Selena grabbed Arden's hand, but it came off in her palm.
Blood followed.
Her mind… shattered.
Her hands shook uncontrollably, trembling as she stared at the severed limb.
"This… hand…"
She lifted her gaze slowly, painfully, like each second of looking was scraping her alive.
Arden smiled. A wide, wicked smile.
His eyes curved upward, savoring the moment, like someone tasting the despair of a soul cracking in front of them.
His voice dropped low, soft, playful, almost like a whisper… taunting, almost laughing—but without sound:
"Oi… Selena…"
The smile widened.
He was delighting in her trembling.
"Who… do you think this hand belongs to?"
He tilted his head, glimmering eyes locking onto her.
"Can you… guess?"
Her mind reeled.
She looked at the hand, her hand trembling . Eyes shaking .
Her lips parted, but nothing coming out.
An image of Dale flashed in her mind—his smile, his voice.
Finally, a voice emerged. Shaky. Broken.
"This… this is… it can't be…"
Arden didn't drop the smile.
His eyes still glowed as he stared down at her.
"Seeing your face… I guess… you've figured out who it belongs to."
He knelt close to her. Face inches from hers.
"Haven't you… Selena."
Her body went limp.
"How did he know about Dale?" She thought.
Her mind raced to the market, three days ago.
"Was he the one glaring at us that day? Did he follow us home?"
Her breath came ragged.
"Dale!"
Tears spilled, burning down her cheeks.
She hugged the hand. Lifted her face up .
She screamed, crying .
Arden's smile didn't waver.
"He must have been really close to you… wasn't he?"
She dropped her head crying like a child. She closed her eyes.
"Dale… I'm sorry. This… this is all my fault. I dragged you into this…"
Her grip on the hand tightened.
"I'm sorry… If you hadn't met me… you'd still be alive."
Arden snatched the hand from her.
Selena's eyes snapped open.
He stood, waving the hand at her with that same twisted grin.
"This is all I could bring off him. I bet the rest been eaten by dogs."
Selena covered her ears, screaming. Her tears fell to the floor.
She crawled to him and grasped his leg.
"Please… give it back. If that's all that's left of Dale, I want it… please…"
She raised her head up looking at him. She Screamed.
"Give it back!"
She stood, hand raised to snatch it.
Arden tilted his head, grinning.
"If you want it… go fetch."
He threw the hand.
Her eyes widened. She watched the hand land on the floor.
The wolves swarmed and began eating it.
"Dale's… hands…" Her voice broke. "It's… being eaten…"
She rushed towards the wolves crawling and crying .
Arden watched her smiling .
She pushed them aside screaming as she clawed her way through . Bites and claws tore at her hand . She winced in pain but that didn't stop her.
She finally got a hold of the hand and yanked it free.
Her face drained of colour. The hand was mangled. Two fingers gone. Flesh torn.
She stared at the hand in horror.
A wolf snatched the hand away .
She turned. The wolf dropped the hand in front of Arden.
Arden smiled ." If you want to have this hand . You have to play a game . In this game you have to survive five punches."
He smiled widened ." You can call it the Five punch game ."
"Five… punches…" she repeated, disbelief in her voice.
"You want it, don't you?" he said, eyes glittering.
Pictures of Dale flooded her mind.
She closed her eyes, clutching her chest, crying.
Then opened them again.
"Fine… I'll do it."
Arden's voice came low. "You should know who will punch you before you agree... Selena, because I won't be the one punching you."
Her eyes widened ." Then who—"
Vibration echoed from behind. The giant wolf stood behind her.
Selena turned her head slowly. She stared at the Wolf's four glowing eyes .
Her lips quivered. No words came out.
Arden clapped ."Let's begin."
The wolf raised its fist.
Selena raised her hand, trembling.
"Wait!"
Arden tilted his head slightly.
"Huh? You were eager to do it not quite long," Arden said, voice light, almost playful.
"Oi, oi… don't tell me…" He smiled mockingly.
"Are you scared?"
Her hands shook. She gazed down clutching her dress.
"It's not your fault seeing your fragile body, one punch could disfigure that pretty face of yours ."
She didn't raise her hand . She just kept staring down in fear.
" But If you're not ready... then I guess I you value your face than this hand . I have nothing to do with it then."
Selena's grip on her dress tightened . Her mind reeled ." W-what do I do ? If I don't do something ... i will lose Dale's hand."
Arden looked at the wolf in front of him.
"Eat."
"Wait!" she yelled.
Arden raised a hand.
The wolf stopped.
She sniffled, tightened her grip on her dress like it was paper.
"I… I'll play."
"Huh? I can't hear you," he taunted.
Tears streamed. She stood up and screamed.
"I'll play your… stupid game!"
Arden smiled."The game has already begun."
Selena turned back in shock.
The fist came down .
Bam!
The punch sent her hitting the ground. Spiderweb cracks spread across the floor .
Blood poured from her mouth .
She tried to rise but fell again .
She staggered up. Her body shaking .
Another punch to the gut .
Bam!
Blood left her mouth . She dropped to the ground coughing .
She raised her head weakly.
The boss fist connected to her face.
Bam!
Blood and tooths flew out of her mouth . She dropped down barely alive . She laid on the floor weakly.
She looked back. Arden waved the hand at her smiling ." Two more . You can do it."
She staggered up breathing hard .
Bam!
Punch to the gut.
She coughed .
The wolf joined it's massive paws together and slammed it down on Selena .
Selena dropped down . Blood splattered from her mouth . Her head was covered in blood. She crumpled in pain.
Arden tossed the hand forward.
She crawled forward slowly like a snail. She reached the hand weakly and grabbed it. Tears fell from her eyes . She sat up hugging the hand .
Arden walked towards her . He knelt beside her and dressed his face closer .
He smiled ." You really are strong but can I ask you a question?"
His smile widened .
A visual hit her mind.
She was kneeling on the floor. Hand in her grip.
Arden's head was in the sky behind her smiling .
"Why would you go this far for a hand I picked up on the street on my way here ."
Her eyes widened . Something inside her broke . The visual left her mind .
She looked down at the hand . " If this isn't Dale's hand... whose hand... is this ?"
Arden grinned ." Who knows? Dogs were feeding on the body in the streets. I could only retrieve a hand .
Her eyes widened in shock . She let go of the hand immediately.
Arden chuckled ." Oh... now that you've learnt the truth, you don't want it . You even received five punches just to get it. Your face is all swollen, you even lost some of your tooth and now you don't want it ."
Her voice shook.
"But… you said—"
Arden smiled ." I never said it belonged to Dale, did I?
She looked down. Despair crushing her. Tears flooded her eyes .
"Why are you doing this... Rain? I thought... I was your friend. We all at the Crimson Owl... we're friends . I don't understand. Why would you do this? You always said you'd let the world burn for your friends.
She raised her head . Tears streamed freely ." Where did all that go to ?"
Arden stood up . His smile faded. His expression was cold. He lowered his gaze down.
Selena couldn't see his eyes .