Mortal Masks

Chapter Thirty Six

With his breath caught in his throat, Chenle's eyes remained wide, too startled to look anything innocent as his footsteps quicken.

The shooting star that had blessed the sky above had his anxiety growing with every step. The students around him stopped for a moment to appreciate the sight, but only Chenle knew what it truly was, what it truly meant.

It wasn't a shooting star at all. It was a signal- a sign from his friends to say they're coming, produced by Shotaro mimicking a shooting star through fire play.

And the fire in the sky had him praying to any deity that would listen that their plan would work, for it was too late to back out now.

He passed by student after student as he scuttled through the maze of stone corridors, everyone so indulged in their own thoughts and emotions about the arriving messengers from Seoul and the looming spirit attack that thankfully no ones eyes lingered on him for long enough to understand that something wasn't quite right.

Ren had managed to gather the school masters and the leader of the Seoul institute that had arrived ahead of his troops, to meet in a private chamber across the other side of the institute. There would still be guards outside the portal room, but at least he didn't have to worry about Master Nakamoto.

They would have to fight their way out of here, no doubt about it... But Chenle relishes in the relief that comes with knowing that cruel man is occupied for the time being. Now, all he had to do was push what doubts he has about this plan to the back of his mind and focus.

If everything goes according to plan, he has less than six minutes to disarm the guards outside the portal room- and he wasn't even there yet. Shotaro's blaze of light awakened some sense of urgency within him.

Along with his note of their shortened timeframe, he had included a map, highlighting what route his friends should take. With classes for the day over as a deep violet sky bathes the institute in shadow, the students still roaming the halls would be heading to the North Wing, to their sleeping chambers, and with the school masters occupying the West Wing, Chenle had instructed his friends to take the East Wing's hidden entrance - the secondary blaze of light he knew had happened due to the gentle awe around him, let him know that his friends were now inside the fortress.

He had to keep moving.

Becoming the perfect student to blend into the masses, Chenle schools his expression into one of mixed mundane boredom and tiredness as he keeps shuffling forwards, gradually breaking from the stream of other students as he turns left down an empty corridor, following the map in his head.

Such a map was formed after hours of supposed aimless wandering about the halls, under the pretence of exploring his new home. Master Kim had actually encouraged him to do so, often finishing lessons a few minutes early to allow him to navigate the corridors before the wave of students trampled out of their classrooms and overwhelmed him.

Chenle only wishes that once Master Kim finds out what he has done, that he won't hate him. He had enjoyed their lessons together, and now, all he wanted was more time.

More time to grown, to learn, to understand...

He's startled out of his regrets when a strong wave of raw power crashes into his body. He stumbles backwards, his hand immediately flying to his heart, as if to steady it, as he regains his balance.

Ever since Master Kim had taught him to still his mind and open himself up to listening to the rhythms of the world and the natural power that pulses around him all day, every day, he had taken note of a sizzling charge that was always present in the air. The presence of nature, and the living power it possessed.