"Where am I ?

When I awoke, I found myself lying on a cold, damp floor in a dimly lit room. The walls were rough concrete, marked by graffiti and traces of damp.

A bare bulb, hanging from the ceiling by a bare wire, cast a flickering light, casting ominous shadows around me.

"What's going on ?

As I tried to move, I realized that my arms and legs were bound by rough ropes, tightened so tightly they were cutting off my circulation.

Pain pulsed through my limbs, brutally reminding me of the reality of my situation.

"Luca, are you awake ?

That voice...

"Kim, is that you ?"

"Yes. Are you all right ?"

"Yes, nothing serious. And you ?"

Memories came flooding back. The bikers, the attack, Kim and William hit hard... everything came back to me with painful clarity.

"I'm okay on my end, but I can't say the same for William."

"What do you mean ?"

A heavy silence fell, interspersed only by the drip of water seeping somewhere in the room. Kim didn't answer.

With effort, I turned around despite the ropes impeding my movements, trying to figure out what was going on.

"William, is that you ?"

The vision before me made my heart beat faster.

Unlike me, William was tied to a chair, his hands bound behind the backrest, his legs immobilized at the chair legs. His head hung forward, and his eyelids remained closed.

Scanning his face, I noticed a dark liquid slowly trickling down his cheek, before falling to the floor in a steady, sinister rhythm.

I hoped with all my heart it was just sweat, but as my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, I had to accept the reality: it was blood.

"Kim, can you explain ?"

"It happened before you woke up," he said with a trembling voice marked by worry and helplessness.

"The bikers... they brought us here after they knocked you out. They were furious. I think they're the people you conned out of money."

I listened, trying to control the panic rising inside me. Each of Kim's words was like another blade thrust into my conscience, reminding me how desperate the situation was.

"They asked where the money was," he continued.

"William tried to tell them we hadn't stolen anything, that it was all a misunderstanding. But they didn't believe him. They hit him again and again. Then one of them pulled out a knife..."

I felt my stomach knot, rage and fear vying for control of my emotions.

"We've got to get out of here, Kim," I said, trying to keep calm despite the terror that threatened to overwhelm me. "We've got to find a way to free William and escape."

Kim nodded, but I could see in his eyes that he was just as lost as I was.

"You're not going anywhere," declared a cold voice as he entered the room. Before adding:

"If you want to come out alive, you'd better tell me first where the money is that you earned gambling on the streets."

I struggled to see who had just spoken, but darkness and pain partially blinded me.

"Who are you ?" I asked, trying to make out his features in the dim light.

"Me ? My name's Ben," he said with a cruel smile.

"Among the people you took money from, one of them is in a gang. He has to hand over this money to his boss, or he'll be executed on the spot. So this man hired me to find you. Right now, he's behind that door.

he explained, pointing to the closed door behind him.

Ben stepped closer, a menacing gleam in his eyes, and pointed his blade at Kim.

"I intended to continue my interrogation with this guy," he said, pointing at my brother.

"But I've decided to give you a chance."

"What do you mean ?" I asked.

"Since I'm generous, I'll spare your life if you tell me where the money is,"

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he replied, pointing to Kim and me. He left a heavy silence, savoring our fear.

"What about William ?" I asked, my gaze turning to our unconscious friend.

"He's different. He was rude to me earlier," Ben replied with a sadistic smile.

Kim and I remained silent, exchanging a look laden with despair and uncertainty.

"What if we refuse ?" I dared to ask.

"Then I'll kill all three of you without exception," Ben replied, crouching down in front of us. He added calculatingly,

"Looking at the two of you, there's no denying you're related. But what about him? Are you going to sacrifice your life for a mere friend?"

The atmosphere in the room became even more oppressive. Kim and I exchanged glances, looking for a solution.

I guess we have no choice

"we don't want any trouble. We'll give you the money. But you must promise to let the three of us go."

Ben smiled, but his eyes remained cold.

"All right," he said. "But if you lie to me or try anything stupid, I won't hesitate to kill all three of you. Understood?"

Kim and I nodded, knowing we had no other choice.

"The money is hidden in..."

"Hey you !"

Just as I was about to reveal the location of the money, William's voice, shaky but resolute, cut me off.

"Are you talking to me ?" asked Ben, intrigued.

"Of course it is, there's not another asshole here," William replied, with disconcerting bravado.

"You really have a death wish, don't you ?" said Ben, approaching William dangerously.

"Wait !"

"Stop !"

Kim and I shouted in panic.

"You should have kept your mouth shut, you little brat," growled Ben, raising his knife.

Just as he was about to plant his blade, William, with surprising agility, freed himself from his chair and leapt onto Ben's arm, the one holding the knife, with all his weight.

Ben fell heavily to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, William grabbed the knife and prepared to use it against Ben.

However, by reflex, Ben threw William across the room, narrowly escaping a mortal wound.

"How did you get free ? It was a noose, wasn't it ?" gasped Ben.

A noose ? This type of knot tightens even more if the person moves. No wonder it hurts. But how did William manage to free himself?

On closer inspection, I saw blood trickling down his wrists and fingernails. Don't tell me...

"You intentionally scratched your wrists with your fingernails and used your own blood to facilitate your release ?" said Ben, surprised. "You're really not in your right mind."

"William, just give him the money and he'll let us go," said Kim, trying to reason with him.

William raised the blade in Ben's direction and replied, "That man never had any intention of letting us go."

"What do you mean ?" asked Kim, confused.

"The moment he revealed his name, he took the risk that his identity would become known," William explained.

"Is that true ?!" asked Kim, terrified.

"You little brat !" spat Ben, furious.

As Ben poured out his hatred on William, a man entered the room. Taking advantage of the distraction, William pounced on the man, placing the blade close to his throat.

"Wait! Wait..." said the man, panicking.

"I assume this man is your client," William declared. "Release my friends if you want him to stay alive."

"You seem to be forgetting something, kid," Ben retorted, pulling out a knife and pointing it at Kim and me in turn.

"Would you like to make an equivalent exchange ?" suggested William, thrusting his blade lightly into the man's neck, just enough to draw blood.

"Hold on, kid, we'll do just like you said. Ben, free those kids !" ordered the man, seeing his life in danger.

Seeing William's determination and the fear in his client's eyes, Ben reluctantly obeyed.

Ben began by untying Kim, who stood ready to intervene at the slightest sign of betrayal.

Once free, Kim rushed over to me to undo my bonds. My wrists ached from the tension of the ropes, but at least I could move at last.

I tried to stand up, but my legs were still numb.

"Are you okay ?" asked Kim, concern visible in her eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks," I replied, slowly getting to my feet.

We moved slowly toward the exit, aware that Ben was still watching us.

"Go back to the orphanage, I'll join you later," William ordered, his voice firm and determined.

"But..." began Kim, her eyes filling with tears.

I put a hand on her shoulder and said calmly, "Let's trust him."

Despite her reluctance to leave William behind, Kim nodded softly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Kim and I left the room. As I was about to walk through the door, I stopped without turning and said, "Come back safe."

William didn't answer. I imagined his gaze fixed on Ben, ready for any eventuality.

I ran down the stairs, my heart keeping a normal rhythm despite the situation.

The abandoned building was dark and silent, each footstep echoing in the deserted corridors.

"What were you doing ?" asked Kim, panting.

"Nothing important," I replied, trying to hide my concern. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Yes," nodded Kim, wiping away her tears.

We ran at full speed towards the orphanage. It was already dark when we arrived, the lights of the orphanage cutting through the darkness like a glimmer of hope.

"He'll come back, won't he ?" asked Kim in a trembling voice, her eyes seeking a comfort I couldn't offer.

"He'll come back," I replied, more to convince myself than to reassure him.

But my mind was elsewhere, tormented by a crucial question.

Was this really the real William ?

This William seemed so different from the one I'd known in my previous life.

The William I knew had never shown such hostility, at least not in my presence. He was cunning, yes, but not brutally ruthless as I had just seen him.

I knew that this world was generated by the Shrine, which was supposed to represent the original. So why the discrepancy ? The answer haunted me, each possibility more troubling than the last.

Arriving at the orphanage, Kim hesitated to cross the threshold. "What if... what if William doesn't come back ?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"He'll come back," I repeated, this time more firmly. "We must have faith in him."

Inside, the headmistress greeted us with palpable concern.

"Where have you been ? I was worried sick!"

"We were just out for a walk, sorry if we worried you," I lied, hoping the darkness of the night would hide our disordered state.

"What about William ?"

"He'll be joining us soon," Kim added quickly.

The headmistress scanned us suspiciously but finally sighed.

"Go on upstairs to bed. We'll talk more tomorrow."

In our dormitory, Kim turned to me. "Why didn't you tell the truth ?"

"Because it would have complicated things," I replied. "For now, let's focus on getting William back."

The night seemed endless. Every sound outside startled Kim, while I lay staring at the ceiling, replaying events over and over again.

Doubts about the true nature of this world gnawed at me. Was this just a test, or was there a darker reality hidden behind this illusory world?

Towards dawn, just as I was drifting off into a restless sleep, a thud at the door woke me with a start. Kim leapt from her bed and rushed to the door.

It was William, exhausted but alive. His clothes were torn, and bruises dotted his face. But despite everything, a triumphant smile lit up his features.

"William!" cried Kim, relieved. "I knew you'd come back."

"I told you so," William replied in a hoarse voice. "I wasn't planning on abandoning you."

As he entered, I couldn't help but wonder again: who was this William really ? And what role did he play in this world shaped by sanctuary ?

One thing was certain, though. We were now more united than ever, determined to face the challenges ahead together.