The Aster Academy can be said to be as big as a city which is why it''s called a city inside a city. Everything that is essential for a student''s learning was already prepared inside.


    "The map said we should head straight towards the....wait this ce is!"


    "What? What ce McKenzie?" ir asked while taking a peek at the map.


    "Wait it says Mndis steps"


    There was a silence among them, they were too excited a while ago but suddenly felt discouraged to continue.


    "So does this mean we will go back?" Alicia asked but immediately Mckenzie interrupted her "No we will continue!..right guys?"


    "Y-eah! Of course!"


    "Sure it''s just some old stairs"


    "We will be fine so it''s okay!"


    Apollo felt amused seeing their frightened reaction. The four excited fellows now began to stutter as they spoke.


    So what are the Mndis steps?


    It''s a long stairs found in a secluded forest inside the academy, the said steps lead towards an old shrine which is believed to be haunted.


    "What do you think about the ce Jeremiah?"


    [I sense some spiritual entities here]


    "Ghost?"


    [Yes but they are harmless Creator]


    "I see that''s good to hear"


    They were harmless so the boy felt assured however when a floating whitedy walked in front of them, a series of screams could be heard within the secluded part of the academy.


    "The temperatures dropping"


    [It''s because of the ghost Creator their presence causes the temperature to drop]


    "I see...hmm?"


    As he continued to walk he realized that it was only him and Alicia that continued walking, their ssmates ended up getting stuck because the whitedy kept floating in front of them.


    "Help" Arab almost screamed as she said those words.


    "Apollo bro help us out"


    The boys shouted while trying to hide their shaking bodies.


    "They are hopeless" Alicia voiced out before using her aura to scare the ghost away.


    [She can use aura?]


    Apollo too was surprised but he maintained his expression.


    With Alicia''s devilish aura, the ghost flees in fright.


    "I never expected that I''d be able to witness how a ghost can get scared" Apollo spoke feeling that Alicia was doing something she usually doesn''t do.


    [She is revealing too much of her abilities which she usually hides]


    "What is she up to" he wondered but remained observing.


    "Are you all okay" he spoke not minding Alicia''s previous action.


    "Sorry, my body froze when that whitedy suddenly stopped right in front of us" Aaron couldn''t help but say while the previously excited people Casper, Vesta, Alya and especially Mckenzie were silent due to shock.


    "Come on it''s not like we haven''t experienced more scary stuff... it''s just a ghost we can handle that"


    Matilda tried to cheer them up but stopped when she felt a presence behind her. Dreading the worst she looked at Apollo, her face asking if something was indeed behind her.


    [Should we tell her?]


    "Don''t or she won''t be able to sleep tonight"


    Right behind Matilda was a ghost with a missing head.


    "Should I turn around?" she began to ask, her body shaking uncontrobly.


    "It''s best if you don''t look back Matilda" Casper advice while the rest of the ss already went behind Apollo and Alicia.


    "When I said run....run okay?"


    "Okay"


    "1..2...3..RUN!"


    As soon as Matilda and Casper began to sprint so did their ssmates.


    "Wait why are we running too?" Apollo asked confused by the sudden turn of events.


    "I don''t know either," Alicia said while running alongside them.


    "Go faster!" Casper shouted making Apollo even more confused.


    [Look back Creator]


    Jeremiah''s words made him look back and when he did he realized why they ran.


    The headless man was actually chasing Casper and Matilda. Apollo could definitely understand why they were running. The thing about this ghost is that his features are incredibly distinct even the blood and his missing head look so realistic, as if his head was just cut off.


    "My Goodness," he could only say while increasing his speed.


    Mckenzie who was in front kept holding onto the map following it earnestly.


    And with their speedy ascent, they came across an abandoned shrine.


    "We are here!" the boy happily exims however his sess is short-lived as Casper and Matilda arrive with a headless ghost in tow.


    "Kept running!" Casper shouted resulting for everyone to run inside the shrine.


    Mackenzie kept holding the map not letting his ssmate make a single error in their route.


    "It''s a dead end!" Jillian noticed from afar.


    "It''s not!"


    Apollo came forward before touching the wall in front, as he did so a magic circle emerged revealing a path.


    "Let''s go!" he shouted making Mckenzie and the rest to rush forward.


    The walk was dark but it did notst long, each step they took created a dazzling light that illuminated their path.


    "What magic is this?"


    "Don''t ask just run"


    Sixteen students all run until they arrive towards a spacious room.


    "Whoah" they all eximed.


    The ce was something they hadn''t seen before.


    Many descriptions filled their head, was it a ruin? A cave or a secret base, they will wonder how such a beautiful ce can be hidden.


    "How can I describe this ce? A ruined temple?" Apollo said as he touched a pir.


    The way the ce was built is highly simr to a temple. The way the pirs are designed and the architecture can still be seen despite the ruined state it has. Following a specific path they witness ake with the clearest water they have ever seen. Even with some parts of the temple being submerged underneath, it didn''t degrade its beauty but instead highlighted it.


    There were trees and some exotic nts that they first time seeing.


    "Are those crystal mana?" Braiden asked when he traced the source of light in the ce.


    "It is" Apollo replied


    "The mana here is quite potent than the mana outside"


    "It''s because of the crystal mana Alicia"


    They kept walking until they arrived at the only decent room. When they entered, a room full of books weed them. The ce was like the Academy library but besides books, you could also see food and training equipment.


    "This is a very calming ce" Vestamended while sitting on one of the futons lying on the ground.


    "It seems we aren''t the first one to arrive here"


    Apollo removed some dust on an aged wall and noticed some letters being engraved there.


    "Wee lower ss students, this ce was discovered and maintained for the sake of finding sce in this chaotic ce"


    "We may be pressured and get swept by the strong force of this academy but this ce is made to escape those judging eyes, so please keep this ce as it is"


    Apollo read the passage feeling a bit sad about how the previous lower ss were being treated.


    "On the noisy and unsafe ground may you find peace here" Apollo read thest sentence.


    They stood where they were looking through the things that the previous ss brought. They found books, diaries and even grimoires written by previous students, who wanted to help the future lower-ss students.


    "Lower ss year 300-301 of the imperial calendar"


    Alicia read one of the engraved words on a bookshelf.


    "Look at these guys"


    Mackenzie called out gaining his ssmates'' attention.


    On one of the dusty walls of the room lies the engravings of each year of the lower ss. Every time they discovered this ce and sessfully passed the entire year they would leave their ss year, letting the future generation see them.


    "Something is missing on this wall," Apollo noticed.


    "Really?" There were too many writings that they didn''t notice what was missing.


    "Thest year''s lower ss, their ss year is not here"


    Mckenzie said as he realized what Apollo meant.


    "Does that mean they weren''t able to make it?" Alya asked feeling a wave of sadness.


    "I heard they gave up due to the pressure of the Higher ss" Braiden said while looking at another wall which bore the messages of thest year''s lower ss and the previous years.


    "We are sorry" that was one of the messages said.


    A gloomy atmosphere envelopes them as they read each word from their messages.


    "After we safely escape the Monastery"


    Suddenly Keith began to speak surprising his ssmates. He is usually quiet often observing and writing the things he wants to say.


    "After all the problems we have right now disappeared, let''s make sure those who look down on our ss will pay the price for it"


    His voice was resolute earning respect from his ssmates.


    "We will do that but for now" Apollo took one of the perfectly arranged pillows and recklessly threw it to Alicia.


    "For now let us loosen up!" he happily said while raising another pillow.


    Just for now Apollo wanted to make them happy because he knew tomorrow might bring them the greatest grief they ever experienced.