As the door creeks open, I hold my hands to my face, blocking out some of the light. I grit my teeth, inhaling a salty, metallic taste. The hair on my arms, neck, and back stands on end the further I move from my holding spot.
I drop my hands, steadying my gaze on what stands before me. The pink barrier, its black outline sticking out like a sore thumb, greets me with a taunting presence. No wonder there is a sense of urgency to merge Riko and Tengen. My stomach churns at this thought!
An occupation created from people's worse fears and sustained by people who use each other to maintain power. What a deplorable cycle! Now I get why mum and dad argued over my training.
It is too dangerous! Sharah, you know what happened when we found out we were having a daughter.
Jorgen, I would feel more comfortable if we trained her and let her decide to continue or not when she is older. There is no telling how long we will be in her life. I want to prepare her for the worst-case scenario.
And what about you Sharah?
I curl up my fists. Blood drains from my hands as I inhale, exhale, and repeat. Now is not the time to remanence on my parents' love and devotion to their family. Nor is it the place to blame others for what is unfolding.
With my eyes cast to the floor, I bolt headfirst through the barrier. Every fiber in my body feels like Jell-O. My lungs quiver under the barrier's weight. I push forward despite the discomfort.
I notice light-pink railroad tracks running up my arms as I emerge from the barrier. My hands find my knees, preventing my body from collapsing. Before my thoughts get carried away, I scan the environment.
Trees litter the entry to the school. Fly heads roam freely, ignoring my presence. Blood hovers in the air like a heavy fog. Something catches my attention, making me break into a run.
"Stay with me!" My breathing comes out in short puffs. I skid on my knees, the same way a baseball player does when they slide into Homeplate when I am a few inches away from him.
I place a hand on his chest, sending waves of cursed energy into Satoru's bloodstream. Water pricks at the corners of my eyes but, I shake some sense into myself. If I hit an artery or vital organ with cursed energy, it is game over. My eyes go dark when the sound of footsteps bounces off in the distance.
I put my lips to Satoru's ear and whisper "you got it from here." A creepy smile forms on my face as I dart off.
The attacker will pay in blood!
By the time I make it downstairs, my blood boils in my veins. The adrenaline jacks up my excitement. I veer right, weaving between ceiling-high mausoleums.
I steady my breathing and pounce on his back without a second thought. My body slides across the roof tiles, forcing blood out of my mouth. With shaky legs, I stand up. As his gun comes into view, I shield my face and grab hold of his wrist. I am pistol-whipped in the chest!
While gasping for air, I land, back first, on the ground. Just as I look up, my teeth meet his fist; I relax my body as he gets in another punch.
"Put more effort into your attacks." He scoffs while kicking my face. "I thought you lot were tougher than this." His footsteps grow lighter and lighter.
My face twitches into a smile as I slowly get up. I follow the echoes to another part of the corridors. With each step, my smile grows bigger and bigger. The excitement of hunting and being hunted, makes my heart leap.
I shake my head, freezing in place at my own musings; to think I used to loath being chased. Now, the tables have turned. Through double vision, I see Suguru's and Riko's silhouettes. My hand never leaves the injury on my left hip as I sway to and fro.
"Oh my!" I fall into Suguru's arms while trying to catch my breath.
Before Riko can take a step forward, I tackle her to the ground. A bullet grazes my shoulder!
"Humph. Missed my target."
I struggle to stop us before we tumble down the stairs. My heart pounds in my ears, while blood swooshes in my mouth. At this rate, we will both meet our maker! I grab Riko into my chest before pushing her through a halo of yellow light.
Crash.
"Blaise!" The last thing I hear before the world around me goes dark.
Hey, it's Lithuila, leave a message. "Lithuila, I am sorry. I am sorry for dragging you down and getting us separated after moving to Japan. When I am gone, I hope your life gets better. I love you."
"Zyler?" I bat my eyes open, forgetting how to breathe. As my body convulses, I focus my eyes on the revolving ceiling.
"What did you do with the Star Plasma Vessel?" I squint my eyes and form a tight line with my lips. "I know you can hear me since you called me Zyler a moment ago."
I mentally face-palm myself before grabbing my chest and coughing up blood. The click-click sounds draw my attention to his sinister face. My heart drops to my stomach, and my eyes widen after spotting Suguru's limp hand near the top of the stairs.
"What...what have you done?" I manage to spit out.
"One," A beam of purple light makes the assaulter fly before he counts to two.
I hug my knees, burying my face in my muscular quads. A warm, sensation trickles down my legs as my body starts convulsing again. The crashing and banging bouncing off the walls make me want to shout! When I open my mouth, nothing comes out.
As the noises grow louder, I roll onto my side, tucking myself into a tighter ball. Covering my ears is futile as the noises vibrate right next to me. A river of water runs down my face, making me hate myself.
"Where is Riko?" Satoru's stern tone chimes in my ears.
I keep my eyes closed. "Leave me alone!" Gentle sniffs escape my nose.
"Where is she, Santa-Clara?" I shake my head while maintaining the fetal position. Suddenly I jump to my feet, punching Satoru in the jaw. I go in for a second swing, only to be stopped by his infinity.
My eyes bulge out of their sockets when I see his green eyes staring into space.
"Suguru!" I move toward the steps, tripping to the ground.
"What the mighty heck is going on? Is it asking too much for people to clean up their own messes?" I ask in a low, quivering tone.
Silence.
"He is in the infirmary being taken care of as we speak." I lay flat on my stomach. "Now, where is Riko? You teleported her..."
"It is not safe to talk here." The coolness of the tiles makes me sniffle. "Please refrain from mocking me. I have enough control over my cursed energy that outbursts will not make it leak out."
"I know. Want help getting up?" I shake my head yes.
When Satoru and I make it to Shoko, I release the contents of my stomach onto the floor. The second round of vomit yields me to my knees. I cover my face, trying to hide my lip biting.
"You two leave her with me." Shoko tries grabbing my arm but, I hiss in retaliation. "Oh, stop it will you? Even a seasoned Reverse-Cursed user needs help!"
I shrink at her harsh words, allowing her to lead the way.
With a dismissive wave of her hand, Shoko directs us to the pits of campus.
"Sit down at the desk."
Shoko points to a swivel chair with a fake leather seat. As I make myself comfortable, she walks away, returning with two glasses and a bottle.
"This should do the trick." I put a hand up and shake my head no.
Without missing a beat, she produces a chocolate bar from her pocket. My eyes light up the moment the sugar touches my tongue.
"Candy is your vice? Good to know." She takes a swig from the bottle before initiating the healing process. I am too focused on the silky-smooth feel of the chocolate to notice the knock on the door. Shoko excuses herself, extinguishing her cigarette before answering.
I greedily open the bag of lemon drops sitting before me. With two drops in my mouth, my eyes roll to the back of my head. My body relaxes into the chair. All I can think about is how comforting the morsels taste! Now if I had coffee in my hands, the night would be better.
"Since you have calmed down, can the four of us talk?" A lemon drop slithers down my throat, triggering a coughing spell. I hit my chest, evening out my breaths.
"They are in my apartment." I turn around, my eyes bear into Satoru's. Suguru and Shoko look at us. "Safe and sound. Go check if you want." I take another bite of chocolate before getting up.
"Why..." I interrupt Suguru's question.
"When the three of us talked last week, we agreed to keep Riko safe for the merger, no matter what." I swallow hard before continuing. "Tell me, Suguru or Satoru, did she want to stay here and keep our little profession up and running?"
I place my hands on my hips and tap my right foot. My classmates look at me like I have three heads. I hold my left palm out, waiting for someone to respond.
"What has gotten into you?"
I stop licking the inside of my mouth and tilt my head to the side. Rather than answering Satoru, I take an aggressive bite from what is left of the chocolate bar.
"Why send them to your apartment?"
"It was the safest place I could think of." I throw the chocolate wrapper in the garbage. "Now answer my question."
"Why are you acting like a brat?"
I look Satoru dead in the eyes, clenching my knuckles in the process. The corner of my mouth reaches for the ceiling, and my heart rate picks up.
"Me, acting like a brat?" I press a finger into my chest. "Sorry if my reaction to being abducted, gagged, and held hostage for two days makes me hot-headed!" I close the gap between myself and Satoru, stopping a hair short of his infinity. My left-pointer finger drops to the ground at the same time as my face.
I turn my back to my classmates, folding my arms across my chest for comfort. The clock's ticking grows louder with each second. I feel water pricking the corners of my eyes and don't wish to cry in front of my peers.
"...to your question, Blaise, Satoru and I got the feeling Riko wanted to stay as Riko."
I keep my back turned while letting my hands relax to my sides. "Well, that is refreshing to hear." I run a hand across my face, leaving a wet trail on my skin. "If we head back now, they should still be in my apartment."
Another knock on the door makes me growl and throw my arms in the air.
"Calm down. It's Yaga." Satoru says while adjusting his bloody shirt.
I sit back down, rubbing my hands on my face and shoving more lemon drops into my mouth. Before Yaga closes the door, I turn my eyes to the left wall.
Silence.
"Geto, Gojo, and Santa-Clara, will you all follow me, please." He turns around, closing the door behind him.
"That is a first. Our sensi said please."
"Satoru, not now."
I take a long exhale before getting up. I give Shoko a quick nod before stepping into the hallway. My classmates and I slowly walk toward Yaga. We look at each other with varied expressions: Satoru's blue eyes are off in the distance, Suguru looks more exhausted than before, and my purple eyes dart between my classmates.
After what feels like an hour, Yaga brings us to an empty classroom. We find a seat without prompting.
"Will someone walk me through what happened today?" Yaga asks in a low tone.
I form a hard line with my mouth while shifting positions in my seat. Satoru and Suguru look at each other before turning their attention to Yaga.
"We arrived on campus with The Star Plasma Vessel, fought off an intruder, and now we are here."
As Suguru answers Yaga, my body relaxes in my chair. I turn my eyes forward, creating a neutral expression.
"And what of the barrier around the forest? Or the damage to the front of the campus?" He turns his gaze toward me. Brow furrowed and arms crossed.
"I fought through the barrier on my way to support Gojo and Geto. Like what happened during the Exchange Event, I was prohibited from entering said barrier." My eyes never leave the board behind Yaga, making him shift his attention toward me.
"So, you forced your way through, causing a massive disruption...
Without a second thought, I pound my fists onto the desk, causing my present company to jump in place. I grit my teeth, trying my hardest not to yell at the top of my lungs. "Are you asking these questions out of concern? Or have the Elders inquired about the barrier and damage?"
I look Yaga dead in the eyes, making him shrink into his skin. He comes to his senses quickly; adjusting his glasses and forming a tight line with his mouth: his signature look reserved for Gojo, most of the time.
"Yes, I broke the barrier because I wanted to escape my captures...the same people responsible for nearly killing the three of us. Before you ask, I was locked up for two days! Two, freaking days in a dark, cold, vacant room with a chain-smoking detective and the Star Plasma Maid!"
By this point, I have gestured toward both my comrades. The blood on Gojo's shirt is hard to miss but, Geto looks as though he was never injured.
"And why is this information important to me? Because I think it is absolute rubbish that we, sorcerers..."
"That is enough Santa-Clara! See yourself out! I will get the information I need from Gojo and Geto."
I flare my nostrils, grit my teeth, and walk toward the door.
Before turning the handle, I turn toward my sensi, and say "it must be difficult watching your goddaughter behave the same ways as your friends." I scoff and walk outside.
If there are two things I am good at, it is using people's feelings against them.