"That's enough," a stern voice rang out. "The party is over."

Marlon, taken aback by Beyza's words, hesitated for a moment, his fists still clenched, but his aggression waning. The surrounding crowd watched in stunned silence.

Leopold's eyes flashed with anger, as he jerked his head upwards, turning towards Akira. The glowing bruise on his cheek throbbed visibly and was smeared with blood. His voice was trembling with barely contained fury. "What's wrong with you?!"

Akira's expression remained stoic, his gaze fixed on Marlon and Linus, refusing to meet Leopold's eyes. He kept silent, offering no explanation or apology, his actions speaking volumes.

Leopold's anger simmered, but as he looked around at the scene before him, it almost faded away. He realized that he, too, had hesitated, paralyzed by indecision when action was needed most.

Once again Beyza's voice rose up, unusually loud for her. "I said the party is over. Everyone, leave now."

Looking at her with a mix of annoyance and reverence, the gathering of tipsy classmates and strangers subsided, and the crowd began to disperse.

Slowly getting up from the ground, Leopold looked dizzy, but instantly worried for his friend. "Linus! Are you alright?!" he asked, his tone filled with concern as he rushed over to him.

Obviously, he wasn't alright. But Leopold didn't know what else to say in such a situation. "We'll get you an ambulance!" He looked around, hoping someone had heard his call.

But only Beyza seemed to care, though, she didn't make much of a move. Was it already too late for Linus?

Marlon still stared at the motionless, deformed body on the ground. Then his gaze fell to his bloody hands. He stumbled back, looking terrified.

Then he ran off.

Beyza glanced at him out of the corner of an eye, and disappeared into the shadows.

Suddenly a twitch permeated Linus' body, followed by gasping breaths. "Fuck…" he hustled, accompanied by a trace of blood.

As if he hadn't heard correctly, Leopold's eyes wandered downward slowly before tearing up.

How could he let this act of violence happen right in front of him? He was no better than Akira, or anyone else that had just gawked at them.

"Linus, I'm sorry!" he yelled, his voice cracking. But Linus remained unresponsive, his eyes vacant and distant, lost in a realm beyond reach.

"Sssh-shut up…" he whispered.

Leopold flinched, looking at him questioningly. The demolished boy then staggered unsteadily from the ground, uncertain like a drunken man stumbling back and forth.

Leopold reached out a hand to support him. "Stop! you need to—"

But Linus slapped it away. "I said shut up." A dark aura enveloped him, silencing Leopold completely.

"You're the one who needs to stop," said Linus as blood ran down his lower lip. Looking at all the bruises and swelling across Linus' face, Leopold froze. "I never asked for help."

In that fleeting moment, reality seemed to unravel around them, the world melting away like a mirage. The ground beneath Leopold trembled, warping as if it were made of shifting sands.

And then, in the blink of an eye, Linus slipped from his view, his form dissipating like smoke in the wind.

Akira watched from a distance, his expression unreadable, nothing more than a silent witness.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

He had seen it before, and way too many times, this dance between life and death, the fragile thread that bound them all together.

*

As if fleeing from his own shadow, Marlon sprinted toward the entrance. He didn't want this… what had this demon done to him? He didn't feel human anymore.

A sharp pain coursed through his leg, causing him to tip forward. But instead of meeting the ground, a tight grip formed around both his arms, pulling them back and tensing them harshly.

Marlon paniced, tried to free, but he had no chance. What the hell was going on? A person was standing behind him, that much he knew, but what did they want from him?

Pain shot through his arms, as they were pulled in an uncomfortable manner. "S-stop! Please!" he scared.

Did the person intend to break them?!

"Then don't try to escape, or they're gone," said a dark voice.

It wasn't the voice of the white-haired girl, and there wasn't that disgusting smell of decay either. In fact it smelled... good? Perhaps like licorice? Well that person could smell like whatever, Marlon would still be in shock.

Listening to the instruction, he didn't dare to move an inch. But still, the question of what they wanted from him cursed through him. Yet, he didn't dare to speak up. In the worst case, moving his lips might be enough to enrage them.

Although he couldn't stop his body from shivering. Leaving him only to prey for their mercy.

"Who gave you this power? What's your mission?" asked the person.

Marlon hesitated. Did this mean he was allowed to speak?

The overwhelming pain came again, threatening to break his arms in two. "Aaah!! I don't know! I don't know!!" he cried out in desperation. "A weird girl with white hair!! Please spare me! I don't want to die!"

For a moment, the grip loosened. Marlon breathed a sigh of relief. But then...

CRACK!!!

His right arm broke in two, crushed like a beanstalk by an elephant's foot. Sobbing cries escaped him, more miserable than those of an abandoned baby.

CRACK!!!

Again, this time the left arm. Marlon's breath caught in his throat.

They weren't even asking questions anymore. What was the point of this torture?! Was it the punishment for beating up Linus?!

CRACK!!!

This time Marlon couldnt even comprehend what had happened to his arms. They were nothing more than crumbled pretzel sticks at this point.

CRACK!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!!

Marlon let out a final desperate cry, before his voice was overwhelmed by the vomit that rose up his throat, splattering down onto himself.

The voice whispered in his ear, still not sounding satisfied, instead more aggressive than before: "That was for the dogshit."

Out of nowhere, a new presence emerged within the chamber. Beyza wrinkled her nose immediately, her eyes widening to their utmost to catch a glimpse of the figure. A hint of fear—no—more of a warning, shot through her body.

I haven't even noticed a thing until know, who the hell is this?!

As a cold, half-rotten hand laid on her shoulder, she was ready to turn around and confront the intruder, but as she heard a familiar voice, she froze.

"Dear Beyza, would you please spare my slave...? I still need him."

***

Legs dangled over the abyss—Linus' gaze lost in distance. Shining in twilight, the school roof seemed eerie, almost as if it absorbed all the pains and sorrows to bury them in the blackness of night.

A cool breeze tugged at his clothes, as he looked down at his body, seemingly surprised—there was no blood. Perplexed, he began touching his face, searching for the marks of his earlier fight—or rather, his destruction. But there were no bruises, no trace of what had happened was left.

"Feeling better?"

Startled, he turned around and recognized the silhouette of a mysterious figure looming before him. The shadows it cast seemed surreal in the fading daylight.

Although Linus felt like he knew who stood before him, he couldn't place a name—no memory that could be attributed to the person.

Had the stranger come to save him?

Was there even a way of saving him?

Slowly, almost casually, the stranger approached Linus—he, however, couldn't move an inch anymore.

Only his heart was left able to run away, and it raced fiercely.

Now the stranger stood right before Linus and leaned over him, placing a hand on his chest. It was a warm, soothing sensation, yet in the stranger's face, Linus perceived nothing more than the shadows of a face.

The voice whispered in his ear once more. "I'm sorry, but I made a promise to him."

Promised him...? What was he talking about?!

Yet, with a glance into these glowing, determined eyes, it became clear to him. It were eyes that seemed to harbor an abyss of immeasurable darkness, grasping for his soul.

He froze, understanding that it was too late.

Too late to run away—too late to beg for mercy.

Once again he asked himself; what's even the point of it; of living?

And why would he suddenly care? Now that he was clutching onto the edge by the tips of his fingers, hovering over the brink of the Beyond. Why would he suddenly start caring just now?

There's still some things I want to do…

But life didn't care about one's wishes.

And so, by a gentle push, Linus was sent falling into the abyss.

Escaping his lips, a scream, but the desperate cry was swallowed by the howling wind and carried away into darkness. It was as if being dragged into the deepest depths of his own soul.

"I'm sorry…"

"Linus."