Loris Orphanage – In a Corner of the Backyard
Fifteen days had passed, specifically on Ethan's birthday. Ryan was flipping through his hands a photo framed with dried garden flowers. The photo showed the three of them... Ryan, Elory, and Ethan... smiling brightly as if they had no worries in the world.
Ryan, contemplating the photo, with a hesitant tone: "Do you think he'll really like this gift?"
Elory, her eyes shining with excitement, confidently smiled: "Of course! It's not just a photo… it's all the beautiful memories we've shared, our unforgettable moments."
Ryan, frowning slightly, running his fingers over the words written beneath the photo: "But... 'Best Friends'? Why didn't you write "Brothers"?"
Elory looked at him sharply before shaking her head with clear disapproval.
Elory, firmly, as if correcting something obvious: "No! We're friends."
Ryan raised an eyebrow in surprise before sketching a sarcastic sideways smile.
Ryan, laughing mischievously, winking: "Ah... I get it now."
Elory froze for a moment, before her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. In an angry reaction, she raised her hand and slapped him hard on the head.
Elory, turning her face away, pretending to be serious with her arms crossed in front of her chest: "Heh! Stop saying nonsense... We need to go now. There's no time for this foolishness."
Ryan, rubbing his head in pain, grumbling: "Ahhh... fine, fine, let's go."
But before they could move, their steps froze as they saw a group of men standing at the entrance of the house. They were dressed in formal black suits, their expressions cold… as if they were lifeless ghosts.
Ryan, muttering with concern as he watched them cautiously: "Hmm… Who are these...?"
He didn't have time to think further as his voice was abruptly cut off when Elory's scream echoed, filled with terror and choking on fear.
Elory, screaming in panic, struggling: "Ryan! Help!!"
Ryan quickly turned around to find two men holding Elory tightly, muffling her mouth with a rough hand, and pulling her toward a black car waiting by the gate.
Ryan, yelling, running wildly toward her: "Elory!!"
But before he could reach her, he felt a strong hand grab him from behind, yanking him violently as if pulling the air from his lungs. He tried to struggle, but he was no match for them. Within a few seconds, his hands were tightly bound, and his body was shoved into the back of the car, next to Elory, who was trembling with fear.
Ryan, trying to kick, looking around in all directions, shouting desperately: "Help!! Please, someone!!"
That's when his eyes landed on the upstairs window, where the nanny, Miri, stood… She wasn't scared, not even upset. She looked at them coldly, a wicked smile on her face that Ryan had never seen before. In her hand, she was holding a bundle of money, slowly running her fingers over it as if savoring its texture.
Miri, with a calm voice tinged with sarcasm: "No need to scream, my dear... No one will hear you here."
Ryan felt his blood freeze... This wasn't just a kidnapping; it was betrayal. The person who was supposed to protect them had sold them out.
Ryan, his voice choked, eyes widening with terror: "Miri...?"
She didn't respond, only turned slowly and closed the window, leaving them to their mysterious fate. At that moment, the car's trunk began to close, engulfing them in complete darkness, with only the sound of their trembling hearts filling the void.
Meanwhile, inside the main hall, Ethan stood amidst the strange atmosphere that had begun to settle. The lights flickered erratically, and the air had grown heavy, as though something invisible was trying to creep inside... A strange feeling, a feeling of danger, but he didn't know yet that his entire world was about to collapse.
He walked slowly, his facial expression reflecting his inner discomfort.
Ethan, muttering to himself: "Where's Ryan? He always wakes me up, and Elory gets here before us."
He stopped for a moment, looking around, when he realized that today was his birthday.
Nott, whispering: "Wait... Are they celebrating me?"
~ He sighed ~
He felt a mix of excitement and anxiety, as if his heart was beating to a faster rhythm. He sighed deeply, trying to push away the negative thoughts.
He walked toward his room, but as he neared the door, he felt the heaviness of the atmosphere, as if the air was saturated with tension. He could hear the echo of his footsteps in the narrow hallway.
He opened the door with heavy steps, and then the silence was suddenly shattered by a horrifying sound, as if something had broken.
He felt a cloth forcefully covering his face, hugging his neck tightly, making him feel panicked.
Ethan, shouting:" W... What's happening?!"
He tried to break free from the grip, but the pressure was too harsh, as if he couldn't breathe. He realized the situation was becoming more dangerous.
Suddenly, his eyes opened to the sound of another eerie noise, accompanied by a feeling of imminent danger. He gathered all his strength, relying on his ability, and teleported forward in a flash, freeing himself. When he removed the cloth, he found himself face-to-face with two strangers dressed in formal black suits.
Man¹, surprised: "W... What is this?"
Man², angrily: "Damn it, maybe he's one of those with supernatural abilities. That explains why the young master sent us to capture him."
Ethan, clearly anxious, questioning their intentions: "Who are you? And what do you want from me?"
Man², with a deceptively calm tone: "Come with us quietly. We don't want to make a scene. Let's not resort to more drastic methods."
Ethan thought about responding, but his fear began to increase.
Ethan, warily: "Damn, what should I do... Even if I wanted to fight, the room is small..."
Suddenly, man² charged at him with speed. Ethan realized what was happening, but the move was faster than he could think.
Ethan carefully dodged the blow and swiftly swung to the side of the room, then jumped into the air, landing a powerful kick to man²'s face.
But as man¹ watched the scene, he moved quickly to strike Ethan hard on the shoulder, causing a sharp pain. Ethan struggled to maintain his balance, his emotions torn between pain and anger.
Ethan "[Damn, I have no chance against these guys...]"
Amid the struggle, Ethan began analyzing his surroundings. He quickly glanced around, searching for something that could help him in this challenge. He remembered the scissors in his desk drawer and rushed toward it.
Man², shouting: "You filthy brat! Come here!"
Ethan, with shaking hands, tried to open the drawer, desperately searching for the scissors. But his efforts were suddenly interrupted when he felt man²'s grip on his legs, pulling him violently before slamming his body into the wall with tremendous force. The sound of the impact was deafening, and the wooden wall crumbled under the force of the strike, as if the place itself was collapsing on top of them.
Pain spread through his body like wildfire, and a powerful shock made the air leave his lungs in one go. For a moment, it seemed like his body had betrayed his will, but amid the destruction, he gathered what was left of his strength, trying to get up despite the violent jolt he had taken.
In the background, the boys' screams pierced the air, mixed with the sound of cracking wood, adding to the chaos and horror that surrounded the place. His trembling hands clutched the scissors that he had managed to grab hold of.
His heart was racing, but in a moment of madness, he lunged at the man² like an arrow, seizing the only opportunity he had. As he aimed the scissors at his chest, blood splattered terrifyingly, pouring out like a dark sea, in a monumental scene reflecting the sudden outburst of violence.
Man² screamed in pain: "Aaagh!!"
His blood fell to the ground, sending an uncomfortable shiver through Ethan. Meanwhile, Man¹'s gaze was frozen, in a state of shock.
Man¹, stumbling: "Wh... what... how dare you!"
In a swift move, Ethan threw the scissors towards Man¹'s throat, landing a fatal blow. Man¹ collapsed to the ground, choking on his final scream, while blood sprayed through the air like a crimson storm, forming chaotic circles on the walls.
In a moment of deep silence, Ethan stood above the pool of flowing blood, gazing at the scene with sad eyes, sinking in the bitterness of the moment. His chest rose and fell as if trying to process what had just happened, but his mind refused to accept it. The echo of the screams that had been just moments before lingered in his ears, but now, it embraced the silence that enveloped the place like a shroud.
He felt a mix of fear and regret, as though the memories were chasing him like ghosts of his dark past. He couldn't shake the image of his first murder from his mind, that moment when the gates to his inner hell had opened... gates that could never be closed again. The burden of those heavy memories dragged his soul to the depths, reminding him of his childhood when he would stand before that incomplete circle, trapped in an emptiness he never knew how to fill.
Then, without warning, Nott burst into a scream that tore through the silence, a scream filled with regret and despair. He knelt in the bloodied pool, beginning to weep. It wasn't a normal cry... it was an angry cry, as if cursing the world, cursing himself, cursing the moment he chose this dark path. His hands gripped the ground, feeling the cold beneath them as if life had drained from the place and from him simultaneously.
He began pounding the ground violently, wishing his strikes could erase the past, or at least break the circle that fate had drawn around him. The circle of pain, regret, and loss.
Nott, with a trembling voice: "Have I just returned to become a killer...?"
His questions echoed like a horrifying reverberation in the corners of his troubled mind, crashing against him like fierce waves.
Nott, sorrowfully: "Is... is this my fate?"
Was I not supposed to be more than this... Can I really not survive without resorting to violence...?
No matter what I do, I can't defeat my enemy... without killing him..."
A wave of despair and confusion overwhelmed him, as everything seemed to spiral out of control. His thoughts tangled with the blood filling the room, unable to find any answers to his perplexing questions. He searched the depths of his soul for meaning in his troubled life, for a way out of this dark vortex he had immersed himself in, but he found himself surrounded by darkness.
At that moment, he realized that the violence he had resorted to was nothing but a link in an endless chain of pain and loss, where the blood remained as testimony to his tragic decisions.
Nott walked out of his room with hurried and determined steps, leaving behind a trail of red blood, staining the corridor and delivering a clear message about the brutality of the conflict that had occurred, and the depth of the pain surrounding him. The walls seemed to speak the language of blood, conveying the traces of the violence he had lived through.
He headed toward Elory's room, but when he arrived, she was not there.
Nott, with a voice full of concern: "And Elory is not in her room either..."
Suddenly, his heartbeat began to race, as if it was playing a tune of terror on the strings of his soul. A surge of anxiety and worry surged deep within him, blazing like fire, as the images of Ryan and Elory appeared before him, warning of their uncertain fate.
Nott, whispering in horror: "N... no... noooo!!!"
Without thinking, he sprinted quickly towards the governess's room, believing he had a chance of finding information.
He opened the door quickly, leaving behind the echo of his fear-filled footsteps.
Miri, astonished: "You insolent boy, how dare you open the door without..."
She stopped speaking when she saw Nott's blood-soaked appearance. Her eyes were filled with terror and shock, staring at the blood covering him.
Nott, glaring at her with a stern face: "Where are Ryan and Elory... and what is this money doing in your hand?"
Miry shuddered in fear, clutching a bundle of money as though hiding something larger.
Miry, muttering: "[Wh... wh... what is this blood on him...
I thought Stanvilla's men took him... damn them, they can't even do something as simple as that.]"
Nott, screaming in worry: "Where are Ryan and Elory? What did you do to them?"
Miry, with mockery: "H-h... how dare you raise your voice at me!! You insolent brat!
Your friends are in a better place now, now get lost."
Nott, his scream rising: "W-w... what do you mean!! Where did they go?"
Miry, angrily: "How annoying you are! Don't you understand yet!! They were adopted by Ryan and Elory and left!"
Nott's heartbeat raced, as if the shock would drop him to the ground.
Nott, screaming: "Lies! What is this bundle of money doing in your hand if they were just adopted?"
Miry remained in place, her features shifting between provocation and worry.
Miry, with a cold smile: "[Damn the cleverness of this brat...]
Heh... I sold them."
Nott stood there, his eyes widening in shock, as the governess's words poured into his ears like cold streams, like a sharp knife piercing his heart.
Nott, stepping back: "Y... you did what?!... Are you joking with me now?! You sold them?!!!"
Miry, with a mocking smile: "Yes, to the 'Stanvilla' family. Do you know them?"
Nott's face expressed a mixture of anger and shock.
Nott: "Was that the family that adopted Tom eight days ago?"
Miry: "Oh... so you know them."
Nott, shouting loudly: "How could you do this? How dare you sell them so easily, you shameless witch!!"
Miry, provocatively: "Witch? You little brat, don't raise your voice at me or I'll make you pay!!"
Nott, with determination in his voice: "You will be punished for this. Human trafficking is illegal in all countries, especially in Waves! You will be sent to prison! And I will make sure of it!"
Miry, laughing wickedly: "Hahaha, do you think I didn't think of that? The Stanvilla family made an agreement with me that prevents any cop from arresting me. I have their support now, for a whole month. Hahahahahaha!"
As her words flowed from her mouth, Nott felt as if the earth were splitting beneath his feet. His body bent from the shock, as if every word was being dragged from the depths of his soul, leaving behind a terrifying void.
Her laughter was enough to shake the last remnants of hope in Nott's heart, as injustice swept over his emotions like a violent storm.
Miri, sarcastically: "Did you realize now that you're nothing but a..."
~ Transition ~
Suddenly, Nott clenched his fist around her neck with force, taking control of the situation, while her eyes widened in terror. He immediately teleported to the roof, carrying her with his right hand.
Her screams blended with the sound of the howling wind, while Nott's eyes burned with anger.
Miri, screaming in fear: "But how did you get here? Help! Someone help me! I'm going to fall! Boy, let me go!"
Nott, with a charged tone: "Look at you, asking for help after you sold those weaker than you. And now, you expect mercy from the world?"
Miri's breathing quickened, and fear was evident in her eyes.
Miri, pleading: "Let me go, please, I'll tell you everything!"
Nott, in a cutting tone: "Speak..."
Miri, cautiously: "Tom plans to kidnap you, and make you watch what they'll do to them... I don't know much, but... I think he'll hurt them or something similar."
Nott's eyes bulged in shock, his anger rising inside him like a volcano.
Nott, with a frozen voice: "H-hurt them?"
Miri, threatening: "You little brat, let me go, do you think you'll get away with this? Tom is waiting for you, and soon, you'll be the one suffering!"
With increasing anger, Nott slowly lifted Miri above his head, and with a stern gaze, he threw her forcefully from the roof.
Miri, screaming in shock: "N-nooooooooo!"
At that moment, the sky turned into a battlefield between good and evil, as if the clouds had gathered to witness a fiery struggle, while the flames of revenge blazed in Nott's heart, burning with a desire that knew no mercy.
Nott, his voice rising: "Tom... I'll kill you, but before that, I'll make you suffer a terrible agony."
Nott suddenly teleported to the gatekeeper, who was checking his appearance at that moment.
Nott, inquiring: "Martin, do you know where the Stanvilla family mansion is?"
Martin, surprised: "Hmm? What's with you, all dyed in red? Did you drown yourself in paint or something?"
Nott, with a serious expression: "Yes... it was art class. But where is the Stanvilla family mansion?"
Martin, hesitantly: "Hmm? Yes, I know, but if you're planning to meet your brothers, it'll be difficult. They don't accept visitors like you, and they have tight security."
Nott, determined: "Tell me where it is!"
Martin, pointing: "Huh? Are you yelling at me, you rude boy...
Alright, then, go on your own, I won't guide you. It's in the Stanvilla Mountains. You can reach it if you take this road to the right, then another turn to the right, and keep going on that road until you spot the towering mansion in the distance. You'll reach it in about half an hour if you walk."
Nott: "Alright, goodbye, and thanks for the car."
Martin, confused: "You're welcome... Wait, what car?"
Martin started checking his pockets, but couldn't find his key.
Martin, angrily: "You brat, give me my key back!!!"
Suddenly, Nott teleported to Martin's car, which was parked in the lot. He got inside, searched under the driver's seat, and found a dagger Martin used. He took it, then started the car and sped directly toward the Stanvilla Mountains.
26 minutes later.
Nott arrived at the mansion, the car speeding toward the massive gate.
Gatekeeper¹: "Hmm?... What does this old car want as it approaches here?"
Gatekeeper²: "Hey, why doesn't it stop?"
Gatekeeper¹: "What do you mean? It's not like he's crazy to not stop... Watch out, this jerk!"
The two gatekeepers jumped away from the gate, while Nott pressed the accelerator, smashing through the gate with force. He barreled into the mansion.
The car stopped in the middle of the mansion's courtyard.
Gatekeeper¹: "Quickly, it's stopped! Let's catch him!!"
The atmosphere in the mansion was filled with tense silence. The mansion's gate lay shattered under the car's wheels, which was breathing its last breaths. As the engine's roar quieted, the guards surrounded the car, encircling the shadow of the leader who appeared both furious and confident at the same time.
The leader of the guards, a man in his late forties, tall, wearing a glossy black uniform embroidered with gold. He looked at the car with disdain and shouted his command.
Leader of the Guards: "Get out, and raise your hands above your head!"
Silence... there was no response. The leader's face twisted with anger as he looked around.
Leader of the Guards, shouting: "Huh? You don't want to get out?"
He turned to the closest guard, Guard³, who looked tense and was sweating.
Leader of the Guards: "You! Check the car!"
Guard³ hesitated for a moment before taking heavy steps toward the car. His eyes darted between the car and the leader, as if he knew that what awaited him was more dangerous than just checking it.
The guard³ slowly approached the broken window and took a quick glance inside the car. The faint light in the car revealed only empty seats, as if the driver had vanished into thin air.
Guard³: "Sir... There's no one inside."
The captain's face tightened, and he moved toward the car himself, trying to believe what the guard was saying. There was no one there.
Captain of the guards, agitated: "Are you kidding me? How did this car get here without a driver?!"
The surrounding guards exchanged uncertain glances, not sure what was happening.
Captain of the guards, firmly: "Send a team to search the road the car came from. This can't be a joke! Find out who did this now!"
Everyone, in unison: "Understood, sir!"
In a tense atmosphere beneath a cloudy sky, as the guards began to disperse, there was another person watching from above. Tom, standing alone on the luxurious balcony, his eyes filled with suspicion. The car in front of the mansion stirred up mysterious memories in his mind.
Tom, whispering to himself: "This car... It's Martin's car! But why is it here?!"
A heavy silence filled the space, and his breaths were the only sound. Suddenly, the air was torn by a strange noise, like a faint rustling cutting through the stillness around him. Tom shivered, as if the cold had pierced his bones. He turned slowly, his heart pounding wildly.
Nott, in a sharp voice: "To meet your end."
Tom froze in place. His eyes widened, as if he had seen a ghost emerging from the very depths of hell. Nott was standing on the roof, a dark shadow looming over the mansion. The moonlight reflected off his bloodstained body.
Tom, trembling, barely able to speak.
Tom: "E... Ethan?! How... how did you get up there?! What do you want from me?!
Nott didn't give him time to think. In an invisible moment, he moved from above the roof. Before Tom could realize what was happening, Nott appeared before him suddenly, as if he had been born from nothing. He grabbed Tom's clothes with a fist and yanked him towards his face, making him feel as if he were suffocating, as if the world around him was shrinking.
Nott, in an angry voice: "Tom... How dare you do this?!"
Tom tried to resist, but it was like standing before a hurricane. His body trembled with the pain and fear deep inside him.
Tom, gasping, filled with pain: "You... don't know who you're messing with! I swear, I'll make you pay for this mockery...!"
Nott wasn't listening. In a swift motion, he drew his dagger. With one strike, the dagger plunged deep into Tom's arm, almost piercing through to the other side.
Tom's screams tore through the air, smashing against the stone walls, like desperate attempts to stay alive. The pain ripped through every inch of his body, and blood began to pour heavily from his arm, falling to the floor and leaving black marks under the moonlight.
Tom, gasping, filled with anger and hatred,
Tom: "You... bastard... I'll make you pay dearly!!!"
Nott slowly pulled the dagger out, as if he wanted the pain to build more with every second. The blood flowed even more heavily, but Nott didn't stop.
Tom, choking, his body trembling and beginning to lose control.
Tom: "S... stop! Please, please... I'm sorry! I'm sorry!!"
Nott didn't move, but he didn't need to. The silence that followed his words was heavier than anything else.
Nott, in a dark voice: "Where is Ryan and Elory?"
Tom's tears began to fall slowly down his cheeks, as if he had realized the inevitable end. Everything around him was sinking into darkness, as if the whole world had abandoned him.
Tom, softly: "I... I'm sorry... but Ryan...
He's dead."
At that moment, Nott's face froze completely, as if time had stopped around him. A heavy silence descended on the place, as if everything had become trapped in those few seconds. Nott didn't move, his body stayed completely still, but the tension in the air around him was palpable. Despite the patch covering his eyes, it seemed as though the shock had overwhelmed him, paralyzing his thoughts and preventing him from responding.
Nott's breath was barely audible, each inhale and exhale a bitter struggle to process what he had heard. The air around him quivered, as if the whole world had shrunk in that moment. Reality began to withdraw slowly, leaving a crushing emptiness in his heart. His mind desperately tried to reject the truth that had pierced his senses, but its harsh voice echoed relentlessly within him.
Nott, softly, as if trying to stop time, trapped between pain and anger.
Nott: "What...? N-no, this can't be real..."
The sound echoed in his head like a muffled scream, and his eyes, hidden behind the patch, struggled to hold onto anything to prevent this truth from seeping into his depths.
The air around him seemed to freeze, even nature itself had stopped breathing. The moment was charged with despair.
Nott gave Tom a murderous glance, but it was different. It carried the weight of suppressed sorrow and raw anger, as if his world had shattered before his eyes, and all that remained was a terrible sense of emptiness.
Tom, on the other hand, had completely collapsed, his body shaking, his words torn between regret and fear.
Nott, in a deadly whisper, filled with pain: "Why... how did this happen...?"
Tom, his eyes filled with fear and terror, glanced at the ground, unable to face Nott's devastating gaze, as if trying to escape the approaching justice.
Tom, in a broken voice, barely finding the strength to speak.
Tom: "It wasn't intentional... I swear! I just... wanted revenge, I wanted to humiliate you... but things got out of control... I ruined everything, even myself... I didn't mean to... he died by accident, I swear!"
Nott couldn't speak. The words were stuck in his throat, heavy as lead, burning him from within. The pain was too deep for words to express. Everything inside him was tearing apart, but he only showed a dark mask of silent anger.
Tom: "It was an accident, I swear. I just wanted you to watch them tied up and beg me for forgiveness. I chose this day specifically to make you feel the pain I felt when you humiliated me that day..."
Tom pauses for a moment, his face painted with regret.
Tom: "I had the weapon in my hand, and an unexpected mistake happened. When Ryan bit my ear, it was a moment of panic. I realized what happened right after I shot. I had no control over the situation, and I..."
The scene was filled with rising tension, deep tragedy, and the horror that enveloped the moment, with each breath stifled by sorrow and anger as events unfolded.
Tom took a deep breath, struggling to speak the words that filled his chest with sorrow. His voice was broken, as if speaking from a deep abyss.
Tom: "I realized the horrors caused by my mistake. I only wanted revenge... but I became the cause of his loss. The pain... I can't escape it, it haunts me every moment..."
His eyes reflected deep regret and sorrow as he looked at Nott, as if waiting for mercy, but Nott stood still. He grabbed him firmly by the collar of his clothes, his fingers nearly closing around his throat. The cold wind moved Nott's hair as he stood on the balcony, like a statue of a mysterious justice that knew no mercy.
Inside the room, Elory was struggling. Tied to the ground, her hands bound by a tight knot, and tears flowed freely. She desperately tried to untie the rope, but the tape on her mouth prevented her from screaming, her breaths trapped behind the barrier that silenced her voice.
As Elory struggled, her view suddenly shifted to the other side of the room. Her eyes caught sight of the guard standing at the door, aiming his rifle at Nott, his fingers on the trigger, his eyes as cold as ice, and Elory realized the imminent danger.
Elory began to hurry desperately, trying to untie the knot binding her hands, but time passed slowly. Every moment was precious.
The guard was preparing to fire, his cold gaze showing no hesitation. In that moment, Elory realized there was no time left. She ran and jumped forward with all her strength, still bound, turning herself into a human shield in front of Nott, to protect his life.
The bullets tore through the air, cutting through the moment like a sharp knife, and Elory fell to the ground. Blood poured from her body, a mix of pain and sacrifice. Nott heard the sound of the shots and immediately turned, his eyes widening in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Nott, in suffocating shock: "Elory... no... nooooooo!!!"
The tears in Elory's eyes mixed with her blood as she quietly fell to the ground, her crying silent, but the pain she carried was unbearable. Nott took a step back, feeling helpless as if the world were pulling the ground from under him. His gaze was filled with horror, unable to believe that Elory had sacrificed her life to protect him.
Nott: "E... L... Eloryyyyy!!!"
His screams tore through the sky, his heart breaking into a thousand pieces. Elory lay on the ground, her blood forming a pool beneath her. It was a moment of crushing loss, and there was nothing he could do.
Meanwhile, Tom, trying to take advantage of the moment, laughed maniacally, his insane laughter echoing in the air.
Tom: "Hahahahaha! Well done, guard! And now... your turn is coming, bastard!
Hey guard! Help me now! Get me out of here!!"
Nott was immersed in his own world. Everything around him was collapsing like paper towers, the shock of loss stealing his ability to focus. His tear-filled eyes were fixed on Elory's lifeless body before him, her blood staining the ground, reflecting the silent pain that could not be escaped. He could hear nothing else. No screams from Tom, no noise from the world around him.
Tom, in a complete state of shock, was trying to understand, but his mind couldn't process it.
Tom: "Hey, w...what are you doing?"
Nott, like a ghost frozen in the darkness of night, his trembling hands barely able to grasp Tom's collar. Shock and sorrow enveloped every part of his being, as if time had stopped for a moment. His eyes, empty of any expression but pure sadness, reflected an inner void that couldn't be filled.
His grip on Tom's collar began to weaken slowly, unbearably. His breaths were barely audible, as if something had been completely drained from within him. His relaxed fingers allowed Tom to slip little by little from his grasp. As Nott let him fall slowly, the moment seemed to stretch on forever.
Tom, in a state of shock and terror, felt the ground slipping away from under his feet. His frightened gaze lifted to Nott, as if trying to understand, but in vain. His hands reached out, trying to grasp the air, but there was nothing to hold onto. He began to fall into the void, screaming in panic. His screams melted into the air with every meter he descended towards his death, as if the universe itself had chosen to ignore his cries for help. The final moment shattered the silence that had filled the place.
Nott, standing motionless, his vacant eyes staring at Tom as he fell. There was no life or mercy in that look, only the faint reflection of a shattered world.
The guard, screaming in madness, tried to catch up with what could not be caught.
Guard: "Young master!!!"
Nott could barely turn. His face was covered with a heavy shadow of sorrow and indifference. The world around him had become hazy. Nothing seemed important. Everything had lost its value in that moment.
Nott glanced at the guard from the corner of his eye as he raised his weapon, and in a fleeting moment, as if time itself had frozen for an instant.
With a swift step, Nott moved from his place and appeared behind the guard in the blink of an eye. His hands moved with incredible speed and precision, and as the guard prepared to fire, he only felt a sudden chill at his neck.
A sharp dagger in Nott's hand cut through the air silently, and with one clean strike, it severed the guard's head in a deadly smooth motion.
The guard had no time to react; his head detached from his body in a silent, deadly moment, and his body collapsed to the ground as his head rolled away. Nott stood motionless for a moment, staring at the blood that splattered into the air, staining his clothes again, leaving behind the mark of fate that Nott had decided in a moment of unstoppable rage.
Nott stepped cautiously toward Elory's body, each step seeming to carry the weight of mountains on his shoulders. The sorrow seeped into his bones, his face reflecting indescribable pain, as if he had lost a part of his soul in that moment.
When he arrived, he knelt beside her, as if the ground beneath his feet had become unstable and unsteady. He stared at her face, which bore the features of peace after sacrifice, as if she had finally found rest amidst this brutal madness. Her eyes were closed, free of insomnia and suffering, as if, in that moment, she had overcome all pain.
He removed the tape, gently running his hand over her face, as if trying to preserve its last details, admiring her skin that still glowed despite the pain, as if calling her back, but his feeling of guilt tore him apart like glass shards. Tears fell from his eyes, slowly descending, mingling with the blood on his cheeks, bearing witness to the tragedy of the moment.
Nott, with a broken and choked voice, whispered: "I... I'm sorry...Elory, I'm sorry... I'm sorry... sorry..."
His words repeated like an echo in his heart, filled with regret, as if he were trying to ask forgiveness from someone who may never return to grant it. Each word tore his heart, leaving a deep mark on his soul.
His head lowered toward the ground, his faint sobs barely audible amid the deadly silence that surrounded him. Time seemed to stop, and everything around him faded into a haze of sorrow and disappointment. He raised his eyes again toward Elory, gazing at her beautiful face, now devoid of vitality, and he felt as though everything had been just a painful dream.
Nott repeated: "Sorry... sorry... sorry..."
As if the words were the only way to express the chaos inside him. Each time he spoke them, the feeling of loss grew, as if the pain doubled with every letter. He closed his eyes, trying to hold on to the image of Elory in his memory, while the tears mixed with the blood, forming a painting of pain and loss.
Moment after moment, his breaths grew louder, as if they were a storm inside his heart, and he remained silent, immersed in the stillness of the tragedy, surrendering to the pain of losing someone he loved. The tears continued to fall, as he wished he could turn back time to change everything, but reality was cruel and unforgiving.
He took a moment of silence, as if time had stopped, trying to comprehend the tragedy before him. His breaths were heavy, like rocks weighing on his heart, but the silence was unforgiving, and he knew he couldn't stop here. He had to keep going, despite everything. The pain in his chest nearly suffocated him, as if each breath carried a piece of his soul.
His gaze shifted, and without realizing it, his eyes fell on Ryan's body, leaning against the wall, drenched in the blood that continued to flow, as if it were telling the story of loss and failure. Ryan's body, which had once been full of life, now represented a tragic end, embodying the disappointment Nott was experiencing.
Nott, with a broken voice: "Ahhh...ahhh."
The sound came like an echo in his heart, as if each letter expressed his internal suffering. Tears of grief trickled into his eyes, mixing with the blood that stained his face, making the scene even more brutal.
He approached with hesitant steps toward Ryan's body, as if each step took him deeper into his wound. He gently ran his hand over his friend's body, trying to recall the beautiful memories, remembering his laughter and the smile that lit up everything around him. His thoughts rushed in, speaking of the days they had spent together, but reality was merciless, and he realized that everything had ended. The feeling of regret squeezed his heart, and words of reproach and blame echoed in his mind.
Nott: "I... I..."
He lowered his head, trying to hold onto the final moment. The pain renewed, and every memory carried an indescribable sadness. His body trembled, as if receiving an electric shock from the reality of his loss. He whispered softly.
Nott: "Sorry, Ryan... I wish I had woken up earlier."
Long moments passed, as if time had stopped. Everything around him faded, and only pain and loss wandered in his mind. The tears fell continuously, blending with the cold of the night, expressing a deep sorrow that could not be described.
Nott, with a broken voice: "Ryan... my body... hurts in every way..."
Nott felt an indescribable weight in his chest, his body trembling from the pain. He slowly approached the bodies of Ryan and Elory, his eyes sinking into sorrow. He whispered softly, as if speaking to the memory of that beautiful moment on the tower, when the sky was filled with hope.
Nott: "Wasn't our dream limitless... How did everything end, when we hadn't even started..."
Then silence, as if the words themselves were incapable of containing the depth of the sorrow that overwhelmed him. The crying choked him once again, but he tried to hold himself together, suppressing the pain that tore at his chest.
With trembling hands, he picked up the bodies of Elory and Ryan, carrying them with whatever strength he had left. He felt their warm blood flowing onto his clothes, but it no longer mattered. The weight on his chest was greater than anything else.
His steps were slow and heavy, as if each one carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
~ The sound of loud footsteps ~
~ Transition ~
The door of the room opened forcefully, and the Captain of the Guard entered, followed by nine other guards, their footsteps echoing in the cold emptiness.
Captain of the Guard: "We've been attacked!!"
Nott stood on the edge of the roof, his body exhausted and his face stained with tears and blood, mixed together in a tragic scene. He lifted his head toward the sky, but that once bright sky had turned into a deep darkness, like a sorrowful embrace that wrapped around him in that catastrophic moment. The sky was empty, no star shining, as if the universe itself had decided to leave him in the darkest of nights. There were no signs of light, only a dark void surrounding him, amplifying the feeling of isolation and loss. It was as if he were speaking to a ghost, calling out to the stars that hadn't come to feel their presence, while he clung to Elory and Ryan's bodies like a lost hope in the pitch-black darkness.
He held the bodies of Elory and Ryan tightly, as if they were the last remnants of hope in this harsh world.
The rain poured heavily, washing his face but not erasing the traces of sorrow and loss. He felt as though the sky was sharing his pain, intens
The rain falls heavily, washing his face but not erasing the traces of sorrow and loss. It feels as if the sky shares his pain, intensifying the moment and making everything around him more tragic.
Nott: "Am I imagining this, or has the bright sky turned into a dark night..."
He gazes at the sky as if it were a mirror reflecting the colors of lost life. His face carries a deep expression of sorrow, which intensifies with every raindrop that brushes his cheek. He searches among the rain for a glimmer of hope, something that could bring life back to them, but the sky remains silent, unable to provide any answer to his shattered questions.
He holds their bodies tightly, as if trying to preserve the beautiful moments in his memory, striving to keep every smile and every fleeting moment. But separation overwhelms everything, and Nott realizes that he cannot turn back time. In that moment, everything around him fades away, leaving him alone with his memories, his tears, and the rain that accompanies his pain in silence.
He feels an unbearable weight in his heart and continues to stare at the void in the sky, perhaps searching for a glimpse of hope slipping between the raindrops. The wind gently touches his face, but the impact of this separation feels like lashes, reminding him that nothing will ever be the same. He immerses himself in a deep silence, recalling their past together, the beautiful moments they spent, and all the laughter strengthened by the memories.
He stands like a statue, contemplating the mysteries of the sky, wondering about powers he never knew before. In that quiet moment, he hears nothing but the sound of the rain, which seems like an echo of his inner pain.
As the tears fall from his cheeks, Nott whispers softly, filled with emotion.
Nott: "You will always be a part of me, Ryan, Elory.
I will carry your memory in my heart, and you will always be those stars that light up my darkest nights."
His words fade into the darkness of the night, but with each word, he feels a little strength returning to him. Despite the pain, he knows that the memories he carries will live on with him, and that their love will not fade, but will remain rooted deep in his soul.
The mountains emerge on the horizon, dark under the cover of the gray sky. Nott hurries towards the city, carrying Ryan and Elory's bodies in his arms. He teleports with them repeatedly until he reaches a nearby hospital.