After school, Cole and Celes walked out of the gate, heading toward Cole's place. They followed a descending road, then cut through the fields. Plenty of people were moving around them on bikes, motorbikes, and on foot all around them.
"GRAAAAH,"
A huge shadow suddenly fell over them under the red moonlight. Cole and Celes looked up. A massive, ancient bird—some kind of pterosaur, but looking distinctly like a giant undead corpse—was cruising over them in the dark sky, which was only illuminated by the red moon's glow. Yet, when Cole looked at the reaction of the people nearby, not a single person was affected. They just kept walking, staring at their smartphones, watches, and so on.
"They can't see it. Only we can," Celes stated.
"I'm still confused why they can't see it. That thing clearly just flew right over us. And are there Draugr that are some kind of dinosaur like that thing?" Cole replied, looking around.
"I don't know... I don't understand it either," Celes answered.
"What about that big shadow then?" Cole asked, pointing toward a gigantic figure in the distance that seemed enormous, reaching into the sky.
"Don't ask me... I don't know that either," Celes replied.
"Oi,"
"WHACK,"
Cole's shoulder was suddenly slapped hard from behind. He turned to see a large, crew-cut student in a school uniform with an ordinary but fierce-looking face. Behind him, three other young men followed. The crew-cut kid, who looked like a thug, then threw an arm around Cole and glanced at Celes, smiling.
"What do you want with him, Blake?" Celes asked.
"Nothing... I just wanted to talk to him, is that okay?" Blake replied.
"Oh yeah, talk about what?" Celes asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"Why did you choose him? What's his deal? I'm just curious, you know. I know he's smart, but he's a loner, totally average, and always looks empty," Blake answered.
"None of your business. Get lost," Celes said curtly, pulling Cole away from Blake.
"Ha! Don't you start anything, Celes. You already turned down my boss. Now he wants an explanation. Is that a problem? I'm not asking you for an explanation, I'm asking him," Blake said, grabbing Cole's shirt collar.
"Hey, let go of me," Cole demanded.
"Huh... let go of you? (He gave Cole a once-over.) What does she see in a guy like this? Am I right, guys, haha?" Blake sneered.
"Hahaha... right, boss," his three friends replied.
Suddenly, "WHAM," Blake's face was slammed from the side with a hard punch. Celes had jumped up and hit Blake right in the face, causing him to let go of Cole's collar and stumble sideways, clutching his cheek.
"Hey... grab her!" Blake yelled at his boys.
Without a word, Blake's three friends immediately grabbed Celes and held her down. Celes struggled, of course, but the three guys were bigger than her.
"Hey... let go!" Celes yelled.
"Boss also said if you tried anything, especially hitting me, we could do whatever we wanted to you, hehe," Blake said, walking toward Cole again.
Cole looked at Celes struggling and then at Blake walking toward him, smiling with a reddened cheek. Suddenly, something shifted inside Cole. "GRUNT," both his hands clenched into tight fists.
"Hoh... so you wanna fi—"
"BAM,"
Blake didn't finish his sentence. As he got close, Cole's fist landed squarely on his face, sending Blake flying backward. He didn't get up immediately. Cole turned and delivered a high, spinning kick. "WHACK," his shinbone hammered one of Blake's friends, sending him reeling and making him release Celes's arm.
"Y-you bastard!"
The remaining two boys immediately let go of Celes's other arm and waist. They rushed Cole, throwing punches. Cole stepped back, dodging the two guys' fists, and "BAM," "WHACK," Cole's fist smashed into the face of the guy on the right, and his foot hit the guy on the left. "Augh," both of them were sent sprawling to the ground.
"H-hey, let's go! (He looked at Cole.) This isn't over, Cole! You watch your back!" Blake yelled, having just gotten back to his feet.
Blake's two friends immediately stood up, then helped the third one who was still sprawled out. They left, abandoning the fight with Cole and Celes. "HAAA-AH," Cole opened his mouth, and white smoke curled out again. Then he looked like someone who had just woken up, staring at his hands which were still trembling from the emotion.
"W-what was that... why am I mad? That was anger, wasn't it... I don't get it," Cole said.
"Your emotions are finally starting to surface, huh? I was the same way when I first woke up after eating that guy's flesh," Celes replied.
"Are you okay?" Cole asked, turning to Celes.
"I'm fine. Honestly, I could've gotten away by myself, but... I didn't want to use my power on humans like you just did," Celes answered.
"Huh... I just did?" Cole asked, confused.
"You didn't notice your eyes turned red?" Celes asked.
"Oh... yeah, sorry, I didn't notice," Cole replied.
"It's okay, though. Nothing worse happened than you just beating them up. Let's get going. I want to see the house where you woke up," Celes said, linking her arm through Cole's.
"Y-yeah, b-but why do you suddenly want to go to my house?" Cole replied, still confused.
"Because I want to know and look for clues. You haven't moved since you woke up, have you? I've been relocated, and I have absolutely no idea where I first woke up," Celes answered.
"Hmm... alright. If that's your reason, I understand," Cole said.
They continued walking down the road that cut through the fields. All along the way, Cole kept looking around. The world was truly dark, illuminated only by the red moonlight. He checked his smartphone; the sun should still have been shining, even if it was beginning to set since it was late afternoon.
Then he looked at the gigantic shadow in the distance that looked terrifying but also strange and illogical, as if he were in another world and not his own.
"Was this really the world I've seen since I was a kid? Or was the world actually bright before... I really don't understand. Even though I remember Celes and read that book, there's still so much I don't know about this world," Cole thought.
"Oh, that's right. Since I've been constantly moving, living in the houses of the Draugr I've killed for a year, can I just crash at your place?" Celes asked.
"Tap," Cole immediately halted, completely processing what he'd just heard. Celes, who had walked past him, turned around and stood in front of Cole.
"Can I? It's not like that house is really yours, is it? You don't even remember living there since you were a kid... I don't want to be separated from my friend again because I don't want to be alone anymore," Celes pleaded.
"Huh," Cole couldn't answer. He was truly confused because what Celes was asking for was completely outside his comfort zone, but he knew Celes was right. He wasn't sure the house he was in was even his, despite his ID card listing its address, and clearly, he didn't want to be alone anymore either.