CHAPTER 40: WELCOME TO EUPHORIA

[Euphoria—]

The magical airship coach descended through silver clouds like a drifting titan of the skies. Its metal hull shimmered with enchanted sigils, glowing faintly against the dim horizon.

Majestic yet strangely ominous, the vessel landed with a deep, metallic groan— the kind that felt ancient, like something that had lived long enough to hold memories.

For seven hours, the students of Monster Academy had flown in restless anticipation, eager to reach the legendary city of Galveston—a place of magic, history, and the upcoming Trials.

Excitement had thrummed through the airship like constant electricity. Laughter, whispered plans, banter about battle formations, it had all made the long journey feel like a beginning.

But as the floating gangway descended, and the heavy doors opened, and the mood shifted.

The smell came first— a strange sweetness mixed with earth. Flowers. Lots of them. Too many. The air tasted like nectar and shadows.

One by one, students stepped out onto the soil— and froze observing the whole environment.

This wasn’t Galveston.

Galveston was a sprawling magical metropolis by the Crystal Coast, known for floating towers and silver bridges. But this... this place was nothing like that.

The earth here was black iron soil, almost metallic in color, soft like ash but solid beneath their boots.

Giant trees with dark blue bark stretched toward the sky, their leaves glowing violet under a sunless sky. And everywhere— were flowers. Fields of them, wild and unnatural— crimson, silver, black, deep sapphire, all breathing faint pulses of magic, as if watching the people.

It was painfully beautiful.

But something was wrong. Deeply wrong.

Stephanie was the first to speak up, her sharp eyes scanning the alien landscape. "This isn’t Galveston." Her voice cut through the silence like a blade.

Students looked around, with confusion growing. Valkyrie and her friends exchanged uncertain glances. Bulb narrowed his eyes. Sky frowned. Jasmine’s hand instinctively fell to the hilt of her crystal knife she had brought in case .

Stephanie turned sharply to face Principal Camila. "This is not Galveston," she repeated firmly. "I...I’ve studied Galveston. The flora, the terrain and the climate...this doesn’t match any of it. We’re not even in the same region."

Camila didn’t speak at first. Neither did Darren.

She stepped forward, hands behind her back, her posture still and controlled. Her flawless gold hair moved slightly with the breeze as she studied her students. Her eyes was cold and calculating, and they didn’t blink, Not one bit.

Darren came to stand beside her, his arms folded. His presence was silent but heavy.

Camila finally spoke.

"No, Stephanie," she said calmly. "This is not Galveston."

Murmurs broke through the crowd.

"What?" People whispered....

"They lied to us?....."

"Where even are we?....."

"Is this a test?.... I wanna go home already...." It grew louder and even louder.

Confusion turned into unease. The wind stirred the dark flowers, making them whisper like silk.

Stephanie straightened, her expression sharp. "Then where are we?"

Camila’s eyes swept across the assembled students. When she finally spoke again, her words were weighted with meaning.

"We are in Euphoria."

Gasps erupted.

Euphoria.

A realm whispered about in academy books— a legendary haven lost to time. A land of ancient magic. A world untouched by civilization for centuries.

But also a graveyard of explorers.

Darren stepped forward, his voice even and controlled. "Galveston was a decoy location. Euphoria is our real destination."

Anger broke out next.

"What kind of trick is this?"

"Why lie to us?"

"This wasn’t part of the mission briefing!"

Stephanie clenched her jaw. "With all due respect, Principal Camila, Principal Darren...why deceive us?"

Camila met her gaze steadily. "Because there is a traitor among us."

Silence descended like thunder.

Every heartbeat seemed to stop.

She continued. "For months, I have been aware of someone within this academy acting against us. Someone who has been working with external forces. Someone who knows things they shouldn’t."

Her tone was controlled. Unflinching. Yet Calculated.

She let her words linger— long enough for the weight of them to settle.

"Three weeks ago," she said, "someone broke into my office. Someone tampered with restricted files." Her voice sharpened. "Including the Galveston pairing list."

Valkyrie tensed.

Ball’s eyes flickered.

Sky’s expression tightened, though he tried to hide it.

Stephanie folded her arms in what felt like frustration or guilt?. "So Galveston was a trap?"

"No," Darren said flatly. "Galveston was bait."

He looked around the crowd slowly, his eyes analyzing every face.

"We knew the traitor would find out where we were going next. We knew they would try to make a move. So we gave them the wrong location."

Camila nodded. "This misdirection was necessary to ensure everyone’s safety. Until the infiltrator is identified, all field operations must be conducted with secrecy."

"You lied to us," May said coldly.

"Yes," Camila replied without hesitation. "For your own protection."

More whispers started to rise, more unrest— but then Darren stepped forward again, and his voice sliced straight through the noise.

"This isn’t the time to panic," he said, deadly calm. "You are not children. You are warriors in training. Adapt, or be destroyed. Those are the only rules that matter beyond these walls."

The crowd went quiet.

Camila continued. "This mission remains exactly what was stated— an external evaluation of your performance and teamwork. Only the location has changed."

"And the purpose," Darren added. "Euphoria is not a tourist ground. It is a living realm of ancient magic— untamed and unpredictable. Anyone who treats this as a field trip will regret before nightfall."

His words struck like warning bells. No one laughed. No one rolled their eyes. The threat in his voice was real.

A low wind swept over the field of flowers—dark petals lifting, swirling around them in a spiral like a silent omen.

Stephanie stepped forward again, her eyes narrowed. "If this is Euphoria... where specifically are we?"

Camila looked beyond the trees, where distant ruins stood like bones against the horizon.

"The Outer Veil," she said. "The only part of Euphoria safe for structured entry. Beyond that point lies the Inner Territory— untouched by human civilization. That area is forbidden."

Her voice dipped lower.

"And under no circumstance should any of you cross the Boundary Line. Do so... and even I will be unable to retrieve you."

Some students exchanged nervous glances. Others tried to act unmoved.

"The enemy we’re hunting isn’t outside these walls," Camila said slowly, her gaze sweeping over the rows of students as silence thickened around them. "I believe they fought to be part of this mission..." she said taking a quick glance on all the faces she wasn’t familiar with, Anita, Suki, Temper, Punch, Ball, Mona, Sky, Rosé and even Stephenie. Then she continued

"...They schemed, manipulated, and forced their way onto this team— specifically to stand among us, to move when we move, to strike when we least expect it. Whoever tampered with academy security isn’t just hiding anymmore. They’re sending a message, they believe we have no clue, they believe we’re dumb. But they have no idea"She concluded with a slight fierce look on her face.

Darren stepped forward, voice low and controlled. "Understand what that means, this traitor isn’t a rumor, and they are not watching from afar. They may be here. On this sacred ground, Wearing our uniform. And Breathing the same air as you."

There was a pause and suspense in the air for a few minutes, before Darren finally lifted one hand and pointed to the field, breaking up the atmosphere "Retrieve your gear. And make your tents, Devil’s. take the west wing..."

"...And Angels, take the East wing" Camila Commanded.

"The Teams will assemble in 20 hours... We we’ll be around, watching, so little ones. Survive" Darren finally concluded as they vanished.

The head instructors turned away, already speaking in low voices about perimeter wards and field rotations.

Sky was silent with his friends, he was just observing Valkyrie the whole time and the way she hasn’t noticed him yet, But I guess he was waiting on the right time to draw her attention.

Ball slipped back into the crowd unnoticed. Valkyrie’s friends began murmuring behind her, but she barely heard them. Her mind was racing, cause something among these walls was calling on her.

This wasn’t a mission anymore. This was a hunt. And someone on this airship... had come here to betray them all. The question remains...Who is the TRAITOR?"