A Twisted Halloween II: Spectral Soiree

Chapter 3: Bring Me a Shovel!

Meanwhile at Pomefiroe Dorm Lounge, the students there are experiencing their own situation of missing students.

Rook looks around and calls out, "VIL! Where are you? Shout if you can hear me!"

Rook continues to look around and call out, "Oh, Vil... Where could my etoile have gone?"

Just then, one of the Pomefiore student rush to Rook and says, "Vice Housewarden! The freshmen dorms are all empty."

"Zut alors!" Rook says, shocked. "I can still recall Epel's mighty yawn before he went off to bed... Yet now it appears he and over half our other students are missing. I can't even call them, because my smartphone won't turn on. Oh, whatever could be happening?!"

Then another student rushes over in concern, "Vice Housewarden Rook! Where's Housewarden Vil?!"

"I unfortunately don't have a grasp of the situation yet. Let us take a moment and calm ourselves," Rook says.

The second student asks, "How can we possibly calm down?! It's 11:59! This is prime resting time for healthy skin! The very thought that our housewarden could be awake at such a critical juncture makes me ill with worry!"

But Rook quickly says, "Wait a minute. Did you just say it's 11:59?"

"Yes, that's right," The student answers. Then shows his pocket watch, "This magical pocket watch is a family heirloom. It's never been a minute wrong since my great-grandfather's time."

"Let's see..." Rook says, and looks at the watch, "11:59... It's true..."

Then another student asks, shocked, "You mean it's not even midnight? Odd, I feel like I've gotten tons of sleep. Maybe I was just worn out from Halloween."

Rook remains silent.

"Vice Housewarden?" The second student questions.

Then Rook says, "That can't be right."

"Huh?" The two students reply, confused.

Then Rook becomes shocked in a serious tone, "Could it be...? No..."

Meanwhile, at the front gate, Sebek and Silver are trying to get the gate open, but it won't open.

"I'm trying, but it won't budge," Silver says.

"But why?" Sebek asks, shocked. "Why can't we leave Night Raven College?! No matter what we do, the front gate remains locked... And when I try to climb over the fence, I end up back on campus the moment I land."

"Someone must've cast a very powerful spell over the entire grounds. I'm starting to think we won't crack this by ourselves," Silver says.

Sebek grows frustrated, "Rgh... But we've not a second to lose!"

Sebek tries to open the gate again with force, but it won't open.

Silver says, "Calm down, Sebek."

"YOU EXPECT ME TO BE CALM?!" Sebek shouts in anger. "MALLEUS AND LILIA ARE MISSING!"

Then grows worried, "Some other country must be plotting against Briar Valley. If anything were to happen to them while we vacillate like food... AAAUGH!" And shouts frustrated.

Then shouts, "WE MUST FIND THEM POSTHASTE!"

Silver remains silent.

Then Sebek says, "They're undoubtedly awaiting our rescue even as we speak. Very well! If going above won't work, let's try below! I shall dig my way under the gate. A shovel!" And shouts, "Bring me a shovel!"

Silver still remains silent.

Sebek cries out, "Don't just stand there gawping, Silver! HELP ME!"

Silver continues to remain silent.

Then says, "I'm going to check on the other dorms."

Excuse me? You're going to do what?" Sebek asks, shocked.

Then says, upset, "We are Malleus' guards. His safety is our high priority. We cannot shrink the most solemn duty!"

Then Silver says, "There's quite a commotion on campus. It seems Malleus and Lilia aren't the only ones who've gone missing."

"What?!" Sebek asks, shocked.

Then Sebek remembers, "Now that you mention it, it WAS unusually quiet when I ran out of my room..."

"We need to figure out what's going on, first and foremost. We can look for them afterward. Remember that Father is with Malleus, wherever they are," Silver says.

"But still!" Sebek says.

"I have the utmost faith in Father. He can handle any situation, no matter how perilous," Silver says.

Then question, "Do you doubt his capabilities?"

"Why, I would never..." Sebek answers.

Then Silver says, "We're already a step behind. Our priority should be getting a full grasp of the situation at hand. What we need is intel. We must proceed with care if we are to rescue them."

"... Very well," Sebek answers, "Let us return to the dorm for now." Then grows frustrated, "Rgh... How could I be so powerless as to let this happen?!"

"Save the self-pity for later," Silver says. "Whatever's going on might be well beyond anything we could even conceive of."

And with that, Silver and Sebek head back to the campus to investigate the matter.