The space around me began to vibrate, and the oppressive darkness gave way to an awe-inspiring sight. Countless points of light, akin to a swarm of ethereal fireflies, danced and buzzed around me. Their brilliance filled the void, illuminating the previously impenetrable darkness. No matter where I looked, more orbs of light appeared, stretching to the farthest reaches of this enigmatic realm.

I was certain that counting them would be impossible; they seemed infinite, reminiscent of the nights when I attempted to count the stars in the sky, only to lose myself in their infinity.

In a strange manner, I could "see" my surroundings, although not through the usual sense of sight. It was different, unfamiliar. In this alien perception, I could observe everything happening around me. However, when I tried to focus on myself, my vision reached its limit. I suppose that in this unknown place, I had become one of the stars. It was both captivating and terrifying.

I found myself surrounded by billions of these lights, each unique in size, color, and appearance. I wondered if, like me, they were aware of their circumstances. At least they didn't seem to hear my thoughts like someone else here. Speaking of whom, which star was he?

I'm here, came the familiar voice.

I was finally able to distinguish my thoughts from his words.

Despite his presence, I still couldn't locate him. His voice seemed to cling to me, never leaving my side. I would be lying if I said I preferred not being alone.

Sigh

Look at yourself, he urged.

"You're inside me?" I questioned.

Yes, though I would prefer a different phrasing. I've told you, we are one.

-WOOM

Suddenly, the cosmic harmony was disrupted by powerful tremors, shaking the entire expanse of space like an earthquake. I could visibly witness immense cracks forming, spreading like roots attempting to reach every corner of this world. From the cracks emerged tentacle-like structures, dark and foreboding, moving toward the nearest stars.

These tentacles began devouring the lights, some opening what resembled toothless mouths and consuming hundreds of orbs in a single gulp, leaving an eerie emptiness in their wake. Others darted through the space, piercing the stars in their path and dimming their radiance. Some tentacles resembled the tails of colossal beasts, obliterating thousands of lights in one swift motion.

For the first time in my life, I felt utterly insignificant. Do ants experience this same sensation when they encounter humans?

I don't know, he replied to my unspoken thought.

"I didn't ask you!" I snapped.

You're more composed than I thought, he remarked.

He was right. Ever since awakening in this place, I had remained surprisingly calm. Even in the presence of these mind-devouring tentacles, I found myself more fascinated than afraid. Strangely enough, they seemed almost endearing, like hungry worms—death worms, I decided to call them.

I'm certain no one else refers to them that way, he interjected.

"Do they have any other name, then?" I inquired.

I don't know.

"What's the matter with you? I thought you knew everything about this place."

There are things I know and things I don't.

"Who would have thought?"

As we engaged in our conversation, the death worms gradually retreated. Perhaps they had consumed their fill, or maybe there was a predetermined limit to their rampage. I could only speculate. The cracks from which they emerged began to heal, closing like wounds slowly mending.

Although many stars had been devoured, countless others continued to radiate their light. However, it didn't take long for them to fade away. Their disappearance wasn't due to the worms; rather, it seemed that I was the one vanishing. Nonetheless, for some reason, I was convinced that I would soon see them again.

"What were those lights?" I inquired.

Souls,

"Hmm... So those tentacles represented death passing by. It somehow makes sense, but why were you so certain they wouldn't devour us?"

Because we're branded.

"Branded? Branded by what?" I asked.

We don't have time to discuss that now. Try and remember what happened here.

"Are you saying you don't know again?"

Try to remember. It will help you.

"Don't worry, I have a good memory. Even if I didn't, how could I ever forget this incredible sight?"

I hope for your sake that you never find yourself here again.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"How kind of you. But I still have many..."

Before I could finish my thought, darkness engulfed not only my surroundings but also my entire being.

---

Silas opened his eyes to find himself in a dimly lit room.

He felt the soft blanket covering him and ran his fingers through the fur-covered surface. It had been such a long time since he had last slept so comfortably.

'Finally, I'm home. '

The young man straightened up and looked around, his eyes slowly adjusting to the low light. He could already make out enough of the room to realize that he was alone. The other beds in the room were empty.

'Have they woken up yet? '

He still remembered that Jessica and Kyle had been in those empty beds just moments ago, at least before he had collapsed.

Silas closed his eyes, reflecting on everything that had transpired so far. His journey into the forest. An uneventful walk until they encountered that creature. The death of Jessica and Kyle felt like a nightmare.

He couldn't quite grasp why, but this time he could remember almost everything, yet he felt somehow disconnected from his memories. The recent events seemed to him as if they had occurred ages ago. Was it the same for Jes and Kyle?

Too many things have happened that he did not understand. Will his teacher have the answers? Even if he does, he'd probably just utter some nonsense.

He let out a sigh. His teacher had never explained anything to him in a way that made sense to an ordinary person. It was frustrating to seek a proper answer from him, as every attempt to ask something would veer off into a completely different topic. Silas was determined to ensure that didn't happen again this time.

With resolve, Silas stood up and began searching for the others. Judging by the dim light, it was already evening. At this hour, he surmised that he would likely find them either preparing dinner or already eating.

He walked around until he discovered them gathered in the dining room. As he had anticipated, they were already enjoying their meal.

From the youngest to the oldest, they all sat there—ten in total—without anyone missing. Their teacher was the eleventh. Silas stepped towards them, drawing the attention of the room.

Ben rushed toward Silas with all his might, crashing into Silas' stomach.

"Ben! Take it easy!" Elea followed closely behind the toddler. "Silas, how are you?"

"I'm fine," Silas said with a smile, patting the boy's back. "Thanks for helping me earlier."

"When did I help you?" Elea tilted her head to the side, looking puzzled.

"After I woke up, you held my hand to calm me down, right?" Silas said sheepishly, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Oh... Y-yes, I..." Elea never expected him to remember and even thank her for such a small gesture. In a barely audible voice, she replied, "You're welcome."

"Silas, my best student, it looks like you've learned some flirting skills from me!" The teacher exclaimed with a wink from the far end of the room.

Silas tried hard to conceal his embarrassment, but his cheeks blushed, revealing his true feelings.

Damn it, remember to make him explain everything, and don't listen to his nonsense.

With this determination, he composed himself and walked into the dining room.

The dining room had a simple setup, with a long table, benches on each side, and a chair at the end of the table. There was no particular seating arrangement, except for the unofficial rule that the chair belonged to the teacher.

Behind the chair, two oval windows opened up to the garden, allowing daylight to fill the room. However, since it was already late, four torch-like lamps had taken over to provide light. Additionally, there were some dark stains on the wall behind the chair, as if someone had intentionally tried to burn it.

Jessica and Kyle were seated next to each other. As they saw Silas approaching, they turned to face him. Jessica immediately stood up and began to address him.

"Silas, do you remember-"

"Atatata, Jessica, it's dinner time. Let's not talk about work, okay? You sound like an old housewife."

Jack interrupted her before she could finish, but Jessica was not one to simply sit back and remain silent. On the contrary, being told to keep quiet only fueled her determination to speak up.

"Why!? You said we'd talk about it when Silas wakes up. He looks awake enough to me now."

Jack reached for the already open wine bottle on the table in front of him and poured himself a glass, seemingly oblivious to Jessica's confrontation.

Observing that his teacher hadn't changed a bit since their return, Silas almost lost his resolve to confront Jack and have him explain everything, to tell the whole truth about what had exactly happened in the past few days. But even if the worst happened and his teacher didn't bother to provide an explanation, he wouldn't lose anything by simply asking a question.

"What the hell! Stop ignoring me!"

Jessica slammed her hands down on the table in frustration. Normally, people would turn to observe such a commotion, but the children had grown accustomed to Jessica's outbursts of anger and their teacher's peculiar personality.

Unfortunately, Jack seemed determined not to answer her, as he took a sip from the glass in his hand, visibly enjoying it.

"What a fine wine."

"You son of a-!"

"How about you calm down for a minute, Jess," Kyle attempted to pacify her. However, telling someone like Jessica to calm down in a situation like this would only further provoke her.

"How about you shut up forever!" Jessica's anger was now directed towards Kyle as well.

Silas was about to say something when Kyle gave him a look that seemed to say, "Don't say anything that will upset her even more." He could clearly sense the underlying message in Kyle's eyes.

If Silas hadn't experienced everything that had unfolded in the past few days, he wouldn't have missed the chance to provoke Jessica, but this time, he truly understood her emotions. Not only was Jessica irritated, but he could detect a hint of desperation in her voice.

Silas took a deep breath and locked eyes with the man sitting across the table. "We need to talk," he stated, letting his voice and gaze convey his thoughts and emotions.

The atmosphere in the room shifted as the anger emanating from Jessica subsided. Everyone sensed the gravity in Silas' words. All eyes turned to Jack, wondering if he would stick to his usual self or respond to the wishes of Jessica and Silas. The children were certain that the former would occur, but the prospect of something different piqued their curiosity.

"Hmm," Jack pondered.

He felt the collective gaze of the children focused on him, yet he didn't feel a hint of concern. He never missed an opportunity to draw attention; it was his passion. It gave him an exhilarating sensation—was it the attention or perhaps the wine, or a combination of both?

Regardless, he knew he had to provide them with an answer, fearing that the girl with the deathly glare might set the building ablaze out of frustration. Though that outcome would be quite intriguing.

"It's time..." Jack announced. "...for Cake."

"Haaa..." A collective sigh filled the room.

"W-what?"

"I have a feeling you're all on edge, so something light and fluffy like cake should help relieve your stress. Besides, don't we all feel the need to celebrate today's occasion?"

The children questioned what there was to celebrate, but no one could decipher Jack's train of thought. They gave up trying to understand, suspecting he would concoct some excuse to indulge in what he desired and get intoxicated.

Silas, still holding onto the hope of making his teacher open up, refused to surrender.

"Does the party have anything to do with us?" he inquired.

"Exactly! We want to celebrate Silas', Jessica's, and Kyle's first 'death.' Let's have a round of applause!"

Jack started clapping slowly, the sound of his hands meeting in solitude resonating throughout the dining hall.

However, no one felt inclined to join in the applause.