Alicia, Nadia, and Nathan gathered in silence. The candles barely gave off any light, and the windows were covered—no one wanted to risk being seen by "Leon.""It's not him", Nadia said quietly, her voice too controlled for someone who had barely survived." It really isn't Leon. When he speaks, when he looks… he only wears his face. But inside… it's the General."
Alicia nodded."We have to stop him. But not with a banishing ritual—he's too deep inside him. We have to weaken the General first. We have to weaken his source of power."
"The spirits ", Nathan whispered. "The ones you saw in the catacombs?"
"Yes", Alicia confirmed. "They feed him. They keep him here. Their pain. Their fear. Their sacrifice. If we free them, his bond with this place will start to crumble."
"And how do we free them?", he asked. "We can't just open the doors for them. They're trapped by rituals from generations ago. Magic forced on the medium."
"In my previous reincarnation", Alicia added "she… had no choice. But I do. And I know how to break her seals. It's within me. I remember some of those signs. Words. Hand movements."
Everyone looked at her with a mixture of respect and unease.
"It will exhaust you". Nathan said cautiously. "And we don't know what the General will do when he senses he's losing power."
"He might attack", Nadia muttered. "Or he might retreat. But one thing is certain—if we manage to free even a single soul, we'll have the advantage."
Nathan lifted his head."Then tomorrow night, we go back down to the catacombs. But this time, not just for answers."
"This time for confrontation", Alicia said. "Without Leon. Because if he appears… it won't be Leon anymore."
Nadia closed the notebook.
"And if it all works… Leon might still come back. But if not…" she trailed off. "We have to be ready to stop him."
A heavy, understanding silence fell over the room.The candles cast trembling shadows on Maria's old book and the notes spread across the table. Tension hung in the air—each of them knew that what they were planning could be their last chance.
Nadia slowly read the ritual from the dusty scroll, while Alicia and Nathan discussed the crucial steps.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the doorway. It was Leon. He stood motionless, with a stony expression, as if he had no will of his own. His eyes glowed with a cold light."Thought you could act without me?" The voice, though Leon's, carried something alien, menacing. "The General sees your moves. He knows your plans."
Alicia and Nadia blinked in surprise; Nathan stepped back slightly."It's not Leon", Nadia whispered, staring at him. "It's him."
Leon stepped forward, and the shadow behind him seemed to grow.
"Perhaps you'll try to stop me", he said coldly. "But this time, I decide who lives and who dies."
The silence became almost tangible, as if the whole world had held its breath.
Leon stood in the middle of the room, but it was no longer Leon. It was the General, cold and full of contempt, his eyes blazing with icy fire."Nadia", he hissed, his voice echoing from a hundred years ago. "You, reincarnation of Hanna. Innocent, weak… yet so close to my heart."
Nadia felt her heart race, memories flickering indistinctly through her mind—shadows of the past she had feared."Soon you'll be mine forever", the General said, advancing step by step toward her. "I can't wait to possess you again, to enslave you as I did a hundred years ago."
Alicia noticed that Nadia was trembling but unyielding. Her eyes shone with determination."We won't let you", she blurted out. "We're here to end this."
The General smiled coldly."That will be your doom, Hanna. And all of yours."
Nathan stood beside Alice, ready to act."We won't let you. We'll do everything to free Leon—and you—from his curse. You'd better leave while you still can."
The General laughed."I'm already here. And I'm going nowhere."
His figure began to blur as he retreated, until he vanished entirely, leaving behind an icy chill and a silence full of fear but also renewed determination.
The silence hung heavily in the air, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Each of them tried to piece together what had just happened.
Alicia turned to Nathan, who stood stiffly, yet with a noticeable glint in his eyes."You know, Nathan", she began with a slight smile "you're becoming less the coward you once were. I really admire that you stand to fight, even when it means confronting… whoever is wearing Leon's body."
Nathan looked down at his hands, then lifted his head, meeting Alicia's gaze."I want to fight for Leon", he said quietly, but decisively. "Because he's my roommate. I've grown to really like him. And I miss him. Miss who he was."
Alicia patted his shoulder lightly."It's good to have something worth fighting for. That will give all of us strength."
Nadia stood beside them, feeling that despite the fear and danger, hope was rising in their small group."We have to be strong", she said "for Leon, for all of us."
"Preparations begin. Tomorrow night, we go down to the catacombs. We can't let the General have the upper hand."
The group drew closer together, the candlelight illuminating their faces—tired, but determined.
***
Outside the tall windows, the first snow was falling—quiet, light, still uncertain, but heralding the coming winter. The icy flakes reflected off the panes, while the interior of the hall was warm and full of chatter.
The club students sat around a large table, shouting over each other in an animated discussion. Among them were Sebastian, bent over a notebook, Roksana beside him—a feisty, energetic blonde—and opposite them, Leon. Or rather, the General.
Leon lounged casually in his chair, observing the group with a half-smile. His gaze lingered on Roksana for a moment—too long, too boldly. Sebastian noticed and ground his teeth, but said nothing."What if, instead of this boring annual dinner, we held a masquerade?" Leon suggested, adjusting the cuff of his sweatshirt. "With music, illusions, lights. Let the school forget for one evening that we're trapped here like in a jar."
Silence fell over the room. Everyone looked at each other, then at Leon."That… sounds really great", said one of the girls at the back, lifting her head from her notes.
"Finally, someone with an idea!", added a boy from the photography club. "I'd love to do a retro-themed photoshoot."
Roksana smiled faintly."Leon, maybe you should run for club president. You've got charisma."
Leon narrowed his eyes and nodded like a king receiving his due tribute."Well, since you ask…"
Sebastian clenched his pencil, unable to believe what was happening. He could see that this was not the Leon he knew. This boy was different. Too confident, too brazen. Yet everyone applauded him.
Amid the laughter and excitement, no one noticed that the snow outside had stopped being light. It began falling heavily, as if something greater was approaching, inexorably.
***
Sebastian walked beside Roksana, who was carrying several notebooks. Outside, the snow was falling thickly, and the cold air seeped through the slightly open corridor doors."Roksana, I need to talk to you," Sebastian began cautiously, glancing at her from beneath his furrowed brows. "Something's wrong with Leon. This… isn't him."
Roksana frowned, stopped, and turned to him."What do you mean it's not him? Leon was always a bit… you know, arrogant," she said with a slight smile. "But what I saw today was different. Too confident. Almost like someone was trying to pretend."
Sebastian sighed and looked at her with gratitude."Exactly. From what I heard from our roommate, it's the General — an evil spirit has taken control of him. I don't know how long he'll be able to hide it. But we need to do something before he hurts someone."
Roksana placed her hand on his shoulder, her voice softening."I know it's hard, Sebastian. Someone worse than you… but just accept it. Evil spirit? Possession? Give me a break."
Sebastian smiled shyly."I'm serious, Roksana."
She shook her head with a smile.
Outside, the snow fell heavier, and their footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.
***
The room was bathed in dim light, the curtains barely letting in the moonlight. Nadia sat on the bed alone, hunched over a book, trying to focus, when suddenly the door burst open.
Leon entered — but it wasn't Leon. It was the General, radiating a cold, menacing glow."Nadia," his voice was low, filled with contempt. "You still don't understand who you're dealing with."
The girl stood, trying to compose herself."What do you want?" she asked, though her heart was racing.
"Simple," he replied, stepping toward her. "Either you're on my side, or I'll kill the first person who stands in my way."
Nadia felt fear intertwine with determination."I will never be your pawn."
The General smiled coldly."Naive. You have no choice."
In an instant, he grabbed her and pulled her toward him without asking. His lips met hers in a brutal kiss devoid of any feeling — a display of power and domination.
Nadia barely managed to pull her head back, gasping for breath."Remember," the General whispered, stepping back with a dark gleam in his eyes, "this is only the beginning."
He disappeared as quickly as he had come, leaving Nadia alone, trembling and terrified, but more ready than ever to fight.
***
Nadia sat on the bed, still pale and trembling, while Alicja, Natan, and Sebastian gathered around her, listening intently."He came in suddenly," she began, her voice shaking but determined. "He threatened that if I didn't take his side, he would kill the first person."
Alicja clenched her hands into fists."He's a monster. We can't let this happen."
Natan looked at Nadia with concern."How do you feel? Is there anything we can do to help?"
Nadia shook her head."I have to be strong. For all of us. But… it was terrifying. And that kiss… as if he wanted to show me he's above me."
Sebastian stood, resolute."He has no right to treat us like this. We have to stop him before he does something worse. The worst part is that Roksana doesn't believe me, and in the club, everyone admires him and wants him as president."
Alicja looked at all of them."Together, we can do this. He won't win."
A tense silence hung in the room, broken only by the soft murmur of the winter wind outside. Yet in their eyes burned a fire — ready to fight for themselves and for Leon.
The night in the school was deep and heavy, pierced only by the gentle rustle of the winter wind outside the windows. Suddenly, a quiet but terrifying snap came from one of the rooms — the door had slammed open violently.
Moments later, screams and shouts echoed through the corridors. One of the students had been found dead, hanging by a rope in their room. The news of the tragedy spread quickly through the school. No one doubted — it was a suicide.
The students gathered in the hallway, whispering to one another, uncertain what to think. At the center stood Nadia, pale and frightened, but trying to maintain her composure.
Suddenly, just behind her, Leon appeared. Cold, elusive, and yet filled with dread."The first victim…" the General's voice whispered like a chilling wind cutting through Nadia's body. "…and there will be a second. And a third. Everything depends on you."
The girl froze, feeling her heart race wildly in her chest."If you don't take my side, more will fall. Remember that well."
The General vanished as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Nadia alone with her growing terror.