Chapter 51, Atticus's story.
Robin and Alexis ran into the infirmary and found that Atticus was already awake, he was sitting up in bed while rubbing his head as if he had a headache.
"Atticus" said Alexis as she ran up to her brother and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, "Alexis, what's going on" asked Atticus sounding very confused.
"I was so worried about you" said Alexis who was crying tears of joy, Suddenly Atticus seemed to remember something "Wait, where am I" he asked, "Duel academy, you're in the infirmary" answered Alexis.
"Thank god that someone found me" thought Atticus as more of his mind returned to him, just then Atticus noticed that Alexis was wearing a Duel academy uniform, "Wait a second, Alexis isn't old enough to be a student here, unless".
"Alexis, how long was I gone" asked Atticus sounding very worried, "About a year and a half" said Alexis as she finally let go of Atticus, "A year and a half" said a very surprised Atticus.
"Atticus it was so horrible without you, I thought you was dead" said Alexis sounding ashamed at herself, "Its ok I'm back now, just tell me what happened" said Atticus.
Alexis told Atticus everything that had happened while he was gone, she told him about the papers that their parents had signed to say that he never existed, she told him about how she had runaway and then come to Duel academy in the hopes of finding him, by the time that Alexis was done Atticus was almost stunned into silence.
"They really signed something like that" asked Atticus unable to believe that his own parents would do that, Alexis nodded sadly the memory of that day still made her angry, Atticus noticed that Alexis was troubled by this so he changed the subject.
"So how did you find me anyway" asked Atticus, "Well, we didn't exactly find you" said Alexis, "What do you mean" asked Atticus, Alexis took a deep breath before explained what had happened.
"Atticus the people who kidnapped you, they did something to you, they brainwashed you or something like that and turned you into someone called Nightshroud, you didn't know who you was, you didn't even recognise me, and then you attacked me and Robin" explained Alexis.
Atticus was horrified at what he heard, the thought that he had attacked his own sister was pure torture to him, then Atticus realised that there was one part of Alexis's sentence that he didn't know about, "Wait, who's Robin" he asked.
"That would be me" said Robin who up until now had been staying at the back of the room as to not interrupt the siblings reunion, "Atticus this is my friend Robin, he helped me look for you when I first got here, and he's the one who stopped you while you was Nightshroud" explained Alexis.
"Really, well thanks for helping my sister, hang on I didn't hurt you when we fought did I" said Atticus sounding horrified at the thought, Robin thought about the burn scars that was hidden by his gloves, "Nothing fatal" said Robin deciding that in the end Atticus wasn't the one responsible for his injuries.
Robin sat down on one of the nearby beds, "Atticus I know that it might be a little early to be asking this, but is there anything you remember about being kidnapped that could help us" he said.
Atticus tried to remember what happened that day, "I remember that I was asked to go to the basement of the blue dorm, there was supposed to be some kind of test there" he said.
Atticus held his head as if he was in pain, "When I got there the whole place was covered in some kind of weird symbols, it looked like something from a cult, I tried to leave but the door shut behind me, it was as if someone had locked it" continued Atticus.
"Then some kind of black slime came out of the symbols, I tried to get away but there was nowhere to go, the next I remember was being in a place that was completely black" said Atticus.
Atticus's headache seemed to increase as he continued to remember what had happened, "I heard a voice, someone said that they could save me if I helped them unleash something called the Sacred beasts", this part got the attention of both Robin and Alexis.
"There was something about this person, I knew that they was up to something so I refused" said Atticus, Atticus suddenly started to hug himself it seemed that the next part was quiet traumatic, Alexis placed her hand on Atticus's shoulder calming him down.
"They tortured me, I don't know how much time passed but I never gave in, I just couldn't help someone like that, finally they said that they had found a way to make me obedient and that's the last thing that I remember, the next thing I know I'm waking up here" said Atticus finishing his story.
"I guess that must be when they removed your mind and replaced in with Nightshroud's" said Alexis, "Alexis, I'm sorry for whatever I did during that time" said Atticus, "Don't worry about that, it wasn't you" said Alexis trying to reassure her brother.
"This voice that you heard in the darkness, do you know who it was, did you recognise them" asked Robin thirsty for more information, "I'm sorry, but it was a voice that I'd never heard before" said Atticus.
Suddenly Atticus's eyes widened as he remembered something, "Wait there is one thing, I don't know who the voice in the darkness was, but I do know who asked me to go to the basement that day" he said.
"Who was it" asked both Robin and Alexis together, "It was Professor Banner, he even asked me in person" said Atticus surprising the two, "Professor Banner, but why would he do that, it doesn't make any sense" said Alexis, "Unless he's working with the Shadow riders" said Robin.
All three of their faces turned pure white as they realised what this could mean, "We need to find Professor Banner now" said Robin.
The three ran out of the infirmary determined to find Banner, Robin stopped one of the students who was passing, "Have you seen Banner" he asked, "No" answered the student, "Have you seen Banner" Alexis asked another student, "No" answered the student.
"HAS ANYONE SEEN BANNER" shouted Atticus so that everyone could hear him, "Yeah, I think that he's in his office" said one student amongst the crowd.
The three quickly began to run towards Professor Banner's office, along the way they saw Jaden and Chazz entering one of Professor Sartyr's classes along with many other students.
Robin grabbed Jaden and Chazz by the back of their collars and pulled them away from the group of students, "You two come with us" said Robin, "Hey, what's going on" asked an annoyed Chazz, "We'll explain on the way" said Robin.
Robin, Alexis and Atticus explained to Jaden and Chazz that they believed that Banner may have something to do with the Shadow riders, Chazz was sceptical and Jaden straight up didn't believe them.
"You guys are crazy, Professor Banner would never do something like that" said Jaden, "What makes you so sure" said Robin, "Well he's on our side isn't he" stated Jaden, "That could just be what he wants us to think" said Robin.
The group soon reached Professor Banner's office, Jaden attempted to open the door only to find that it was locked, "It's locked, maybe Chancellor Sheppard has a spare key" said Jaden.
However before anyone could even suggest asking Sheppard for help Robin stepped forward and with one swift movement kicked the door open, "Or we could just do that" said Jaden.
Banner's office was very quiet, however everyone could see that Professor Banner was inside, he was sitting in his chair facing away from them, he hadn't even reacted to Robin kicking his door open.
"Professor Banner we want to have a word with you" said Robin as he walked up to the chair, Banner gave no response, a slightly annoyed Robin grabbed Banner's chair and spun it around so that Banner would be facing them.
Everyone had an immediate reaction at what they saw, Robin jumped back in shock, Alexis shrieked, Jaden fainted, Chazz turned pure white and was almost sick, and Atticus was stunned into silence.
Professor Banner was in his chair, but his body was limp and his face was pale, there was a large knife lodged in Banner's chest and he was covered in blood, Professor Banner was dead.
Everyone was silent for a moment until Robin finally said something, "Somebody call Chancellor Sheppard" he said sounding just as shocked as the others was.
Within less than an hour Chancellor Sheppard had the security team remove Banner's body from his office and then clean the room up so that it looked like nothing had happened.
Sheppard was pale and clearly worried as he turned to the group who had found the body, "Listen to me, you can't tell anyone about this" he said, "What are you talking about, someone murdered Professor Banner" said Jaden.
"I know that, but if anyone found out about this then the school's reputation would be ruined" said Sheppard, "And how do you plan on explaining to everyone that Banner just disappeared" said Robin.
Sheppard thought for a moment, "Professor Banner left on an important business trip, but on the way his boat sunk and he drowned" said Sheppard clearly making the story up as he went along.
Alexis was clearly disturbed by the fact that Sheppard was trying to just cover up Banner's death, just like her brother's disappearance had been covered up, "Do you really expect us to just go along with that lie" said Alexis.
"Look if this gets out then the whole school could be closed" said Sheppard, "I'm starting to think that this place should be closed" thought Robin, "No way, if this place closes then what will happen to all of the students" asked Jaden.
"I don't know, I guess they'll go back to wherever they was before coming here" said Sheppard, this clearly disturbed everyone as they all knew that some of the students had nowhere to go.
"Don't worry I won't say anything" said Jaden not wanting to lose his place in this school, "I know how to keep my mouth shut" said Chazz remembering some of the things that his brothers had done that he kept secret.
"Ok, I'll keep this quiet, but remember this Sheppard, you owe me one" said Robin making the last part very clear, Sheppard reluctantly agreed.
"I won't say anything, but on one condition" said Atticus, "And what's that" asked Sheppard clearly worried about what Atticus wanted, "I want to return to Duel academy as a student" said Atticus.
Sheppard was surprised he had expected Atticus to want a lot more especially after the school had covered up his disappearance, a few members of the group assumed that Atticus wanted to re-enter Duel academy for the education, but the truth was that he wanted to keep an eye on Alexis and make sure that nothing happened to her now that he knew how dangerous this island could be.
"If you agree to that then I'll stay quiet as well" said Alexis, "Ok deal" said Sheppard clearly relieved that they all agree not to say anything.
By now it was starting to get late and everyone would soon have to return to their dorms, Atticus returned to the infirmary since Nurse Fontaine wanted to make sure that he was ok before he was released.
Chazz decided to head back to the Slifer dorm a little early so that he wouldn't have to listen to Jaden for the entire walk back.
However while Chazz was walking back to his dorm he failed to notice that there was someone watching him from the shadows.
