to prevent something from leaving. Leo's expression became serious. So that's why. He withdrew his hand. Then— Knock. His body froze. The sound came from beneath him. Leo slowly looked down. Knock. The stone floor vibrated beneath his feet.

A third sound followed. Knock. Leo closed his eyes. The academy disappeared. His breathing became slow. His power gathered around his body. Not enough to reveal himself. Not enough to destroy anything. Only enough to listen. And then he heard it. Not a knock. A voice. Faint. Ancient. Coming from somewhere beneath the foundations.

"…finally…" Leo opened his eyes. The voice continued.

"…someone…" A pause.

"… returned." Leo's blood ran cold. Not because of the words. Because of the voice. He knew it. He had heard it once before. In his dreams. A memory from a life he had buried. A voice that should not exist in this world. Leo stepped backward. For the first time in months— he felt something dangerously close to fear. Then the magical barrier flashed. Someone was coming. Leo disappeared from the corridor. A second later, Professor Gareth emerged from the opposite staircase. He stopped before the sealed door.

His expression was grim. He placed one hand against the barrier.

"Not yet." Silence. Then Gareth whispered:"Whatever you are…" His eyes hardened.

"Stay asleep." From beneath the academy came a final sound. Not a knock. A laugh. Gareth immediately stepped away from the door. And high above him, hidden among the shadows of the roof— Leo watched. Neither man noticed the other. Neither understood the full truth. But both had reached the same conclusion. Something beneath the academy was awake. And it was waiting. End of Chapter 30.