CHAPTER 23: Paraform

At Night,

Solaris Academy Park

Solaris City.

Thanks to the size of the academy, it was easy to actually build a large sized park, filled with several recreational facilities which made it easy for Students to relax. In the darkness, one could clearly see someone strolling through. Not minding the absence of light and life, the person continued walking through the park. This person was none other than Vanessa.

"I can't believe you're our here?" A voice suddenly boomed out of the darkness gravely shocking Vanessa.

"Who's there?" Vanessa frightfully inquired, igniting her fists with flames.

"Easy Vanessa, I don't want to fight you!" The Voice quickly exclaimed.

"Wait a minute, I know that voice…. Chioma!" Vanessa said, staring at the person who she was conversing with.

"Took you long enough!" Chioma said, walking out of the shadows wearing a cheery smile.

"What are you doing here?" Vanessa curiously inquired.

"Nothing, I just love being alone.. in the dark!" Chioma promptly answered.

"Same!" Vanessa added, wearing a warm smile, taking a seat on a nearby bench.

"It's just serene and peaceful" Chioma responded, sitting by Vanessa's right side.

"How long have you been doing this?" Vanessa curiously inquired, earnestly staring at Chioma.

"A few years ago!" Chioma answered.

"I don't really know why but I find the dark real soothing" She promptly added, staring into the darkness that creeper around them.

"How about you?" She inquired, fixating her attention on Vanessa who was presently looking gloomy.

"As long I could remember!" Vanessa subtly said, burying her attention into the ground.

"What do you mean?" Chioma worriedly inquired.

"It happened when my Dad and twin brother died in an accident" Vanessa sadly said, burying her face into her palm.

"My family were Nobles but after my Father's death, my family fell straight to ground. We become Commoners…." She promptly added, gravely shocking Chioma.

"… Despite becoming a commoner, weren't accepted and we're treated as outcasts in the community. I had no acquaintances, no friends because I was pushed into the shadows….

At first, it felt scary but I then discovered that the darkness was always there for me…. Not till met you guys… Thank you!" Vanessa explained, wearing a massive cheery smile.

Seeing her bright smile, Chioma couldn't help herself, as she releasing a warm smile of her own, "You're welcome!".

"What about Yetunde?" Chioma curiously inquired, staring earnestly at Vanessa.

"She's sound asleep!" Vanessa brightly replied.

''Wait, what of if she wakes up… She'll be really worried… I didn't think about that!" Vanessa promptly exclaimed, grabbing her head in shock.

"Gotta go, see you later Chi-Chi!" Vanessa hurriedly said, rushing towards her dorm.

"Bye-ee" Chioma responded, casually waving at Vanessa as she ran into the darkness.

"What did she mean by Chi-Chi?" She thought to herself, heading towards her own dormitory.

Meanwhile,

Yetunde's Room.

Yetunde was seen sleeping peacefully in her gigantic bed. Suddenly, she began to fidget, frantically shaking her head form side to side. One could easily tell she was a nightmare of some sorts.

After a brief moment of anxious and disturbing movements, she sprung back to reality, seeing herself in the massive dark room. Realizing everything she saw was just a dream, she slowly caressed her head in relief.

"What the hell was that?" She thought to herself, squinting her eyes trying to visualize the room around her.

"Why do I keep seeing that thing?" She further thought, shifting her attention towards Vanessa's bed

"What!" She exclaimed as soon as she discovered that Vanessa wasn't in bed.

"Vanessa?" She calmly said, slowly exiting the bed.

"Vanessa?" She worriedly said, heading towards the bathroom.

Immediately she got to the door, she promptly opened it and to her greatest surprise, Vanessa was nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell is she?" She thought to herself, trying to find out Vanessa's location.

As she stood and pondered, her attention was immediately attracted by a strange phenomenon. Thanks to the bathroom reflective marble tiles, she noticed a silhouette figure standing few meters behind her. Seeing this, she couldn't help herself as she frightfully shrieked, slowly turning backwards.

"W….w..we" She stuttered in fear, as she clearly saw the Dark figure that she saw earlier that day.

"Yetunde….. Yetunde!" The figure called out to her, slowly reaching out to her.

"No-No-no, stay away from!" She frightfully exclaimed, slowly staggering backwards.

''But it's me… Vanessa!" The Dark figure calmly said.

"Huh…. Vanessa?" She confusedly responded, taking a close look at the figure that was in the room.

Soon she realized that the figure was actually Vanessa but before she reply her roomie's call, she instantly passed out.

A week later,

Medical Department,

Solaris Arcane Academy,

Solaris City.

In one of the wards, a young beautiful teenage girl was seen lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Also in the ward were four individuals, with one of them being a nurse who was examining the unconscious girl, while the others were obviously students, roughly same as the unconscious girl.

The three students that were in the room, were none other than; Reynolds, Chioma and Vanessa. They weren't dressed in their official school uniforms, rather they wore more casual outfits. Reynolds wore a bright red hoodie, with a bright blue jean trouser while Vanessa wore a bright pink short sleeve top with a jean short. Last but not least, Chioma wore a bright white T-shirt, alongside a denim apron.

Judging by their presence in the ward, one could easily deduce that the unconscious youth was Yetunde.

"Will she be alright?" Reynolds worriedly inquired, staring at the Nurse for answers.

"Yeah, she will be… In fact, she's supposed to wake up any…time…soon!" The Nurse proudly said, wearing a smirk.

Immediately she finished her sentence, Yetunde woke to reality, yelling one word, "Vanessa!", which gravely confused everyone present in the ward.

"Who's Vanessa?" The Nurse curiously inquired.

"I am!" Vanessa replied, waving her hand.

"What happened?" Yetunde confusedly inquired, caressing her head.

"How long have I been asleep?" She promptly added.

"A week?" The Nurse replied.

"A week!" Yetunde exclaimed, obviously in shock.

"If I may ask, what exactly happened to her?" Chioma politely inquired.

"She actually had Chronic Mental Fatigue but a little rest will help you… Apart from that, she's in tiptop condition!" The Nurse, winking at Yetunde.

"Alright, thank you so much" Reynolds promptly appreciated with a respectful bow.

"No problem… I'll be going now, if you have any issues, you know where to find me!" The Nurse said, promptly taking her leave.

"What the hell happened to you?" Reynolds curiously inquired.

"That night, you seemed pretty spooked. What did you see?" Vanessa worriedly asked, staring earnestly at a distressed Yetunde.

"I honestly don't know what I saw. I can't fully describe what it was, all I know is that dark, shadowy and cold!" Yetunde said, caressing a aching head.

"Could it be you saw a ghost?" Reynolds confusedly commented.

"Not just any Ghost…. I think you've been seeing a Paraform !" Chioma responded, stroking her chin.

"That's what you saw when we were heading to the Library, right?" Chioma frightfully added.

"Y…yy..yes!" Yetunde stuttered, fixing her gaze upon Chioma.

"What's a Paraform?" Vanessa and Reynolds curiously inquired.

"A Paraform is basically a ghost/spirit that for some reason didn't move on into the afterlife and then gets influenced by Negative energy present in our world, thereby morphing them into dark spirits!" Chioma frantically explained.

"Alright!" Rey commented, almost dozing off.

"Why is a Paraform haunting Yetunde?" Vanessa curiously inquired.

"I don't think it's haunting me!" Yetunde promptly replied.

"I think it's haunting the school…" She added.

"…And you're the only one who can see it!" Chioma politely interrupted.

"That must be the reason why you got Mental Fatigue…. The pure Negative energy that oozes out of a Paraform can easily kill and weaken individuals weaker than it. You must have had a hard time, trying to negate it's effects on you!" Chioma explained, wearing gravely worried expression.

"Why?" Reynolds suddenly blurted

"What do you mean?" Vanessa inquired, staring at Rey.

"I mean, why is it only Yetunde that can see this Paraform thing… and why is it haunting the school?" Reynolds curiously inquired, staring at both girls.

"I dunno!" Vanessa said, immediately shrugging her shoulders.

"I guess we've got a mystery on our hands!" Chioma answered, wearing an excited smirk.

"We're gonna find what that thing is and why it's here!" Reynolds excitedly exclaimed.

"Yes, that's right?" Vanessa responded.

"And when we find it, we'll destroy it!" Vanessa yelled, wearing a sinister grin, scaring everyone present in the ward.

Suddenly, The Nursery from earlier walked in, beaming with joy. "I've got Good news! She said

"What is it?" Yetunde inquired, fixating her attention on the cheerful nurse.

"Since you're alright, I guess you're free to go!" The Nurse said.

"Okay, thanks Ma'am!" Yetunde commented, wearing a bright smile.

"You're welcome!" The Nurse answered, exiting the room.

"Who is she calling Ma'am. Don't she knows that I'm still freaking young. Well not as young as her but… Ahhh, whatever?" The Nurse thought to herself, as she exited the room.

"Alright guys, let's get going!"

At Night,

Solaris Academy Park.

A young male student was seen cowering through the park in the darkness. Judging by his appearance and dress pattern, it was easy to deduce that the young youth in the dark was Oliver. He was soon accosted by a couple guys, who were two times talked and larger than him.

"Oliver, you're late!" The apparent of the group said while he maniacally cackled.

"I'm really sorry Hendrik!"