Mark stood there, trying to move as little as possible. Both cloaked figures tried to rush Mark, striking for whatever opening they could, be it magic or physical damage they used; it was all futile. Mark could easily defend, no matter what they tried.

"Are you ready to give up, or do you have something up your sleeve?"

The three of them shared nothing but a nod, and some weird magic was being cast. Mark swarmed the place with his swords, slashing and cutting at his opponents, yet no blade could pierce the one casting the spell.

A bright flash of light, which almost blinded Mark, was the only warning of what was to come. Charlotte and the hooded figure who fought with swords were both faster—fast enough to match the speed of Mark’s swords. The caster lay behind them, barely breathing—not because of wounds but because the spell required a lot of concentration.

Well, I’ll be damned. I truly am making my last stand, huh?

Mark kept his offense going strong, point at which it became a defense, a way to slow down his opponents. A cold shiver ran down his spine; a cold embrace forced Mark to succumb to its coldness. His face was pale, his heartbeat slowing down.

Will I truly die? Nah, I’m not scared of death; after all, I have things I need to live for.

Mark’s attacks sped up, surprising both of his enemies.

"Don’t falter!" yelled Charlotte, pushing on despite the attack’s tremendous power.

Mark’s eyes drift apart, noticing once again the very same weird shadow. It crept behind the caster, and out of the darkness of that shadow, Sebas rose up, slashing the caster, tying him down using some magic, then going for Charlotte and her partner.

Mark’s eyes shone with life, a tear slowly running down his face.

"Sebas, you crazy son of a bitch! You saved my ass, I fucking owe you one!"

Mark’s vigor came back, felt the most in the ferocity of his blows. Before Sebas could even reach them, Mark already had both of them at his mercy, cut in multiple places.

"That should... do it."

Sebas caught Mark before he could fall down, placing him slowly on the ground.

"Which one of you motherfuckers did that!?"

He turned towards them, looking into Charlotte’s lifeless eyes. He grabbed her by the collar, staring right into her soul. She felt like she was drowning in Sebas’ blue eyes, a storm banishing her to the bottom of the sea.

"I just did what I had to do..."

Sebas’ grip strengthened.

"Did what!? Did fucking WHAT!?"

He let go of her, regretting not controlling his rage, only now tending to Mark’s wounds. He stood there, as if asleep, his breath like a whisper in a sea of sound—barely audible.

His heart beat slow, which rushed Sebas into trying to patch him up.

"Come on, man, you have to get up. Don’t leave, you idiot."

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Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Come on, man, you said you'd be the strongest. Come on, bro, your family is on this side, your friends are on this side, almost everything you love is on this side. Now wake up; don’t scare me."

Mark stood there, a pale corpse, on the edge of life and death.

Just where am I?

Mark found himself in a dark place, yet that very place felt, in no way, strange. He felt warm and, at the same time, cold. His mind was fuzzy, barely recalling the recent events.

"Huh, I guess I’m dead, right?"

He heard Sebas’ distant cries, calling for him, begging him to come back.

"Oh, Sebas. He sure did save my ass. I can’t go without paying that debt, right?"

He turned around to face the void, as if he could face someone within that darkness.

"We shall meet again another day. Mark is not dying today."

Sebas stopped crying, only to cry some more the moment Mark got up; his wound was almost closed.

"Sebas, I’ll be damned; I have to buy you a cold one. Energy drink, no sugar, right?"

The two of them shook each other’s hand, then turned to the two culprits. No one dared move—or rather, their bodies couldn’t move. Mark sure wrecked them.

"Well, the hooded guy I don’t need. Go back and tell your boss that I’m not interested, and that he should stay away from me. Even if he’s stronger than me, I don’t plan on losing anytime soon."

The man simply nodded in silence, trying to catch a glimpse of Charlotte.

"As for you, I said I would turn you into my slave, right? Said I'd stuff you well and the likes."

Her face barely flushed, perhaps due to the amount of blood she had lost. Mark raised his right arm at her, which made her close her eyes. She awaited her punishment. Mark’s hand touched the top of her head. She could barely hold her tears in, afraid of what would come next.

He lightly tapped her on the head.

"Now, take my hand and rise up. You’re my slave; starting from today, I’m going to have you read manga with me."

Both Sebas and she looked at Mark like he was insane.

"Welp, Mark, I've known you for a long time, but for you to truly do this. You sure stay true to your word, do you now?"

"What can I say? Having a beauty read something with me is sure to rid me of stress, right, Charlotte?"

Both Sebas and Mark faced her, yet neither of them was ready for the stream of tears that fell on her face. She clung to Mark’s hand, grabbing on to his arm, like a lost puppy.

"I’m sorry. I won’t ask you to forgive me, but at least- "

Mark embraced her, a strange gesture to do to the one person who almost killed you.

"It’s ok. Lucky you, the me from a few years ago would have likely cut you in half right now. I’ve forgiven you, or at least I’m trying. My personality might suck, so I ask that you try to get used to me. I’m a maniac, to say the least, with a lot of mood swings, but I do get by."

Sebas interrupted them.

"*Cough* *cough* Sorry guys, but like, could one of you rush me to the dorms? I sort of managed to get out using one skill of mine, and I sort of lost you the moment you started running. Lucky or unlucky Mark, the spell showed me where he was. I could only think the bright flash of light in the middle of nowhere was from you guys. Now, Mark, rush me to the dorms."

"As you wish, my guy. Well, I should also find a place to sleep for the night."

"I could help with that. I have a place in the city, perhaps you could—"

"Great! I’ll be back here in a few minutes, then we’ll go crash at your place. Perhaps I’ll get at least a wink of sleep tonight."

Charlotte watched as Mark put Sebas on his back and sped off into the distance. She was puzzled, more so because Mark made no sense as a human.

"Just how could he forgive the person who almost killed him? Just what sort of person is he?"

In that very moment, she felt her heart shake, feeling that has remained etched within her ever since that moment.