I Killed The Main Characters

Chapter 185 First Episode Princess Of The Dead [3]

The silence of the night shattered as the communication crystals in every knight's possession hummed to life.

Glowing faintly with magical energy.

The voice of Captain Aldric echoed through the crystals.

His tone sharp and urgent.

"Attention all knights."

He barked.

"The princess is missing.

I repeat, the princess is missing.

Maintain order, minimize panic, and begin a coordinated search immediately.

Focus on every corner of the academy.

Report anything unusual."

The Silver Crest Hall, usually a haven of quiet sophistication, was now alive with murmurs and hurried footsteps.

Some knights stood guard at the dormitories to prevent students from wandering outside.

While others swiftly departed, their armor clinking softly in the dim corridors.

"Check the tuition cube and the library!"

One knight called through his crystal.

Another voice crackled in response.

"Already checked—nothing but some students cramming for their assessments.

She's not here."

In the student center, a group of knights swept through the grand halls.

Their eyes scanning every nook and cranny.

"West wing clear..."

One of them reported.

"No sign of the princess.

Moving to the main foyer."

At the academy town center, where quaint shops and cafes lined the cobblestone streets, another squad of knights patrolled diligently.

"No signs of her here, Captain..."

One of them said, the faint sounds of their boots echoing in the empty streets.

"The area's quiet

Moving on to the training grounds."

The training grounds, usually alive with the sounds of sparring and laughter during the day, were eerily still under the moonlight.

A group of knights scanned the open fields, their lanterns casting long shadows on the ground.

"No movement here."

One of them reported

"Checking the barracks next."

The communication crystal in Captain Aldric's hand buzzed with overlapping voices.

Each knight diligently reporting their findings—or lack thereof.

"South dormitories are secure

No sign of the princess."

"Town square is empty.

No unusual activity."

"Library and tuition halls are clear."

Despite their best efforts to keep the situation discreet, whispers of the commotion began to ripple through the student body.

Those still awake peeked out of their rooms, exchanging worried glances and hushed words.

Some even ventured to ask the knights what was happening, only to be told to return to their dormitories immediately.

The academy's order was beginning to fray at the edges.

---

At the edge of the forest, near the academy's boundary, a knight paused, his breath visible in the cool night air.

His hand hovered over his communication crystal as he frowned.

A strange sensation prickling at the edge of his awareness.

He spoke into the crystal, his voice tinged with unease.

"Captain... there's something off here...

I'm near the forest line.

The air feels... heavy.

And there's this faint sound, like whispers... coming from the direction of St. Sebastian's Cemetery."

The name sent a ripple of unease through the knights.

St. Sebastian's Cemetery, nestled deep within the forest and shrouded in layers of superstition, was rarely visited even during the day.

By night, it was a place of foreboding whispers and unspoken fears.

Captain Aldric's voice was immediate.

"All available units, focus on the area near St. Sebastian's Cemetery.

Keep your guard up and proceed with caution.

Report any unusual findings."

The knights moved quickly.

Their coordinated efforts sweeping through the academy as the strange sensation began to permeate the air.

One by one, they began to feel it—the oppressive weight.

The chilling presence that seemed to crawl beneath their skin.

Near the dormitories, students peered out of their windows.

Their faces pale as they whispered amongst themselves.

Some claimed they heard faint cries.

Others spoke of a dark figure moving at the edge of the trees.

The knights gathered their courage and pressed forward, their path illuminated by the pale light of their lanterns

Those nearest to the forest finally arrived at the boundary, their eyes fixed on the towering trees that seemed to sway despite the stillness of the night.

The oppressive sensation grew stronger as they approached St. Sebastian's Cemetery.

A sprawling expanse of weathered tombstones and towering mausoleums.

The iron gate creaked as they pushed it open.

Their footsteps crunching against the gravel path.

One knight hesitated, gripping his weapon tightly.

"This place... it feels alive...

Like it's breathing."

---

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the special training grounds.

Draven Lockwood stood in the showers.

The steam from the hot water mixing with the cool air.

He ran a hand through his wet hair.

His muscles aching from hours of relentless training

The academy's special training grounds, equipped with facilities far superior to the standard ones, were his sanctuary during the weekend.

Most students had retired to their dormitories hours ago, but not Draven

His dedication to perfecting his craft kept him going long after others gave up.

The clock had long struck one in the morning by the time he finished showering.

He pulled on a fresh set of clothes he'd brought along and reached for his sword, which gleamed under the faint light.

Sitting on a bench, he carefully polished the blade until it shone like a mirror.

He kissed the hilt, holding it close to his chest.

"No matter what..."

He whispered, his voice heavy with resolve.

"I will reach the top.

I'll become the greatest knight the Empire has ever seen."

He hugged the sword, as if drawing strength from it. Continue your saga on empire

Before strapping it securely to his hip.

With a final glance around the empty training grounds, he stepped outside into the crisp night air.

---

As Draven walked toward the exit, the silence was broken by a faint, erratic buzzing.

His sharp eyes caught the glimmer of something on the ground near the edge of the training field.

He approached cautiously and found a broken magic crystal.

Its surface cracked, pulsing with faint energy.

He picked it up, turning it over in his hands.

"This... this is a communication crystal

The knights use these.

Why is it here?"

The crystal hummed weakly, and a garbled voice emerged from it.

Straining to hear, Draven caught fragmented words.

"...the princess is missing... all units... cemetery..."

His blood ran cold.

The princess? Missing?

The weight of the words hit him like a blow.

Before he could think further, the crystal buzzed violently in his hand.

Startled, he dropped it, and it shattered into silence.

Draven didn't hesitate.

His instincts screamed at him to move.

He bolted forward, his feet pounding against the ground as he sprinted toward the cemetery

His first thought was of Ariana—if anyone would be out during this chaos, it was her.

But the empty pathways and absence of students confirmed his suspicions.

"They locked everyone down..."

He muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting

"Of course, they'd keep the students inside.

But this isn't right.

The knights... they can't handle this alone.

They need us."

As he approached the main pathways leading toward the forest.

A. dark energy washed over him, like icy tendrils wrapping around his chest.

The demonic presence radiating from the direction of the cemetery was almost suffocating.

He stopped for a moment, catching his breath.

His heart racing not from exertion, but from the oppressive force.

"Damn it..."

Draven gritted his teeth

He knew that if any knight spotted him out here, they'd drag him back to the dormitories.

There'd be no second chances.

***

[St.Sebastians Cemetery]

The cemetery lay cloaked in darknessm

The moon casting a pale, eerie glow over the crumbling headstones and withered trees.

The air was heavy, a chilling stillness that made every shadow seem alive

Suddenly, the silence was broken by a deep, resonating rumble beneath the earth.

Graves began to crack open.

Dirt spraying outward as skeletal hands clawed their way to the surface.

From the ground, undead soldiers rose one by one.

Their bones clinking and scraping against each other.

Their hollow eye sockets glowed with pulsating red energy, an unnatural hue that bathed the area in a malevolent light.

Their movements were jerky yet purposeful, as if driven by some dark command.

Rusted swords and shattered shields hung in their bony grips.

The remnants of warriors long past but now twisted into grotesque puppets.

The air grew colder as more soldiers emerged.

Their numbers multiplying at an alarming rate.

A bone-chilling aura radiated from them, filling the cemetery with an oppressive, suffocating dread.

The ground trembled as the undead marched forward, forming a menacing, lifeless army.

Then, from the shadows, a figure stepped forward.

A black hood obscured most of his face.

But the pale moonlight caught strands of his dark hair.

Which swayed gently in the night wind.

His eyes, sharp and gleaming like a predator's, glowed a sickly yellow, piercing the gloom with an unnatural intensity.

As the figure raised his hand, frost began to form in the air around him.

A visible wave of cold energy radiated from his body.

Causing the grass to wither and frost to creep across the headstones.

The figure let out a low and heavy sigh.

His voice, smooth yet filled with icy malice, echoed across the cemetery.

"Time to farm some [plot points] and just enough exp..."

He muttered, his yellow eyes narrowing.

"...before the protagonist arrives."

The frost around him thickened.