Chapter 21

Choking, La-La was pinned down by a mysterious creature from the Magical Territory, struggling to breathe. A tall figure loomed over her, their grip tightening mercilessly.

"I've been wanting you," the figure laughed menacingly.

Gasping for air, La-La tried to speak, but her words were choked out. "You... f—" she managed to mutter, before the pain and lack of air overwhelmed her.

Suddenly, another figure intervened, swiftly knocking the assailant away from La-La. As she struggled, blood trickled from her wounds, her head spinning from the injuries inflicted all over her body.

“Die!!!!” the figure laughing hysterically-

Third Point of View

"Lanaya!" Zayne shouted, his voice echoing in the quiet of his room. He had just awoken from a dream that shook him to the core. "What was that? Is that a glimpse into the future? No, that can't be happening," he muttered nervously, running a hand through his disheveled hair. His mind raced with the images from the dream, leaving him unsettled and anxious.

Zayne Point of View

I immediately dialed Ms. Lanaya’s phone. I had a troubling dream and, despite the early hour, I needed to make sure everything was alright. The phone kept ringing with no answer. She might be asleep.

"What am I even doing? This is ridiculous," I muttered to myself. I looked at my phone; Ms. Lanaya hadn't answered some of my recent calls, which was unusual. She must be busy with another job.

Let me try once again, I thought. I dialed the phone, and this time, it answered. My eyes widened.

"Ms. Lanaya, good morning. I’m sorry for the early call," I said quickly.

"Good morning. No, it’s nothing to worry about. Is everything okay, Mr. Zayne?" she asked, her voice soothing as always.

"No, nothing. I just wanted to ask if everything is fine there," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, yes, everything's fine. Is there something going on?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"No, nothing. Just be careful of those around you," I advised her. Silence fell between us for a moment.

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about," she reassured me, but the silence returned.

"Do you have any plans today?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"No, why?" she asked.

"If not, can you accompany me to the library? There is a lot of package that will arrive today." I asked, making up an excuse.

"Oh, the library. Okay, I will come it’s also part of my job ," she agreed.

I couldn’t relax after that dream. "Okay, Ms. Lanaya, see you later," I said, ending the call.

Oh wait, that was rude, I realized too late.

La-La point of View

"Where—where are you going?" Axel asked me on the call.

"To the library," I answered.

"You mean to that guy? I thought we agreed that you wouldn't meet him anymore," he said, frustration obvious in his voice.

"Yes, but there's work to do. What if you can't find the solution to erase his memories?" I asked Axel, asking his earlier assurance.

"La-La, we've been working together for 90 years, and you don't trust me? How could you??" he questioned, as if he was hurt on what I am implying.

"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just, what if—? You know what, just this once, " I said, trying to compromise.

He sighed heavily. "La-La, this will be hard."

"I know your capabilities. I know you'll figure something out," I reassured him. "And why are you so angry this morning?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I am not. You gave me some news that irritated me," he replied annoyed.

"You know what, to irritate you even more, I'm ending this call," I said teasingly.

"Wait, what—" he started to say, but I ended the call before he could finish.

I arrived at the library and saw Zayne checking through some boxes. For a moment, time seemed to stop. I felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if I had seen this scene before. What is this feeling?

"Ms. Lanaya?" Zayne's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at him and smiled.

"Good morning, Zayne," I greeted him, trying to shake off the odd sensation.

He smiled back warmly. "Good morning. Thanks for coming on such short notice."

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"It's no problem at all. What are you looking for?" I asked, walking over to join him.

"I was just sorting through some old documents. There might be something here that could help us," he explained, his eyes scanning the contents of a box.

"Do you need any help?" I offered, eager to distract myself from the uneasy feeling.

Just A Few Moments Later

I got a call from our department, and I answered it immediately, dropping the papers I was holding. "Hello?" I said quickly.

"Ms. La-La, do you perhaps know Lloyd, a Love Hunter from your batch 33-B?" the caller asked immediately. What has that dog done wrong now? Involving me of all people.

"Yes, I know him. Has he caused a ruckus? I could inform the senior about it," I offered.

"No, he's not causing trouble," the caller replied. "Apparently, Mr. Lloyd is missing, as Ms. Yhana reported. Have you had any contact with him in the last two weeks?"

"Missing?" I echoed, my mind racing. "No, we're not that close. We haven't been in contact."

"Okay, thanks for the help, Ms. Lanaya," the caller said.

"Wait, what—" I began, but the line went dead.

What does he mean, Lloyd is missing? Don't tell me he's involved with the wild one. I immediately searched my blocked contacts to locate my senior's number and then quickly dialed it.

Something's wrong... The phone just rang and rang. I dialed it 50 times but received no answer.

What the hell?

Frustration and anxiety welled up inside me. I glanced at Zayne, who looked up from his work with a concerned expression.

"Is everything alright?" Zayne asked. Startled, I immediately hid my phone. "Y-yeah," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"If that's so, by the way, I'm going to order some food. Is there anything you want?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, anything is fine," I said, distracted by my thoughts.

He chuckled. "There's no such thing as 'anything' on the menu."

I sighed, trying to focus. "Just rice and chicken, I guess."

He smiled and clicked on his phone. "What do you want for drinks?" he asked.

"Coke," I said.

"Oh, I guessed right," he said, looking pleased with himself. Huh?

"By the way, there's a flavor for the chicken," he mentioned. Oh I want barbecue-

"But I guess you might want barbecue."

Wait, what? How did he guess that?

"Am I right, Ms. Lanaya?" he asked, looking at me expectantly.

"Y-yeah," I answered, still in shock. How does he know that?

I tried to shake off the unease. "How did you know I like barbecue?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.

He shrugged with a grin. "Just a lucky guess, I suppose. Or maybe I've been paying attention."

I smiled weakly, my mind still preoccupied with the earlier call. There was something strange about this whole situation, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Now I was walking home since Zayne had been called to the hospital. I didn’t agree to let him take me home, but there was an unease lingering in the air. Someone was definitely following me.

I quickened my pace, glancing over my shoulder occasionally. The streets were eerily quiet, each sound amplified in the stillness of the night. My heart pounded in my chest, every instinct on high alert.

"Who's there?" I called out, trying to sound braver than I felt. No response, just the distant echo of my own voice.

In this situation, running wasn't the solution, but blending into a crowd seemed like the best option. No one could easily do anything in a crowd. Just as I was about to quicken my pace towards a busier area, a car screeched to a halt in front of me.

No, not again! I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. Then I looked at the car and recognized it. It was Zayne’s car.

"Ms. Lanaya, get in!" he called out, rolling down his window. My heart stopped racing for a moment—phew. But wait, something felt off. Still, getting into his car seemed safer than staying out here.

I immediately ran to the car and jumped inside. "I thought you were going to the hospital. It was an emergency, right?" I asked him, trying to make sense of his sudden appearance.

"Well, they already settled it. They don't need me anymore," he said casually, but his eyes held a hint of concern.

"Why are you here, then?" I asked, still on edge.

"I had a feeling you might need help, and it dangerous in night" he admitted, glancing at me with a serious expression. "And it looks like I was right."

He said it with a smile on his face, but I felt an uneasy feeling growing inside me. What the heck is going on?

"Are you sure everything's okay?" I asked, trying to mask my anxiety.

"Yes, everything's fine," he replied, his smile unwavering. But something about his demeanor felt off. It wasn't like Zayne to be so mysterious.

As we drove, the streets outside seemed to blur into a haze of lights and shadows. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. My thoughts kept racing back to the phone call about Lloyd and the wild one.

As soon as I got home and Zayne drove off, a figure of a man suddenly appeared in front of me. "What the—" I gasped, taken aback, and stepped backward.

"You... I finally found you," he said, creeping closer.

"What? What the hell do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"You, you have a beautiful soul," he said, his tone sinister. Damn, don't tell me he's a wild one...

Suddenly, he lunged at me, grabbing my throat and cutting off my breath. "Wha—what the f***!" I choked out, reacting too late. I tried to pull away from his grip, but his strength was overpowering. If this continues, I will die—I can feel the crushing pain. This guy is an MT himself. I couldn't even see his face clearly; what the hell was going on?

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a chance. A rock! I focused on it, struggling to reach it while his grip tightened. Summoning every ounce of strength, I grabbed the rock and struck him with it. He let go, and I stumbled backward, gasping for air.

Quickly, I reached for the taser I always carried. As a cupid, I had to be prepared for situations like this. I aimed it at him and fired. The electric shock hit him, causing him to convulse and fall to the ground.

Panting heavily, I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. This wild one was strong—too strong. I needed to get out of here and report this immediately. I didn't wait to see if he would get up again. I turned and ran toward the safety of my home, my mind racing with fear and adrenaline.

As soon as I got home, I locked the door behind me and dialed the official number, my hands trembling as I sank to the floor. They answered promptly.

"A wild one appeared in front of my apartment," I blurted out.

"Are you sure it's a wild one?" the voice on the other end asked calmly, which felt absurd given the situation.

"H-he held me and hurt me!" I gasped, my breathing uneven.

"Okay, kindly calm down. The special forces are informed of your situation," he assured me. "Kindly state your hunter type and class."

"Love Hunter, 33-B," I managed to say between breaths.

"Okay, we've recorded that. Please wait a moment. Any signs of soul depletion from the injured body caused by the wild one? It should appear as blue particles depleting from your body," he explained.

I rushed to the mirror to check, expecting to see blue marks, but to my surprise, there was only a red mark—a wound. What the...

"Love Hunter, are you there? Is everything fine?" the voice asked again.

"Y-yeah, there's no blue mark, but I have a red..." I started to reply, my voice trailing off as I inspected the injury. He's not a wild one—he's an MT. Wild ones have been known to kill individuals and collect souls by touching them they gain that ability if the kill at least 4 MT, but my red mark indicated that the man who attacked me was not the wild one.

Realizing this, I quickly relayed the information to the official on the phone. "He's not a wild one, he's an MT. The mark on me is red, not blue," I explained urgently.

There was a brief pause on the other end before the official responded, "Understood. Please remain calm and stay in a safe location. Special forces are on route to your location."

I nodded, even though they couldn't see me. "Okay, I'll wait for them. Please hurry," I replied, trying to steady my breathing. What the hell is literally going on. If he is not a wild one it means he attained to be one – one wild one is dangerous and if another one appear it might be a chaos.