CROWN UNIVERSITY

The silence inside the university wasn't normal. Hindi ito 'yung tahimik na nakaka-relax. It was the kind of silence na parang may mabigat na nakapatong sa tenga mo, making it hard to breathe. Elira tightened her grip on her bag strap as she crossed the courtyard. Her steps echoed loudly sa cobblestone floor. Ang lamig ng hangin pero pawis ang likod niya. Every corner of the campus felt alive, like something-or someone-was watching. She thought about the letter again. A black envelope. Crimson wax seal. No sender. Walang instructions. Just three words written in elegant handwriting: "You are chosen." And now, here she was. In a place that felt more like a graveyard than a school. He was still there. Alejandro Severino Dela Vara. The boy leaning casually against the stone archway. Dressed in black. His hand rested on the hilt of a sword na parang may sariling buhay-its faint glow red, like it had already tasted blood tonight. His eyes followed her. Sharp. Cold. Dangerous. Elira swallowed and walked faster, pero bago siya makalampas, his voice cut through the silence. "Your first night," Alejandro said, mababa ang boses, steady, "and already, the campus of blood." She froze, slowly turning back. "That man... the one who fell earlier. Ano'ng nangyari sa kanya?" Alejandro's lips curled. Not quite a smile. More like a warning. "He failed." Elira frowned. "Failed what?" "The entrance exam." He stepped closer, and the mist seemed to move away from him. "You didn't really think Crown University would let you in for free, did you?" Elira's chest tightened. "Wala namang sinabi sa letter-" "You'll understand," Alejandro interrupted, eyes narrowing. His face was so close now she could see a faint scar running along his jaw. His gaze was sharp enough to cut. "Or you'll end up like him." Clap. Clap. Clap. The sound echoed, slow and mocking. From the shadows walked a girl-stunning, terrifying. Long black curls, red lips, a smile that could cut glass. She clapped slowly, her heels clicking against the stone floor. "Bravo, Alejandro. You always know how to terrify the little lambs." Elira turned sharply. "Sino ka?" The girl's eyes sparkled with venom. "Catalina Rosenda Ybanez. Remember it well, darling. Most students don't live long enough here." Alejandro's jaw tightened. "Enough, Catalina." Catalina laughed softly, circling Elira like a predator. "She's... interesting. Pretty. Fragile." She tilted her head, eyes glinting wickedly. "I wonder how long before she die." Elira stood still, refusing to let her knees shake. Catalina leaned in close, whispering, "Don't worry, darling. If Alejandro doesn't kill you... I might kill you instead, so be ready." The bell tolled. Its deep sound rolled through the campus, and with it-screams. At first faint. Then closer. Running footsteps. Steel clashing. Something heavy hitting the ground with a sickening crack. Alejandro's hand slid to his sword. His expression sharpened. "It begins." Elira's throat tightened. "What begins?" Catalina's grin widened, seductive and cruel. "The Hunt." Alejandro's tone turned into a command. "Run." "What-" "RUN!" Her body moved before her mind did. She bolted, her footsteps loud against the stone floor. Mist curled around her legs, twisting into shapes-faces, claws, whispering mouths. The halls stretched unnaturally, staircases twisting like serpents. Her lungs burned. This isn't real. Hindi totoo 'to. But the smell of iron-blood-was real. She turned a corner and stopped cold. Bodies. Three students sprawled across the stones, uniforms soaked in red. Their faces pale, eyes open, mouths frozen mid-scream. Elira staggered back, covering her mouth. "Oh my God..." A whisper slithered through the mist. Leave... before it takes you too... Her knees buckled. She almost fell- Then a hand grabbed her wrist. Alejandro : Pov He dragged her into the shadows, pressing her against a cold wall, hand covering her mouth. "Stay quiet," he whispered. Elira's wide eyes followed his gaze- And then she saw it. Something crawling into the hall. Not human. Wrong. Its jaw stretched open too wide, filled with jagged teeth. Its skin torn, glowing faintly from inside. Its eyes burned crimson, claws scraping against stone. Elira's heart thundered. She tried to move, but Alejandro's grip held her steady. His lips brushed her ear, whispering low: "This is Crown University. Monsters roam freely here. Not all of them are human." The creature froze. It sniffed the air. Its head turned sharply toward them. Alejandro's hand slipped from her mouth to his sword. The blade lit up faintly crimson, alive. Hungry. In one swift motion, Alejandro lunged. He slashed across the creature's chest. Blood sprayed, sizzling as it hit stone. The monster shrieked, thrashing violently. Alejandro's strikes were sharp, merciless. An arm severed. A throat cut. The creature fell, twitching, drowning in its own steaming blood. Elira trembled, her breath ragged, her chest tight. Alejandro wiped his blade against his sleeve, his expression calm-too calm. "Lesson one," he said flatly. "Kill... or be killed." Elira's voice shook. "Why me? Why was I brought here?" Alejandro's gaze softened just for a flicker. "Because you were chosen." Her hands clenched. "Chosen for what?" Before he could answer, another scream ripped through the night. The bell tolled again. Alejandro grabbed her hand. "If you want to survive your first night, stay with me." Elira hesitated. Every instinct screamed to run away-but somehow, her feet followed him. The mist thickened. The screams grew louder. Somewhere behind them, Catalina's laughter rang out like broken glass. High above, in the tallest tower, Marquesa Estrella De Alcaraz watched from her candlelit chamber. She swirled a goblet of crimson liquid, her gown shimmering black as midnight. Around her, runes glowed faintly, alive. Her lips curved into a slow smile. "The game has begun," she whispered, her voice a velvet dagger. "Let's see who survives until dawn."