Chapter 22: Who was the light and the shadow?
In the beginning, there was life... and where there was life, there was death. As surely as the sun gives way to night, the birth of life cast its first shadow.
Zone Zero—established as far back as memory dared to stretch.
Its name may have changed with the tides of eras and empires, but its purpose remained the same. It all began when the first cursed entity was born into this world.
Once a hidden arm of ruling empires, it now thrived behind the facades of private sectors and silent institutions—still watching, still waiting, still doing its duty all across the globe.
According to the Headmaster, Zone Zero was where all trained shamans—exorcists, wardens, and mediums alike—served. Most of them had not only undergone intensive training but had started in the same place:
Refined Arts Academy.
From the outside, it appeared to be just another private school. But those within its walls knew the truth—it held a program unlike any other. In fact, its ordinary appearance was by design.
Those who needed it—those born with "gifts," or haunted by what others couldn't see—could find it. Hidden in plain sight.
There, students were taught about the world within the world. A hidden realm of spirits, shadows, and curses. They learned to understand their abilities... and how to survive them.
And when they "luckily" graduated, they were given a choice: to join Zone Zero in full—or serve as a "part-time," supporting from the outside. Those who committed fully were known as Agents, like Danika, Amon... and that irritatingly famous Stefan.
The ones who chose a more "normal" life often became valuable contributors to society. Some were hidden experts in niche fields. Others? Celebrities. Public figures Mikel would never have guessed—until now.