Stands Within [Stories of Kawali Series 1]

Chapter 5: Nightmare Zai Heaven (2)

The surrounding windows connected to the white walls immediately closed, along with the beige curtains. The lights were killed, and the cloudy sky only helped darken the surroundings, intensifying the atmosphere. The doors behind the group were shut and locked tightly, and Lei Lao Shi took out her Stand, Nightmare Zai Heaven, a humanoid stand with glowing red eyes, a creepy smile, long blue hair representing the galaxy, a white cape wrapped around its lower body, a dark chain around its hands and feet, and dark particles emitting from it, just like Darkheart.

A dark, thin rope immediately shot out and wrapped itself around someone who was on Keith's right. The person was then pulled straight into her, leaving no trace of their existance. Keith took out Darkheart, and pulled Vanetta towards him just as she was about to be grabbed by the ropes. He managed to save Meagan, Derick, Gladwin, and Jordan, his friend in grade 7; along with 2 teachers, Sir Edi, his Physics teacher, and Pak Agus, his Physical Education teacher. Just as he was about to save Louis, his grade 9 friend, both of them were instantly grasped by the ropes, being pulled in.

"No use already, Keith! Leave him, and try to save those you've already saved before!" Vanetta shouted. Keith then let go of Louis, not without sadness in his eyes, and broke free from the ropes. As a darkness coursed near them, Keith used Darkheart to punch the floor, repelling the darkness. A hidden strength surged within him, as he ran straight at Lei Lao Shi.

"You're approaching me? Foolish." she said as she took her Stand and prepared a punch. Both sides threw their first attack, and surprisingly, both attacks seemed the same, with equal power. She turned her Stand into a sword, as Keith backed up a little bit. "Don't come any closer, guys. She'll only use that to her advantage." he said to the group. As she swung the sword straight at him, he dodged the attack, to find out it had glitch particles around it.

"Is it time that's being altered, or is it space?" he asked. He used Darkheart to get a hit in, and barraged her very quickly. "Seems like the darkness helps her, but it helps me too." he thought, before ending the barrage with a follow-up punch. He got back to the group, and the swirling darkness appeared around them again. "You will not escape." Lei said.

Keith tried to repel the darkness, this time to no avail. He then said, in a calm tone, "Unfortunately, that fact is false. The shadows are united, and that leads to my first Stand ability."

He held everyone, like a bear hugging a group of kids, then shouted, "Darkheart: Shadow Travel!" They instantly disappeared as the lights in his classroom went out and the darkness created by Lei Lao Shi missed everyone. Every person Keith saved was taken towards the classroom in an instant, sitting down on the chairs he had already positioned earlier. In the darkness, before they all arrived on the chairs, Darkheart had swallowed 8 chairs and set them in such a way they would be facing everyone. As the lights came on, everyone else was surprised, Daniel shouting, "Anj*r* nih** what the f**k how the f**k did you come here?!?"

Meagan said, "Woi***, we just survive death lah, go easy on us." She seemed a bit scared, but decided to act as if she feared nothing.

"Exactly." Keith said, "Lei Lao Shi has a Stand and she nearly killed us all."

Just like the time he announced that Meagan had a Stand, all eyes were on him. He continued, "Each one of us in this circle is a Stand user, meaning we have a special power inside us. I guess this new reality does bring a new tyrant after all."

"So, Keith, how do we beat her?" Sir Edi asked, eager to listen.

"Based on what she usually does, its unlikely she would kill the students she captured. She would most likely be controlling them with some sort of chip, just like Dio controlling Kakyoin and Polnareff with a flesh bud. Meaning that if we want to win, we would have to beat every other Stand user in this school, and then we get to Lei Lao Shi."

"Sounds good to me. Anyone else?" Jordan asked.

Everyone in the group agreed. Meanwhile, the non-Stand users were either playing or watching in the background.

"Then let's prepare. Class should be starting by now, and we have to attend them. Fights may break out any time." Keith said, adjourning the meeting. The lights went out again, and by the time they went back on, Sir Edi, Pak**** Agus, Gladwin, Derick and Jordan had disappeared the same way they appeared, and the chairs were back in their original position.

*an Indonesian swear word

**Indonesian for 'here'

***Indonesian for 'hey' in an annoyed tone

****Indonesian for 'sir'

(yes i know i'm putting in too many notes)