The wind howled across the courtyard as Emiliano, Daniela, and Ixchel sprinted toward the bell tower.
Dust swirled in the air, the sky above warping like a crimson whirlpool.
The moon…
had almost completely turned red.
Its bloody light bathed the campus, stretching everyone's shadows long and twisted.
The ground vibrated with each echoing step of El Oscuro, following them at a distance—never rushing, only walking, knowing the ritual was inevitable.
Daniela looked back once, breath trembling.
"He's… he's not even running after us…"
Ixchel didn't turn around.
"He doesn't need to. His world is merging with ours. The closer we get to the Cursed Hour, the stronger he becomes."
Emiliano grit his teeth.
"Then we get to the tower before the moon turns fully crimson."
Daniela nodded, clutching the Book of Silence.
"Before he seals us inside his world forever…"
1. The Courtyard Maze
The courtyard twisted like a living labyrinth—its walls shifting, paths curling in impossible directions.
"Emi—Dani—stay close!" Ixchel shouted.
A statue of the school's founder suddenly cracked down the middle—
its stone face melting into shadow.
It opened its mouth and screamed:
"SACRIFICIOOOOOS…"
Daniela flinched.
"EMI—!"
"I got it!"
Emiliano commanded his shadow with a flick of his wrist—
it surged forward like a wave and crushed the statue into stone dust.
Daniela stared at him with awe.
"Emi… you're controlling it faster now."
He nodded, panting.
"But it's still burning my energy. I can feel it pulling—pushing—pressuring me."
Ixchel shouted over the twisting wind:
"Use it only when necessary! Every time you push the shadows, you get closer to losing yourself!"
Daniela grabbed his hand.
"Don't let it take you."
"I won't," he said, but his voice was shaky.
2. The Bell Tower's Shadow
They reached the base of the bell tower.
Tall.
Rotting.
Covered in twisting black veins like a cursed tree.
The front door creaked open on its own.
Daniela grabbed Emi's arm.
"It opened… for us."
Ixchel's voice hardened.
"No. It opened for the ritual."
Inside the doorway was complete darkness.
Not simple shadow—
but a swallowing void.
Emiliano stepped forward.
His shadow reacted immediately—pulling back.
Daniela gasped.
"Emi… your shadow is afraid…"
Ixchel's eyes widened.
"No… not afraid. It's warning him. The tower is a point of convergence—the place where both worlds meet."
Daniela trembled.
"So if we go inside…"
Ixchel finished:
"…there's no going back."
A deep DOOOOOONG echoed from the top of the tower.
The bell had rung again.
The moon brightened.
The red deepened.
Emiliano swallowed hard.
"We don't have a choice."
Daniela nodded, though fear quivered in her eyes.
"Together."
"Always."
They stepped inside.
3. The Spiral of Lost Souls
The tower's interior was worse than outside.
Old stone stairs spiraled upward—
but every step was coated in ghostly ash.
Whispers filled the air—soft, haunting, endless.
Faces appeared in the walls—
crying, screaming, begging.
Emiliano flinched.
"Dani—don't look at the walls."
Daniela nodded quickly. "Okay—okay, I won't—"
Then a voice whispered right in her ear:
"Daniela…"
She spun around.
"Tía—?!"
Valeria's face emerged from the stone—
crying black tears.
Daniela choked.
"Tía… why are you everywhere…?"
Valeria whispered:
"Forgive me…"
Daniela reached toward her—
Emiliano grabbed her hand.
"NO—Dani—DO NOT TOUCH HER—!"
The wall-face twisted into a horrific grin—
its eyes turning white—
"SACRIFICIO—!"
Emiliano's shadow lashed out and smashed the stone, sending dust flying.
Daniela collapsed against him, shaking.
"I… I'm sorry… I didn't think—"
"It's okay," he whispered. "You're okay."
Ixchel stepped forward.
"Keep moving! The tower feeds on memories—on guilt. Don't let it pull you in!"
4. The Climb
They climbed the spiraling stairwell.
Step after step.
Whispers clawed at their ears.
Shadows moved along the walls.
A coldness seeped into their bones.
Halfway up, Emiliano stumbled.
"Emi—what's wrong?" Daniela asked, panicked.
"My… my shadow is reacting… it's pulling me backward—"
Ixchel's eyes widened.
"El Oscuro is trying to call it. He senses your awakening. He wants to override your control."
Daniela stepped in front of Emiliano, hands glowing.
"NO—stay with me, Emi—STAY WITH ME—!"
Her light poured onto his chest—
onto his mark—
steadying the swirling black.
The shadows quieted.
Emiliano gasped.
"I… I'm okay. I'm okay now."
Ixchel nodded.
"That bond between you… it might be the only thing keeping him from turning."
Daniela hugged him tightly, trembling.
"I won't let you turn into anything. Ever."
Emiliano swallowed hard.
"I trust you."
They climbed the final stretch.
At the top of the stairs was a huge wooden door.
Carved with ancient symbols.
Dripping black tar.
And glowing with the red of the moon.
Ixchel pressed a hand to the door.
"…This is it."
Daniela squeezed Emi's hand.
"Are we really ready?"
Emiliano inhaled deeply.
"No."
Then he opened the door.
5. The Bell Chamber
Wind blasted them backward as the door swung open.
The bell chamber was enormous—
far larger than it should be.
The walls had dissolved into swirling darkness.
The ceiling opened into a direct view of the Blood Moon above.
The bell hung suspended by blackened chains, dripping with crimson light.
And beneath it—
A circle of runes.
Two marks.
Identical to the marks burned into Emiliano and Daniela's skin.
Daniela swallowed hard.
"That's… that's where we stand…"
Ixchel nodded grimly.
"That's where the ritual takes place."
"But we're doing the counter-ritual," Emiliano said. "We're breaking it."
Ixchel hesitated.
"…Yes."
Daniela frowned.
"What do you mean, 'hesitate'?!"
Before Ixchel could answer—
Thunder exploded outside.
Wind spiraled.
The tower shook.
Daniela screamed.
"El Oscuro—HE'S COMING UP THE TOWER—!"
Ixchel spun around.
"WE HAVE SECONDS—GO TO THE MARK—NOW!"
Emiliano grabbed Daniela.
"Let's do this!"
They ran toward the glowing ritual circle—
But then—
The darkness at the edge of the chamber moved.
Writhing.
Twisting.
And Valeria stepped out.
Her body broken.
Her face pale.
Her eyes glowing white.
But this time…
She was NOT alone.
Hundreds of spirits crawled behind her—
climbing the walls,
hanging from the ceiling,
pouring into the chamber like a flood.
Daniela screamed.
"TÍA—STOP—PLEASE—STOP—!"
Valeria pointed straight at them.
"¡¡LOS SACRIFICIOS NO DEBEN ESCAPAR!!"
THE SACRIFICES MUST NOT ESCAPE!
Emiliano stepped in front of Daniela.
His shadow rose.
Then—
A massive claw slammed into the tower behind them.
El Oscuro had arrived.
The bell tower shook as El Oscuro tore open the back wall.
Debris exploded into the chamber, dust swirling in choking spirals.
The Blood Moon above bled deeper, almost dripping its crimson light onto the ritual circle.
Daniela clutched Emiliano's arm.
"Emi—he's here—he's HERE—!"
Emiliano stepped in front of her, shadow rising like a protective beast behind him.
"I won't let him touch you."
But El Oscuro towered across the ruined chamber, his monstrous silhouette filling half the space.
His horns sliced the moonlight.
His claws scraped the stone floor like metal on bone.
His voice echoed in every direction—
"ENTREN AL CÍRCULO."
Step into the circle.
"AHORA."
Now.
Daniela's breath shook.
"He—he wants us inside…"
Ixchel yelled over the howling wind:
"DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM! He wants to COMPLETE the original ritual!"
Valeria floated forward—her face twisted in sorrow and rage.
Her ghostly voice wavered—
"Entren… por favor… entren…"
Daniela's heart cracked.
"Tía… please… please fight him—"
But Valeria's form warped, spine cracking as her head snapped sideways.
"AUNQUE ME ROMPA…
NO PUEDO DESOBEDECER."
Even if it destroys me…
I cannot disobey.
Dozens of corrupted spirits poured in around her, crawling across walls, dragging their nails along the stone, whispering:
"Sacrificio…"
"Sacrificio…"
"Sacrificio…"
Daniela sobbed, pressing close to Emiliano.
"They're blocking every exit—Emi, we're surrounded—!"
El Oscuro stepped closer, chains dragging from his arms like anchors.
Each step shook the tower so violently cracks spiraled across the floor.
"Sus almas me pertenecen."
Your souls belong to me.
Emiliano shouted:
"Dani—STAY BY ME—!"
He summoned his shadow—
But this time, something went wrong.
The shadow flickered.
Twisted.
Became unstable.
"Emi—your shadow—!" Daniela cried.
Emiliano clutched his head.
"It—it's him—he's trying to pull it away from me—!"
Ixchel shouted:
"HE'S CALLING YOUR POWER—FOCUS ON DANIELA! SHE'S YOUR ANCHOR!"
Daniela grabbed Emiliano's face with both glowing hands.
"LOOK AT ME!
NOT HIM—
NOT THE SHADOW—
ME!"
Their foreheads touched.
Daniela's light surged around them like a warm pulse.
El Oscuro snarled—
stepping backward slightly.
"BASTA."
ENOUGH.
His claws spread wide—shadow tendrils extending like serpents.
"SI NO ENTRAN USTEDES…
LOS ATO."
If you won't step into the circle…
I will drag you in.
He thrust his arm forward.
A massive tentacle of shadow lashed toward them—
WHOOOOOM!
Emiliano pushed Daniela aside—
The shadow slammed into him—
And wrapped around his chest, lifting him off the floor.
"EMI!" Daniela screamed.
Emiliano choked as the tendril tightened, crushing his ribs.
Ixchel sprinted forward.
"LET HIM GO!" she shouted, slamming her amulet into the shadow.
A burst of blue energy exploded against it—
But El Oscuro barely flinched.
"TU PODER ANTIGUO NO ME AMENAZA."
Your ancient magic does not threaten me.
He lifted Emiliano higher.
Daniela tried to rush toward them—
But Valeria stepped in front of her.
Her ghostly hand grabbed Daniela's throat.
Daniela gasped violently, legs kicking.
"Tía—Tía—please—stop—!"
Valeria cried black tears.
"Perdóname…
no puedo…
no puedo…"
Forgive me…
I can't…
I can't…
Daniela's light flickered as she clawed at Valeria's spectral grip.
"Dani—!!" Emiliano screamed, still trapped in the shadow tendril.
El Oscuro slammed Emiliano into a pillar.
CRAAAACK!
Emi coughed blood.
Daniela shrieked.
"EMI—NO—NO—PLEASE—!!"
Emiliano's shadow shattered like cracked glass.
El Oscuro's voice thundered:
"LAS SOMBRAS ME OBEDECEN A MÍ."
The shadows obey ME.
Daniela sobbed as Valeria's grip tightened—
And she choked out:
"Tía… please… don't make me… hurt you…"
Valeria's face flickered.
For one split second—
her human eyes returned.
"…házlo."
Do it.
Daniela's hands glowed bright white—
FLASH—!!
A purifying blast erupted from her chest.
It hit Valeria directly—
The ghost screamed—
shuddering—
splintering—
And vanished into dust.
Daniela fell to her knees, sobbing hysterically.
"Tía… Tía…"
Ixchel pulled her up.
"DANI—GET UP—YOUR POWER IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING EMI ALIVE!"
Daniela wiped her tears furiously and stood—
her eyes blazing white.
"LET. HIM. GO."
She thrust her palms forward—
A beam of blinding light fired directly at the shadow tendril choking Emiliano.
BOOOOOOM!
The tendril exploded.
Emiliano fell—
but Daniela caught him before he hit the floor.
He gasped for breath, chest heaving.
"Dani… you… saved me…"
She pressed her forehead to his.
"And I'll keep saving you."
El Oscuro roared in fury.
"NO MÁS JUEGOS."
No more games.
He raised his arms—
And every spirit in the tower shrieked.
Shadows spiraled upward.
The bell swung violently overhead.
The Blood Moon glowed blinding red.
The ritual circle ignited beneath Emiliano and Daniela's feet.
Ixchel screamed:
"IT'S STARTING—THE RITUAL IS STARTING—!!"
El Oscuro pointed at the circle.
"ENTREN."
Enter.
But Emiliano and Daniela didn't move.
They stood together.
Side by side.
Hand in hand.
Emiliano's black eyes blazed.
Daniela's white eyes burned.
And at the same time, they said:
"NO."
El Oscuro froze.
The spirits froze.
The tower trembled violently.
Daniela lifted the Book of Silence.
Emiliano summoned his shadow.
The Blood Moon crackled with lightning.
The counter-ritual awakened.
Ixchel's eyes shone with awe.
"They're doing it…
They're REALLY doing it…"
El Oscuro roared—
Charging toward them—
Just as Emiliano and Daniela stepped into the circle—
together.
Shadows and light swirled around them in a violent vortex.
Daniela screamed:
"EMI—HOLD MY HAND—DON'T LET GO—!!"
"I WON'T—!!" Emiliano yelled, gripping her tightly.
El Oscuro reached for them—
But the ritual erupted—
A storm of red, white, and black energy—
Consuming the bell tower—
As the Blood Moon turned fully crimson.
LA HORA MALDITA
HAD BEGUN.